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.
Satellite
Gang of Four Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Silhouette against the glare
Electric skin shocks me like lightning
You say to me, I give you this
You can have all you can kiss
If it tastes good prove it to me
Turn me round coming soon
I wanna be your satellite
Our words in doubt, just a sound
I wanna be your satellite
No in no out, no up or down
Lost in space, the robot writes,
Don't wanna be a satellite
Empires falling down like ninepins
Shoot me up, I'm your moon
Turn me round coming soon
I wanna be your satellite
Our words in doubt, just a sound
I wanna be your satellite
No in no out, no up or down
In your face
I can see
I can be
Anyone
I can be
I wanna be your satellite
Our words in doubt, just a sound
I wanna be your satellite
No in no out, no up or down
The song "Satellite" by Gang of Four describes a desire to be someone's satellite - to orbit around them, to be entirely consumed by their influence. The first verse sets the scene with the singer waking up to the silhouette of their desired person against the bright light of day. When they speak, their words are like electric shocks, sending a thrill through the singer's body. The person offers them something, perhaps their attention, and invites the singer to take as much as they want. They tell them to prove that they want it by kissing them. There's a sense of danger and recklessness here - the implication that the singer is willing to do anything to keep this connection.
The second verse takes a darker turn, with the imagery of being lost in space and feeling like a satellite. The singer fears becoming trapped in this role, controlled entirely by the other person, and even invokes the idea of empires falling down to emphasize how precarious this kind of relationship can be. Despite this, however, they still express a desire to be a satellite. They want to be consumed, reassured by the other person's presence, feeling isolated and unimportant without them. The final lines of the song express a sense of possibility and transformation - with the other person, the singer feels like they can be anyone they want to be.
Overall, "Satellite" is a song about the intoxication and danger of being consumed by another person, while also expressing a desire for that connection and a sense of possibility that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up you are there
As I awaken, I immediately see your presence and feel your impact in my life.
Silhouette against the glare
The image of you is a stark contrast against the brightness around us.
Electric skin shocks me like lightning
Your touch is electrifying and sends chills down my spine.
You say to me, I give you this
You offer me an opportunity or something of value.
You can have all you can kiss
You grant me limitless possibilities or favors.
If it tastes good prove it to me
You require proof or evidence of my satisfaction with what you offer.
Shoot me up, I'm your moon
I am willing to be controlled or influenced by you, like a satellite that orbits a planet.
Turn me round coming soon
Expect me to be there whenever you need me or call upon me.
I wanna be your satellite
I desire to remain in your orbit and be subservient to you.
Our words in doubt, just a sound
Our communication may sometimes lack clarity or sincerity.
No in no out, no up or down
There is no escape from our relationship or direction to it; we are inextricably connected.
Lost in space, the robot writes
Even an emotionless, mechanical entity can comprehend the overwhelming nature of our relationship.
Don't wanna be a satellite
Despite the allure of being close to you, I am hesitant to give up my independence and conform to your demands.
Empires falling down like ninepins
Societies or institutions that were once powerful are collapsing with ease and regularity.
In your face
You are directly confronting me or presenting yourself in an imposing way.
I can see
I now understand something more clearly or have gained insight into a situation or relationship.
I can be
I have the potential to be whatever you want or need me to be.
Anyone
I am malleable and can adapt to any environment or circumstance.
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: ANDY GIL, JON KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind