Best of Specials

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
2002 release for the important & influential British ska revivalist's, culled from the albums, The Specials' (1979), 'More Specials' (1980) & In The Studio (1984). 21 tracks. 2 Tone Records.

Tracks:

Concrete Jungle - The Specials
Mirror In The Bathroom - The English Beat
Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners
Too Much Too Young - The Special A.K.A.
Three Minute Hero - The Selecter
Easy Life - The Bodysnatchers
Big Shot - The English Beat
Man At C & A - The Specials
Missing Words - The Selecter
Ranking Full Stop - The English Beat
Carry Go Bring Come - The Selecter
Inner London Violence - Bad Manners
Guns Of Navarone - The Special A.K.A.
Too Much Pressure - The Selecter
Nite Club - The Specials
Skinhead Symphony (Longshot Kick The Bucket/... - The Special A.K.A.

Customer Reviews:

"Blow Mr. Rico, Blow!!!!!!.......2007-06-29

Yes,unfortunately the excellent tracks by Madness aren't on the CD. What everyone fails to mention though are the extra tracks that weren't on the original vinyl edition. Nearly the entire, very excellent, "Too Much Too Young" EP by The Specials ( AKA ) is found here. As is another track by The Selecter "Carry Go Bring Come", which also wasn't on the original release. So the CD isn't quite the same without Madness, it's still great. But what do I care as I have both. Now put on your loafers, wingtips,creepers or jack boots and start Moon Stomping!!!!!!!!

Great but incomplete.......2004-01-29

The original Dance Craze album introduced me to ska almost 20 years ago. The album changed my life, encouraging me to search out albums from all the bands: The Specials, The Selecter, Madness, Bad Manners, The (English) Beat (sadly, the Bodysnatchers only put out singles, so I couldn't get anything for them in the States). Unlike a great many live albums, this one really communicated the frenetic energy of a live show.

When they re-released this album I was excited to have the opportunity to replace my original worn out copy. While it is still very good, all of the Madness tracks have been removed. I know this is probably a contract issue, but the Madness tunes were some of the best. It leaves a BIG hole in the flow of the album.

Sooo, while this is still a great primer for folks who are new to early 80s British ska, try to track down a copy of the original. Better yet, try to track down a copy of the video. It's got 2-3 times as many songs, and you get to SEE how great the bands were, and how they really got the audiences dancing.

skad for life.......2003-03-20

Due to contract problems Madness are not on the CD,Only on the now hard to get record.Still a great CD.Some of the best 2nd wave ska captured on this recording.The movie comes up for sale in scootering mag,s from England now and then ,but to be honest its not very good.Also if you get it from England you will need to change it over to watch it on north American TV,s.I dont think it was ever produced in the American version?Also look for World of SKIN,a great documenty from UK,and Made in Britain [a skinhead film].....HOPE THIS HELPS

One of the Great Ska Albums.......2003-02-26

This CD contains some of the best of British Ska, or at least some of the best Ska bands recorded on 2 Tone. It's hard to beat live versions of some of these classics, and in fact, songs like Concrete Jungle (the Specials) and Mirror in the Bathroom (the English Beat) on this CD are superior to their studio counterparts. This is a wonderful sampler and a must-have for any Ska fan.

Good, BUT missing something!!!.......1999-08-11

I bought this album way back in the day and wanted to have it on CD, but it's missing MADNESS!! I'm glad I still have the original album and the video! Dance Craze is still a good CD because you can't get a better compilation of British SKA than this.

Average customer rating:

Best of the Specials
The Specials
Manufacturer: Disky Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Beat This: The Best of the English Beat
Ultimate Collection
Specials
Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection
Squeeze - Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000005RNT
Release Date: 1996-10-01

Tracks:

Rude Boys Outta Jail
Message to You Rudy
Rat Race
Maggie's Farm
Blank Expression
Why?
I Can't Stand It
Man at C & A
Do the Dog
Too Much Too Young
Monkey Man
Little Bitch
War Crimes
Nite Klub
Concrete Jungle
Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)

Album Details

Selection of Thir Greatest Hits. 16 Songs Including Rude Boys Outa Jail, Rat Race, Why ?, Too Much Too Young and Others.

Very Best of the Specials and Fun Boy Three

Average customer rating:

Please avoid this record
NO STAR RATING REALLY !!!!! RUBBISH!!!!!! SORRY NEVILLE
Misleading...
Neville Staple and some other guys...

