The group was formed by songwriter/keyboardist Jerry Dammers, with Terry Hall (vocals), Lynval Golding (guitar, vocals) and a rhythm section featuring Horace Panter (bass) and John Bradbury (drums; born 16 February 1953, died 28 December 2015). The band wore mod-style 1960s period "rude boy" outfits (pork pie hats, mohair suits, and loafers). In 1980, their song "Too Much Too Young", the lead track on their The Special AKA Live! EP, reached number one in the UK. In 1981, the unemployment-themed single "Ghost Town" also hit number one in the UK Singles Chart. After seven consecutive UK Top 10 singles between 1979 and 1981, the band broke up in 1984. A version of the band reformed from 1994-2001. In 2008, the band reformed again and, in2009, embarked on a 30th anniversary tour. In 2010, they toured America and Europe. In 2011 they again touring the UK.
In 1979, their debut LP hit the shelves and quickly soared into the UK Top Five. The album was produced by Elvis Costello and was released under founding member, Jerry Dammer's record label 2 Tone Records.
Following the success of their debut album, Specials, their second and final album, More Specials was released. This expanded the group's 2 tone sound to include lounge music and other influences.
After two albums and a string of very successful singles the band called it quits in 1984. The bands members moved onto their other musical projects. In 1994 they toured with the original line-up without Terry Hall and Jerry Dammers. Roddy sang Terry's parts. The line-up changed in 1996. The band split again in 2001.
In 2008, The Specials officially announced that they would reform and embark on a 30th Anniversary Tour in 2009. The founding member, Jerry Dammers was not part of the reformed Specials and relationships between him and the rest of the band have remained sore, particularly on Dammers' side of things.
In January 2013, the Specials announced the departure of Neville Staple. In February 2014 it was revealed that another original member, Roddy Radiation, had left the reformed group. In spite of this, the Specials played an extensive tour in the autumn of 2014 with Steve Cradock as lead guitarist.
On 19th December 2022 it was announced that Terry Hall had passed away after a short illness. He was 63.
www.thespecials.com
B.L.M
The Specials Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Born 1921
Mendes St Catherine Jamaica
The year was 1954 you know
Sir Winston Churchill shot across the western islands
And said come
Help us rebuild this country devastated by war
Born for a new life
My father was a tailor by trade
So this could be the possibility of all possibilities
But no there was no cloth to stitch
Instead you know wha if I found work
In a steel foundry pouring hot metal
Day and night day and night
And even worse you know what i mean
Him Trying to find a room to rent
This was becoming a nightmare for him
He knock on door after door after door
But the sign on the window keep saying the same thing
No dogs no irish no blacks
Welcome to England
I'm not here to teach you
I'm not trying to preach to you
I'm just trying to reach out
And say
Time move on
In 1964
My father showed across of Jamaica
Son him said come join me
So I set sail on a ship called the Askina
When I reached Northampton on a cold winter's night
Boy I was freezing
I want to tell the captain to just take me back to Jamaica
But no I was here to stay
So my father sent me to a school
Linden Road school in Glouster
I remember the first playtime
A boy shot across at me
Oi you black bastard, come 'ere
I said what
He said Come 'ere you black bastard
I said couldn't believe, I says what?
Are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me?
Boy welcome to England
I'm not here to teach you
I'm not trying to preach to you
I'm just trying to reach out
And say
In 1994 I move again
The land of the free the home of the brave
The United State of America
And there I was
Just walking along in the sun
Mindin
My own business
Such a beautiful day man
When I remember
I had to buy a watch for my sister's birthday
When why i eventually found this store
As i walk through the door
This woman in the store shouted at me
Why you doing here you god damn nigger
I said, I'm just,
I'm just trying to buy a watch for my sister
When she heard my accent
She said, 'oh you're not from here, you're not one of them'
One of them i said, you mean me being black
Well ma'am let me tell you something right, I am black
If that's all you see? The colour of my skin?
In England they call you a black bastard
In America they call you a god damn nigger
Boy
Welcome to my world
But I'm not here to teach you
I'm not here to preach to you
I'm just trying to reach out
And say
Black lives matter
The Specials' song B.L.M is a narrative of three generations of Black men's experiences of racism in three different countries- Jamaica, England, and the United States of America. It starts with Lynval, the band's lead guitarist, reminiscing about his father's journey from Jamaica to England in 1954. His father being a tailor by trade had hoped to establish a livelihood in England, but the reality of the famous sign "No dogs, no Irish, no Blacks" on numerous windows pushed him towards menial labor in a steel foundry. Lynval then recounts his own experience of arriving in Northampton from Jamaica in 1964, and the discrimination he faced at school. Lastly, he shares an incident that happened with him in the United States when a woman in a store calls him a "God damn n****r."
The song appropriately ends with the repeated phrase of "Black lives matter." Through their lyrics, The Specials highlight that despite generations, countries, and cultures, racism in the West is an ongoing issue. The song's lyrics decipher the reality of Black lives, who have been fighting for equality since they left their home country or were brought as slaves. Lynval, through his story, aims to make the audience understand the importance of empathy and understanding towards Black people's lifetime experiences and struggles in a world that still hasn't come to terms with equality.
