THE SPECIALS-THE SPECIALS
FIRST ALBUM
1980 Chrysalis Records Inc
all songs produced by Elvis Costello
Exept Gangsters Produced by the Specials.
A Message To You Rudy
Stop your messin' around
Better think of your future
Time you straightened right out
Creatin' problems in town
Rudy a message to you (x2)
Stop your foolin' around
Time you straightened right out
Better think of your future
Or else you'll wind up in jail
Rudy a message to you (x2)
Stop your messin' around
Better think of your future
Time you straightened right out
Creatin' problems in town
Rudy a message to you ...
Do The Dog
All you punks and all you teds
National Front and natty dreads
Mods, rockers, hippies, and skinheads
Keep on fighting till you're dead
Who am I to say?
Who am I to say?
Am I just a hippocrite
another piece of your bullshit
Am I the dog that bit
the hand of the man that feeds him?
Chorus:
Do the dog
(do the dog)
Do the dog
(not the donkey)
Do the dog
(don't be a jerk)
Do the dog
(watch who you work for)
Do the do the do the do the do the dog
everybody's doin' the dog
Tear your hair for your aggression
Fight in London, risk detention
Master race or masterbation
Causes natural good sensation
Who am I to say?
To the IRA
To the UDA
Soldier boy from the UK
Am I just a hippocrite
another piece of your bullshit
Am I the dog that bit
the hand of the man that feeds him?
Chorus
It's Up To You
What you gonna do?
Just drop in on you
We won't go away
'Cause we've come out to stay.
Stand there like parked cars if you want to
We can't force you to enjoy this music
Take it or leav it, we'll carry on regardless
If you don't like it you don't have to use it.
It's up to you X 4
Looks like a case of the blind leading the deaf to me
You must be bored out of your pants
Take it or leav it, we'll carry on regardless
If you don't like it you don't have to dance.
It's up to you (Black)
It's up to you (White)
It's up to you (Unite)
It's up to you (I'll fight)
Hey London town you can use a huge dance set
Take warnin'
It's up to you what you really want to do
For you were standin' on the corner givin' trouble
When the police man come he says you have to move on the double
So steppin' up the street with my little rude girl
with her strapress to her ankles
It's up to her what she really want to do
It's up to you, you, and strictly you and you.
What you gonna do?
When morons come for you
And they won't go away
They want the whole world painted grey.
It's up to you X 4
Nite Klub
Is this the in place to be?
What am I doing here?
Watching the girls go by
Spending money on...
Sleep all day
It's the only way
I'm a parasite
I creep about at night.
Night club, is this the in place to be?
Night club, what am I doing here?
Night club, watching the girls go by
Spending money on...
Hey, hey, I don't work
'Cause I don't have to
I don't have to work
There's no, no work to do
Night club, I'm a member of the night club
Night club, A fully paid up member of the night club
I won't dance in a club like this
'Cause all the girls are sluts
And the beer tastes just like piss
I'm a (Night club) parasite
I creep (Night club) about at night.
I'm a member of the night club
A fully paid up member of the night club
Night club, is this the in place to be?
Night club, what am I doing here?
Night club, watching the girls go by
Spending money on beer.
Doesn't Make It Alright
Just because you're nobody
It doesn't mean that you're no good
Just because there's a reason
It doesn't mean it's understood.
Chorus:
It doesn't make it alright
It doesn't make it alright
It's the worst excuse in the world
And it, it doesn't make it alright.
Some people think they're really clever
To smash your head against the wall
Then they say you've got it my way
They really think they know it all.
Chorus
Just because you're a black boy
Just because you're a white
It doesn't mean you've got to hate him
It doesn't mean you've got to fight.
Chorus
Just because you're nobody.
Concrete Jungle
Chanting: "You're gonna get your fucking heads kicked in, you're going home in a fucking ambulance."
I'm going out tonight
I don't know if I'll be alright
Everyone wants to hurt me
Baby, danger in the city
I have to carry a knife
Because some people threaten my life
I can't dress the way I want
I'm being chased by the National Front.
Chorus:
Concrete jungle, animals are after me
Concrete jungle, Ain't safe on the streets
Concrete jungle, Grab a cup of mace with me.
I won't fight for a cause
I don't want to change the laws
Leave me alone just leave me alone
I want to get out on my own.
I'm walkin' home tonight
I only walk where there's lots of light
In the alleys and the doorways
Somebody point a bottle in your face.
Chorus.
Too Hot
Spoken: Boy me a' fie go leave that town here ya know because it too hot.
Too hot, this town is too hot
Now they're calling for their guns
About to spoil the rude boy's funs
But rude boys'l never give up their guns
It's too hot.
No man can tell them what to do
Pound for pound they say they're ruder than you
They all hot, and over town
You might have a couple you like
Choose your burial site
Make insurance make up your will
Come out and tell them, fight them.
The soldiers came back to you without them
The police force are afraid they can't even touch them
They said you think you're bad
Why don't you come out yourself
These boys are spoiling for a fight
Fighting tonight they don't lie
It's too hot
Too hot
Too hot...
