The Specials - Ghost Town: Blog tasks

 The Specials - Ghost Town: Blog tasks

Background and historical contexts

Read this excellent analysis from The Conversation website of the impact Ghost Town had both musically and visually. Answer the following questions

1) Why does the writer link the song to cinematic soundtracks and music hall tradition?

The song is written in E♭, a key more commonly used for mood-driven music. The writer says it draws on elements of cinematic soundtracks and the music hall tradition, which helps the track create a strong atmosphere of anxiety and tension.

2) What subcultures did 2 Tone emerge from in the late 1970s?

2 Tone music developed out of the Mod and Punk subcultures, combining elements of both styles.

3) What social contexts are discussed regarding the UK in 1981?

In 1981, the UK was going through a tough recession. Riots were breaking out in urban areas, and young people, especially from deprived and overlooked communities were angry and frustrated. Cities like London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Liverpool saw clashes between the youth and the police, reflecting widespread discontent.

4) Cultural critic Mark Fisher describes the video as ‘eerie’. What do you think is 'eerie' about the Ghost Town video?

What makes the video eerie is the setting, t’s run down, abandoned, and feels lifeless. The lack of people, combined with the lowkey lighting and shadowy atmosphere, gives it a haunting, horror-like vibe.

5) Look at the final section (‘Not a dance track’). What does the writer suggest might be the meanings created in the video? Do you agree?

The writer suggests the video is a powerful protest against inequality and lost opportunities. It’s a cry of frustration from young people who feel abandoned, robbed of fun, music, and a future. I agree, as the imagery of empty streets and boarded-up buildings feels like a symbol of everything that’s been taken from them.

Now read this BBC website feature on the 30th anniversary of Ghost Town’s release. 

1) How does the article describe the song?

The article calls it a depiction of social collapse, capturing the feeling of unrest and providing the soundtrack to the riots that followed.

2) What does the article say about the social context of the time – what was happening in Britain in 1981?

In 1981, many parts of Britain were suffering due to industrial decline, especially in places like Coventry. Unemployment was soaring, and this eventually led to violent riots across the country just weeks after Ghost Town was released.

3) How did The Specials reflect an increasingly multicultural Britain?

The band itself was a reflection of multicultural Britain, featuring both black and white members. This diversity helped represent the racial mix of the country at the time.

4) How can we link Paul Gilroy’s theories to The Specials and Ghost Town?

Paul Gilroy’s idea of ‘cultural conviviality’; the everyday harmony between different ethnic groups fits well with The Specials. The band’s makeup and message showed how people from different backgrounds could come together through music, even during tough times.

5) The article discusses how the song sounds like a John Barry composition. Why was John Barry a famous composer and what films did he work on?

John Barry was a well-known British composer famous for scoring over 100 films and shows. Some of his notable works include Born Free, Midnight Cowboy, Somewhere in Time, and The Lion in Winter.

Ghost Town - Media Factsheet

Watch the video several times before reading Factsheet #211 - Ghost Town. You'll need your GHS Google login to access the factsheet. Once you have analysed the video several times and read the whole factsheet, answer the following questions: 

1) Focus on the Media Language section. What does the factsheet suggest regarding the mise-en-scene in the video?

The video uses a style similar to British social realist films, known for showing working-class life in bleak, urban settings. There’s a strong sense of hopelessness throughout, which matches the mood of the song

2) How does the lighting create intertextual references? What else is notable about the lighting?

The lighting in the video creates a moody, eerie effect. Inside the car, the band is lit by what seems like a torch or low interior light, casting shadows that give a horror-film feel. Outside, the lighting uses natural elements like grey skies and tunnel lights to enhance the bleak, eerie vibe.

3) What non-verbal codes help to communicate meanings in the video?

The band members have blank expressions and stiff, zombie-like movements for most of the video, which creates a sense of lifelessness. Then, during the chaotic middle section, this changes to wild, frantic movement highlighting the contrast between control and chaos.

