Garbage - Special
(3:43)371,869 plays (89,782 listeners)
About this track
“Special” was the third single taken from Garbage’s 1998 platinum second album Version 2.0. “Special” was written and recorded by Garbage (Duke Erikson, Shirley Manson, Steve Marker and Butch Vig) at their own recording studio during the 1997 sessions for Version 2.0.
Although not the biggest hit from Version 2.0 worldwide, it became a huge mainstream hit in the United States, the band’s home country. The song’s success was marked by its two Grammy nominations - for 2000’s Best Rock Song and for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.
The song was accompanied by a critically acclaimed and boundary-pushing promotional video which featured Garbage battling it out in the skies above an unnamed alien world.
Song profile
“Special” was written and recorded at Smart Studios, Madison, Wisconsin during the 1997 sessions for Version 2.0
“Special” contains an uncredited lyric sample from 1980s band The Pretenders’ song “Talk Of The Town” which was written by lead singer Chrissie Hynde. After contacting her, Hynde sent a fax to the group stating that Garbage could “sample her voice, her music or, indeed, her very arse”.
An early mix of “Special” also contained a sample of band member Duke Erikson on vocals. Shirley Manson thought it was a good idea beforehand, but admits that the results “were shocking to hear”!
Single release
“Special” was released as the third single from Version 2.0 throughout the United Kingdom and mainland Europe on October 5, 1998. The single had originally been planned to be released on September 21, 1998, following Garbage’s high profile headlining shows at Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom and at the Reading Festival at the end of August 1998.
Although not the biggest hit from Version 2.0 worldwide, it became a huge mainstream hit in the United States, the band’s home country. The song’s success was marked by its two Grammy nominations - for 2000’s Best Rock Song and for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.
The song was accompanied by a critically acclaimed and boundary-pushing promotional video which featured Garbage battling it out in the skies above an unnamed alien world.
Song profile
“Special” was written and recorded at Smart Studios, Madison, Wisconsin during the 1997 sessions for Version 2.0
“Special” contains an uncredited lyric sample from 1980s band The Pretenders’ song “Talk Of The Town” which was written by lead singer Chrissie Hynde. After contacting her, Hynde sent a fax to the group stating that Garbage could “sample her voice, her music or, indeed, her very arse”.
An early mix of “Special” also contained a sample of band member Duke Erikson on vocals. Shirley Manson thought it was a good idea beforehand, but admits that the results “were shocking to hear”!
Single release
“Special” was released as the third single from Version 2.0 throughout the United Kingdom and mainland Europe on October 5, 1998. The single had originally been planned to be released on September 21, 1998, following Garbage’s high profile headlining shows at Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom and at the Reading Festival at the end of August 1998.
Albums featuring this track
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Shouts
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missglamourguts wrote:
love love looove you song :')
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armorxforxsheep wrote:
Fantastic guitarwork, songwriting, singing... everything about this song is wonderful.
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pj_harvey wrote:
lyrics^amazing
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silentmcbob wrote:
Without doubt their finest 3 minutes 44 seconds.. Cracking tune.. Great lyrics.. Perfect production.. Everything you'd want from Garbage. Oh the irony.
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damien_bg wrote:
I'm tired of your vilence...I could't care less... we were the talk of the town... I'm lookin for a new :))
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luke_suspicious wrote:
How could I have set aside such a gorgeous piece of music? <3
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VamPenguin wrote:
Haven't listened to this in years, now I regret those years. Brilliant.
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carlyray wrote:
ah yes. forgot how much I loved this song.
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dinzdale wrote:
Shirley Manson is one of the great female voices of rock!
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BananaNoodle wrote:
Had this reccomended to me, it's great :D
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sumchickuknow wrote:
kiss it..don't u wanna
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FrozenInside wrote:
Just can't get enough <3...we're talk of the town...
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rufuswashere wrote:
Most underrated band ... ever.
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almostc wrote:
Ooooh I'd forgotten about this - lush!
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aliciaccs wrote:
i love this song
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[deleted-user]
wrote:
There's no way in hell I'd take you back.
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filmguy707 wrote:
Woot for the guitar lick at the beginning
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Leslie136 wrote:
Great tune!
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calvinash wrote:
the best garbage song?maybe..its tht good..just special..
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idiotsdream wrote:
We were the talk of the town...i thought you were special...
Listeners
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dollyvita
Listening now
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paranoid2099
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MissBellaMuerte
Top Listener
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kentanka
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rodriguez292
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Recent Activity
- gusgh tagged Special with ‘wuuuuu’. 1 hour ago
- gusgh added Special to the playlist mi memoria emotiva ♥. 1 hour ago
- Stafanescu and Blessedheart loved Garbage – Special. 3 hours ago
- feecarabine and pitte301 added Garbage – Special to their libraries. yesterday morning
- nopuedeser loved Special. Saturday afternoon
- two-by-two tagged Garbage – Special with ‘90s’ and ‘favorite songs’. Saturday afternoon
- two-by-two loved Special. Saturday afternoon
- spicedrum added Special to spicedrum’s library. Saturday morning
- muffinsrule and camuquengue loved Garbage – Special. Friday evening
- fuseji added Special to fuseji’s library. Friday afternoon
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