"Stereotype" is a song by

ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...

/ 2-Tone band

The Specials The Specials, also known as The Special AKA, are an English Two-tone (music genre), 2 tone and ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry. After some early changes, the first stable lineup of the group consisted of Terry Hall (singer), Terr ...

, released in September 1980 by

2 Tone Records 2 Tone Records was an English independent record label that mostly released ska and reggae-influenced music with a punk rock and pop music overtone. It was founded by Jerry Dammers of the Specials and backed by Chrysalis Records. History ...

as the first single from ''

More Specials ''More Specials'' is the second album by English ska band the Specials, released by 2 Tone Records in September 1980. After the success of the band's self-titled debut, band member Jerry Dammers assumed the role as the band's leader and stirred t ...

''. The single peaked at number 6 on the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

Release and reception

"Stereotype" was released as a

double A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

single with "International Jet Set". Representing a change in style, which has since been described as a "post-ska" sound, "Stereotype" details the so-called stereotypical life of a man, while noting that people who exactly fit such a generic description do not actually exist in real life. This is shown in the opening verse: "He's just a stereotype, he drinks his age in pints, he has girls every night, but he doesn't really exist". The ''More Specials'' album features an extended

dub version Dub is an electronic music, electronic musical style that grew out of reggae in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is commonly considered a subgenre of reggae, though it has developed to extend beyond that style.Dub: soundscapes and shattered so ...

of the song, titled "Stereotypes/Stereotypes Pt. 2", with the second part being written by Neville Staple. The man described in the song likes to spend his nights drinking in pubs with his friends and stays out as late as possible, frequently driving home while intoxicated and having sex with one or more women. When he contracts a

sexually transmitted disease Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the older term venereal diseases, are infections that are spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral ...

, his doctor prescribes a course of medication and orders him not to drink for 17 weeks. Once cured, he goes on a drinking binge, gets into a fight, and winds up in a car chase with the police that ends with him crashing into a lamppost. Reviewing for ''

Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the ''NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in ''Re ...

'', Daniela Soave wrote that "Stereotype" "reminds me of a Dashiell Hammet 'sic''">sic.html" ;"title="'sic">'sic''film theme. Far more adventurous than usual. It has more depth and consequently will probably take more getting used to. It'll be interesting to see if it goes as high in the charts as its predecessors".

Track listing

7": 2 Tone / CHS TT 13 # "Stereotype" – 3:50 # "International Jet Set" – 4:12

Charts

References

{{authority control 1980 singles 1980 songs The Specials songs 2 Tone Records singles Songs written by Jerry Dammers