The group's debut single, titled "Relax", was famously banned by the BBC and subsequently topped the U.K. singles chart for five weeks, enjoying prolonged chart success throughout 1984. Following the phenomenal follow-up success of "Two Tribes" and "The Power of Love", the latter being an emotional ballad experiencing seasonal resurgence over the years, FGTH became only the second act in the history of the UK charts to reach number one with their first three singles.
Things began to unravel in 1985 when their fourth single, "Welcome To The Pleasuredome", stalled at number two (success that many other groups would deeply envy, but they faced massive expectations). Their second (and final album), called 'Liverpool', took over a year to complete, reportedly at huge expense. The lead-off single, "Rage Hard", peaked at number four, and it was clear that the public had began to move on. 'Liverpool' sold poorly, despite critical acclaim and underground song plays, and conflict between lead singer Holly Johnson and the rest of the band led to an acrimonious split.
Johnson embarked on an initially successful solo career, but he quickly spiraled into obscurity. The rest of the band broke up completely after several attempts to recruit a new lead singer. Nonetheless, the group had proved hugely influential. Their three number one singles have been extensively remixed and repackaged over the years, and, despite their limited back catalogue, the band is generally seen as being one of the defining moments of the eighties. Numerous new wave and post-punk music revivalists look back to their aggressive yet stylish sound as an inspiration. The band is also known today for having a hit video game based around them for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64, giving them an interesting spot in video gaming history.
Warriors
Frankie Goes to Hollywood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody's doing what you've got to keep on doing for society
Make this world a good place to be
Let livin' be but don't work for free
Playing isn't paying so work is what I'm saying
Working for the world go round
The battle cry don't mess with me
I've travelled the world for eternity
Warriors of the wasteland
Sailboats of ice on desert sands
Warriors of the wasteland
It seems to be that the powers that be
Keep themselves in splendour and security
Armoured cars for megastars
No streets, no bars, your wealth is ours
They make the masses, kiss their assets
Lower class jackass, pay me tax take out the trash
Working for the world go round
Your job is gold, do as you're told
The pay you less the run for congress
Warriors of the wasteland
Sailboats of ice on desert sands
Warriors of the wasteland
I'm working for the world go round, go round
Diamond mind to the factory, yeah
Make this a world, a good place to be
Warriors what a waste, man
Warriors
of the Wasteland by Frankie Goes to Hollywood is a song that speaks about the struggles of the lower and working class people in society, who work day and night to make the world a better place to live, all while the elite continue to enjoy luxury and security. The lyrics suggest that despite coming from different walks of life, the only way to survive is to keep working and not play around, as playing isn't paying. The chorus emphasizes that the singers of the song, who are the Warriors of the Wasteland, are willing to fight and protect their rights and identity against the corrupt authority which continues to exploit them. The lyrics show that these warriors have been paying taxes and taking out the trash, laboring for their livelihood, and have experienced cruelty and misery for ages. The song highlights the importance of collective resistance, singing "The battle cry don't mess with me, I've travelled the world for eternity" implying that they have seen a lot, fought their way through life, and won't be held back anymore.
Line by Line Meaning
From diamond mine to the factory
People are doing what they can to contribute to society, from working in mines to factories.
Everybody's doing what you've got to keep on doing for society
People are doing their part to keep society functioning properly.
Make this world a good place to be
Work together to make the world a better place.
Let livin' be but don't work for free
Enjoy life but don't give your labor away for free.
Playing isn't paying so work is what I'm saying
Playing around won't make you money, so work hard.
Working for the world go round
People work to keep the world functioning smoothly.
The battle cry don't mess with me
Don't challenge me or my hard work.
I've travelled the world for eternity
I've worked hard and seen a lot in my life.
It seems to be that the powers that be
Those in charge seem to keep themselves in comfort.
Keep themselves in splendour and security
They ensure they are always living in luxury and safety.
Armoured cars for megastars
Big celebrities have heavy protection for transport.
No streets, no bars, your wealth is ours
Those in charge take the wealth from all, without giving back.
They make the masses, kiss their assets
The rulers make others submit to them and their possessions.
Lower class jackass, pay me tax take out the trash
The lower classes are called names, taxed more, and asked to do the dirty work.
Your job is gold, do as you're told
Your employment is valuable, so do what you're instructed.
The pay you less the run for congress
The less they pay you, the more they should run for government to make a difference.
Warriors of the wasteland
Those who work hard in difficult situations.
Sailboats of ice on desert sands
Managing under unexpected circumstances.
I'm working for the world go round, go round
I am working hard to help the world function properly.
Diamond mind to the factory, yeah
People working in different industries and labor jobs.
Make this a world, a good place to be
Let's work together to make the world a better place.
Warriors what a waste, man
It's a shame that hardworking individuals aren't appreciated more.
Warriors
Those who work hard to contribute to society.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN PHILIP NASH, HOLLY JOHNSON, MARK WILLIAM O'TOOLE, PETER GILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MrsBlaileen1
I miss Frankie. We had far too little of them. Even more kitschy songs like this would have been so welcome.
@bashess4913
YEAH YEAH YEAH...........THIS FREE WORLD YS OURS.............
@napomania
no kitchy song here. just powerful song
@maverick5192
The Sound of Frankie goes to Hollywood will never die. 35 Years later, and it's fresh as 1986! Power On!
@ermannogallo9774
Condivido: Frankie un gruppo assolutamente originale, che regge incredibilmente alle insidie del tempo.Eccezzionali oggi come allora .Fantastici.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
@stuartlee8519
This song didn't get the recognition it deserved!
@mikekaraoke
Stuart Lee-Ummmm and how is that exactly, It was a hit single in many countries like: France, Germany Holland, Switzerland, New Zealand, UK, - Also the album it came off of was a hit-Liverpool in many countries as you must know as well so confused by your comment.....Also I heard it on radio the other week on Absolute Radio to be exact!
@CatastrophicG
True, dammit, sucha a great track! Sad it marked the beginning of the end for Frankie when this came out argh...they should've made a pause instead of breaking up eh
@ronniedoorzon1576
@@mikekaraoke a great song but it didn't became as big as two tribes and welcome to the pleasuredome.
@mikekaraoke
@@ronniedoorzon1576 But it was still a hit single Worldwide + the album it came off of: Liverpool was the same So your comment is irrelevent