The Specials - Ghost Town (TOTP)

[@Georgio16100]

Terry, Neville and Lynval making a mockery of the lip syncing. Love it.

[@george00719]

freakin genius

[@maxinesmith3801]

They hated it didn't they lol

[@isaakrivera2554]

Maxine Smith everyone hated english live shows because of the lip syncing

[@JohnTaylorMusicClips53]

They were mocking the end of the band. They were p'd off, the way the singer on the left acted like he was going to bash the other's head in 😉

[@shaneculkin7124]

@@maxinesmith3801 No kidding! I read somewhere that they literally broke up immediately following this taping.

[@guidomraeno7213]

Terry Hall...Gone too soon. Music of my childhood 😔💔

[@AnaMaria-zr3om]

Can't believe Terry hill has gone today, loved this song 😥😥

[@MrChaoscheese]

I love how the singer doesnt even bother try to look like he is singing.

[@____Ai____]

Not a single f*ck given by Terry there...love him!

[@marklaviolette6474]

MsMoonTheLoon quite right lass ;)

[@janeough45]

these guys always looked as though they were having a fab time ,i always tried to count how many were in the band ? what a splendid sound they made genius to say the least xxx

[@Greatest1979]

I still remember vividly seeing those riots in places like Brixton and Liverpool on tv everyday, Thatchers Grip getting ever so tighter and this being the number one record in the charts,....historic!

[@k.avilla8061]

K. A Villa 1 second ago They destroyed their whole legacy by breaking up this band and becoming a joke, kiddy band, called the ' Fun Boy Three' who sang nusery rhyme songs like : 'It aint watcha do' with Bananarama. Don't be taken in by the rock/ pop industry. it's all a manufactured pretence.

[@mickspastik4227]

Great song! And then Blair came and saved the country!

[@pauldawson3751]

@@mickspastik4227 war criminal blair

[@ehb9449]

I live in a ghost town. My parents remember the days before it was a ghost town. Never got the chance to live these days... Still a relevant song

[@hsdsaunders]

Man thats sad😓

[@ninaevans4501]

Here, here. A song that slowly becomes a reality 😔😔😔😔😔🇦🇺

[@heli-crewhgs5285]

@@ninaevans4501Hear! Hear!

[@2bsure]

The coolest group at the time. This was my life, first real music trend for me. Great times back then in Croydon, Heath Clark school dodging skinheads on the way home to South Norwood. Great stuff

[@harveysmith100]

What do you mean the coolest group at the time? You mean the coolest group of all time surely. There was a club I went to one night in South Norwood with a skinhead from work. What a wild night that was!!

[@harveysmith100]

I always feel that they never got the recognition they deserved. Simple one of the best bands Britain has ever produced

[@MickMcgowan-x4u]

Probably cuz they only had 3 hits

[@harveysmith100]

@@MickMcgowan-x4u You really have no idea who they are, do you?

[@julianprice1587]

We have a radio in NZ that plays music from the late 60's to the late 80's and even they won't play The Specials. Goodness knows why.

[@essaouira311]

I can remember when I first heard it back in the early 80s. It was a shock. It still is. Amazing!

[@davepirtle9790]

Howdy mates. Im from the US and grew up in the 1980s. We absolutely loved new wave bands from England (and Europe and Australia too). A golden era of what is now called alternative. Back in the 80s alternative meant something very different. Anyways you guys in the UK were so lucky to have top of the pops and other tv shows. The closest we had over the pond was 120 minutes on MTV. Sunday's from midnight to 2am!

[@sashamonique3005]

listened to this growing up, still love it

[@Jamiewelling]

Queen

[@sashamonique3005]

@@Jamiewelling why thank you

[@Jamiewelling]

@@sashamonique3005 ALSO YOUR PFP OH MY ;) HAAHAHHA

[@ExLondoner]

My uncles favorite tune back then. May he RIP!

[@Moonie_MonRozE]

Wow crazy this is 40 years ago wow so amazing I still love it today glad I went to the music downtown sound in bham and learned about this summer 2015

[@FlowerStar-vg8sj]

Such a sweetie Terry hall very sad when he past away he was a very kind loving caring person rip Terry hall god bless you are a legend 🤩👏👏

[@janimccauley601]

RIP Specials trombonist Rico Rodriguez who has died aged 80

[@syaifuddinaris3687]

Jani McCauley respect

[@anthonynavarro6074]

Shine on Rico❣️🎼💯

[@shaneculkin7124]

God Bless his Soul. He appears to have done the right & fun things in life. That's a nice chunk of Life, if I may say so myself. I would be enormously fortunate to make it as long. Sincerely!

