Terry Hall: his 10 greatest recordings with the Specials and beyond

The singer’s musical free spirit scored him hits with everyone from the Specials and Fun Boy Three to collaborations with the Go-Go’s and Bananarama

• Terry Hall was the self-assured eye of the Specials storm | Alexis Petridis
• Terry Hall: lead singer of the Specials dies aged 63

The astonishing split single (with an embryonic version of the Selecter on the B-side) that introduced the Specials and the 2 Tone label to the nation. With the lineup drawing on ska, punk, eastern music and rockabilly, Gangsters radically reworks the tune of Prince Buster’s 1964 ska classic Al Capone. A misunderstanding – or possibly an argument – with Clash manager and Specials champion Bernard Rhodes over some hotel damage provided the initial inspiration for songwriter Jerry Dammers’ lyrical odyssey about paranoia and surveillance. Hall sang two vocals – one bored and deadpan, one combative – which were then mixed to startling effect. The song began life on 5,000 hand-stamped singles; eventually it reached No 8 and kickstarted the 2 Tone sound’s ascent to global phenomenon.

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