Special AKA live on the Tube feat Elvis Costello Dave Wakeling & Ranking Roger.

Special AKA live performance of Free Nelson Mandela on Channel 4's The Tube

[@stumagoo2395]

Jerry Dammers you're a bloody legend and musical genius.

[@byteme1963]

wow, what a line up..the specials, the beat. Dick Cuthell, Elvis Costello and Roda Dakka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@victoroladuja2416]

RIP Claudia Fontane I used to see her as a back up singer with Afridisiac in TOTPS so many times.

[@andymoody8363]

Thank you Jerry, thank you Elvis for giving us a battle cry in the 80's when it seemed like everyone in power was against Mandella, the ANC and the struggle to end apartheid. RIP Madiba.

[@kalaharisurfer9605]

Mandela even :D

[@paperroses6065]

I still remember watching this and being completely blown away...

[@katznyoga5623]

I'm kinda old, and my mom always used to say that there would be a bloodbath in South Africa before anything would change. This is one of my all-time favorite songs, a testament to hope and love and the power of music. :D

[@townace]

He is free now, and belongs to the ages. I was in college and this song was instrumental to my joining the boycott against South Africa and Apartheid.

[@aristotle358]

My friend John Shipley is playing rhythm guitar on the far left of the stage. Costello is singing but he wasn't the singer on the single. It was Stan Campbell who is absent in this performance.

[@ktwoa]

Beautiful. Missing all those that aren’t about anymore. A massively important song

[@victoroladuja2416]

Ranking Roger & John Bradbury.

[@leemorris2924]

@@victoroladuja2416 Claudia Fontaine and Gary McManus as well.

[@19minorthreat69]

Elvis' really works well with this song! Great to see Dave and Roger in there as well.

[@888kimmer]

Still gives me goosebumps!

[@mahmut0815]

Female singer in the middle is Claudia Fontaine, she died two years ago

[@josielovestheweb]

@mahmmut0815 : Rip to Claudia Fontaine, some brillant songbird ! 🙏

[@victoroladuja2416]

Really? That’s so sad… those backing singers were so popular. They were singing for all the top bands back the day.

[@jerry1276]

Rip Claudia Fontaine. Beautiful person and vocalist.

[@johnozed]

Wonderful. Thank you for fighting the good fight Mr. Mandela. You can rest now.

[@dwh202]

wonderful to listen to this at this moment

[@TheIronweed-vx5lg]

Phenomenal!

[@LaJewel]

I just keep hearing this song, over and over, on my head today. This song originally brought him to my attention, a decade before his release...

[@fodleg]

I never saw this! AWESOMENESS

[@gandalfgreenhands]

I had meet him on my bucket list. alas. I really like this version of the song, as Elvis Costello is one of the best singers of this age, imho, and it was just great. Audio isnt the best , but- I have no complaint. Thanks for the share on this sad morning .

[@christimersereau758]

Amazing song about an AMAZING HUMAN BEING - NELSON MANDELA!

[@amsterdamfayaallstar]

fantastic!!

[@johnstokes992]

Beautiful

[@amarnaitaissa5290]

The Time where the ennemies were more easy to see and fight...Since !!! what a shit Time. Keep on Skankin' and all my Love to all the 2 tone Heroes.

[@heavyseoul]

what an amazing live rendition!! i think this might even surpass the studio version! where's stan though?

[@stumagoo2395]

heavyseoul he'd quit the band once this song was released and refused to promote it. Elvis Costello was his replacement for this live performance.

[@rgatoski]

@83candice What a wonderful singer! And such a meaningful song! You must be very proud of her...

[@i-a-g-r-e-e-----f-----jo--b]

@rockinkitten Thanks, Just checked it out, Specials material I had never heard, pretty cool stuff!

[@JohnKline2010]

Can't wait to see The Boss perform this...

[@stevepercival4774]

Sir Jerry

[@TheGlenmanusskinhead]

just fantastic .. ty for posting ;)

[@ringo688]

Andy Aderento, gin rummy nights . Good ( if distant ! ) times.

[@richardhenderson4626]

RIP Claudia Fontaine

[@stevemcniel5513]

dave wakeland shold have sung

[@ECT52]

I have this on vinyl. 😁✊🏽

[@pixelman82]

I met Jerry Dammers once and he said that him and Stan Campbell didn't get on very well, maybe they had an argument!

[@i-a-g-r-e-e-----f-----jo--b]

That's some rare stuff, nice post. They should have put the women singers up on the background and had EC and Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling down in front though. What other songs did they play, if any for this show?

[@TheWackermc]

R.I.P. Nelson ..

[@rockinkitten]

@verbusen Yay!

[@straatsalaat]

RIP Nels☼n*

[@ZeldaFitz]

Jerry Dammers looks like Les Pattinson from the Bunnymen.

[@SisterFromAnotherPlanet]

I wonder where Stan Campbell is? All the luminaries are there from the original recording...

[@peteirwin4196]

sisterfromanotherplanet Stan had walked out on the band by this stage, hence Afrodiziak took on the vocal duties.

[@stumagoo2395]

As Stan had walked out of the band by this stage, Dammers even had to sing the lead vocals to their last single "What I like most about you is your girlfriend". He put his school boy choir days to good use and pulled it off.

[@ivorsmith3999]

Found this: "Stan Campbell was found guilty of a sex attack on a young girl.; THE TRAGIC STORY OF THE MAN WHO ONCE FRONTED THE SPECIAL AKA AND SANG FOR FREEDOM AND HAS NOW BEEN INDEFINITELY COMMITTED TO A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL"

[@SisterFromAnotherPlanet]

@@ivorsmith3999 Thank you, yes I found this out too since I asked that question...so f*cked up.

[@aristotle358]

It seems strange to see my mate John Shipley playing the guitar in the background.

[@garyhosty]

+aristotle358 yeah, me too - except I've never heard of him, or you, so not so much.

[@aristotle358]

adam diamond Chuckles! :) He's the guitarist. As for me, I'm obviously not using my real name, just a user handle. Am I to assume that you are not from Coventry?

[@garyhosty]

no disrespect intended - no not frpm Coventry - Birmingham + nothing but respect for the Specials and related musicians - good will.

[@aristotle358]

adam diamond Thanks bud. My nan and my mom were born in Brum so I have family connections with the great city.

[@rockinkitten]

hahhhaa yes he is! have you seen the "girlfriend" video? hillarious!

[@sussexmews]

Haha Roda!...Roda Drains...

[@JohnBlaney]

You should see him 25 years later. The beard and bear belly haven't improved things! He's a top bloke though.

[@MarjorieJCat]

What year is this brilliant vid?

[@peteirwin4196]

MarjorieJCat 1984

[@ProjectDystopia]

Horrible without STAN CAMPBELL