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.
Sleepwalker
Gang of Four Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm on standby waiting at the gate
I'm a window shopper staring at an empty shelf
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I'm a phoney guest drinking at a wake
I'm a milktooth werewolf in the lambing barn
I'm a sucker swallowing the bait
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I'm a moon shift cleaner burning in the sun
I'm a man's man but I can't cut the cord
I'm nobody but I'm not no one
I only want what I can't afford
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
The lyrics to Gang of Four's "Sleepwalker" describe a sense of disconnectedness and lethargy in the face of a world that seems to offer little fulfillment. The first verse sees the singer describing themselves as "an understudy for myself," highlighting the feeling of not living up to one's full potential. They are "on standby waiting at the gate," implying a sense of anticipation or expectation without a clear purpose. The line "I'm a window shopper staring at an empty shelf" furthers this idea of longing without satisfaction, and the repetition of "I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake" serves to emphasize the singer's sense of detachment from the world around them.
The second verse continues this theme, describing the singer's self-perception as a "phoney guest drinking at a wake" and a "milktooth werewolf in the lambing barn." These images evoke a sense of incongruity and discomfort, as though the singer is out of place in their circumstances. The line "I'm a claustrophobic in a caravan" reinforces this idea, suggesting a feeling of entrapment even in situations that should be liberating. Throughout the song, the singer struggles with their identity and desires, unable to reconcile what they want with what they can attain.
Overall, "Sleepwalker" paints a portrait of a restless, unfulfilled person struggling to find their place in the world. The repetition of the title throughout the song creates a sense of dullness and monotony, as though the singer has resigned themselves to a state of half-awareness. With its haunting lyrics and driving post-punk rhythms, this song remains a powerful commentary on the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm an understudy for myself
I am a less adequate version of myself, constantly striving to be the real me.
I'm on standby waiting at the gate
I am standing by waiting for something, but I'm not sure what it is.
I'm a window shopper staring at an empty shelf
I am window shopping and longing for something that is no longer available.
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I feel as though I am drifting through life without any real purpose or direction.
I'm a phoney guest drinking at a wake
I feel out of place, like I am pretending to be something I am not.
I'm a milktooth werewolf in the lambing barn
I am a young, inexperienced person trying to navigate a situation that is far beyond my capabilities.
I'm a sucker swallowing the bait
I am easily deceived and fall for things that seem too good to be true.
I'm a claustrophobic in a caravan
I feel trapped and suffocated in a small space or situation.
I'm a moon shift cleaner burning in the sun
I am struggling to adapt to a completely new and unfamiliar environment.
I'm a man's man but I can't cut the cord
I am a strong and capable person, but I struggle to let go of things that are holding me back.
I'm nobody but I'm not no one
I am not a complete failure, but I am far from successful.
I only want what I can't afford
I am constantly desiring things that are out of my reach and unattainable.
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I feel as though I am drifting through life without any real purpose or direction.
I'm sleepwalking while I'm awake
I feel as though I am drifting through life without any real purpose or direction.
Contributed by Jonathan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MrCSRocker
Andy Gill's guitar sounds like a high speed electric saw cutting through metal while spewing sparks and shards all across a concrete floor.
@andreaprodan5616
This was an interesting album.... why so un-noticed? I lost my treasured copy...or lent it out to some ungrateful soul...ha ha ha!
@MrPaevo
I only want what I can't afford....
@whatsouttasight
Shanna , What's your last name, man?
@whatsouttasight
!!!!