The Specials - Ghost Town: Blog tasks

 Background and historical contexts

Read this excellent analysis from The Conversation website of the impact Ghost Town had both musically and visually. Answer the following questions

1) Why does the writer link the song to cinematic soundtracks and music hall tradition?

The writer links the two as ghost town is very dramatic and 'moody' which makes it perfect for a cinematic soundtrack. 

2) What subcultures did 2 Tone emerge from in the late 1970s?

The 2 tone genre emerged from the Mod and Punk subcultures.

3) What social contexts are discussed regarding the UK in 1981?

The song refers to the riots taking place during the recession which left many people struggling and had young people unable to find employment.

4) Cultural critic Mark Fisher describes the video as ‘eerie’. What do you think is 'eerie' about the Ghost Town video?

I believe the eeriness of the video comes from the setting and the lighting; the video is set in the deserted London streets and throughout the video the band are in a dark car with lowkey low angle lighting.

5) Look at the final section (‘Not a dance track’). What does the writer suggest might be the meanings created in the video? Do you agree?

The writer suggests the video is a form of protest linked to the riots which has left people feeling defeated and deprived of joy and this meaning is created by the ghastly lyrics and the lack of dancing which is usually seen in music videos.I agree and I think that rather than creating an enjoyable song they were trying to share a message to the audience which they could relate to as its what they were currently living.

Now read this BBC website feature on the 30th anniversary of Ghost Town’s release. 

1) How does the article describe the song?

The article describes the song as being: 'a depiction of social breakdown'.

2) What does the article say about the social context of the time – what was happening in Britain in 1981?

It talks about the rising unemployment and the riots which occurred as a result.

3) How did The Specials reflect an increasingly multicultural Britain?

The specials reflected multiculturalism by having both black and white members in the band while making music within a genre which mixed genres from different cultures.

4) How can we link Paul Gilroy’s theories to The Specials and Ghost Town?

Gilroy discusses the idea of cultural hybridity and the specials are a perfect example of this as we see black and white cultures intertwine to form a new subculture.

Another way we can link to Gilroy's theories is that the song Ghost Town uses ska style music to discuss british political issues which links to his theory of diasporic identity.

5) The article discusses how the song sounds like a John Barry composition. Why was John Barry a famous composer and what films did he work on?

John Barry was a famous composer best known for his dramatic, moody orchestration and the most known films he worked on were the James Bond films.


Ghost Town - Media Factsheet

Watch the video several times before reading Factsheet #211 - Ghost Town. You'll need your GHS Google login to access the factsheet. Once you have analysed the video several times and read the whole factsheet, answer the following questions: 

1) Focus on the Media Language section. What does the factsheet suggest regarding the mise-en-scene in the video? 

The mise en scene used in Ghost Town is described in the factsheet as being similar to that of British social realism films.

2) How does the lighting create intertextual references? What else is notable about the lighting?

The lighting creates intertextual references to classic horror movies using chiaroscuro lighting and silhouettes. 

3) What non-verbal codes help to communicate meanings in the video?

The non-verbal codes of the video include the bands dull expressionless faces and their stiff body movements communicate the emotional numbness of the band and all young people at the time. 

4) What does the factsheet suggest regarding the editing and camerawork? Pick out three key points that are highlighted here.

The low angled shots at the start focusing on the tall concrete buildings and hostile architecture.

The shaky handheld camera movement as the car starts swerving left and right and the close up of the main singers face with under lighting. 

5) What narrative theories can be applied to the video? Give details from the video for each one.

Todorovs theory of equilibrium:

Equilibrium- group in a car driving around trying to find something to do in a sad dark town. 

Disequilibrium- car starts swerving and they all sing/act manically 

New equilibrium- the group end up finding something to do at a beach and accept that there’s nothing to do elsewhere. 

6) How can we apply genre theory to the video?

Neals theory says that music videos repeat but also have a difference which is visible in the video as the group has some key conventions of music video but also there’s difference as the video doesn’t have any dancing which is also common in music videos. 

7) Now look at the Representations section. What are the different people, places and groups that are represented in the Ghost Town video? Look for the list on page 4 of the factsheet.

The working class youth are being represented both black and white as the group focus on a broad issue that they all faced at the time.

8) How can Gauntlett's work on collective identity be applied to the video?

The video provides a collective identity for young men as it links all their experiences. 

9) How can gender theorists such as Judith Butler be applied to Ghost Town?

Theorists such as Butler can be applied as we see the men in the band acting like their masculine men by acting emotionless and tough. 

10) Postcolonial theorists like Paul Gilroy can help us to understand the meanings in the Ghost Town music video. What does the factsheet suggest regarding this?

The factsheet suggests unity among young men of all races despite the race riots occurring and it also discusses 

double consciousness as there’s black artists trying to make music in a majority white dominated field.