8.) Monkey Man
(Dawning Of A) New Era
This is the dawning of a new era
This is the dawning of a new era
I met a girl from area three
She told me that she worked in a chicken factory.
This is the dawning of a new era
By two o'clock we were drunk and blitzed
Had to walk her home through area six.
This is the dawning of a new era
Sticks and stones may break my bones
In area six they throw bottles and bricks and
This is the dawning of a new era
We climbed the stairs to the 14th floor
They key wouldn't fit the door.
This is the dawning of a new era
She said she had a beautiful flat
We had to sleep on a mat.
This is the dawning of a new era
Woke up and thought this ain't exactly heaven
Oh shit, this is area seven.
This is the dawning of a new era.
This is the dawning of a new era.
This is the dawning of a new era.
This is the dawning of a new era.
Blank Expression
Snow is falling all around
Seven o'clock and the roads are blocked
So I walk downtown
There's no one around.
I walk in a bar and immediately
I sense danger
You look at me girl as if I was some kind of a
A total stranger
Chorus:
Where did you get that (blank)
Blank expression on your face?
Where did you get that (blank)
Blank expression on your face?
The streets are dark and there's no
No one about
I wander home and all the
The lights are out
I keep wondering
Chorus
Stupid Marriage
Spoken: "Court in session! (Oi, oi, oi, oi...)
What do you mean "Oi, oi, oi"?
Me say court in session!
Order. My name is Judge Roughneck. And I will not tolerate any disobedience in my court room. Rude boy, you have been brought in front of me on charges of smashing this woman's window. Before I sentence you, what have you got to say in your defence?"
I was walking down the street one night
When I saw her sillouhette in a bathroom light
Her way of life may be nothing to hide
With the frosted glass shattered, curtains open wide.
Naked woman, naked man.
Where did you get that nice suntan?
You live in a castle built of sand.
Naked woman, naked man.
Naked from your bath you go naked to your bed
But I can't stop the hatred burning through my head.
"Silence in the court!
Order! Rude boy, you have lead me to believe that you was going out with a girl and she left you and married someone else. So you got drunk and smashed up your ex-girlfriend's property. I have come to one conclusion, that is to sentence you to five months in prison. Before they take you down to the cell, what have you got to say for yourself?"
He wanted to be something but he knows he never will
She's got him where she wanted and forgot to take her pill
And she thinks that she'll be happy when she's hanging out the nappies
If that's a happy marriage I prefer to be unhappy.
Married woman, married man.
Where did you get that family plan?
Mrs. you and Mr. I
Where did you get that family plan?
Naked woman, naked man
Where did you get that nice suntan?
...
"Take him away!"
Too Much Too Young
Gangsters
Spoken: "Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue."
Why must you record my phone calls?
Are you planning a bootleg L.P.?
Said you've been threatened by gangsters
Now it's you that's threatening me.
Can't fight corruption with con tricks
The youth, they love to commit crime
I dread, dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in real gangster times.
"Don't call me Scarface!"
Don't interrupt while I'm talking
Or they'll confiscate all your guitars.
A catch-22 says if I sing a tune
They will make me an overnight star.
Don't offer a single protection
The youth, they love to commit crime.
I dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in real gangster times.
"Bernie Rhodes knows, don't argue."
Little Bitch
If you ever hear a noise in the night
your body starts to sweat,
it shakes and shivers in fright
you go and sleep with your mother
she hates you guts
she knows that you love her
so she holds you tight
all through the night in to the broad daylight
And when she doesn't come home
you'll have to sleep alone
then you wet your bed and I think that's sad
for a girl of 19 it's more than sad, it's obscene!
1,2
And your girlfriend sweet little 17
she's got her layered hair and her flared jeans
you know what that means, she's just a little queen
she shares your London flat
she thinks that London's where it's at
Although it stinks and when it rains you wear your hat
and your plum colored pvc wet- look maxi mac
You tie your ginger hair back in a bun
you're the ugliest creature, under the sun! 1,2 Go!
1,2
And you think it's about time that you died, and I agree
so you decide on suicide
you tried but you never quite carried it out
you only wanted to die in order to show off
and if you think you're gonna bleed all over me
you're even wronger than you'd normaly be
And the only things you want to see are kitsch
And the only thing you want to be is rich
Your little pink up-pointed nose begins twitch
I know you know you're just a little bitch! 1,2!
You're Wondering Now
Spoken: "Is everybody happy? (knock, knock, knock) You can't come in. (knock, knock, knock) You can't come in."
You're wondering now
What to do
Now you know this is the end.
You're wondering now
Who will pay
For the way you did behave.
Curtain has fallen
Now you're on your own
I won't return
Forever you will wait.
You're wondering now
What to do
Now you know this is the end.
Curtain has fallen
Now you're on your own
I won't return
Forever you will wait.
You're wondering now
What to do
Now you know this is the end.
You're wondering now
Who will pay
For the way you did behave.
You're wondering now
What to do
Now you know this is the end.
You're wondering now
What to do
Now you know this is the end.
INDEX