The Specials A Message To You Rudy #skamusic #ska #reggae #music #reggaemusic #rocksteady #twotone

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“Rudy, A Message to You” by Dandy Livingstone in 1967 was a warning to the “rudy”, a term for the young delinquents who were involved in crime and violence in Kingston, Jamaica. The song urged them to stop their “messing around” and think of their future, or else they would end up in jail. The song was also a reflection of the social unrest and poverty that plagued Jamaica at the time.

The Specials, changed the title to “A Message to You, Rudy”. Their version was also a comment on the British situation in the late 1970s, when there was a lot of racial tension, unemployment, and strikes. They also featured Rico Rodriguez, a Jamaican trombonist who played on Livingstone’s original recording, on their cover