The group had a single in the British Top 60 with "At Home He's A Tourist" in 1979, which was blacklisted by Top Of The Pops for its use of the relatively innocuous term "rubbers". Storming, Doc Marten-booted and fueled by a heady cocktail of Gramsci, Marx and lager, out of the Leeds art-school scene that produced The Mekons and Delta 5, they played a stripped-to-the-wire, funk-fueled permutation of punk rock. This is best exemplified by the dry production and forceful polemic of debut effort Entertainment! - Gang of Four's later albums (Songs Of The Free and Hard) found them softening some of their more jarring qualities, and drifting towards disco.
Critic Stewart Mason has called "Love Like Anthrax" (their first single, later re-recorded as "Anthrax") not only the group's "most notorious song" but also "one of the most unique and interesting songs of its time"; it's also a good example of Gang of Four's social perspective. After a minute-long, droning, feedback-laced guitar intro, the rhythm section sets up a funky, churning beat, and the guitar drops out entirely. In one stereo channel, King sings a "post-punk anti-love song", comparing himself to a beetle trapped on its back ("and there's no way for me to get up") and equating love with "a case of anthrax, and that's some thing I don't want to catch." Meanwhile in the other stereo channel (and slightly less prominent in the mix), Gill reads a deadpan monologue about public perception of love, and the prevalence of love songs in popular music: "Love crops up quite a lot as something to sing about, 'cause most groups make most of their songs about falling in love, or how happy they are to be in love, and you occasionally wonder why these groups do sing about it all the time." The simultaneous vocals are more than a little disorienting, especially when Gill pauses in his examination of love songs to echo a few of King's sung lines.
Allen left after Solid Gold and was replaced briefly by Buster Jones (who never recorded with the group), then by Sara Lee; Allen later co-founded Shriekback, Low Pop Suicide and The Elastic Purejoy.
Their angular, slashing attack and liberal use of dissonance had a significant influence on their post-punk contemporaries in the States, including Mission Of Burma. Gang Of Four went on to influence a number of successful funk-tinged alternative rock acts throughout the 80s and 90s - even, arguably, many rap-rock and nu metal groups who were "not in touch with their ancestry enough to realize it" (Andy Kellman, on allmusic.com) - although few of their followers were as arty or political. Michael "Flea" Balzary of Red Hot Chili Peppers has stated Gang of Four were very influential on his band's early music.
Gang of Four can also be credited as one of the early influences on techno or electronic music; they released dance remixes of several later singles.
Recently the band has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, initially due to emergence of new post-punk influenced bands such as The Rapture and Radio 4 and then the rise of Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party, which led to the renewed patronage of the NME. The original Burnham/Allen/Gill/King lineup reformed in November 2004. In October of 2005, Gang of Four released a new LP featuring new recordings of past songs, entitled Return The Gift.
Dave Allen also co-hosts a twice-weekly "New Music Hour" radio show with Portland, Oregon's 94.7 alternative radio station.
Andy Gill died on 1st February, 2020 from, according to reports, a respiratory illness caught on the group's tour in Asia the preceding year. He was the only original member still playing in the Gang Of Four.
Capital
Gang of Four Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I reached out for my credit card
I know I never did my own suit
Capital it fails us now come and let us seize the time [Repeat x2]
On the first day of my life I opened my eyes
Guess where with superstars surrounded by luxury-eagers
I need a prison I need a hot fire
No credit no goods
They say we're bankrupt
Capital it fails us now come and let us seize the time x2
Capital it fails us now
Oh no! I left it in my other suit!
One day all will be living on credit
Bankrupt
I'm still in credit just
One day all men are living on credit
The lyrics to Gang of Four's "Capital" are a commentary on the corruptive power of money and capitalism. The first line, "The moment I was born I opened my eyes", sets the tone for the whole song as it implies that the system of capitalism is all that the singer knows. The metaphorical reach for his credit card right after being born, as if it were a comfort item, highlights that the singer has been conditioned to believe that money holds immense power and importance.
The line, "I need a prison I need a hot fire" can be interpreted as a desire to destroy the systems that perpetuate the use of money and promote greed. The line "No credit, no goods" suggests that without financial security, the singer is unable to participate in society. The repetition of the phrase "Capital it fails us now come and let us seize the time" implies that the system of capitalism is failing its people and that a revolution or change is needed to rectify it.
Overall, "Capital" is a pointed critique of capitalism and the societal issues that can arise from it, including materialism and a lack of empathy or caring for those who are left behind in its wake.
Line by Line Meaning
The moment I was born I opened my eyes
As soon as I was born, I was immediately exposed to the commercial world.
I reached out for my credit card
I learned to depend on loans and debt to obtain things I wanted.
I know I never did my own suit
I never had to work hard to earn the luxuries of life because they were always provided for me.
Capital it fails us now come and let us seize the time [Repeat x2]
The capitalist system has let us down and it's time to take control of our lives and make a change.
On the first day of my life I opened my eyes
From the first day of my life, I was exposed to the materialistic world.
Guess where with superstars surrounded by luxury-eagers
Growing up in a wealthy environment, I was always surrounded by people who desired and owned luxurious items.
I need a prison I need a hot fire
I desire to break free from the chains of consumerism and materialism, and want to live a simple life in complete solitude.
No credit no goods
I realize that without credit, I would not be able to obtain material possessions that I have no true need for.
Come on back I say
I urge everyone who is caught up in the vicious cycle of capitalism to take a step back and reassess their values.
They say we're bankrupt
Capitalism will eventually lead to economic instability and bankruptcy.
Capital it fails us now come and let us seize the time x2
The capitalist system has let us down and it's time to take control of our lives and make a change.
Capital it fails us now
The current capitalist system has failed us and a new approach is needed.
Oh no! I left it in my other suit!
Humorously highlighting how superficial and materialistic our society can be.
One day all will be living on credit
With the increasing reliance on loans and credit, a future where everyone is in debt is inevitable.
Bankrupt
A reminder of the negative consequences that capitalism can lead to.
I'm still in credit just
Despite the issues with capitalism, I am still benefiting from the system by having good credit.
One day all men are living on credit
With the current trajectory of society, it's likely that we will continue to rely heavily on credit and loans as the norm.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANDREW GILL, DAVID ALLEN, HUGO H. BURNHAM, JON KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind