Hall was an active member of the burgeoning Coventry music scene of the late 1970s, playing in local punk band Squad, and being credited as a composer on their single "Red Alert" / "£8 a Week". This scene also produced acts such as The Selecter and Hazel O'Connor.
As the frontman for The Specials (though initially called The Coventry Automatics), Hall primarily struck it big in Britain in 1979 when BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel played their single "Gangsters" on his show; the song was included in his Festive Fifty at #7 in that year. The Specials' first self-titled album features some of Hall's most recognizable and notable performances, including "Little Bitch", "Nite Klub", "Concrete Jungle", and "Gangsters".
In October of 1980, The Specials released their second album, More Specials. While singing such fan-favourites such as "Enjoy Yourself", "Rat Race", and "Hey, Little Rich Girl", Terry successfully helped the band recreate the upbeat music that the first album possessed. The next album The Specials recorded, 1984's In The Studio, did not include Hall.
After The Specials' last single with Hall, the UK #1 hit "Ghost Town", Hall left the band to start a new-wave group, Fun Boy Three, with two other Specials members, Lynval Golding and Neville Staples. Fun Boy Three's first hit single occurred in late 1981, entitled "The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)", then followed-up in early 1982 with "It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)", a duet with Bananarama. Fun Boy Three then provided guest vocals for Bananarama's single, "Really Saying Something". That same year, Hall and his bandmates appeared in the video for "Driving in My Car" by ska band, Madness. In February 1983, Fun Boy Three released Waiting. It consisted of the Top Ten hits "The Tunnel of Love" and the classic "Our Lips Are Sealed". The latter was a song Hall wrote with Jane Wiedlin, who had already made it into a hit the previous year with her group, The Go-Go's.
In 1984 Hall formed the Coventry based band The Colourfield, releasing the album Virgins & Philistines in 1985, which included the single "Thinking of You" (UK #12 hit single). This new musical direction would culminate in collaborations with the Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie, contributing a number of songs to the Seeds' Sense (1992), Jollification (1994), Dizzy Heights (1996) and Tilt (1999) albums. Hall also co-wrote the song "Smoke Rings" for Broudie's debut solo album Tales Told. The track was subsequently released as the lead track on the Smoke Rings EP.
In 2001 he appeared as a guest on the Gorillaz-D12 single "911", which was a song about terrorist attacks in the U.S.
In 2007 he provided vocals for many tracks on the Dub Pistols album Speakers and Tweeters.
Hall was still struggling with his mental health. In 2003, he had begun self-medicating with alcohol. In the last decade of his life, he sought medication, having been wary of it since being put on Valium as a teenager, as well as taking up art therapy.
“It got to a point where I didn’t have a choice – and it’s done me so much good,” he said. “Talking about mental health problems is a conscious decision. It’s something I want to share with people.”
Terry Hall, an early singer in influential ska/new wave group The Specials, died on Dec, 18, 2022. He sang on the band's first two albums, The Specials and More Specials and, after rejoining when The Specials reformed in 2008, he sang on an additional two records.
Beautiful People
Terry Hall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
waiting for clouds to fall
young fun seekers
gaze deep into crystal ball
faith healers
touch me and say i'm cured
when something deep within you
turn it from a whisper into a shout
hey, beautiful people
where are you hiding
and won't you come on out?
hey, beautiful people
you got to let the truth shine out
i'll sing about losers
someday you'll have it all
life's pickers and choosers
with your backs up against the wall
users, abusers
you want everything and more
fat, small, thin, tall, it doesn't matter
everybody counts
who are you to tell me
what life's about
Hey, beautiful people
where are you hiding
and won't you come on out?
i'm saying hey, beautiful people
you got to let the truth shine out
blue eyes,
grey skies,
tomorrow you could set the world on fire
Hey, beautiful people
get yourselves ready
and won't you take a bow?
i'm saying hey, beautiful people
you got to let, the truth, shine out
Hey, beautiful people
where are you hiding
and won't you come on out?
hey, beautiful people
get yourselves ready
and won't you take a bow?
Terry Hall's song "Beautiful People" is a catchy and upbeat anthem that encourages people to be true to themselves and embrace their unique qualities. The lyrics celebrate individuality and encourage listeners to break free from the constraints of societal norms and expectations.
The first verse of the song introduces dreamers, fun-seekers, and faith healers, all of whom are waiting for something to happen. The chorus then urges "beautiful people" to come out of hiding and let the truth shine out. The second verse addresses "losers," "life's pickers and choosers," and "users and abusers," emphasizing that everyone is important and deserves to be heard.
The bridge of the song features a list of descriptors, including "blue eyes, grey skies," that culminate in the message that anyone has the potential to achieve greatness and "set the world on fire." The final chorus repeats the call for "beautiful people" to come out of hiding, take a bow, and let their truth shine.
Overall, "Beautiful People" is a message of empowerment and encouragement, urging listeners to embrace their uniqueness and celebrate the diversity of humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
dreamers
People who aspire for something big
waiting for clouds to fall
Patiently waiting for their dreams to come true
young fun seekers
Young people looking for enjoyment and adventure
gaze deep into crystal ball
Wonder and imagine their incredible future
faith healers
People who can miraculously heal diseases through faith
touch me and say i'm cured
Take away my burdens and help me release it
when something deep within you
When there is something inside you
is waiting to get out
That needs to come out
turn it from a whisper into a shout
Let it be heard loud and clear
hey, beautiful people
Addressing the people who are waiting for their moment
where are you hiding
Asking where are they and why they are not coming out
and won't you come on out?
Encouraging them to come out so their true worth could see the light of day
you got to let the truth shine out
They should not be afraid to show their true selves to everyone
i'll sing about losers
I'll talk about people who lost in life earlier
someday you'll have it all
A not-so-distant future where they could achieve their desire
life's pickers and choosers
Life has its ups and downs, and we must make the best of it
with your backs up against the wall
Feeling trapped and helpless
users, abusers
People who take without giving something in return or harm others to benefit themselves
you want everything and more
Everything is not enough for their desire and want more
fat, small, thin, tall, it doesn't matter
No matter who they are or what they look like, everyone counts
everybody counts
Everyone is important and should be treated as such
who are you to tell me
Asking someone who are they to dictate his life or limit their potential
what life's about
The purpose of life and what brings fulfillment to it
blue eyes
The color of the eye (symbolic of beauty)
grey skies
Cloudy and overcast sky (symbolic of hardships)
tomorrow you could set the world on fire
There is a real possibility to achieve something great for tomorrow
get yourselves ready
Prepare yourself for what awaits
and won't you take a bow?
They have done something worthy of recognition and commendation
Writer(s): BLAIR BOOTH, TERRY HALL
Contributed by Sadie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.