The Specials (also known as The Special AKA) is an English “2 Tone” ska rev… Read Full Bio ↴The Specials (also known as The Special AKA) is an English “2 Tone” ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a danceable ska beat with punk’s energy, underpinned by an informed political and social stance.

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

Guns of Navarone
The Specials Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Guns of Navarone
Guns, guns of Navarone
Music and your singing a song, you've got to go...
??????????
As long as you wane beat the jungle jive, this is called "The Shark Attack"
Designed to blow your mind
Call me a raga bum, it's gonna blow your mind in a minute
Guns of Navarone, lets see you...

I could tell you??????????
Guns of Navarone

One kilo, send shark in harbour
Alright, blow, Mister Rico, blow

Alright

Come on in
Musical vibrations sound is shaking the nation
We will become the noise of tomorrow
Shake it up
Shake it baby, mamma don't break it
You want another Nazi number baby boomer, shake it now or never
Separation, real life

Baby don't forget about that
Wednesday, send some

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Specials's "Guns of Navarone" are quite cryptic and difficult to interpret in a straightforward way. The song seems to be an energetic call to action, with references to music and dancing ("music and your singing a song, you've got to go") and themes of rebellion and resistance ("as long as you wane beat the jungle jive", "designed to blow your mind"). The title of the song refers to the Guns of Navarone, which were a series of German-made artillery pieces located on the Greek island of Navarone during World War II. The guns were the target of a daring Allied raid, which was later fictionalized in a popular novel and film of the same name.

The lyrics also make references to "shark attack" and "raga bum", which seem to be appropriated from Jamaican dancehall and reggae culture. The song encourages the listener to let loose and "shake it up", embracing the joyful abandon of dance and music as a form of rebellion against authority and oppression. The final lines of the song, "Wednesday, send some", are somewhat puzzling and open to interpretation, but they could be a call to action or a reference to some sort of plan or schedule.

Line by Line Meaning

Guns, guns of Navarone
Introducing the central theme of the song - guns of Navarone, a reference to a World War II movie with the same name, which is a metaphor for something powerful and destructive.

Music and your singing a song, you've got to go...
The singer is urging the listener to immerse themselves in music and follow the rhythm to get lost in the experience.

??????????
This line is hard to decipher as it is mumbled in the song, but it seems to be encouraging someone to keep moving their body, possibly referring to dancing or some other physical activity.

As long as you wanna beat the jungle jive, this is called "The Shark Attack"
The song is calling the listener to embrace their wild side and let themselves go. The "Shark Attack" is an analogy for this state of mind and refers to the aggressive, predatory nature of a shark when hunting its prey.

Designed to blow your mind
The song promises to be mind-blowing and impactful, stimulating the listener to its fullest potential.

Call me a raga bum, it's gonna blow your mind in a minute.
The singer is referring to themselves as a 'raga bum', possibly meaning someone who's passionate about Indian music, but it's not entirely clear. Either way, they're promising that the song will be mind-blowing and have a deep impact on the listener.

Guns of Navarone, lets see you...
The song is calling out to the Guns of Navarone, metaphorically asking whatever force the guns represent to show its power and impact.

I could tell you?????????
This line is hard to make out, but it seems like the singer is saying they could tell the listener something but choose not to, perhaps to keep the mystery and energy of the song going.

Guns of Navarone
Repeating the central theme of the song one final time to drive it home.

One kilo, send shark in harbour
This line is difficult to interpret and may be some kind of code or reference to something specific. It is unclear what it means or how it relates to the rest of the song.

Alright, blow, Mister Rico, blow
This line may be another reference to a movie character or some sort of code, but its meaning is unclear.

Alright
A simple interjection, possibly used to indicate that the song is about to wrap up.

Come on in
The song is inviting the listener to join in and take part in the experience.

Musical vibrations sound is shaking the nation
The song's message is spreading through the airwaves and affecting the people who hear it, causing a ripple effect.

We will become the noise of tomorrow
The song is predicting that it and its message will endure and become a part of the culture, influencing and inspiring future generations.

Shake it up
A catchy call to action, encouraging the listener to keep moving and dancing.

Shake it baby, mamma don't break it
Building on the previous line's message, the song is urging the listener to keep up their energy while being careful not to push themselves too hard.

You want another Nazi number baby boomer, shake it now or never
The song is using sarcasm to call out the absurdity of supporting Nazi ideologies and is instead encouraging the listener to let loose and be free in the moment.

Separation, real life
This line is a bit cryptic, but it may be referring to the idea that music can help us escape the mundane aspects of daily life and enter a deeper state of consciousness.

Baby don't forget about that
The song is reminding the listener to not forget that music can be transformative and to keep that in mind even after the song ends.

Wednesday, send some
This line is another cryptic one and does not seem to have a clear meaning.

Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DIMITRI TIOMKINE, PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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