Line by Line Meaning
Lynval Golding
Introducing the singer
Born 1921
Providing information about the birth year of someone, but it is unclear who
Mendes St Catherine Jamaica
Providing information about a location, but it is unclear how it's related to the singer
The year was 1954 you know
Setting the time period for a story that's about to be told
Sir Winston Churchill shot across the western islands
Referring to Churchill's speech about the rebuilding of Britain after World War II
And said come
Inviting people to come and help with the rebuilding process
Help us rebuild this country devastated by war
Explaining the reason why people were being invited to come to Britain
And so anyway my father set sail upon the wind rush
Introducing the artist's father and how he came to England
Born for a new life
Expressing the hope and excitement of starting a new life in a foreign country
My father was a tailor by trade
Providing information about the artist's father's occupation
So this could be the possibility of all possibilities
Expressing the potential for success and happiness in a new country
But no there was no cloth to stitch
Revealing the artist's father's struggle to find work in his field
Instead you know wha if I found work
Starting to recount other job opportunities available to immigrants
In a steel foundry pouring hot metal
Describing the hard, physical labor of a foundry worker
Day and night day and night
Emphasizing the long hours that immigrants were willing to work
And even worse you know what i mean
Alluding to the additional challenges faced by immigrants, possibly related to racism or discrimination
Him Trying to find a room to rent
Transitioning to the difficulty of finding housing as an immigrant
This was becoming a nightmare for him
Expressing the frustration and desperation that the singer's father felt
He knock on door after door after door
Highlighting the persistence that immigrants needed to have in order to find housing
But the sign on the window keep saying the same thing
Revealing the discriminatory housing practices that immigrants faced
No dogs no irish no blacks
Quoting a common sign used to discriminate against immigrants
Welcome to England
Sarcastically commenting on the unwelcoming environment that immigrants encountered in England
I'm not here to teach you
The singer is not intending to give an overt lesson or speech
I'm not trying to preach to you
The artist is not trying to influence or impose a worldview on the listener
I'm just trying to reach out
The singer is attempting to connect with the listener by sharing their own experiences
And say
Transitioning to the next section of the song
Time move on
Indicating that the story is moving forward in time
In 1964
Providing a new time period for the continuation of the story
My father showed across of Jamaica
Implied that the artist's father went back to Jamaica at some point, but the exact meaning is unclear
Son him said come join me
Recounting the invitation of the singer's father to join him in Jamaica
So I set sail on a ship called the Askina
Narrating the singer's journey back to Jamaica
When I reached Northampton on a cold winter's night
Describing the artist's cold and uncomfortable arrival in England
Boy I was freezing
Simply stating how cold it was
I want to tell the captain to just take me back to Jamaica
Initially feeling like the move to England was a mistake
But no I was here to stay
Resolving to stay in England and endure the challenges
So my father sent me to a school
Revealing the artist's father's steps to provide for his son's education
Linden Road school in Glouster
Providing a specific location where the singer attended school
I remember the first playtime
Reflecting back on a specific moment of childhood
A boy shot across at me
Indicating that the singer was approached or harassed by another child
Oi you black bastard, come 'ere
Quoting the racist name-calling that the artist received
I said what
Reacting with confusion and surprise, as most children would
He said Come 'ere you black bastard
Repeating the name-calling with increased hostility
I said couldn't believe, I says what?
Expressing disbelief and trying to understand the situation
Are you talking to me?
Asking for clarification or confirmation
Boy welcome to England
Summarizing the artist's experiences as an immigrant in England
In 1994 I move again
Jumping forward in time to a more recent event
The land of the free the home of the brave
Referencing the American national anthem to describe the country
The United State of America
Identifying the country where the artist moved to
And there I was
Setting the scene of the story
Just walking along in the sun
Describing a peaceful, everyday activity
Mindin
Typical slang for 'minding'
My own business
Emphasizing that the artist was not interacting with anyone else
Such a beautiful day man
Expressing appreciation for a nice day
When I remember
Recalling a past memory
I had to buy a watch for my sister's birthday
Explaining why the singer is entering a store
When why i eventually found this store
Transitioning to the store location after a delay
As i walk through the door
Describing the artist's entrance into the store
This woman in the store shouted at me
Introducing the conflict that's about to happen
Why you doing here you god damn nigger
Repeating racist name-calling from another individual
I said, I'm just, I'm just trying to buy a watch for my sister
Defending oneself against the accusation with an innocent explanation
When she heard my accent
Explaining what provoked the woman's reaction
She said, 'oh you're not from here, you're not one of them'
Expressing the woman's relief that the singer is not a citizen
One of them i said, you mean me being black
Clarifying what the woman meant
Well ma'am let me tell you something right, I am black
Challenging the woman's assumption and asserting that being black is a part of the artist's identity
If that's all you see? The colour of my skin?
Expressing frustration that one's identity and worth is reduced to one characteristic
In England they call you a black bastard
Repeating a previously encountered slur about being black in England
In America they call you a god damn nigger
Repeating a similar slur that the singer encountered in America
Boy
Commonly used as an interjection or exclamation
Welcome to my world
Concluding the story with a message of empathy and shared struggle
Black lives matter
Ending the song with a strong, declarative statement that focuses on the issue of racism and discrimination towards black people
Writer(s): Lynval Golding, Nikolaj Torp Larsen, Terry Hall, Horace Panter
Contributed by Isaac F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.