Information AboutGhost Town |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT GHOST TOWN | |
| 1981 singles | |
| number-one singles in the united kingdom | |
| protest songs | |
| ska songs | |
"Ghost Town" was a 1981 number one hit for the British Ska band, The Specials . It was written in response to Margaret Thatcher 's policies which the band believed would increase the large-scale Unemployment already present in Britain , particularly in the UK's industrialised north and Midlands regions. This was highly relevant to The Specials as they formed and lived in Coventry and saw the effects of the policies first-hand, as their city experienced some of the UK's worst unemployment at levels of 20%. It was also the summer of large-scale riots in Brixton , London and Toxteth , Liverpool amongst others, where there was alleged heavy-handed police treatment of young black men. Indeed the single was unusual in that it hit the top of the UK Top 40 at the exact time that riots occurred on the streets of Great Britain. It was one of those rare occasions when music reflected the social circumstances of the country succinctly. The song spent three weeks at number one and ten weeks in the Top 40 of the UK Singles Chart overall and is thought to be their honest impression of Coventry in 1981, although some believe it was inspired following one of the band's concerts in Glasgow. The track was recorded at the Woodbine Street Studios in Leamington Spa , Warwickshire . TRIVIA Ghost Town was at number one in the UK charts when Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer amid much royalty-inspired patriotic rejoicing. This ironic juxtaposition is similar to the notorious events of the Silver Jubilee of 1977 when the Sex Pistols version of God Save The Queen was widely believed to have been the rightful number one during the week of celebrations despite being officially eclipsed by Rod Stewart . The club referred to in the lines "All the clubs are being closed down" and "Too much fighting on the dance floor" was The Locarno - which was also the club setting the scene for the b-side song, "Friday Night Saturday Morning". It is now Coventry Central Library . The song is the only record brought by the forgetful DJ priest Father Billy O'Dwyer to the Craggy Island disco and raffle in the '' Father Ted '' episode "Think Fast, Father Ted". The writers of the series tried to think of the worst song that could be played at a disco and Ghost Town was chosen. It has to stand in for the national anthem " Amhrán Na BhFiann " Following this the song is played repeatedly for the disco. The song was used in the Zombie Comedy '' Shaun Of The Dead ''. In the Guy Ritchie movie '' Snatch '', the song is used in the introductory scene for Sol and Vinnie, two of the film's protagonists. No Doubt included a partial cover of Ghost Town in their Live In The Tragic Kingdom concert DVD. It's part of the song "Move On". The Prodigy made a cover of the song which is included on the 1 Love compilation in the September 2002 issue of the NME Magazine. The very beginning of the track (the howling wind and drumbeat) is sampled throughout the Gorillaz song, "Slow Country". Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly covered the song in 2006 for a competition in NME . EXTERNAL LINKS
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