[@slapiro]

Man I loved this song in my younger years. Still do.

[@mapaug3728]

Estas son las pocas veces que veo a Terry sonreír 😊 ❤️

[@MrGalessa]

Delicious to see this video again after all this time.

[@camilin1823]

My uterus explodes every time with Terry's face 0:47

[@emmathomas2403]

Mine too!!!!

[@MFavplace]

I thought it was just me 😂

[@sashamonique3005]

hahahahha yup

[@lannieplannie]

Fucking LOVE the Specials. Bands like this simply don't exist anymore. :(

[@ashook-o3j]

howcomeMYcommentsgetCancelledwithout-meSwearing?...

[@DukesMusic84]

This record perfectly summed up what 2020 felt like when everything shut down. This generation can relate, it's just a timeless record.

[@christyisageek]

terry is the most fcking adorable man I've ever seen.

[@jonathandavies7462]

You can edit out “I’ve ever seen” 😊

[@Chastonicity]

Wow! I still remember this music also the shortwave band of the BBC Radio broadcast in 1981 when I was attending college. I loved my multi-band Zenith radio..

[@Xandervile]

That's a first, Terry Hall looking like he is enjoying himself on TV!

[@RalphPacker]

Jerry Dammers was a fcuking genius!! Artistic/ productive/ musically GOD!!!!!! He had the vision and thankfully gave us many classics in the original line up!! Ghost time being the swan song of the legendary line up!! My mate sat next to terry in a barbers! Me, I sat next to an old lady on a bus! She smelt old

[@tommyhaynes521]

There's more people in the band than there are in the audance

[@johnolson5538]

Crazy how people had to play instruments, and not some hipster and his MacBook.

[@JamBadguy]

@@johnolson5538 ok boomer

[@johnolson5538]

@@JamBadguy ok cartoon avatar that like crap music.

[@joeoc7762]

The band members probably wouldn’t get paid all that much tho

[@patrickweissel5241]

Love Playback s

[@EamonCuddy-d8e]

Legians love this song rest in piece Terry hall great singer big shout to my niece Rachel laverty have a nice Christmas Eamon cuddy

[@midnightwithoutyou61]

In hindsight, the look in Terry Hall's eyes when he sang the two lines " Bands won't play no more" and " can't go on no more" were telling you everything about the Band's future.

[@wyrmseyeview26]

His really is a pretty phoned-in mime even by the standards of TotP.

[@julieeales]

Really ??

[@marypoppins7]

Jesus Christ died for our sin if we turn from sin we'll be saved

[@marypoppins7]

The Ten Commandments 1. You shall have no other gods. 2. You shall not make idols. 3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord. 4. Remember the Sabbath, keep it holy. 5. Honor your father and mother. 6. You shall not murder. 7. You shall not commit adultery. 8. You shall not steal. 9. You shall not lie. 10. You shall not covet.

[@mattiassvanberg8292]

​@@marypoppins7 All hail Ozzy!

[@marko-ze4nl]

I was about 16 when this came out - absolutely defined the early 80s for me; you really had to grow up with all the riots and misery of the time to get it

[@liyrose]

lol takes me way bk to my child hood when me mum n dad would play it.

[@JazzFan76]

0:51 Terry Hall actually smiling 😊 I love it.

[@bellers23]

The Specials getting back together and touring UK in April and May next year. Can't wait!

[@tonypuccio154]

Them were the days that good old days back in the UK peace out🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧👍👍👍👀👀👀👀🤘🤘🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 this town coming like a ghost town

[@rickierobertson9247]

good musical influence brought me here

[@95AnnieAnnie95]

ha look at terry's face 0:51 and a little onwards MAAAANN i've never seen him smile sooo big HARDLY EVER SEE HIM SMILE AT ALL he looks insanely adorable that way X]

[@shaneculkin7124]

LOL..... Yea, all boy-ish. They were having fun with the having to lip sync and knowing the audience know it. Not their fault. American Bandstand made their acts do the same. And it was a pity since some (few) bands sound better live. Like, -- INXS, The Cure, and Tears For Fears as examples.

