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
PEARL
The Specials Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her shoes were wrong and she looked extremely thin
Her jewels were faked, she'd had a rinse, her hair was greyish blue
She looked ashamed when she explained to you
It ain't easy when there's no-one to lean on
It ain't easy when there's nobody there
It ain't easy when your lovers are all gone
The pubs were closed she'd got nowhere to go when she'd spilled her tea
Have you never thought "One day that could be me"?
Her temper changed, she looked so deranged, her perfume turned to gin
You looked at her and she began to sing
It's all a load of bollocks
It's all a load of bollocks
It's all a load of bollocks
And bollocks to it all
You tell me you think that they should lock her away and scrape the make-up off her skin
Then we'd see the warts around her chin
She tried to keep her looks but lost her mind when she lost her youth and grace
Your words were just an insult to her face
It ain't easy when there's no-one to lean on
It ain't easy when there's nobody there
It ain't easy when your lovers are all gone
And bollocks to it all
When I first met you, I really thought you were a wet dream come true
Now I know that you don't care, about somebody else's nightmare
The Specials' song "Pearl's Cafe" is a powerful critique of societal attitudes towards marginalized individuals, particularly women. The song tells the story of Pearl, a woman who is seen in a cafe by the singer. The singer observes Pearl's appearance - her fake jewelry, dyed hair, and thin figure - and notes that she looks ashamed as she explains something to him/her. The singer then reflects on the difficulty of living in a world where there is no one to lean on, and where lovers have all gone. These lines suggest that Pearl's struggles are not unique, and that many people face similar difficulties in their lives.
As the song progresses, Pearl's mood begins to shift, and she becomes increasingly agitated. Her perfume turns to gin, and she begins to sing, "It's all a load of bollocks." These lines suggest that Pearl has given up on the idea that her life can be better, and that she sees the world as inherently flawed. The singer, however, remains compassionate towards Pearl, noting that she has lost her youth and grace and pointing out the cruelty of mocking her appearance.
In the final verse, the singer reflects on their own relationship with the listener. They note that they once thought the listener was a "wet dream come true," but now realize that the listener does not care about the struggles of people like Pearl. This final line suggests that the song is not just about Pearl, but is meant to be a broader critique of societal attitudes towards marginalized individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
You saw a woman in a cafe, lips of crimson, yellow grin
The singer describes the appearance of a woman in a cafe, with prominent red lips and a forced smile.
Her shoes were wrong and she looked extremely thin
The woman's shoes and clothing were mismatched, and she appeared severely underweight.
Her jewels were faked, she'd had a rinse, her hair was greyish blue
The woman's jewelry was fake and her hair, recently dyed blue, appeared dull and greyish in color.
She looked ashamed when she explained to you
The woman appeared embarrassed when she spoke to the singer about her situation.
It ain't easy when there's no-one to lean on
The singer acknowledges the difficulty of facing problems without any support.
It ain't easy when there's nobody there
The lack of people around to help makes the situation even more difficult.
It ain't easy when your lovers are all gone
In addition to having no support, the woman has also lost all of her romantic relationships.
Nobody there, nobody cares
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the isolation and despair of the woman's situation.
The pubs were closed she'd got nowhere to go when she'd spilled her tea
The woman had nowhere to go when she accidentally spilled her tea due to the closed pubs in the area.
Have you never thought 'One day that could be me'?
The singer asks the listener to consider the possibility of ending up in a similarly desperate situation.
Her temper changed, she looked so deranged, her perfume turned to gin
The woman's behavior changed drastically, and she appeared intoxicated and disheveled.
You looked at her and she began to sing
The singer observes the woman's response to being looked at, which is to start singing.
It's all a load of bollocks
The woman expresses her frustration with the situation, dismissing it as nonsense.
And bollocks to it all
The woman further emphasizes her dismissal and frustration with the situation.
You tell me you think that they should lock her away and scrape the make-up off her skin
The singer imagines a hypothetical scenario where the woman is imprisoned and stripped of her appearance.
Then we'd see the warts around her chin
The singer implies that the woman's true appearance is unattractive and flawed, with warts around her chin.
She tried to keep her looks but lost her mind when she lost her youth and grace
The singer suggests that the woman's obsession with her appearance drove her to madness when it inevitably faded with age.
Your words were just an insult to her face
The singer criticizes anyone who would insult the woman for her appearance or situation, as it is not helpful or compassionate.
When I first met you, I really thought you were a wet dream come true
The singer is addressing someone they once had a positive impression of, whom they now recognize as lacking empathy or concern for others.
Now I know that you don't care, about somebody else's nightmare
The singer realizes that the person they once admired is selfish and indifferent to the struggles of others.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JERRY DAMMERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patrick Stocks
You saw a woman 👩 in a cafe, lips of crimson, yellow grin
Her shoes 👞 were wrong and she looked extremely thin
Her jewels 💎 were faked, she’d had a rinse 🚿 her hair was greyish blue
She looked ashamed when she explained to you
It ain’t easy when there’s no-one to lean on
It ain’t easy when there’s nobody there
It ain’t easy when your lovers are all gone
Nobody there, nobody cares
The pubs were closed she’d got nowhere to go when she’d spilled her tea 🍵
Have you never 👎🏿 thought 💭 “1 day that could be me?”
Her temper changed, she looked so deranged, her perfume turned to gin
You looked at her and she began to sing 🎶
It’s all a load of bullocks
It’s all a load of bullocks
It’s all a load of bullocks
And bullocks to it all
You tell me you think 🤔 that they should lock 🔒 her away and scrape the makeup 💄 off her skin
Then we’d see the warts around her chin
She tried to keep her looks but lost her mind when she lost her youth & grace
Your words were just an insult to her face
It ain’t easy when there’s no-one to lean on
It ain’t easy when there’s nobody there
It ain’t easy when your lovers are all gone
And bullocks to it all
When I first met you, I really thought you were a wet dream 🛌 come true
Now I know that you don’t care 🤷♀️ about somebody else’s nightmare
kramnesnay
Loved this when it first came out, and thought I'm a church pastor now, can't help but smile at the lyrics " when i first saw you i realy thought you were a wet dream come true " and the chorus "its all a load of bollocks" Great lyrics and after all these years, still a great song. Thanks for posting!
Colin Jennings
Quite marvellous. What a band these guys were.
KENKENNIFF
After another two recessions this band is still relevant.
Movingmillion
Make that three now, with the coronarecession.
the local bigamist
Heading to another one now. Timeless.
peloquin
Great lyrics, one of my faves of theirs.
giz1963
This is my all time favourite Specials track. Didn't see them first time round, hope the news about them doing a few gigs later this year turns out to be true - can't miss a second chance. Come on Terry do it.
Steven Clarke
I sincerely hope you didn't miss out 2nd chance brother, it didnt last long. This was also my favouriye specials song. RIP TERRY X
speedus98
Still a fantastic song loved it
Bjaminny
Crikey, this takes me back. Still got the album. What was so cool was that I was only 7-8 years when Madness, The Specials, Bad Manners, Selecter were around but I had older brothers who were into them all. Got all their music. :) The Specials are Mint!