ska!

[pidsley]

Not raggae, but with a Jamaican flair. Let's go.

English Beat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cbUW2EY4KE
Specials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxvHgqRZp3s
More English Beat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bch9DuV0Y8o
More Specials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxHcx7FO8nI

Full album (they were "The Beat" in Britain) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I58tsdmA5Co

Technically this is "2-tone ska" with punk overtones.

[rhowaldt]

^ good fucking shit. indeed, 2-tone, but that is some of the best shit out there. not really familiar with The Beat, thanks, sounds good!

more Specials because they deserve it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgCZN1rU5co

for those further interested in that, here's a good documentary on 2-tone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjY7bSnnpQQ

gotta mention Bad Manners, with Buster's awesome dancing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6fQnTyEniM

some of Madness' shit i find quite shitty and/or has been played to death (mainly "Our House" and "Baggy Trousers"), but i can listen to this one forever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-uyWAe0NhQ

[pidsley]

^ thanks for the Specials.

[Dr_Chroot]

I am no music aficionado (like you haven't already noticed), but I do enjoy some Five Iron Frenzy now and then. I had the opportunity to see them live at the House of Blues in San Diego back in 2012; fantastic time. I have found many of their songs to have brilliant lyrical content, from their songs which deal with the slaughter of Native Americans by the United States gov't in the 19th Century ("Old West"
and "Banner Year"). "Blue Comb '78" is the recounting of an early memory of the vocalist, about how he lost a prized possession, as an allegory for loss of innocence. The list goes on and on (including one recounting the events in Denver, Colorado after the events of Super Bowl XXXII, "Riot Gear". Lyrics apply to more than one such situation ;)

My personal favorite, though, happens to be "Fistful of Sand". I don't know why I enjoy it so, but for some reason the lyrics have stuck with me. Every once in a while they will go through my head again... good stuff.

[Dr_Chroot]

I hadn't heard of Upstanding Youth until I found some good stuff by them whilst browsing /r/ska. Unusual lyrics content for ska, but decent anywho.

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