[@jimmyb227]

I have not heard this in years-thanks for posting it!

[@stoogefest16]

One of the best records of the 80's.

[@toolworks]

Listened to this song so much when i was 7-9 (im 17 now) That i still know all of the words.

[@aureol40012]

Do you still play it now you are 28?!

[@damianmcdonagh7908]

I'm currently reading Daniel Rachel's definitive biography, Too Much Too Young. It's excellent. The legend that is Jerry Dammers.

[@devillehall6171]

5 minutes after this they split up ...the best band in England at the time 💔

[@kkmatt]

another reason to love Being Human (UK) get to hear some of the weirdest/coolest music!!

[@67rml]

One of the very best SKA tunes!!! How LUVLY English!!

[@gokolink]

Love how the backing band are still making an effort at lip syncing!

[@BugsBunnyandArchieMcIvor2025]

This is a good song to play on halloween!🎃

[@LarzGustafsson]

THIS is what I call a party! Tremendous song!

[@vitoriatoni751]

Gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@sharkbite951]

My mom used to always listen to this when I was younger and I always just remembered the beginnin... for some reason I thought this was by Santana...

[@catalyst25]

id use a time machine to go back to this exact place and moment, anybody in? these guys killed it here.

[@shaneculkin7124]

Not their fault but I'd rather use our machine to attend a truly live performance of theirs!!!

[@francishodge5189]

Classic brilliant track from 1981 by the legendary the Specials Ghost town

[@calebrush3833]

The lovely Rhoda in the background.

[@stellaviolens]

It is great that The Specials are back. I can watch this without sadness as they split up as this record hit no1. Losing the specials in 81 just made that shit summer grimmer . Top song to finish on. Now what for Specials in the 21st century ?

[@bossskinhead1969]

just saw them last night in manchester still good now as back then what a show still the best oi oi oi oi

[@faeries_Wear_Boots]

... 20 yrs later BIG UP SpeCiaLS.

[@anthonynavarro6074]

Too cool. I know they were so stoked to be on top of the pops

[@19smokey19]

was my dole yrs then when that came out, life was shit but the song cheered us up...

[@ThokoXaba]

Brings back memories

[@allenparsons31]

as a Coventry band we all know them when they split up 3 became fun boy 3..brill lad's..

[@fgldnglbs]

This may be the performance I was looking for in connection to an ABC 2020 segment on the Brixton riots(see official video).

[@shaneculkin7124]

You would be totally correct on that sir.

[@CAendino]

good energy-all together in one rhythm-todo bien-like in the good old days-

[@1989NickyD]

2:21 and he meant it. Him, Staples and Golding left the band right after this performance.

[@stumagoo2395]

They performed Ghost Town twice on TOTP (the other performance is also in KZbin), but I'm not sure if this or the other performance was the final. I suspect this one is more likely to be the final as they're making fun of the whole performance. Pity they didn't share Jerry's creativity and were unwilling to follow his new direction with drum machines and keyboards, I quite liked the new style implemented on "I Can't Stand It" and "International Jet Set". They definitely quit before their peak and Ghost Town was probably a snippet of what could've been.

[@JohnTaylorMusicClips53]

No... this was 9th july, their penultimate performance.

[@CheesyChimp69]

@sonor23 I'm too young to remember before Thatcher, but it's never felt like a country on its way out to me. (It has done since Captain Slack-Jaw took over though, but we'll have that sorted this year with any luck).

[@hallson2917]

Terry Hall R.I.P

[@BillyJango]

Terry, Neville and Lynval all growing their hair ready to form Fun Boy Three. Bad move.

[@tyronerodgers]

Amazing to think this was only 4 months before Fun Boy Three's first single.

[@somacruz8272]

There is so much going on in this music video...

[@HenrikRamone]

Yeah, TOTP performances were lipsynced for years, that is the reason why Iron Maiden refused to play in the show until dance of Death record. Technology is getting better and better, so I think that nowadays all the performances aren't lip synced

[@shaneculkin7124]

Oh yea! American Bandstand was the same way. Bands that actually sounded better live (few) would actually end up looking silly. Like INXS. Didn't QUEEN have to play on T.O.T.P.s....?

