LAURENCEAUX: Meaningful songs #20

This is the twentieth in an occasional series of songs from my collection, with the intent of introducing music to younger readers that they may gain appreciation of music from the classic years, 1957-1990.

I have lived long enough to hear the "popular" music industry become ever-more formulaic, lazy, uninspiring and cynical; delivering "units" and "artistes" as interesting and memorable as polished mud.

Meaningful songs that eloquently convey a story, sentiment, or social comment and make it to national consciousness are rare these days. If you agree this song is meaningful, please introduce it to someone young; they might enjoy becoming "musical archaeologists".

Todays song, titled "Ghost Town", released in 1981, is by a group called THE SPECIALS.

Underrated and brilliant social commentators

Hear the song here

Ghost Town by the SKA-style group, The Specials, is a hard-hitting and factually correct song that narrates the decline of urban life and lifestyle choices throughout the UK in the late 1970s-early 80s, when social unease, racially motivated behaviours and industrial decay was seemingly being forced upon many working class cities, as manufacturing and unrest within it industries struggled to seem relevant alongside the "yuppy" cultures being engendered within social media and a newly upcoming culture where "greed was good" and that "loads of money" was deemed to be the only goals to aim for.

From the city of Coventry, it's decay inspired The Specials' acerbic lyrics about their home town.

Ghost Town became a hit in the UK as major riots were springing up all around and was ironically the band's final single as their own internal decay and implosion mirrored the sentiment of this, their finest song.

N.B. Jazz singer Beverley Beirne covered Ghost Town in 2018 and drained it of its potency, urgency and relevance like no other cover version I have heard. See what you think.

GHOST TOWN

This town is coming like a ghost town
All the clubs have been closed down
This place is coming like a ghost town
Bands won't play no more
Too much fighting in the dance floor

Do you remember the good old days
Before the ghost town?
We danced and sang as the music played
In any boomtown

This town is coming like a ghost town
Why must the youth fight against themselves?
Government leaving the youth on the shelf
This place is coming like a ghost town
No job to be found in this country
Can't go on no more
The people getting angry!

This town is coming like a ghost town
This town is coming like a ghost town
This town is coming like a ghost town
This town is coming like a ghost town

The BBC did a few pieces centred around the song Ghost Town and The Specials who were critiqued, through modern eyes recently, some 40+ years after their heyday; but before you leave have a listen the 10 best Specials' songs

Return to the first article in this series or hear the first song in this series.

Read the next article in the series or hear the next song in the series.

For the index of all songs in this blog click here.

Oh, OK - Let's have a SKA-fest ..

PRINCE BUSTER - They Call It Madness

THE SPECIALS - Gangsters (cover of Al Capone?)

DANDY LIVINGSTONE - Rudy A Message To You (orig)

THE SPECIALS - Rudy A Message To You (copy)

BAD MANNERS - Wooly Bully

THE SELECTER - On My Radio

THE SPECIALS - Too Much Too Young

DESMOND DEKKER AND THE ACES - The Isrealites