Jerry Dammers Keyboards
Jerry Dammers Keyboards
John Bradbury Drums
John Shipley Guitar
Gary McManus Bass
Rhoda Dakar Vocals
Egidio Newton Vocals
By October 1981, constant touring and differences over musical direction saw The Specials original lineup split. Terry Hall , Neville Staples and Lynval Golding departed to form Fun Boy Three , and Roddy Radiation going his own way. Jerry Dammers wanted to continue as The Specials, but legal wrangling forced him to revert to the original moniker of The Special AKA. The remaining members went on tour around Germany backing Rico.
Dammers being the perfectionist he is, spent the next three years putting together an album. 'In The Studio' eventually emerged in 1984 to high critial acclaim, but sales were no where near enough to recoup Chrysalis investment in the record, rumoured to be over £ 200,000 pounds, leaving Dammers in a hell of a lot of debt with Chrysalis when it failed to sell as hoped.
'What I Like Most About You Is Your Girlfriend' became Dammers last record on the label he set up (The JB's Allstar's "Alphabet Army" became the last 2-Tone release in '85). Dammers then turned to politics full time, getting involved with Artists Against Apartheid and Red Wedge. It was Dammers who was primarily behind the 1988 Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday concert at Wembley featuring Stevie Wonder, Dire Straits, Whitney Houston and Simple Minds. Two years later the event was repeated at Wembley with Mandela now free and able to attend.
Too Much Too Young
The Special A.K.A. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Much too young
Now you're married with a kid
When you could be having fun with me
(Oh no, no give me no more pickni)
You've done too much
Now you're married with a son
When you should be having fun with me
We don't want, we don't want we don't want no more pickni
Ain't he cute?
No he ain't
He's just another burden on the welfare state
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married with a kid
When you could be having fun with me
No gimme, no gimme, no gimme no more pickni
Call me immature, call me a poser
I'd love to spread manure in your bed of roses
Don't want to be rich, don't want to be famous
But I'd really hate to have the same name as you
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married with a kid
When you could be having fun with me
(Gi we de birth control, we no want no pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're chained to the cooker
Making currant buns for tea
(Oh no, no gimme no more pickni)
Ain't you heard of the starving millions
Ain't you heard of contraception
Do you really a program of sterilization
State control of the population boom
It's in your living room
Keep a generation gap
Try wearing a cap
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married with a kid
When you could be having fun with me
(Oh no, no gimme no more pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you stay in every night watching programs on TV
(We don't want, we don't want, we don't want no more pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married with a son
When you could be having fun with me
(No gimme, no gimme, no gimme, no more pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're chained to the cooker
Making currant buns for tea
(Gi we de birth control, we no want no pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married to a man
When you could be having fun with me
(Oh, no, no gimme no more pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're chained to the cooker
Making beans on toast for tea
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married with a kid
When you could be having fun with me
(Oh, no, no gimme no more pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you stay in every night watching programs on TV
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married to a man
When you could be having fun with me
(We don't want, we don't want, we don't want no more pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're chained to the cooker
Making cheese on toast for tea
(No gimme, no gimme, no gimme, no more pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married with a kid
When you could be having fun with me
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you stay in every night watching programs on TV
(Oh, no, no gimme no more pickni)
You've done too much
Much too young
Now you're married with a son
When you could be having fun with me
(Oh, no, no gimme no more pickni)
The Specials's song "Too Much Too Young" tells the story of a young girl who is now married with a child at a very young age, which the singer believes is too soon for her. The song emphasizes the idea that people should be allowed to enjoy their youth and not be burdened with the responsibilities of parenthood. The opening lines of "You've done too much, much too young, now you're married with a kid when you could be having fun with me" set the stage for the rest of the song, as the singer laments the lost opportunities of the young mother. The song continues with a biting critique of the young mother's choices, including a reference to her child as "just another burden on the welfare state" and a suggestion that she should have used birth control.
Throughout the song, The Specials's use of Jamaican-inflected rhythms and slang adds to the sense of rebellion and youthful energy. The repeated refrain of "no gimme no more pickni" represents a defiant cry against societal expectations and the pressures to conform to traditional gender roles. Additionally, the song's lyrics are also seen as a commentary on the issue of teenage pregnancy and the lack of opportunities available to young people in working-class communities, where early parenthood is often seen as the only viable path to stability and financial security.