[@DallasCowboys94Ware]

I feel like lighting up a blunt with my boys Sol, Tyrone & Vincent and the dog, and just chill and listen to this song. Snatch, FTW.

[@Mike20216]

Greatest song of the 80s

[@somacruz8272]

this was released on my birthday

[@DJMicFRESH]

Happy birthday!

[@somacruz8272]

@@DJMicFRESH hey thanks!

[@kantilalchohan8467]

BRINGS BACK MEMORIES 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@rottielovergirl1]

still got my 45" single record in the attic lol

[@MrChaoscheese]

I love how half the people on the stage are not necessary to the song.

[@Diankeda]

Como rifan y como se divierten... son la neta¡¡¡

[@yuorvalentine]

RIP 💔

[@fgldnglbs]

There was another performance interspersed with images of the Brixton riots of April '81, broadcast of ABC's 20/20(American Broadcasting Company, First time I heard any song by the Specials at length. Great first impression with disturbing images. I don't know if Stephen Lawrence(whose murder touched off the riots) was a fan, but if he was, I doubt this is how he, or anyone, would have wanted to have been associated with this band. Then again, that's what their music covered.

[@anthonycarrabine637]

RiP rude boy, you have earned it 🙏

[@ManRazThe]

If you guys like the specials I highly recommend the band PapaFish from southern california, they have a totally unique and awesome ska reggae sound!

[@againstbnp1]

I still think jerry dammer's is the overall specials... He is what made the specials without him its empty space... all the songs music and image of the specials was by this guy..this song speaks volumes of jerry's talent!!

[@shaneculkin7124]

Very, very true. The instruments, the orchestration, the lyrics (I think), amd the entire vibe was his doing. The rest of the band made it all come alive and were not without talent themselves. But also, -- bands this size can NEVER survive for long. Too many people to satisfy and please musically.. Among the many other dilemmas that go with big bands. Oh, and they're expensive too.

[@ukulelelab4219]

RIP Terry Hall

[@TheMauvetys]

great bgs, i remember this song that comes back from the past :) singular cool ambiance

[@GemmaBryson]

My ex loves this song And I couldn't stand it after we split up I started to like this song

[@AthelstanEngland]

They really didn't give an F by this time... found this so depressing at the time. End of an era...

[@MikesMusic475]

Too much fighting on the dance floor..lol This is a classic!

[@manhattanishappening]

i love how they treat it like its a joke. cause thats what it is, in reality. Specials > all

[@nullvoid244]

Best single of 1981

[@silviaschildberg5271]

Man, Terry is smiling 😁😁

[@mickspastik4227]

Terry won't smile no more. RIP.

[@MJN_SEIFER]

Is it just me, or does 01:16 01:22 sound like the introduction to some old cartoon series? I can't think which one, but I think it was a H&B one... Love the song. :)

[@LittleSweety]

This song was 30 years ago no.9 in the world charts #ghost #town

[@oldpondfrog788]

Wow. Times huh. What a tune. If only C&A was still in the high street 🤕

[@audreycooper10]

Hahaha LOVE how they're just taking the piss!

[@erko62]

Summed up Thatcher' Britain of the early eighties everything from Factories to shops closed down.

[@gznyc]

@blairbooth Wonderful news! Blair, what was it like working with Terry?

[@cj4everjava]

One of my all-time favourite tracks AND this performance MUST have been the original HARLEM SHAKE inspiration :-)

[@laurencelake007]

hopefully back in the uk charts next week! :)

[@howardsend6589]

End of an era. Better times.

[@raggedclown]

@sonor23 Thatcher destroyed one-third of Britain's manufacturing base between 1979 and 1981. It was the end of the world's first industrial nation as an economic force. She had all the money from north sea oil and the profits of flogging off the nation's assets to her city chums, and turned them into two recessions in 10 years, with unemployment near 5 million.

[@dr.bailey-myreviews3627]

this was the last time they performed together before the split ..... correct me if im wrong

[@tinawarrington6547]

didnt they split up backstage..

[@stumagoo2395]

It was after this performance that Neville told Jerry that 3 of them were leaving. The split was kept secret for 3 months while Chrysalis records tried to get them to reverse their decision. They fulfilled their north American More Specials tour in August 1981 but rumours of a split were rife. The split was finally made public in October 1981 and the formation of Fun Boy Three was announced 🙄

[@tcm8119]

RIP Terry, gone way too soon.