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.
If I Could Keep It for Myself
Gang of Four Lyrics
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What did you say I am confused
I don't remember what did we do last week
Can you imagine in the dark
Everything has been cynically shot it's gone
Are there no surprises anymore?
It was hot then it was cold
My heart sticking to my ribs
Your back's clammy with the heat
If I could keep it for myself
Can you imagine in the dark
Everything has been cynically shot it's gone
Are there no surprises anymore?
It was hot and it was cold
The view imagined in the dark
My heart was sticking to my ribs
Your back clammy with the heat
If I could keep it for myself [Repeat: x4]
What did you say I am confused
I don't remember what I didn't do last week
Everything has been cynically shot it's gone
Are there no surprises anymore?
If I could keep it for myself
The song "If I Could Keep It for Myself" by Gang of Four features grim lyrics that are open to interpretation. The song starts with the singer saying that they wish they could keep something for themselves, but they are confused and don't remember what they did last week. The ambiguity of what they are referring to adds to the overall mystery of the song. The chorus talks about the loss of surprise in the world, and how everything has been cynically shot and gone. The idea that there are no surprises left in the world is further emphasized by the repetition of the phrase, "It was hot then it was cold."
The second verse of the song is identical to the first, which could represent the cyclical nature of emotions and experiences. The imagery of being in the dark is used again, making the listener feel lost and uncertain. The final repetition of "If I could keep it for myself" implies a desire to hold onto something special or meaningful, but also a recognition that it may be impossible.
Overall, the lyrics of "If I Could Keep It for Myself" evoke a feeling of gloom and uncertainty. The song leaves the listener wondering what exactly the singer is referring to, and builds a sense of unease by creating a world devoid of surprise and filled with confusion.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could keep it for myself
If only I could selfishly hold onto this experience and prevent it from being ruined by others or forgotten over time.
What did you say I am confused
I did not comprehend what you said or I am unsure of the message you were attempting to convey.
I don't remember what did we do last week
I cannot recall the events or activities that transpired during the preceding week.
Can you imagine in the dark
Can you envision a scenario or circumstance occurring in the absence of illumination or clarity?
Everything has been cynically shot it's gone
All things have been skeptically scrutinized and any hope or chances associated with those things have vanished.
Are there no surprises anymore?
Is there a dearth of unexpected, pleasant events or circumstances occurring in our daily lives?
It was hot then it was cold
The temperature fluctuated drastically or an emotion or mood experienced was inconsistent, vacillating between extremes.
The view imagined in the dark
The image or scene that is visualized in the absence of light or knowledge is subjective and open to interpretation.
My heart sticking to my ribs
I am intensely nervous or frightened, my heart rate quickening and my chest tightening.
Your back's clammy with the heat
Your body is responding to a high temperature or temperature changes, causing sweat and dampness on your back.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID ALLEN, HUGO BURNHAM, ANDREW GILL, JONATHAN KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind