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The Specials — Gangsters
Album: The Specials
Avg rating:
7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1001









Released: 1979
Length: 2:45
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Bernie Rhodes knows Don't Argue

Why must you record my phone calls?
Are you planning a bootleg LP?
Said you've been threatened by gangsters
Now it's you, that's threatening me

Can't fight corruption with con tricks
They use the law to commit crime
And I dread, dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in gangster time

Don't call me scar face

Can't interrupt while I'm talking
Or they'll confiscate all your guitars
And Catch 22 says if I sing the truth
They won't make me an overnight star

Don't offer us legal protection
They use the law to commit crime
I dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in real gangster time

Bernie Rhodes knows Don't Argue
Comments (79)add comment
Posted 1 year ago by scrubbrush    [ Reply ]
Rest in Peace Terry you will be sadly missed. 
Posted 1 year ago by VH1    [ Reply ]
Wonderful - probably my fave song of theirs! 👍
Posted 2 years ago by CCSandman    [ Reply ]
made me look up 

Bernie Rhodes
Posted 3 years ago by max_p    [ Reply ]
The Specials as a cultural-social phenomena is... well... very SPECIAL

Chika chika chika

Keep on steppin' 
Posted 3 years ago by ExploitingChaos    [ Reply ]
Oh now this takes me back.... Two Tone. Still a breath of fresh air.
Posted 5 years ago by cob427uk1    [ Reply ]
absolutely the best ska band of all ... so so good
Posted 5 years ago by sbird    [ Reply ]
I just love the abrupt, skillful rhythm changes on this one. Addictive, and tons of fun, it flashes of so many kinds of brilliance. RP rocks!
Posted 6 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
Still true today...

"Can't fight corruption with con tricks
They use the law to commit crime
And I dread, dread to think what the future will bring
When we're living in gangster time
Don't call me scar face"
Posted 7 years ago by VH1    [ Reply ]
Just saw these guys live in concert last week.  Fantastic!
Posted 8 years ago by oppositelock    [ Reply ]
 ceicilbee wrote:
i keep hearing mc hammer "can't touch this" at certain moments...

 
That's unfortunate.
Posted 8 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
{#Clap}{#Clap}{#Clap} Great Stuff! Specials Forever! {#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}{#Dancingbanana}
Posted 8 years ago by VH1    [ Reply ]
i keep hearing mc hammer "can't touch this" at certain moments...
Posted 8 years ago by ceicilbee    [ Reply ]

Posted 9 years ago by melzabutch    [ Reply ]
A chilling anthem of the winter of discontent.
Posted 10 years ago by Davie    [ Reply ]
Coventry's most famous sons. For that matter, The Specials are probably Coventry's only famous offspring. The city is pretty underwhelming and downbeat, and doesn't seem to have improved much since they recorded Ghost Town about how the place was wrecked during the Thatcher years.
Posted 10 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]
Polka anyone?
Posted 10 years ago by WannabeBanned    [ Reply ]
It's funny but i am old enough to know madness and the specials from when they were hot, but in the beginning for a moment i thought this was madness too. and although i did not see it that way then i have to agree: this is much better than madness. The specials were really ... Something special :)
Posted 11 years ago by Hans_Heintz    [ Reply ]
worst version of this ever heard......{#Ass}
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
sounds like the Munsters theme.....{#Lol}
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
 philinnz wrote:
I thought it was Madness - and I love it

 
Much MUCH better than Madness!
Posted 11 years ago by aspicer    [ Reply ]
I thought it was Madness - and I love it
Posted 11 years ago by philinnz    [ Reply ]
That's more like it!
Posted 11 years ago by el-pezos    [ Reply ]
I was so tired of punk back then when The Specials came along with a new kind of party.
Posted 11 years ago by cdysthe    [ Reply ]
After a mess of myopic folkies and hipsters, the humor of ska and the Specials is so refreshing!
Posted 11 years ago by creekgirl    [ Reply ]
Nice to hear this from The Specials
Posted 11 years ago by Shesdifferent    [ Reply ]
Ska on Thanksgiving Day.   Love it.


Posted 11 years ago by msymmes    [ Reply ]
Hey! have you been in my mind? Ska: no more than 2 tracks a day,"do not exceed stated dose" 

 ziakut wrote:
This is wonderful in smaller doses...much like the way I feel about Madness. 
 


Posted 12 years ago by sajitjacob    [ Reply ]
This is wonderful in smaller doses...much like the way I feel about Madness. 
Posted 12 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
 Foot wrote:
Are you kidding!  Instant classic circa 1982...
 
Yes, great song - circa 1979, however.


Posted 12 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
 neuticle wrote:
If you don't like this, I don't know if I feel sorry for you or am mad..tough one..
 
I was just about to say: I'm not a big fan of the Specials, but I do like this one.
Posted 12 years ago by SinisterDexter    [ Reply ]
If you don't like this, I don't know if I feel sorry for you or am mad..tough one..
Posted 12 years ago by neuticle    [ Reply ]
Back in the day you either dug the Specials or you didn't. I loved them.
Posted 12 years ago by iTuner    [ Reply ]
 musicdan wrote:
Great Friday afternoon music! 
 

...give it a try on a rainy Monday morning!
SPECIAL!
Posted 12 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
Are you kidding!  Instant classic circa 1982...
Posted 12 years ago by Foot    [ Reply ]
 musicdan wrote:
Great Friday afternoon music! 
 
