ive seen the prodigy arctic monkeys kings of leon placibo etc but when i saw the specials well they are on another level completely the best band ive ever seen makes me proud they are from coventry
All the ska bands of this era seemed to have a "helper" - someone who didn't do very much except dance around and occasionally blurt something into the microphone (a forerunner of Bez, I suppose). The ultimate was Chas Smash who seems to have infiltrated his way into Madness as a fully fledged member now.
One of Holland's biggest clothingconcerns is called C&A, and they market workingclass families. Never figured this song might actually have something to do with this though ..
That was the fashion then and the lyrics at least have a meaning deeper than the I love you, you love me bollox and the I have a gun and a knob bollox we hear now.
Fantastic Song, Fantastic Group, Shit Camerawork .. just awful! .. but that was the Eightiies I suppose! Come back Jerry Dammers and reform with the rest of them ... please!
The year was circa 1980ish .. so quality will be poor . in those days the camerawork wasnt the best in that if you watch as they individually pick out the band members playing .. its not in time to the music or relelvant to the particular instrument being played .. this was half due to a dodgy camera operator and half to the non-ska loving/aware mixing desk operator! Lucky The Specials made up for it with their great ability to mask these deficiencies then! :-)
He's singing about been a man in grey, but he's dressed in a purple jumper and green Rupert the Bear style plaid trousers. Just the sort of attire one might have got from C&A in the late 70s early 80s.
C & A used to be a clothes shopping chain in the UK, who ran an advertising campaign called "Man at C & A". Which probably makes you none the wiser what the song is about !
"I'm a man in grey, just a man at C&A, And I don't have a say..." it's just a normal, boring individual with no power to change things. I recall C&A stocked a good line in dull, conformist suits... mostly in grey!
Oh C&A - its really not missed (apart from the cafe, loved that)
nonrehc 4 days ago
Comment removed
gilamonster001 1 month ago in playlist Favorite videos
@JoesRamone
No it's not, it's The Specials!
gazdoesdallas 6 months ago
Dammers without his shades? THIS IS MADNESS!
JoesRamone 6 months ago
p0wnage!
zero0zero99 9 months ago
Wow! I've never seen this version. Thanks for sharing!
punkrocksowhat 10 months ago
ive seen the prodigy arctic monkeys kings of leon placibo etc but when i saw the specials well they are on another level completely the best band ive ever seen makes me proud they are from coventry
SuperJimmy2212 11 months ago
que buenos eran estos hijos de la gran!!!
prosumero 11 months ago
another great song from the specials
Koivlachance 1 year ago
Ah man, that part at 2:20....he should've used that high pitched little voice that he used on the album version...gets me every time!!!
chalklava 1 year ago 2
Highlight of the century ..
miragin7 1 year ago
All the ska bands of this era seemed to have a "helper" - someone who didn't do very much except dance around and occasionally blurt something into the microphone (a forerunner of Bez, I suppose). The ultimate was Chas Smash who seems to have infiltrated his way into Madness as a fully fledged member now.
AK2927 1 year ago
@AK2927 Yes The Swinging Cats had a "helper" called Monty Braithwaite who invented a new dance called The Gluebag. No wonder they didn't make it...
strangetown22 1 year ago
@strangetown22 Didn't make it?? They did in my house - I have all of their albums, even the difficult ska "concept" album that nobody bought.
AK2927 1 year ago
@AK292 SKILLS!!!!
strangetown22 1 year ago
One of Holland's biggest clothingconcerns is called C&A, and they market workingclass families. Never figured this song might actually have something to do with this though ..
samhuinn1991 1 year ago
Great haunting song. This song great at Coachella.
motrellim 1 year ago
That was the fashion then and the lyrics at least have a meaning deeper than the I love you, you love me bollox and the I have a gun and a knob bollox we hear now.
comfy1 1 year ago
@comfy1 Damn right!
floppybollox3 1 year ago
favourite specials track!!
NikkiSpitfire 2 years ago 2
Terry hall put in an excellent perfomance on tricky's poems .. The specials were the biz. .. *****
miragin7 2 years ago
Fantastic Song, Fantastic Group, Shit Camerawork .. just awful! .. but that was the Eightiies I suppose! Come back Jerry Dammers and reform with the rest of them ... please!
TheFartGallery 2 years ago
@TheFartGallery
Camera work itself or quality?
SinRainer 1 year ago
@SinRainer
The year was circa 1980ish .. so quality will be poor . in those days the camerawork wasnt the best in that if you watch as they individually pick out the band members playing .. its not in time to the music or relelvant to the particular instrument being played .. this was half due to a dodgy camera operator and half to the non-ska loving/aware mixing desk operator! Lucky The Specials made up for it with their great ability to mask these deficiencies then! :-)
TheFartGallery 1 year ago
@TheFartGallery The video is fine by me. The sound is great.
punkrocksowhat 10 months ago
He's singing about been a man in grey, but he's dressed in a purple jumper and green Rupert the Bear style plaid trousers. Just the sort of attire one might have got from C&A in the late 70s early 80s.
mukatuna 2 years ago 3
Well, it doesn't really make any difference on Terry Hall. He's just as sinister and serious with the purple jumper on. :P
robbanzana 2 years ago 4
@mukatuna Maybe he's trying to be ironic since he usually always wears grey suits.
chalklava 1 year ago
What a great band
FrankOwen73 2 years ago
The Specials do it again. Great start to an awesome song. They build the suspense, then slap you in the face with the lyrics and beat.
tomeeeee1 2 years ago
A truly wonderful version of a classic song......... Shame about the clothes....lol...... It wasn't all Fred P's and Dogtooth... ;-)
nuttyboy11 2 years ago
Great Group ... Great Song .. Crap BBC Videowork!
TheFartGallery 2 years ago
FAB FAB FAB
hippyvictoria 2 years ago
This is top 3 Specials! Brilliant!!
ronin1861 2 years ago
top song!
modsheff1 3 years ago
Coolest gang of dudes your likely to find! I idled them when i was about 9! Legends!!!!!!
Madcunt1973 3 years ago 2
they dont make em' like they used to !!!!!!!!
if only bands today were as original as THE SPECIALS .......
best band EVER !!!!!!
TerraceDandie 3 years ago 7
Can't believe there's footage of Man at C&A!!
cza1971 3 years ago
nice, this song aint bad at all. 5/5
ZachD8 3 years ago
nuclear attack cause black and white were fightin eachother he is grey when you mix up white and black
bcr2907 3 years ago
lol you absolutely don't know what you're talking about.
bilwit 2 years ago
why C & A?
figocooldude 3 years ago
Not sure... wasn't C&A some chain of clothing stores??
robbanzana 3 years ago 3
C & A used to be a clothes shopping chain in the UK, who ran an advertising campaign called "Man at C & A". Which probably makes you none the wiser what the song is about !
roddy76to86 3 years ago
"I'm a man in grey, just a man at C&A, And I don't have a say..." it's just a normal, boring individual with no power to change things. I recall C&A stocked a good line in dull, conformist suits... mostly in grey!
pacey68 3 years ago 5
@figocooldude wear of the day dude
comfy1 1 month ago in playlist music
incredible collaboration of musicians, they always had an amazing stage presence, so much energy
fugitive29 4 years ago
Indeed.
robbanzana 4 years ago
cool...
thelegopeople 4 years ago