Coventry’s number one song announced

The Belgrade Theatre has announced the winner of its campaign to name Coventry’s favourite song.

The campaign was launched in connection with the Belgrade’s new musical, Godiva Rocks, which will celebrate the city’s musical history at the theatre next month.

Ghost Town by The Specials was chosen by a public vote as Coventry’s number one song from a list of the 34 top ten hits by Coventry & Warwickshire artists.

The city is best-known as the birthplace of 2 Tone, with artists such as The Specials and The Selecter both originating from Coventry, but it has also been home to Hazel O’Connor, The Enemy, Frank Ifield and many other famous artists who helped put Coventry on the musical map.

Jerry Dammers, a founding member of The Specials and writer of Ghost Town said, “Thank you very much to everyone who voted for Ghost Town as the best record to come from Coventry. I really do appreciate that, it means a lot to me.

“It’s a shame it had to come from the bad situation of unemployment all over the UK and let’s hope we don’t return to that situation again.”

The top 10 songs as voted for by the public:

Coventry’s Top 10 Songs

Ghost Town – The Specials – Winning song
A Message to you Rudy – The Specials
Will You – Hazel O’Connor
Too Much, Too Young – The Special AKA
Love and Pride – King
Crash – The Primitives
Away From Here – The Enemy
Mouldy Old Dough – Lieutenant Pigeon
JCB Song – Nizlopi
Gangsters – The Special AKA

Godiva Rocks, on stage from October 7 – 21, will highlight Coventry’s musical history with a soundtrack of over 20 classic songs performed by a live band, and tells the story of boy meets girl on a fateful night at the Orchid Ballroom in 1964.

The production, which is written by Alan Pollock and directed by Hamish Glen, reunites the same creative team behind the Belgrade’s Coventry Blitz play, One Night in November.

With the shortlist soon to be announced for UK City of Culture in 2021, the theatre is also hoping that the new musical will help residents reclaim ownership and a sense of pride for Coventry’s musical history, and promote the city on a national level.

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