Very Best of the Specials and Fun Boy Three
The Specials & Fun Boy Three
Manufacturer: Cleopatra
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

British Ska | Ska | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005085S
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Tracks:

Our Lips Are Sealed - Fun Boy Three, The Specials, Jane Wiedlin
Man at C & A
Message to You Rudy
Rude Boy's Outta Jail
Leave It Out
You're Wondering Now
Running Away
Ghost Town
It Ain't What You Do
It's You
Gangsters
Lunatics
Too Hot
Ghost Town
Our Lips Are Sealed

Customer Reviews:

Please avoid this record.......2004-07-11

I'm not sure how this is legally possible, but I'm sure there must be some loophole that has allowed a SINGLE member of the original bands listed on the cover to re-record mediocre versions of amazing songs and turn them into lackluster duds. Some sort of ego this Neville Staple must have (the sole member present), to spend the time doing this and not be able to hear it for the let-down it is.

If you are a Specials/Terry Hall (the original vocalist) fan, AT LEAST try to listen to this garbage before you purchase it. Check the iTunes Music Store for audio previews. If you still enjoy the listless, aimless, downright shabby knock-offs of the original recordings, THEN buy it. This is NOT a case of "Well, I'd like to check this band out, so I'll get the greatest hits as a primer."
NO. Buy the first 'Specials' album with your money.

VERDICT: Unnacceptable treatment of the Specials fanbase

SENTENCE: Neville Staple, responsible for this misstep, must be PELTED with THIS CD whenever sighted in public

NO STAR RATING REALLY !!!!! RUBBISH!!!!!! SORRY NEVILLE.......2003-12-17

Dear prospective consumer,
Under no circumstances purchase this CD! This is basically a series of cover tunes sung by former member Neville Staple. I was stupid enough to buy this and it is now propping up the wonkie end of my coffee table! I was hoping for some serious fun boy three reminiscing of my home country and my teenage life spent kicking about the London Borough of Merton and other such wonderful fun zones, Brixton especially. Anyway this is not what you would expect it to be and if you really feel up to tossing your money away then go mad!
Otherwise stay well clear of this dodgie recording. Sorry Neville I am sure you probably need the dosh!

Misleading..........2003-10-20

When you purchase "The Best Of" this or that band, you expect the *original* songs. Unfortunately this is not the case, and this fact is not made clear until you have wasted your money.

You would do infinitely better getting the proper "Best Of" compilations of the two bands on separate albums.

One star for misleading the public...

Neville Staple and some other guys..........2003-06-13

First thing I noticed when I listened to this was that none of these songs are the original recordings. They're all completely redone. The second thing I noticed was that Neville Staple is the only musician from The Specials or Fun Boy Three on this album. What this means is that you're not really listening to The Specials or Fun Boy Three at all. You're just listening to Neville Staple and a bunch of other guys. This, of course, is not the impression you'd get from looking at the front of the CD case.

I'm not qualified to comment on any of the Fun Boy Three material here, as I never really listened to them. As a fan of ska music these songs were forgettable to me. I will say that The Specials songs redone here are OK, but the original recordings were much better. Since Neville is the only original member of the band on the album these songs just don't really sound like The Specials. They sound like generic ska music, what more can I say? A few songs manage to stand out on their own merits though. I liked Man at C&A, Leave it Out, and It's You. You're still better off with the originals but these aren't bad.

I also need to warn you, there are two remixs at the end of this album, one of Ghost Town, and one of Our Lips are Sealed. They're both techno. It was really the most revolting thing I'd ever listened to in my life. I actually like techno sometimes, but yeesh. For some guy to do a techno remix of Ghost Town is just blasphemous. Both of these are horrible

My verdict is that you shouldn't buy this album if you're looking for anything by the Specials or Fun Boy Three. You will find niether here. If you're just getting into ska music and The Specials then this is not the album for you. If you want to listen to the Specials find a compillation of their original recordings or buy their first album.

I give this album one star for each of the three songs I liked, then I will deduct a star for the horrible techno remixes at the end of the album, resulting in a final score of two stars.

Best of Ballads & Acoustic Specials
Average customer rating:
Best of Ballads & Acoustic Specials
Axxis
Manufacturer: Caroline
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000EGCDXM
Release Date: 2007-07-17