"Ghost Town" was The Specials' last single in their original line up and their biggest success. The track was released on 7" and 12" singles on 20 June 1981. On the 12" Rico blew and blew until the end of the record. Maybe his greatest solo ever!
Original Releases[]
7": 2Tone / Chrysalis CHS TT17 / UK 12": 2Tone / Chrysalis CHS TT1217 / UK
German 12" Release[]
12": 2Tone / Chrysalis /(Ariola-Vertrieb) 600 395-213 / DE
Tracks[]
'A' Side One: "Ghost Town" (Dammers) 6:02 'A' Side Two: "Why" (Golding) 3:55 "Friday Night Saturady Morning" (Hall) 3.32
Credits[]
- The Specials
- Rico Rodriguez on "Ghosttown" and "Why"
- Dick Cuthell
- Jerry Dammers
Produced by John Collins. Eng. by J. Rivers at Woodbine Studios
Reviews/Sources[]
- 2Tone.info with all known releases of this single and a short story.
- ".. it remains the most remarkable number one in British chart history." The Guardian Unlimited
- The track was produced by John Collins who recalls in an interview with the 2 Tone info site: "To keep the 7 inch version close to three minutes long I decided to leave Rico's trombone solo for the 12 inch version." from: Ghost Town – The Producer’s Story, by John Collins 2-Tone.info, localrecords.com
- "Rico on The Special's "Ghost Town" is one of the most amazing solos ever recorded and, as far as trombone work goes, even surpasses Milt Bernhard's incredible work on Sinatra's 1956 recording of "I've Got You Under May Skin." Damn. …" The Pop View, Jan. 2006