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.
Damaged Goods -
Gang of Four Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I always knew it would
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
But I know it's only lust
Your kiss so sweet
Your sweat so sour
Your kiss so sweet
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
But I know it's only lust
The sins of the flesh
Are simply sins of lust
Sweat's running down your back
Sweat's running down your neck
Heated couplings in the sun
(Or is that untrue?)
Colder couplings in the night
(Never saw your body)
Your kiss so sweet
Your sweat so sour
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
But I know it's only lust
The change will do you good
I always knew it would
You know the change will do you good
You know the change will do you good
Damaged goods (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Send them back (ah, ah, ah, ah)
I can't work, I can't achieve (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Send me back (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Open the till (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Give me the change you said would do me good
Refund the cost (ah, ah, ah, ah)
You said you're cheap but you're too much
Your kiss so sweet
Your sweat so sour
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
But I know it's only lust
The change will do you good
I always knew it would
You know the change will do you good
You know the change will do you good
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
Bye (goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
The lyrics of Gang of Four's song Damaged Goods describe a relationship that is purely physical and ultimately doomed to fail, despite the singer's occasional feelings of love towards their partner. The opening lines suggest that change would be beneficial for the singer's partner, who may be unhappy or in need of a fresh start. However, despite moments of tenderness ("Your kiss so sweet") and passion ("heated couplings in the sun"), it is clear that the relationship is shallow and unfulfilling. The final lines of the song indicate that the singer is saying goodbye to their partner and the relationship, acknowledging that it was never built to last.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of detachment and distance, particularly when the singer describes couplings that they have not witnessed ("Never saw your body"). The repetition of the line "Your kiss so sweet / Your sweat so sour" reinforces the idea of a physical relationship that lacks emotional depth. The phrase "sins of the flesh" suggests that the singer sees their actions as sinful or morally dubious, but they continue to pursue the relationship regardless.
Overall, the lyrics of Damaged Goods paint a picture of a relationship that is based solely on physical attraction and lacks the connection and intimacy necessary for long-term success.
Line by Line Meaning
The change will do you good
A change in your life will benefit you
I always knew it would
I have been aware of this for some time
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
I occasionally have emotions of love towards you
But I know it's only lust
But I am aware that these emotions are driven by sexual attraction
Your kiss so sweet
There is passion and affection in your kisses
Your sweat so sour
The smell of your sweat is unpleasant and bitter
The sins of the flesh
The acts of physical intimacy
Are simply sins of lust
Are motivated solely by sexual desire
Sweat's running down your back
You are perspiring heavily on your back
Sweat's running down your neck
You are perspiring heavily on your neck
Heated couplings in the sun
Intense physical intimacy during the day
(Or is that untrue?)
(A question whether this actually happened)
Colder couplings in the night
Less passionate physical intimacy at night
(Never saw your body)
(I have never seen your physique)
Damaged goods (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Referring to a person, who is physically or emotionally unfit for a relationship
Send them back (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Return them back, because they are not worth having
I can't work, I can't achieve (ah, ah, ah, ah)
I am unable to do anything productive or successful
Send me back (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Return me back, because I am not valuable
Open the till (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Open the cash register
Give me the change you said would do me good
Give me the beneficial outcome you promised me
Refund the cost (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Return the money paid
You said you're cheap but you're too much
You claimed to be inexpensive but you actually cost far too much
I'm kissing you goodbye
I am parting ways and leaving you behind
(Goodbye, goodbye, ...)
(Repetition of the same word to emphasize the act of leaving)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: David Allen, Hugo Burnham, Andrew Gill, Jonathan King
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bryantrujillo8295
The change will do you good
I always knew it would
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
But I know it's only lust
Your kiss so sweet
Your sweat so sour
Your kiss so sweet
Your sweat so sour
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
But I know it's only lust
The sins of the flesh
Are simply sins of lust
Sweat's running down your back
Sweat's running down your neck
Heated couplings in the sun
(Or is that untrue?)
Colder couplings in the night
(Never saw your body)
Your kiss so sweet
Your sweat so sour
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
But I know it's only lust
The change will do you good
I always knew it would
You know the change will do you good
You know the change will do you good
Damaged goods (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Send them back (ah, ah, ah, ah)
I can't work, I can't achieve (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Send me back (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Open the till (ah, ah, ah, ah)
Give me the change you said would do me good
Refund the cost (ah, ah, ah, ah)
You said you're cheap but you're too much
Your kiss so sweet
Your sweat so sour
Sometimes I'm thinking that I love you
But I know it's only lust
The change will do you good
I always knew it would
You know the change will do you good
You know the change will do you good
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
I'm kissing you goodbye
(Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
Bye (goodbye, goodbye, goodbye)
@m3Lnavigator
This never grows old. That syncopated tight rhythm of guitars,🎸 bass and drums 🥁👌 💯
@MissMcFluffyStuff
I came back after coming across a FB memory of me sharing this song 12 years ago. Def never gets old, and I'm so glad I was given the memory to come back. 🤍
@noodlehat3250
Andy is cool as shit when he stands there and stares out at the crowd. RIP.
@KeyofDavid5778
That guitar riff is just killing it !
@jakobdueck7491
very true!
@jatinmodgill1779
Ah yeah
@mateito9181
gustavo cerati - dominó
@rogerivan
@@mateito9181 Wilko Johnson de Dr Feelgood
@Rosco1973
Omfg what a tune, that bass with the guitars and drums is just pure pleasure.
@joewalker511
Everytime I do a search for this band it's always for the same reason....not songs, or vocals,or guitar, but for an absolute KILLER bass line! That alone makes me a fan...