Watch The Lyric video For The Specials’ ’10 Commandments’ From New Album ‘Encore’

The Specials have released the lyric video for new single ’10 Commandments’ –and it’s a socially charged track featuring the voice of activist Saffiyah Khan.

’10 Commandments’ is taken from the 2-Tone legends’ new album Encore, released on 1 February, through UMC/Island Records. You can watch the lyric video above.

Khan, who shot to online fame after confronting an EDL activist in Birmingham, offers her ten essential tips for life while backed by the unmistakeable sound of The Specials.

“Thou shalt not tell a girl she deserved it because her skirt was too short. She walks home, streets illuminating her as a target, but she started it because she looked at him,” Khan says on the spoken word track.

“And he finished it ’cause he wanted to, and they’ll bring out her skirt as exhibit A before the judge.”

On 1 February, The Specials will release Encore – and they celebrate its arrival with a huge Ireland and UK tour. The trek kicks off with three nights at Dublin’s Olympia, beginning on 11 April and will culminate with two massive shows at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on 16-17. The jaunt will also celebrate 40 years since The Specials’ initial formation. For more information, please visit the band’s official website.

As well as new material, Encore includes a cover of The Equals’ ‘Black Skinned Blue-Eyed Boys’ and a version of The Valentines ‘Blam Blam Fever’. The album will also include a second disc, titled The Best of The Specials Live.

The band offered a first taste of Encore with ‘Vote For Me’, released in December. ’Vote For Me’ marked first new Specials single since the band’s era-defining 1981 no. 1 ‘Ghost Town’. It was written and produced by founding members Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, Horace Panter together with long-time collaborator Torp Larsen and – like ’10 Commandments’ – addresses the same social and political issues which were prevalent when the band formed in the late 70s.

Format: UK English