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
Breaking Point
The Specials Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mind and body tired
Those plans for happiness
Have all expired
The sales pitch from door to door
Says feed the rich and hang the poor
Twinkle twinkle little star
Point me to the nearest bar
Do your worst, I'll do my best
Here I am, at breaking point
I'm here at breaking point
The pen has dropped
Progress would be wonderful
If only it would stop
The internet is free to surf
Measures intellect by girth
Here come another email
There goes another shemale
Social media is a trend
That will send us all
Around the bend
Heavy is the load
Of a creature ill-disposed
Of a man who finds the end
Before the start
It breaks your heart
Stand with me at breaking point
As riots hit the streets
Another toppled government
Will make the day complete
There goes another border
Here comes a new world order
It's time to call it quits
Before the future hits
With the help of God and a few marines
We'll blow this place to smithereens
Here we are, at breaking point
Heavy is the load
Of a creature ill-disposed
Of a man who finds the end
Before the start
It breaks your heart
La la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la
With the help of God and a few marines
We'll blow this place to smithereens
Here we are
With the help of God and a few marines
We'll blow this place to smithereens
Here we are
With the help of God and a few marines
We'll blow this place to smithereens
Here we are, at breaking point
The Specials' song Breaking Point is a powerful commentary on the state of society and the world today. The lyrics explore how people are pushed to their limits and are struggling to cope with the pressures of life. The song describes how the plans for happiness have all expired, and how the sales pitch from door to door says to feed the rich and hang the poor. The main character is at a breaking point, with both their mind and body tired. They plan to drown their sorrows at a bar. The song also talks about the heavy load carried by society, describing it as a creature that is ill-disposed, and a man who finds the end before the start.
The song later shifts focus to how society is breaking down, with riots hitting the streets and governments being toppled. The lyrics suggest that another toppled government would make the day complete. This is followed by a call to arms, with the idea of blowing the place to smithereens with the help of God and a few marines. The song ends by repeating the chorus with a catchy and haunting melody.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm here at breaking point
I have reached my limit of endurance
Mind and body tired
Both my mind and body are exhausted
Those plans for happiness
My goals for happiness have failed
Have all expired
They are no longer valid
The sales pitch from door to door
People try to sell things that only benefit the rich
Says feed the rich and hang the poor
The rich get richer, the poor become poorer
Twinkle twinkle little star
I am lost and seeking guidance
Point me to the nearest bar
I will try to find solace in alcohol
I'll drown my sorrow with the rest
I will drink to forget my sadness
Do your worst, I'll do my best
I will hold on and try to persevere despite hardships
The pen has dropped
I cannot create or make progress
Progress would be wonderful
I desire progress but it seems elusive
If only it would stop
The overload of information and stimuli makes it impossible to focus
The internet is free to surf
The freedom is illusory when it leads to an unhealthy or unproductive lifestyle
Measures intellect by girth
Online success is often tied to popularity rather than merit
Here come another email
I am bombarded with trivial distractions
There goes another shemale
Most internet content is offensive or irrelevant
Social media is a trend
Social media has negative consequences on society
That will send us all around the bend
It will drive us all insane
Heavy is the load
The burden is overwhelming
Of a creature ill-disposed
We are dealing with a problem we are not equipped to handle
Of a man who finds the end
He fails early on
Before the start
Before he can even begin
It breaks your heart
The disappointment is crushing
Stand with me at breaking point
Join me in facing these issues
As riots hit the streets
There are societal issues that need addressing
Another toppled government
Governments keep falling and causing instability
Will make the day complete
It is the final straw
There goes another border
Barriers and boundaries are constantly shifting
Here comes a new world order
The world is changing in a way that is unsettling
It's time to call it quits
It is time to give up and leave things to fate
Before the future hits
Before it is too late to change anything
With the help of God and a few marines
We need divine intervention and military force to solve these problems
We'll blow this place to smithereens
The only solution is to destroy everything
La la la la la la
Nonsensical words to represent the futility of the situation
With the help of God and a few marines
Repetition to emphasize the need for drastic measures
We'll blow this place to smithereens
Repetition to emphasize that this is the only solution
Here we are
We have reached our breaking point
At breaking point
We are at our limit of endurance
Writer(s): Lynval Golding, Nikolaj Torp Larsen, Terry Hall, Horace Panter
Contributed by Muhammad J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.