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
Nite Club
The Specials Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What am I doing here
Watching the girls go by
Spending money on...
Sleep all day, it's the only way
I'm a parasite, I creep about at night
Nite club, what am I doing here
Nite club, watching the girls go by
Spending money on...
Hey, hey, I don't work 'cause I don't have to
I don't have to work there's no work to do
Nite club, I'm a member of the nite club
I won't dance in a club like this
'Cause all the girls are sluts
And the beer tastes just like piss
The Specials’ song “Nite Club” tells the story of a young man who frequents the titular establishment, seemingly without purpose or direction. The first stanza poses a question: “Is this the in place to be / What am I doing here?” The singer is openly pondering his own presence in the club, which, on the surface, appears to offer very little beyond a show of pricey displays of consumerism and the opportunity to “watch the girls go by”. The subsequent stanzas further expound on the singer’s character and behavior, as he sings that he is “a parasite” who “creep[s] about at night”. The singer openly acknowledges that his seemingly empty existence is supported by a lack of responsibility or obligation - “I don’t work ‘cause I don’t have to / I don’t have to work there’s no work to do / Nite club, I’m a member of the nite club”.
The song’s scathing indictment of nightlife culture, which serves to criticize the apathy and material excess of young club-goers as well as the sinister practices of the nightclubs themselves (the singer suggests that the beer tastes like urine and derides the women in attendance as “sluts”). Thus, “Nite Club” serves as a powerful social statement while still allowing the listener to move and groove to its infectious beat.
Line by Line Meaning
Is this the in place to be
Questioning if the club is the popular place to be
What am I doing here
Questioning why the singer is present in the club
Watching the girls go by
Observing the women walking past
Spending money on...
Utilizing funds on activities or individuals of the night club
Sleep all day, it's the only way
Sleeping during the daytime is the lone method the artist operates
I'm a parasite, I creep about at night
Acting as a parasite and within the darkness, the singer roams
Nite club, is this the in place to be
Ponders if the night club is the popular spot to convene
Nite club, what am I doing here
Questions why the artist is present at the night club
Nite club, watching the girls go by
Viewing the women that walk past while at the night club
Nite club, spending money on...
Expending funds on whatever they can while in the night club
Hey, hey, I don't work 'cause I don't have to
Declaring that they refrain from working because they don't need to
I don't have to work there's no work to do
Asserting that there is no labor available to enact
Nite club, I'm a member of the nite club
Identifying as a member of the night club, as if accepted into the community
I won't dance in a club like this
Refusing to dance in this particular night club
'Cause all the girls are sluts
Because of the women's promiscuous behavior
And the beer tastes just like piss
The distasteful flavor of the beer
Contributed by Arianna L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@xxdjnanixx3572
Is this the in place to be?
What am I doing here?
Watching the girls go by, spending money on
Sleep all day
It's the only way
I'm a parasite
I creep about at night
is this the in place to be?
(Nite klub) what am I doing here?
(Nite klub) watching the girls go by, spending money on
Hey, hey, I don't work
'Cause I don't have to
I don't have to work
There's no work to do
I'm a member of the nite klub, oh, oh
(Nite klub) a fully paid-up member of the nite klub
I won't dance in a club like this
All the girls are slags
And the beer tastes just like piss
I'm a parasite (nite klub)
I creep about at night (nite klub)
Yes, I'm a member of the Nite Klub
A fully paid-up member of the Nite Klub
is this the in place to be?
(Nite klub) what am I doing here?
(Nite klub) watching the girls go by spending money on beer
@tonyquek1
Is this the in place to be?
What am I doing here?
Watching the girls go by, spending money on
Sleep all day
It's the only way
I'm a parasite
I creep about at night
is this the in place to be?
(Nite klub) what am I doing here?
(Nite klub) watching the girls go by, spending money on
Hey, hey, I don't work
'Cause I don't have to
I don't have to work
There's no work to do
I'm a member of the nite klub, oh, oh
(Nite klub) a fully paid-up member of the nite klub
I won't dance in a club like this
All the girls are slags
And the beer tastes just like piss
I'm a parasite (nite klub)
I creep about at night (nite klub)
Yes, I'm a member of the Nite Klub
A fully paid-up member of the Nite Klub
is this the in place to be?
(Nite klub) what am I doing here?
(Nite klub) watching the girls go by spending money on beer
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Jerry Dammers / John Edward Bradbury / Lynval Golding / Neville Egunton Staples / Roderick James Byers / Stephen Graham Panter / Terry Hall
@thespecials
More music from The Specials: https://TheSpecials.lnk.to/Listen
@leetwamley5934
Yo
@audhumbla6927
💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗
@gastonbesson7915
The Spécial.
@craig9245
Rest in Peace Terry Hall. Wrote and sung this. Thank You for all the music ✊🏻
@troylucas-ot3oq
Red rat 🤘🏻🇬🇧
@BGS456
Jerry Dammers wrote the lyrics
@RobFraxedas
The bass solo gives me chills. Not a single note too many or too few…perfectly captures the essence of the ska offbeat style.
@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.
Let's not forget how ground breaking the specials were. RIP Terry
@nickglenister3832
..'I won't dance in a club like this. All the girls are slags, and the beer tastes just like piss'....Fucking classic. Thank you Terry Hall.