Gang of Four are a British post-punk group from Leeds, England. Original pe… Read Full Bio ↴Gang of Four are a British post-punk group from Leeds, England. Original personnel were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. They were fully active from 1977 to 1984, and then re-emerged twice in the 1990s with King and Gill. In 2005, the original lineup reunited.

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.

Muscle for Brains
Gang of Four Lyrics

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[Chorus]
Don't help me I can save myself
If I'm incomplete don't fill the gaps
Save me from the people who would save me from myself
They got muscle for brains

For reasons that are not mysterious
The weak are sent to the wall

They have reservations in heaven
Down here they're not so fashionable

[Chorus]

For reasons that are not mysterious
Morality's used as a tool
The poor are told to be contented
But in this life they've no choice at all

[Chorus]

For reasons that are not mysterious
The weak are sent to the wall
They have reservations in heaven
Down here they're not so fashionable

[Chorus]

Save me from the people who would save me from my sin
They got muscle for brains

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Gang of Four's "Muscle for Brains" explore the theme of individualism and self-reliance in the face of societal pressure to conform. The chorus repeats "Don't help me, I can save myself" emphasizing the desire to rely on one's own abilities rather than be rescued by others. The lyrics suggest that those who would try to save us have "muscle for brains," portraying them as bullies or overly forceful.

The second part of the song delves into the idea of systemic oppression through the use of religion and morality as control mechanisms. The lyrics suggest that those in positions of power use morality as a tool to manipulate those less powerful, and that those without wealth or status are expected to be content with their lot in life. The repeated line "For reasons that are not mysterious, the weak are sent to the wall" implies a sense of complacency or acceptance of this system, despite the fact that it is inherently unfair.

The overall message of the song seems to be one of defiance against societal pressures to conform or rely on external sources for help or salvation. It suggests that individualism and self-reliance are key components of a healthy society, and that those who try to impose their will on others are using brute force rather than reason or understanding.

Line by Line Meaning

[Chorus]
The singer is repeating the chorus, which seems to be about not wanting others to help or fix their problems.

Don't help me I can save myself
The singer does not want anyone's help, because they believe they can solve their own problems.

If I'm incomplete don't fill the gaps
If the singer is not whole, they do not want anyone to fill in the missing pieces for them.

Save me from the people who would save me from myself
The artist wants to be protected from those who think they know what's best for them and want to change them.

They got muscle for brains
The people who think they can fix the artist's problems are not smart, but rather they rely on brute force to solve problems.

For reasons that are not mysterious
There are deep-rooted reasons why things are the way they are, and they may not be clear or understood by all.

The weak are sent to the wall
Those who are vulnerable or disadvantaged are often left to fend for themselves or face difficult circumstances.

They have reservations in heaven
Despite their hardships on Earth, these individuals may be promised better treatment or a better life in the afterlife.

Down here they're not so fashionable
However, in the current world, those who are weak or disadvantaged are not viewed as important or valuable.

[Chorus]
The artist again repeats the chorus to emphasize their desire for self-sufficiency and to avoid being forcibly changed by others.

Morality's used as a tool
Morality is used as a means of control or manipulation by those in power.

The poor are told to be contented
Those who are poor or struggling are often told that they should be satisfied with their situation and not aspire for more.

But in this life they've no choice at all
However, the singer believes that these individuals have little control over their lives and their circumstances.

[Chorus]
The chorus is repeated again, with the same message of desiring independence and avoiding those who would try to change them.

Save me from the people who would save me from my sin
The singer wants to be protected from those who want to change them based on their perceived moral failings.

They got muscle for brains
These individuals rely on force rather than reason or intelligence.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: ANDY GILL, JON KING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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