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.
Ivanka
Gang of Four Lyrics
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Ooh, ooh ooh
There once were eyes if I could not see through
She said I don't know
What it means to be complicit
Be complicit
You got to understand
Need to believe
You got to understand
You mustn't want the things you can't have
It's only worth something if you work for it
You mustn't want the things you can't have
It's only worth something if my name's on it
I saw how hard daddy worked for his money
Daddy loves women and he believes in family
Need to believe, you gotta understand
Need to believe
You mustn't want the things you can't have
It's only worth something if you work for it
You mustn't want the things you can't have
It's only worth something if my name's on it
She said
It's clear to me
That things are not
Just freely given to me
Given to me
She said
It's clear to me
Things are not
Just freely given to me
Given to me (Given to me)
Given to me
In the morning daddy wants me in his room
it's where we get together
It's not true that daddy calls my name
in stormy weather
Ooh, ooh ooh
Ooh, ooh ooh
Daddy loves women and he believes in family (In family)
He and I know the worst sins are lust and avarice (Lust and avarice)
Now we're a long way from home (A long way from home)
Now we're a long way from home
Someone said that we can make a better version of ourselves
You need to know I'll do my best for you (Do my best for you)
You need to know I'll do my best for you
The lyrics of Gang of Four's song "Ivanka" depict a dark and satirical commentary on privilege, power, and complicity. The song is a critique of Ivanka Trump, daughter of former US President Donald Trump, and her apparent complicity in her father's actions and beliefs.
The song begins by acknowledging that there were things that Ivanka could not see through, implying her ignorance or willful blindness to certain realities. She claims not to understand what it means to be complicit, suggesting her involvement in her father's controversial decisions and policies. The chorus emphasizes the need to believe and understand, highlighting the importance of critical thinking and questioning rather than blindly accepting what is presented.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that one should not desire what they cannot have unless they are willing to work for it. This can be seen as a reflection of Ivanka's privileged upbringing and the idea that she may not fully appreciate the value of hard work. The line about seeing how hard her father worked for his money and his belief in family may be a sarcastic critique of how she may perceive herself as deserving of the privileges and success she has.
The song takes a darker turn in the last verse, alluding to a problematic relationship between Ivanka and her father. The lines about being in his room in the morning and him calling her name in stormy weather suggest a twisted and potentially inappropriate dynamic. This adds to the theme of complicity, implying that Ivanka may turn a blind eye to her father's behavior in order to maintain her position of privilege.
Overall, "Ivanka" presents a scathing critique of Ivanka Trump's perceived complicity and the privilege and power dynamics that surround her.
Line by Line Meaning
There once were eyes if I could not see through
There was a time when I was blind to the truth
She said I don't know
She admitted her lack of understanding
What it means to be complicit
The meaning of being involved in wrongdoing
Be complicit
To silently participate in unethical actions
Need to believe
It is crucial to have faith
You got to understand
You must comprehend
You mustn't want the things you can't have
Desiring unattainable things is futile
It's only worth something if you work for it
Achievement holds value when earned through effort
I saw how hard daddy worked for his money
I witnessed the immense effort my father put into making money
Daddy loves women and he believes in family
My father has affection for women and prioritizes family
You gotta understand
You need to comprehend
It's clear to me
I am fully aware
That things are not
Objectives do not
Just freely given to me
Simply come without any effort
Given to me
Bestowed upon me
In the morning daddy wants me in his room
In the morning, my father requests my presence in his room
It's where we get together
It is the place where we spend time as a family
It's not true that daddy calls my name in stormy weather
Contrary to rumors, my father does not show favoritism during difficult times
He and I know the worst sins are lust and avarice
Both my father and I understand that excessive desire and greed are grave sins
Now we're a long way from home
We find ourselves far from our roots
Someone said that we can make a better version of ourselves
An individual suggested that self-improvement is possible
You need to know I'll do my best for you
It is important for you to understand that I will give my utmost effort for you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Andy Gill, Thomas McNeice, John Sterry, Tobias Humble
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind