Ghost Town Flashcards
How is ghost town a hybrid
Ghost town is a hybrid genre music video with a mix of ska and punk making it a hybrid text
Relaased in 1981 vividly capturing thesocial and economic decay of British in the early 1980s
What was happening the time of ghost town
Margret thatcher Britain
The country was going through an economic rival
Young people believed that they weren’t being litented to by the government or th police and they started acting reckless which turnt into the July riots and continued over to 20 countries
Unemployment had rose to 200 million in thus time - it was mainly the black mails which we getting targets
Key shots
Reckless driving: no control ment of the youth at the ones who were unemployed and always in trouble by the police
The scene of the ending on the tunnel : shows that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and that it wont be much longer until it is back too Normal
The deserted. Streets and building- These visuals reflect the economic decline and neglect that many British cities were experiencing at the time.
The ending scene of them all together - everyone coming together as one 9 all races)
What are some key lyrics
“Bands won’t play no more too much fighting on the dance floor” - clubs became a dangerous place for people and the violet was seen on the dance floors would then escalate to the streets later on
Why must the youth fight again themselves _ anger at the decay of youths spilled into violent attacks
“This town is coming like a ghost town” - in 1981 when the song was wrote e- the British economy was the sickenman of Europe and the unemployment rate was soaring
What does Godwin’s theory say and how does it relate to ghost town
He believed that everything links - the visuals and the lyrics
Which we can see throughout ghost town tat they do link together
How does Stuart hall relate to the music video
Because people will take the text in a ny way
Some may take it how the specials wanted it to be taken - a way to show of what was happening in the world and why it needed to be stopped
People who can understand that ide but not necessary agree with it and make their own assumption
And some people will say its just a music video with no meaning behind t
How does Paul gilroy theory relate to this music video
It doesn’t - Paul gilroys says that black minorities are shown as diffrent however throughout the whole music video they are shown as the same and not distant to the white member of the m=band
Who owns the special
Two tone radio
What enigma does the empty streets create at the start of the music video
It makes the town seem deoslate and sad
background to the ghost town song
The Specials were a ska and 2 Tone band from Coventry, England, known for combining punk rock, ska, and new wave influences into a unique sound. Their music often carried sharp social and political commentary, particularly addressing issues such as racism, unemployment, and inequality.
“Ghost Town” was released on June 12, 1981, during a time of significant social upheaval in the UK. The country was grappling with widespread economic recession, industrial decline, and rising unemployment, particularly in urban centers. The song’s lyrics reflected these feelings of abandonment and alienation, with lines describing empty streets, vacant buildings, and a sense of loss and decay.
“Ghost Town” became one of the band’s most politically charged songs, serving as a reflection of the urban decay and the sense that many areas of the UK, particularly post-industrial cities, were being abandoned and left behind by the government. The lyrics speak to the feeling that once-thriving communities had become “ghost towns”, haunted by unemployment, violence, and disillusionment.
what is the poltical and historical context
“Ghost Town” is often seen as the song that captured the mood of a nation in a time of economic and social crisis. It was released just as Britain was witnessing a wave of youth riots and protests against police brutality, high unemployment, and economic inequality. These events, such as the Brixton Riots in London, mirrored the sense of frustration and anger that the song’s lyrics expressed.
The song resonated deeply with the youth of Britain, particularly those in working-class communities who were most affected by the high unemployment and industrial closures. The video helped to underscore the idea that the government and political leadership had left them behind, unable or unwilling to provide meaningful solutions to the problems facing urban areas.
“Ghost Town” became a social commentary not just on economic decline but also on the broader cultural changes happening in Britain in the 1980s. The video and the song helped cement The Specials’ reputation as a politically conscious band, using their music and visuals to call attention to the struggles of the time.
