LogFAQs > #954952458

181. The Specials Ghost Town (1981)
non-album single

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqZ8428GSrI

Key lyrics:
Too much fighting on the dance floor

Of the many terms I associate with ska, ominous would not be one. Yet Ghost Town thrives in that apocalyptic tone, an all-time classic within its genre due to its blunt reimagining of what ska could be. All the elements are there, but they have been reconstituted to paint a picture of urban distress. There are plenty of works that try to deconstruct a genre, but that is not what is happening here. This is earnestly ska (of the two-tone variety) in a distinct form; like Blister in the Sun, it succeeds by going somewhere so unexpected that anyone attempting the same unfortunately come across as imitators. Ghost Town could have signaled the dawning of a new genre entirely but instead stands as a singular hit.

The spine-chilling opening is an all-time classic. The instrumentation is familiar, but simply being played at a slower pace creates such a suffocating atmosphere compared to skas typically (perhaps gratingly) cheerful mood. But its not all despair an important bridge briefly switches up the pace, reflecting on better times. This is a band that wants to celebrate, finding themselves in a world with no reason for joy. The verses cycle through several vocalists instead of having a lead, expertly suggesting the societal level of the bands grievances.

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My top 100 games (with write-ups): https://foolfantastic.com/top-100-video-games-project/