And how!
Posted 13 years ago by trissi    [ Reply ]
Great Friday afternoon music! 
Posted 13 years ago by musicdan    [ Reply ]
anything with that ska beat get's me skankin'!
Posted 13 years ago by zenhead    [ Reply ]
For 30 years, have remebered this performance on SNL as one of the all-time best.  After hearing now, went to YouTube to confirm.

https://youtu.be/iP-0MIs_Jjk 

Verdict: Yep.
Posted 13 years ago by afreelunch    [ Reply ]
great song that sounds as fresh now as it did when it first came out.
Posted 13 years ago by lasker98    [ Reply ]
 rickhoran wrote:
don't call me scarface!
 
I always thought he was saying "Don't call me snot-face".

Posted 14 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Did anything actually come of these guys regrouping? There was a report in the Grauny last year that they were getting back together.
Posted 14 years ago by NoEnzLefttoSplit    [ Reply ]
 lemmoth wrote:
great song from a great record produced by Declan Patrick Aloyisius MacManus
 
Elvis Costello

Posted 14 years ago by ick    [ Reply ]
 tapatia1072 wrote:
FABULOUS set this morning! Thanks Bill for making my first Monday back at the office post-vacation a bearable - even pleasant - one.
 
Agreed!
Posted 14 years ago by nerakdon    [ Reply ]
FABULOUS set this morning! Thanks Bill for making my first Monday back at the office post-vacation a bearable - even pleasant - one.
Posted 14 years ago by tapatia1072    [ Reply ]

"Ghost Town" flicks my switch


Posted 14 years ago by garycha    [ Reply ]
 Bridieboo wrote:
Fab!
 
2nd!
Posted 14 years ago by Albert1967    [ Reply ]
Thank you for your quick answer. Nice song IMHO.

 oppositelock wrote:
Amy Winehouse has covered a couple Specials songs including Hey Little Rich Girl, Monkey Man and Your Wondering Now. Not sure about Gangsters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu3XcgI6VOA

 

Posted 14 years ago by Chumbawamba-1984    [ Reply ]
Fab!
Posted 14 years ago by Bridieboo    [ Reply ]
great song from a great record produced by Declan Patrick Aloyisius MacManus
Posted 15 years ago by lemmoth    [ Reply ]
don't call me scarface!
Posted 15 years ago by rickhoran    [ Reply ]

A song (excellent by the way) from the economically troubled times of 1979 - how apt Bill! Thanks.
Posted 16 years ago by prophetzarquon    [ Reply ]
Wow, that was spectacularly horrid.
Posted 16 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
Me luffs Terry Hall.
Posted 16 years ago by squidish    [ Reply ]
Chumbawamba-1984 wrote:
Help! There is a cover of this song. I can't remember who did it.
Amy Winehouse has covered a couple Specials songs including Hey Little Rich Girl, Monkey Man and Your Wondering Now. Not sure about Gangsters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu3XcgI6VOA
Posted 16 years ago by oppositelock    [ Reply ]
Help! There is a cover of this song. I can't remember who did it.
Posted 16 years ago by Chumbawamba-1984    [ Reply ]
algrif wrote:
Don't call me Scarface!
Posted 16 years ago by kazuma    [ Reply ]
This'll wake you up!
Posted 17 years ago by CafeRacer    [ Reply ]
"Don't ask me cause I don't know" part is from Dallas soundtrack :)
Posted 17 years ago by ssg    [ Reply ]
rocco1207 wrote:
for my high school talent show, me and my friends formed a band and did a Specials medley of this song, Nite Club and one other one. We called ourselves Rudy and the Mod Vespas
Awesome! Wish I'd been at that school!
Posted 17 years ago by lunar1963    [ Reply ]
for my high school talent show, me and my friends formed a band and did a Specials medley of this song, Nite Club and one other one. We called ourselves Rudy and the Mod Vespas
Posted 17 years ago by rocco1207    [ Reply ]
oppositelock wrote:
Don't call me Ska Face!
Pretty much sums it up. More Specials!
Posted 17 years ago by Wizzuvvoz    [ Reply ]
Oh yeah...
Posted 17 years ago by Sunman    [ Reply ]
Don't call me Ska Face!
Posted 17 years ago by oppositelock    [ Reply ]
Schweet transition from the delgados. Er, nice recovery I mean.
Posted 17 years ago by rolokan    [ Reply ]
Brought the house down with this song on SLN a couple of years ago, I mean a couple of decades ago.
Posted 18 years ago by oppositelock    [ Reply ]
Where's my lederhosen??
Posted 18 years ago by strick    [ Reply ]
I'm liking it...and I'm an old school metal head!
Posted 18 years ago by junebaby65    [ Reply ]
Love this band, they still get heavy rotation at my ranch 20+ years on
Posted 18 years ago by TonyBear    [ Reply ]
very cool. brings back some crazy, hazy memories!
Posted 18 years ago by daveesh    [ Reply ]
specials are awesome!
Posted 18 years ago by jameyp    [ Reply ]
No, no, don't stop this noise!
Posted 18 years ago by Salty    [ Reply ]
Easy 9.
Posted 18 years ago by bobrk    [ Reply ]
will you stop with this noise, gee whiz
Posted 18 years ago by drmike    [ Reply ]
Don't call me Scarface! My name's Capone. Al Capone
Posted 18 years ago by algrif    [ Reply ]
This reminds me of something, what I dunno.... I give it a 6, mby higher if I remember (of course higher might be the reason I forget)
Posted 18 years ago by Tristan_McIntosh    [ Reply ]
Nice to hear Bill mix it up a bit. Ska is fun in small doses.
Posted 18 years ago by sasa1170    [ Reply ]
A classic. Thanks for playing this, and to the uploader!
Posted 18 years ago by discochuck    [ Reply ]