| "Do Nothing" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Specials featuring Rico with the Ice Rink String Sounds | ||||
| from the album More Specials | ||||
| A-side | " Maggie's Farm" | |||
| Released | 5 December 1980 [1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:41 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | Dave Jordan | |||
| The Specials singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Do Nothing" is a song by ska/ 2-tone band The Specials, released in December 1980 by 2 Tone Records as the second single from More Specials. The single peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. [3]
Release
For the single release of "Do Nothing", the album version of the song was remixed, with Jerry Dammers adding a string synthesiser, credited as the 'Ice Rink String Sounds'. It was released as a double A-side single with a cover version of Bob Dylan's " Maggie's Farm", with reference to then- Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. [4]
It was the first Specials single in the UK to diverge from the 2 Tone look and have a picture sleeve, with the cover being the band "gathered in a gaudy fun pub clad in polyester leisurewear, an image carrying the pungent subtext that modern life was rubbish". [5] The band's appearance on Top of the Pops with this song also saw a depart from the suits and mod/ rude-boy look, with the band wearing Christmas jumpers. Also on Top of the Pops were The Beat, promoting " Too Nice to Talk To" and Horace Panter and David Steele decided to swap roles and mime each other's band's songs. [6]
Reception
Reviewing the song for Record Mirror, Mike Gardner wrote: "A new, improved version of Linval Golding's song of social frustration is given a lusher treatment with washes of Jerry Dammers' 'Ice Rink String Sounds' and a heavier rhythm base which does nothing to diminish a quality piece of work." [7] Reviewing for Smash Hits, Ronnie Gurr wrote: "Great Reginald Dixon organ sound from Jerry Dammers and more exemplary trombone etchings from Rico. A truly excellent single. Flip over and find a horrendous cocktail lounge calypso cover of Dylan's "Maggie's Farm". Excusable only if it's a political statement." [8]
Charts
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland ( IRMA) [9] | 13 |
| UK Singles ( OCC) [3] | 4 |
References
- ^ "New Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 6 December 1980. p. 26. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ Harrington, Jon (2016). "The Specials - More Specials". In Dimery, Robert (ed.). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. London: Cassell Illustrated. p. 469.
- ^ a b "Specials: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Do Nothing | The Specials | 2 Tone Records". Retrieved 2021-02-13.
- ^ Chick, Stevie (2015-03-11). "The Specials: 10 of the best". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
- ^ Panter, Horace (2008). Ska'd for Life: A Personal Journey with The Specials. Pan. pp. 255–256. ISBN 978-0330440738.
- ^ "Singles" (PDF). Record Mirror. 6 December 1980. p. 4. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ "Singles". Smash Hits. 11–24 December 1980. p. 32. Retrieved 13 February 2021 – via flickr.com.
- ^ " The Irish Charts – Search Results – Do Nothing". Irish Singles Chart.