4) What does the factsheet suggest regarding the editing and camerawork? Pick out three key points that are highlighted here.

The editing plays with the idea of day and night, making it feel disorienting.

Handheld shots, whip pans, and tilted angles add to the confusion and chaos.

Early on, the low-angle and establishing shots make the city look intimidating.

The ending uses a long cross-dissolve between tunnel lights and a stone-throwing scene, which creates an unsettling effect.

5) What narrative theories can be applied to the video? Give details from the video for each one.

Todorov’s theory works well here. The starting equilibrium is the band searching for something to do. The disequilibrium comes from the desolate streets they drive through. The new equilibrium might be them standing by the river, throwing stones signalling they’ve accepted that there’s nothing left to do.

6) How can we apply genre theory to the video?

The video can be seen as part of a social realist or protest genre. It tells a story of disillusionment, as the band travels through a city with no life or music. Their aimless journey and eventual frustration reflect the wider social mood.

7) Now look at the Representations section. What are the different people, places and groups that are represented in the Ghost Town video? Look for the list on page 4 of the factsheet.

Working-class men

Urban environments

A multiracial group of musicians

Abandoned and decaying parts of the city

Youth culture that feels bored, trapped, and voiceless

8) How can Gauntlett's work on collective identity be applied to the video?

Gauntlett’s theory fits because the video gives working-class men a chance to see their struggles reflected back at them. In a time of mass unemployment and disappearing jobs, it offers a space where male identity, friendship, and shared experiences are explored.

9) How can gender theorists such as Judith Butler be applied to Ghost Town?

Judith Butler’s idea of gender as performance can be applied here. The men in the video seem to perform traditional masculine behaviours: brotherhood, emotional suppression, solidarity. Their expressions and body language reflect societal expectations of how men should behave, especially during hard times.

10) Postcolonial theorists like Paul Gilroy can help us to understand the meanings in the Ghost Town music video. What does the factsheet suggest regarding this?

The video supports Gilroy’s ideas by challenging the division between in-groups (those in power) and out-groups (the marginalised). Instead of focusing on race, it highlights class and shared struggle, showing that music can bring people together across ethnic lines.

Bonus content! Ghost Town - Media Magazine feature

There is an interesting article on the Ghost Town music video in Media Magazine MM79. It includes an interview with one of the founding members of the group plus an analysis of the video itself.   

A/A* Extension reading: Music video and Ghost Town

There is so much excellent reading on The Specials and Ghost Town in particular. This Guardian feature by Alexis Petridis describes the social context and the band’s relationship superbly. 

Key Notes

The Specials and Two Tone Movement

Formed in 1977 in Coventry.Blended ska (Jamaican music from the 1960s) with punk, creating a politically charged genre. Helped launch the Two Tone movement, known for its multi-racial line-up and anti-racist stance. Signed bands like Madness, The Beat, and Bad Manners followed in their wake.

Historical Context (Britain in 1981)

Unemployment crisis: Jumped from 1.5m to 2.5m in a year.
Margaret Thatcher’s government was deeply unpopular, with severe industrial closures.
Racial tension: Stop-and-search policies (e.g. Operation Swamp) targeted Black communities.
Riots erupted across the UK: Brixton, Coventry, Finsbury Park, and more.
Music reflected social division: “Ghost Town” literally coincided with these events.

“Ghost Town” - The Song

Released: June 1981, went to Number 1 in UK charts.
Lyrics reflect societal collapse: “No job to be found in this country,” “people getting angry,” “bands won’t play no more.”
Musical style: Reggae rhythm, eerie jazz chords, John Barry-inspired horns.
No chorus – haunting wail instead, creating a feeling of doom.

Band Turmoil

The band was falling apart during recording:
Internal conflict: Members argued, smashed equipment, refused to cooperate. Audience violence during tours; even led to arrests. Drinking, drugs, and breakdowns strained relationships. Racist attack on guitarist Lynval Golding inspired the B-side track “Why?”