Line by Line Meaning
You've done too much
You've taken on too much responsibility at a young age
Much too young
You are too young to be married and have children
Now you're married with a son
You are now married and have a son
When you could be having fun with me
Instead of settling down, you could be having a good time with me
(Oh no, no give me no more pickni)
We don't want any more children, don't give them to us
Ain't he cute?
The child may be cute, but that does not change the situation
No he ain't
Despite being cute, the child is still a burden
He's just another burden on the welfare state
The child will require government assistance, adding to the strain of the welfare system
Call me immature, call me a poser
You may label me as childish or inauthentic
I'd love to spread manure in your bed of roses
I have no interest in the trappings of wealth and luxury
Don't want to be rich, don't want to be famous
I have no aspiration for material success or widespread recognition
But I'd really hate to have the same name as you
I'd rather not be associated with someone who has made a poor life decision
(Gi we de birth control, we no want no pickni)
Provide us with birth control, we do not want any more children
Now you're chained to the cooker
Your life is consumed by domestic responsibilities
Making currant buns for tea
Your daily routine involves mundane tasks
Ain't you heard of the starving millions
There are many people in the world who are suffering from hunger and deprivation
Ain't you heard of contraception
There are ways to avoid unwanted pregnancies and the resulting burden
Do you really a program of sterilization
Would you support a government-led initiative to prevent overpopulation?
State control of the population boom
Allowing the government to regulate the number of children born
It's in your living room
Discussion about population control is happening in your daily life, not just abstractly
Keep a generation gap, Try wearing a cap
It's important to avoid having children too soon, and use proper methods of contraception
Now you stay in every night watching programs on TV
Your life is now mundane and devoid of excitement
Now you're married to a man
You have committed yourself to someone for life, and now have a family to support
Making beans on toast for tea
Your daily routine involves mundane tasks
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jerry Dammers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@msmith6713
Big Tune, and true!!
The Specials sing, "You've done too much,
Much too young
Now you're married with a kid
When you could be having fun with me
Oh no, no gimme no more pickni
You've done too much,
Much too young
Now you're married with a son
When you should be having fun with me
We don't want, we don't want
We don't want no more pickni
Ain't he cute?
No he ain't
He's just another burden
On the welfare state!"
True!
@thespecials
More music from The Specials: https://TheSpecials.lnk.to/Listen
@chockablock34839
RIP Terry, a vocal sound of a generation.
@silviadelguercio5189
Our generation. Amore per sempre da Roma, Italia
@caninepro
A Special man living in a special era. The sound of a generation that will live forever in our hearts. R.I.P. Terry Hall.
@rippi37
I love the Specials..what a brilliant song ...brilliant band.....brilliant album !!!
@NormAppleton
Everytime I hear old school British ska like this I can't stop my fingers from playing bass and drums at the same time.
@mitchelljarvis2010
RIP Terry! Met you once when I was a kid and was at The Specials concert in Sophia Gardens, Cardiff. Got crushed at the front of the crowd and was pushed up onto the stage after the gig. Terry was in the wings and asked me if I was ok? As a 12 year old kid I was in awe of meeting my music hero! Never, ever forget that moment! Thanks for the music Terry!……You were the soundtrack to my youth! RIP mate! ❤
@edwardbyard6540
RIP Terry. Brilliant man, true to his beliefs and a great musician.
@westsidecrew5578
I still have their first album as an original on vinyl. At the time, as a poor, working class school boy, I thought their music was just relevant to me. Now with the advent of YouTube I can see it affected many people. The Specials were "Special". They were/are the only group that talk about every day problems affecting people, especially the youth: loneliness, apathy, meaning of life, boredom, the rat race, racism, urban decline, etc. What no one mentions is the genius of Jerry Dammers. I was gutted when they broke up. I was initially very excited when they reformed but then realised that maybe they were trying to recreate the past but then 40+ years later, it was too late. In addition without Dammers, it didn't feel right. The group abruptly disbanded after he spent a year composing Ghost Town, their biggest track to date. I greatly respected the fact that he did not join out of principle. He could have done so, earned good money, etc but he did not forget what happened and out of principle as he probably felt he was wronged he did not rejoin. Lynval Golding actually states that it was only after he and the other two left that they realised how much of a genius Jerry Dammers was! He was/is the genius behind The Specials. He was the creative influence behind the music, the composition, the lyrics and song writing. He is an out and out legend! This again is such a great track that I can identify with along with so many others: Do Nothing, Rat Race, Nite Klub, to name a few. RIP Terry Hall and John Bradbury.
@davesmith5731
THE BEST TWO TONE ALBUM EVER.!!!!