Joining Mario for this week`s Story Behind The Song is Joe Donnelly to take a look at eh story behind "Ghost Town" by The Specials.

It’s from 2 Tone Records, the label set up by Jerry Dammers, of The Specials.  Two-tone refers to the fusion of ska and elements of punk or new wave music. Joe tells us it was a social and political movement as much as music genre. 

Released in 1981, spent 10 weeks in the UK top 40 ans awarded single of the year by loads of music magazines in 1981.   It’s a song laden with social commentary. This was Thatcher’s Britain. Deep recession, civil unrest, riots across dozens of cities in 1981, high unemployment, urban decay.  Jerry Dammers said this about the inspiration behind the song: "You travelled from town to town and what was happening was terrible. In Liverpool, all the shops were shuttered up, everything was closing down ... We could actually see it by touring around. You could see that frustration and anger in the audience. In Glasgow, there were these little old ladies on the streets selling all their household goods, their cups and saucers. It was unbelievable. It was clear that something was very, very wrong."  

Not forgetting of course it was again made famous by Father Billy O’Dwyer, the priest who gigged at a disco and raffle that Ted and Dougal organised to raise funds in order to fix the leaking roof of the parochial house and forgot all his records...except one!

 

Press the play button on the image on the top of the screen to hear all!