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.
It don
Gang of Four Lyrics
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I will have more than I might need
To have the fingers crossed for
The break that I'm not sure may be
[Chorus]
It don't matter
It don't matter
Before they slip away
Just look at where I'm at today
Not bad, huh, what do you say?
If I take the chance that comes
Put life into the days
Before they slip away
Make sure that times no luxury
To check off all the days
Before they slip away
[Chorus]
(Let's surrender, it's not our fight)
Remember when I was a child
I looked for things all the while
But look at where I am today
Not bad, huh?
[Chorus]
The lyrics of "It Don't Matter" by Gang of Four seem to be about the importance of chasing opportunities and making the most of the time we have. The first verse talks about keeping one's focus on something to ensure they have more than they may need, but there's a sense of uncertainty as to whether that break will actually come. The chorus repeats the phrase "it don't matter" multiple times, implying that the outcome of the situation isn't necessarily the most important thing - what's crucial is taking the chance while it's there. The second verse is about not wasting time and checking off all the days before they slip away. The repetition of "before they slip away" emphasizes the ephemeral nature of time and how it's essential to make the most of every moment. The final lines speak to the idea that, no matter how difficult life may be, it's still possible to look back and see progress.
Overall, the song seems to be emphasizing the importance of seizing the day and living life to the fullest. The lyrics suggest that it's better to take a chance and potentially fail than to never try at all - in other words, even if things don't work out as planned, it's still better to have tried.
Line by Line Meaning
If I keep my eyes on it
By focusing on a goal, I can achieve more success.
I will have more than I might need
With dedication, I will have abundance and security that exceeds my expectations.
To have the fingers crossed for
I hope for good luck to come my way.
The break that I'm not sure may be
I'm uncertain whether an opportunity will arise.
It don't matter
Things are insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Before they slip away
Before time runs out.
Just look at where I'm at today
Reflecting on my current success and accomplishments.
Not bad, huh, what do you say?
I'm doing pretty well, wouldn't you agree?
If I take the chance that comes
I must seize opportunities when they present themselves.
Put life into the days
I should make the most out of each day and live fully.
Make sure that times no luxury
I must prioritize and not waste time since it's a limited resource.
To check off all the days
I want to accomplish everything I set out to do before time runs out.
(Let's surrender, it's not our fight)
Someone suggests giving up or walking away from a problem they don't want to deal with.
Remember when I was a child
Reflecting on memories of one's youth.
I looked for things all the while
As a child, I was always in pursuit of something.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ANDY GILL, JON KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind