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.
Missing
Terry Hall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
enough, to last a hundred years
laughs, we had so many laughs
how come, they turned into tears
since you've been gone
life just sort of carries on
but it's not that much fun
the rain is falling
and i've tried calling
but i just can't get through
to say i'm missing, missing you
wow, i guess it's over now
you won't be coming home
but i don't blame ya
divorce, is like the final straw
do we need another Kramer versus Kramer
you and your friend
can have the kid at weekends
it's only fair that we share him
the kids are crying
the dog is dying
and i just got the flu
oh how we're missing
missing you
the food is burning
but we are learning
to get by without you
although we're missing
missing you
the dog is howling
the kids are growling
what are we to do
we're on our ownsome
alone and blue
the rent needs paying
and we're are praying
that you will come back soon
because we're missing
missing you
the snow is falling
it's christmas morning
it might as well be June
because we're missing
missing you
the rain is falling
but i've tried calling
but i just can't get through
to say i'm missing
missing you
The song "Missing" by Terry Hall is a poignant reflection on the aftermath of a breakup or divorce. He describes the strong love and happy memories shared with his partner, but notes how quickly those moments turned into tears since she's gone. The nostalgia further echoes when Terry expresses his sadness at not being able to get in touch with her despite the many attempts he has made.
The singer acknowledges the end of the relationship, recognizing that it's over and that they won't be coming back. He even goes on to suggest that they could share the child on the weekends and the observance of their splitting friends in Kramer versus Kramer, a cherished reference of a well-loved classic. Most notably, Terry Hall paints a picture of how the mundane routines of everyday life continue despite the absence of a loved one.
The melancholic tone and Terry's recognition of the reality of separation make this song a relatable and personal reflection of a tough and trying time. While it's not specified what kind of relationship he's referring to, the song's lyrics reflect a universal experience of loss and heartbreak that many of us can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
love, there was so much love
We had so much love between us.
enough, to last a hundred years
We had a lot of love that could have lasted for a very long time.
laughs, we had so many laughs
We shared many laughs together.
how come, they turned into tears
Why did our laughs turn to tears?
since you've been gone
Ever since you left.
life just sort of carries on
Life continues even though you are gone.
but it's not that much fun
It's not as fun as it used to be without you.
the rain is falling
It is raining outside.
and i've tried calling
I have tried to call you.
but i just can't get through
But I cannot manage to get through to you.
to say i'm missing, missing you
To express how much I am missing you.
wow, i guess it's over now
I suppose our relationship has ended now.
you won't be coming home
You will not be returning home.
but i don't blame ya
But I do not hold it against you.
divorce, is like the final straw
Divorce is the last option when all else fails.
do we need another Kramer versus Kramer
Do we really need to go through another messy divorce like in the movie 'Kramer vs Kramer'?
you and your friend
You and your friend.
can have the kid at weekends
You can have the child on the weekends.
it's only fair that we share him
It is only fair that we both share custody of the child.
the kids are crying
The children are crying.
the dog is dying
The dog is sick and may not survive.
and i just got the flu
And I am currently sick with the flu.
oh how we're missing
Oh how we are missing you.
missing you
We miss you terribly.
the food is burning
The food is currently burning on the stove.
but we are learning
But we are learning to cope without you.
to get by without you
To manage without your presence.
although we're missing
Even though we are missing you.
the dog is howling
The dog is barking loudly and uncontrollably.
the kids are growling
The children are grumpy and irritable.
what are we to do
What are we supposed to do now?
we're on our ownsome
We are on our own and feeling lonely.
alone and blue
Feeling lonely and sad.
the rent needs paying
We need to pay the rent.
and we're are praying
And we are praying for your return.
that you will come back soon
That you will return home soon.
because we're missing
Because we miss you so much.
the snow is falling
It is snowing outside.
it's christmas morning
It is Christmas Day.
it might as well be June
But it feels like any other day without you here.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BLAIR BRONWEN BOOTH, TERRY HALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Livvy McGrath
RIP Terry Hall 😢💔🙏🏻 Thank you for the beautiful music we will miss you 💔
Busy Bee
Anything Terry touches turns magical,... genius is an understatement.
Adrian Williams
A beautiful gem thank you for the music and genius you gave us, gone too soon you will be missed.
Christopher McLaughlin
Cheers Terry. Thank you for the tunes. And the foresight into issues I would have otherwise missed being a young man.
U.N. Owen
One of my favourite compositions of Mr Hall. I especially like that it's such a sad , maudlin song, couched in a gloriously upbeat melody.
Amazing talent
Rat Tales: Boston Rock & Roll
Too cool. Kind of a cross between "Daydream Believer" & "New York, New York". Brilliant.
Biggedy Biggedy Bong
Rest In Peace fella... you were part of my youth and gave us all some memorable songs that will live on forever.
Farewell Terry❤
Doug Medina
Really missing Terry. Great song. Love ya manm❤
きまぐれトマトロード
テリー、ブレア・アンド・アヌーシュカのCDアルバムを所有していますので聞き直したい
才能のあるミュージシャンが旅立たれたことは非常に残念なことです
テリー、いい音楽をありがとう
Rob Wosley
Gutted. RIP Terry 😥