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.
Not Gteat Men
Gang of Four Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The strong men who have made the world
History lives on the books at home
The books at home
[Chorus]
It's not made by great men [Repeat: x4]
The poor still weak the rich still rule
History lives in the books at home
The books at home
[Chorus]
The past lives in the books at home
No weak men in the books at home
History lives in the books at home
The books at home
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Gang of Four's song "Not Great Men" express a cynicism towards the way history is written and learned. The phrase "books at home" refers to the history books that people have in their homes, which are seen as perpetuating a version of history that reinforces the idea that strong men are the ones who have made the world. This suggests that the history books are biased towards those in power and overlook the contributions of those who may not fit into this narrow definition of strength.
The chorus of the song, "It's not made by great men," emphasizes this idea and suggests that history is not just the result of the actions of powerful individuals, but is shaped by many unseen forces. The verses continue to focus on how the past continues to shape the present; the phrase "the past lives on in your front room" emphasizes this idea by bringing history into the personal space of the listener. The lines "the poor still weak the rich still rule" make a clear statement about the inequalities that exist in society and how they have persisted over time.
Overall, the lyrics of "Not Great Men" express a critique of a certain kind of history that is often taught, one that places too much emphasis on individual strength and overlooks the systemic inequalities that shape our world. The song encourages listeners to question what they have been taught and to consider alternative ways of understanding our history and our present.
Line by Line Meaning
No weak men in the books at home
The books at home are filled with stories and accounts of strong individuals and their accomplishments, there is no mention of weak individuals.
The strong men who have made the world
The world has been shaped and built by powerful and influential men who have made significant contributions.
History lives on the books at home
The true record of history can be found and preserved in the books and documents found in one's own home.
The books at home
The books kept in one's home are an archive of history.
It's not made by great men
The things that truly make a difference in the world are not only achieved by those who are considered great or powerful.
The past lives on in your front room
Memories and significant events of the past are still very present in one's own home.
The poor still weak the rich still rule
Inequalities and social hierarchies still exist, as the poor remain powerless and the rich continue to exercise their control over society.
The past lives in the books at home
The books kept at home are a testament to the memories and events that have transpired in the past.
No weak men in the books at home
The books kept at home document only the achievements and strengths of notable men, without any mention of the weak or powerless individuals.
History lives in the books at home
The books and documents found in one's own home maintain the historical and cultural significance of events throughout time.
The books at home
The books kept in one's home retain a wealth of knowledge and information regarding the history of the world.
Lyrics Β© EMI Music Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE ALLEN, ANDREW GILL, JON KING, HUGO H. BURNHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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