THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

924-The Special A.K.A featuring Rico-Too Much Too Young.

1980-Number 1 single.

Best Bit-At 1.56. Dr. Hall’s family planning classes.

The Specials, (see also best songs 372) also known as ‘The Special A.K.A’ were formed in Coventry, England, in 1977, the group remains active at the time of writing, with just the founding members Lynval Golding, and Horace Panter being the current line up. The Specials were the leading protagonists in what was to become known as ‘The Second Wave of Ska,’ which occurred in the late 1970’s, and into the early 1980’s, in the UK. The Specials music combines the danceable rhythms of ‘Ska’ and ‘Rocksteady,’ with the energy and attitude of ‘Punk.’ ‘Ska’ music was a genre of music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950’s, and was the precursor to ‘Rocksteady,’ and ‘Reggae.’ The Specials were also notable for their fashion, wearing ‘Mod-style’ 1960’s period ‘Rude Boy’ outfits, including pork pie hats, tonic and mohair suits, and loafers.’

‘Too Much Too Young’ first appeared on The Specials self titled debut studio Album from October 1979 in it’s full 6.06 version, the track and it’s parent Album were both produced by Elvis Costello (see also best songs 836.) The version I have chosen is the live version recorded in London, and issued as one of five tracks on The Specials 1980 live ‘EP,”The Special A.K.A. Live!’ Two of the tracks were recorded in London in 1979, and the other three recorded in Coventry, also in 1979, the other four tracks apart from ‘Two Much Too Young’ are all cover versions of 1960’s Jamaican Ska, and Reggae songs.

‘Too Much Too Young’ was written by The Specials founding member Jerry Dammers, with the live version also produced by Dammers, and long term Specials collaborator Dave Jordan. The song borrows the melody, (speeding it up) and also the subject matter of the 1969 Reggae song ‘Birth Control,’ by the Jamaican Reggae singer Lloyd Charmers (1938-2012.) Dammers has explained how a real life experience led him to write ‘Too Much Too Young,”I nearly had a thing with a married woman and, it didn’t happen in the end, obviously because she was married, so there was all that sort of rage and frustration of a young man. The song kind of got a happy ending because, obviously, the kid came first. So behind all that rage it’s actually quite nice, because we both walked away from it for the sake of the kid.’

The lead vocals on ‘Too Much Too Young’ were provided by Terry Hall who was born Terence Edward Hall on March 19th, 1959, in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, he died on December 18th, 2022, from pancreatic cancer at the age of 63. Hall has said that he suffered from lifelong depression after being abducted by a paedophile ring, and then having been sexually abused by them at the age of 12 while on a trip to France. In 2004 he attempted suicide, and following that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Terry Hall became the lead singer with The Specials in early 1979, and remained with the group through until the summer of 1981, when he and his band mates, Lynval Golding, and Neville Stalple, left to form the ‘Fun Boy Three.’ The discography of Terry Hall includes four studio Albums with ‘The Specials,’ two with the ‘Fun Boy Three,’ and a further two with ‘The Colourfield.’ He also released an Album as part of ‘Terry, Blair & Anouchka,’ and an Album with Dave Stewart, (see also best songs 562) ) as one half of the duo ‘Vegas.’ Hall also issued an Album with the English singer/songwriter ‘Mushtaq’ in 2003, and two solo Albums in 1994 and 1997.

‘Two Much Too Young’ topped the UK top 40 for two weeks in February 1980, becoming only the second ever ‘EP’ to reach Number 1, the first having been ‘The Roussos Phenomenon EP,’ from Demis Roussos (1946-2015) in 1976. ‘Too Much Too Young’ was also the first live recording to make Number 1 in the UK since Billy Connolly’s ‘D.I.V.O.R.C.E.’ in 1975, and at 2.04, it would go on to become the shortest song to top the UK chart in the 1980’s.

‘Too Much Too Young’ pulls no punches, it tells us that getting pregnant at a very young age is stupid, and you have wasted a lot of opportunities you can no longer pursue. It also warns that when having sex, you must use protection.

‘Ain’t you heard of the starving millions, ain’t you heard of contraception. Do you really a program of sterilisation, state control of the population boom. It’s in your living room, keep a generation gap, try wearing a cap.’