 Impact and Legacy

“Ghost Town” was prophetic – released just as riots broke out.
Seen as the only pop record to comment on the news in real time.
Captured both national crisis and personal band breakdown.

Along similar lines, this is an excellent piece on music reflecting the mood of a country – written during the 2011 London Riots but linking back to Ghost Town in 1981.

Key Notes: “Why the Specials’ Ghost Town is still the sound of a country in crisis”

Crisis music is a form of protest music that reflects social anxiety and unrest, but does not offer solutions—it captures emotion and atmosphere.

Ghost Town by The Specials (1981) is a key example of crisis music, reflecting urban decay, unemployment, and rioting in Thatcher-era Britain. It became symbolic of national discontent.

The song’s eerie sound and haunting lyrics evoke a sense of emptiness and fear, making it resonate again during the 2011 London riots.

Crisis music is “NOW music” – it is deeply rooted in its moment, often acting like a seismograph, recording the mood of a nation in turmoil.

Unlike traditional protest songs, crisis music does not preach or propose change—it expresses feeling, often through the music itself, not just lyrics.

Other examples of crisis music include:

The Ruts – Babylon’s Burning
The Clash – London’s Burning
(Contrast: Linton Kwesi Johnson offers commentary, but not crisis music due to its calm tone)

Dorian Lynskey argues that songs like Ghost Town remain powerful because they viscerally connect to repeated patterns of social and political breakdown.

Enjoy this phenomenal long read by GQ editor Dylan Jones who links the history of London since 1981, music, race relations and riots to Ghost Town and the Specials.

The Specials’ “Ghost Town” – Key Notes (Dylan Jones article)

“Ghost Town” was released in 1981 during a time of major social unrest in the UK.

The song reflected urban decay, youth unemployment, and racial tension, especially in areas like Brixton.
1981 riots (Brixton, Toxteth, Southall, etc.) were caused by poor police-community relations and government neglect.

The song’s haunting, eerie sound captured the bleak mood of the time.

Written by Jerry Dammers, it was a response to real-life urban collapse, not just symbolic protest.

The Specials were part of the 2 Tone movement – racially integrated ska music with political messages.

During COVID-19 lockdowns in 2021, the empty streets of London evoked the same eerie atmosphere.

The author describes feeling like the “last man standing”, alone in the city.

He draws a parallel between lockdown silence and post-riot Brixton, both marked by a haunting emptiness.

“Ghost Town” remains powerful because it speaks to repeating cycles of crisis and disconnection.

It is seen as one of the most politically charged UK No. 1s, combining music and protest.

The song is a key example of music as social commentary, still relevant today.

The career of the director of the Ghost Town video, Barney Bubbles, and his influence over graphic design in the 1970s is laid out in this website article that will appeal to any arts students.

Real name: Colin Fulcher; used the name Barney Bubbles and various pseudonyms.

Key figure in British graphic design for psychedelic, punk, and post-punk music scenes.

Influenced major designers like Peter Saville and Malcolm Garrett.

Rarely signed his work, contributing to his relative obscurity.

Studied illustration, photography, typography, and design at Twickenham College.

Created iconic album covers and visuals for bands such as Hawkwind and artists like Elvis Costello.

His style combined futuristic themes, historical art references, and avant-garde design.

Known for layering multiple cultural and artistic influences in his work.

Financial and personal difficulties, including issues with agents and back taxes.

Helped pioneer postmodern design methods before they became widely recognized.

His work bridged historical art movements with contemporary music culture.

Left a lasting legacy in British music packaging and graphic design.

This Rolling Stone article offers some industry context regarding how artists can make money from music videos.

Finally, here are some extracts from an academic research paper on Rock Against Racism at the time Ghost Town was released. It refers to Gilroy and other theorists and gives you a superb introduction to university-level reading. You'll need to login using your Greenford Google login to read it.