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Cover of Specials by The Specials
Cover: Specials

Song · The Specials

“A Message To You Rudy” by The Specials with Rico Rodriguez

From the album Specials (1979) With Rico Rodriguez

“A Message To You Rudy” by The Specials with Rico Rodriguez appears on 39 radio countdowns from 11 stations between 1988 and 2025. It was first released in 1979 on the album Specials. Its best result is #54 on The End Top 107 Resurrection Songs (December 2006). In the combined RockLists rankings it is #449 alternative song of all time.

39countdowns
11stations
#54best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1988–2025years charted

Watch

The Specials - A Message To You Rudy (Official Music Video)

Video from YouTube (TheSpecialsOfficVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

The Specials' "A Message to You Rudy" is a cover of a 1967 rocksteady tune by Dandy Livingstone that first went by the name "Rudy a Message to You", and the band put their version on their 1979 album, Specials. Livingstone keeps the songwriting credit, words and music.

The Specials didn't speed it up into a punk thrash. They let it sway at an easy, rolling rocksteady tempo, and the guest trombone of Rico Rodriguez gives it a warm, mournful swagger. Elvis Costello produced it and kept things sparse, so the skank and the horn carry the song.

Released on 2 Tone Records, their version gave the old tune a far bigger audience, reaching number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in 1979. It came out between "Gangsters" and The Special AKA Live!

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1988 469 Live 105 Live 105 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1988) 501
1989 398 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1990 256 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990) 299
1991 387 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1991 111 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (1991 Edition) 1002
1994 450 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) 500
1994 325 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1996 319 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1999 208 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 199 WFNX WFNX Top 500 Songs of All-Time (June 1999) 500
1999 389 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 288 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 195 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 177 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 196 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 197 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 197 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 629 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 197 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 434 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 452 107.7 The End The End Original Alternative 500 (May 2004) 500
2004 197 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 242 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 197 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2006 292 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2006 54 107.7 The End The End Top 107 Resurrection Songs (December 2006) 107
2007 906 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 897 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 925 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 954 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 985 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 1043 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 1097 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2022 256 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '70s 908
2022 531 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 1055 Colorado Sound Songs of All Time 1055
2023 356 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of All Time 909
2024 488 KEXP The Best Opening Tracks of All Time 738
2024 181 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 850 Cover Songs 850
2025 327 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 800 Mood Booster Songs 800

Also listed as: A Message to You Rudy; A Message to You, Rudy; A Message To You, Rudy; Message To You Rudy.

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