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.
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Little Bitch
The Specials Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One, two
If you ever hear a noise in the night
Your body starts to sweat
It shakes and shivers in fright
You go and sleep with your mother, she hates your guts
She knows that you love her so she holds you tight
And when she doesn't come home you have to sleep alone
Then you wet your bed, and I think that's sad
For a girl of nineteen it's more than sad
It's obscene
One, two
And your girlfriend sweet little seventeen
She's got her layered hair, and her flared jeans
You know what that means?
She's just a little queen
She shares your London flat
She thinks that London's where it's at
Although it stinks and when it rains, you wear your hat
And your plum coloured PVC wet-look maxi-mac
You tie your ginger hair back in a bun
You're the ugliest creature
Under the sun
One, two, go
One, two
And you think it's about time that you died
And I agree, so you decide on suicide
You tried but you never quite carried it off
You only wanted to die in order to show off
And if you think you're gonna bleed all over me
You're even wronger than you'd normally be
And the only things you want to see are kitsch
The only thing you want to be is rich
Your little pink up-pointed nose begins to twitch
I know, you know, you're just a little bitch
One, two
"Little Bitch" by The Specials is a bold and unapologetic commentary on the vices and frailties of youth. The opening lines address the experience of hearing unidentifiable noises in the night and the terrifying reaction it can elicit, leading to seeking refuge in the comforting embrace of a parental figure. However, this relationship is fraught with a twisted level of love and hate, with the bedwetting being an indication of just how dysfunctional the relationship has become.
The following verse focuses on the singer's girlfriend who is described as being queen-like or self-absorbed, with a tendency to flaunt her youthful appearance and stylish outfits. Her naivety at thinking that London is the epicenter of cool points to the idea of coming of age in a period of political and social unrest where disillusionment with society and the government was common. The description of the PVC maxi-mac highlights the futility of fashion in practical terms, likening the singer's pursuit of style to that of a rat running a pointless and futile race.
The final verse ends with the singer's thoughts turning towards suicide, an act that is perceived not as a result of depression or psychological disorders but rather a need to prove something. This is indicative of the desire to be different regardless of the negative outcomes, a view that was prevalent within the anarchic punk movement that emerged in the late 1970s. The closing lines address the singer as a "little bitch," a direct call-out of the tendency of young people to be blinded by their self-centeredness and disregard for the present moment.
Line by Line Meaning
If you ever hear a noise in the night
When you hear a sound at night
Your body starts to sweat
You become afraid and anxious
It shakes and shivers in fright
Your body trembles with fear
You go and sleep with your mother, she hates your guts
You seek comfort from your mother, but she dislikes you
She knows that you love her so she holds you tight
She knows you have affection for her and embraces you
All through the night, until the broad daylight
She comforts you all night until morning
And when she doesn't come home you have to sleep alone
When she's not there, you have to cope alone
Then you wet your bed, and I think that's sad
You end up wetting the bed, which is unfortunate
For a girl of nineteen it's more than sad
It's especially unfortunate for a woman of that age
It's obscene
It's offensive or repulsive
And your girlfriend sweet little seventeen
Your girlfriend is young, just seventeen
She's got her layered hair, and her flared jeans
She wears styled clothing and trendy hair
You know what that means?
Do you know what that implies?
She's just a little queen
She's just a conceited person
She shares your London flat
She lives with you in London
She thinks that London's where it's at
She considers London the place to be
Although it stinks and when it rains, you wear your hat
Despite the city's unpleasant smells and weather, you still like it
And your plum coloured PVC wet-look maxi-mac
You have a purple waterproof coat made of shiny material
You tie your ginger hair back in a bun
You put your red hair in a ponytail
You're the ugliest creature
You consider yourself physically unattractive
Under the sun
In existence
And you think it's about time that you died
You believe it's time for you to pass away
And I agree, so you decide on suicide
I concur, so you choose to take your own life
You tried but you never quite carried it off
You made an attempt but didn't succeed
You only wanted to die in order to show off
You only wanted to commit suicide for attention
And if you think you're gonna bleed all over me
If you believe you'll harm me in some way
You're even wronger than you'd normally be
You're even more mistaken than you usually are
And the only things you want to see are kitsch
The only things you're interested in are tacky or low-quality
The only thing you want to be is rich
The only goal you have is to become wealthy
Your little pink up-pointed nose begins to twitch
Your small, pointed nose twitches involuntarily
I know, you know, you're just a little bitch
Both of us realize that you're a weak or unpleasant person
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Jerry Dammers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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