2 tone
2 Tone (or Two Tone) is a music genre created in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s by fusing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae and New Wave. It was called 2 Tone because most of the bands were signed to 2 Tone Records at some point. Other labels associated with the 2 Tone sound were Stiff Records and Go Feet Records. Within the history of ska, 2 Tone is classified as its second wave, the product of an early 1980s nostalgia for vintage music. It is the precursor of the third wave ska scene of the 1990s. Read Full Bio2 Tone (or Two Tone) is a music genre created in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s by fusing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae and New Wave. It was called 2 Tone because most of the bands were signed to 2 Tone Records at some point. Other labels associated with the 2 Tone sound were Stiff Records and Go Feet Records. Within the history of ska, 2 Tone is classified as its second wave, the product of an early 1980s nostalgia for vintage music. It is the precursor of the third wave ska scene of the 1990s.
The 2 Tone sound was developed by young musicians (mostly in Coventry, West Midlands) who grew up hearing 1960s Jamaican music. They combined 1960s ska with contemporary punk and pop music. Bands considered part of the genre include: The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat, Madness, Bad Manners, and The Bodysnatchers.
The term 2 Tone was coined by Jerry Dammers of The Specials. Dammers, with the assistance of Horace Panter, also created the Walt Jabsco logo to represent the 2 Tone movement. It was based on an early album cover photo of Peter Tosh, and included an added black-and-white check pattern.
The 2 Tone sound was developed by young musicians (mostly in Coventry, West Midlands) who grew up hearing 1960s Jamaican music. They combined 1960s ska with contemporary punk and pop music. Bands considered part of the genre include: The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat, Madness, Bad Manners, and The Bodysnatchers.
The term 2 Tone was coined by Jerry Dammers of The Specials. Dammers, with the assistance of Horace Panter, also created the Walt Jabsco logo to represent the 2 Tone movement. It was based on an early album cover photo of Peter Tosh, and included an added black-and-white check pattern.
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Gangsters
The Specials Lyrics
Bernie Rhodes knows don't argue
Why must you record my phone calls?
Are you planning a bootleg LP?
Said you've been threatened by gangsters
Now it's you that's threatening me
Can't fight corruption with con tricks
They use the law to commit crime
And I dread, dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in gangster time
Don't call me scar face
Can't interrupt while I'm talking
Or they'll confiscate all your guitars
And Catch-22 says if I sing the truth
They won't make me an overnight star
Don't offer us legal protection
They use the law to commit crime
I dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in real gangster time
Bernie Rhodes knows don't argue
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jerry Dammers, John Bradbury, Lynval Golding, Neville Staples, Roderick Byers, Stephen Panter, Terry Hall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Ichwan Rasyid
RIP Terry Hall. Very sad to hear this news tonight. You made the world a better place with your lyrics and tunes. Rest easy ❤️
Andrew Kaveny
Such a legend ❤️
susana couto
I will adoro you
Kevin O'Dell
@FFM0594 a lot of the first album were cover versions
FFM0594
They weren't his lyrics or tunes, they were Jerry Dammers.
Gemini
He was only 63 very sad news
The Laughing Man
Rest easy Terry! The specials changed my life.
I've been a mod since I was a little kid and this one hurts like hell.
Thank you for the glorious legacy of music you with us.
❤️❤️❤️❤️🕴🏿🕴🏻🕴🏾🕴🏻🕴🏽🕴️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Jacqui Basheer
Terry was incredible. So so sad.
Russell Willoughby
here here, was one of my favourites groups, RIP terry you were part of my youth and i thank you
Chris stalwart
gutted,big time