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.
TATTOO
Gang of Four Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like you
Like you
You don't know who I am
You don't know where I come from
From the soul of this land
I am lost and you're soon gone
I don't want you to change
I love you just as you are
Don't go biting your nails
Those little fingers work too hard
Looks like it's a day for night
Shadows in the daylight
I was born to waste some time
And you're next in line
When you discover my name
When you discover my name
I'll tattoo it on your heart
Tattoo it on your heart
Don't be shy like you are
You don't want me to stay
I'm drinking Lite at the bar
A quiet guy in every way
Looks like it's a day for night
Shadows in the tail lights
I was born to waste some time
And you're next in line
When you discover my name
When you discover my name
I'll tattoo it on your heart
Tattoo it on your heart
As the pictures fly
Rushing by
Will the teardrops dry
On their eyes?
When you discover my name
When you discover my name
When you discover my name
I'll tattoo it on your heart
When you discover my name
I'll tattoo it on your heart
When you find out my name
I'll tattoo it on your heart
When you find out my name
I'll tattoo it on your heart
I'm no delinquent
I'm an artist
I'm a collector
Life into art
You are my next work
The song "Tattoo" by Gang of Four is about a man trying to connect with and leave a lasting impression on a woman he is attracted to. The first verse reveals his feelings of being lost and wanting to keep the woman just the way she is. He tells her not to bite her nails, saying her fingers work too hard. In the second verse, he continues to observe her from afar and describes his own idle existence. He tells her that he will tattoo his name on her heart when she discovers it, suggesting a sense of possession and permanence.
The chorus emphasizes the idea of tattooing his name on her heart, likening it to art and saying that she is his next work. He is trying to make himself memorable to her and leave a permanent mark on her heart. The bridge mentions pictures rushing by and teardrops drying, perhaps alluding to the fleeting nature of life and the importance of making lasting connections with others.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of longing for connection and a desire to make oneself stand out and be remembered. The imagery of tattooing adds a sense of permanence and significance to the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Like you
Starting the song with a repetition of admiration towards someone, probably a love interest.
You don't know who I am
Addressing the love interest by stating that they don't know the singer's true identity.
You don't know where I come from
Reiterating that the love interest has no idea about the singer's past, origin, or upbringing.
From the soul of this land
Deciding to reveal that the singer is deeply connected to the soul of the land they come from.
I am lost and you're soon gone
Further elaborating on how the love interest is unaware of the singer's presence and that they may disappear soon.
I don't want you to change
Telling the love interest not to change themselves in any way.
I love you just as you are
Expressing their unconditional love towards the love interest.
Don't go biting your nails
Advising the love interest not to indulge in nervous habits like biting their nails.
Those little fingers work too hard
The singer acknowledges the hard work done by the love interest's fingers and hence advises against biting them.
Looks like it's a day for night
Describing the surroundings as somewhat ambiguous and mysterious, as if it's dark during the daytime.
Shadows in the daylight
Further reinforcing the mysterious atmosphere of the scene, where there are shadows in broad daylight.
I was born to waste some time
Announcing that the singer's purpose is simply to waste time, implying that they have no other important role to play.
And you're next in line
Implying that the love interest is next in line to receive the singer's time-wasting tendencies.
When you discover my name
Putting forth a condition where the love interest has to discover the singer's name.
I'll tattoo it on your heart
Promising to engrave their name onto the love interest's heart like a permanent tattoo if they discover it.
Don't be shy like you are
Telling the love interest to shed their shyness and not be hesitant.
You don't want me to stay
Anticipating the fact that the love interest probably doesn't want the singer to stay.
I'm drinking Lite at the bar
Casually mentioning that the singer is having a drink at a bar, possibly implying that they are frequent visitors there.
A quiet guy in every way
Describing themselves as a reserved and quiet person who doesn't initiate things.
Looks like it's a day for night
Reusing the previous line to emphasize the ambiguous nature of the setting.
Shadows in the tail lights
Describing the shadows caused due to the tail lights of cars, adding to the mystery of the scene.
As the pictures fly
Referring to the pictures in their mind that quickly flash by as if they're in a movie.
Rushing by
Further reinforcing the fact that these pictures are flying by at a high speed in the singer's mind.
Will the teardrops dry
Raising an emotional question about whether the tears shed by the love interest will dry or not.
On their eyes?
Continuing the question for clarity, wondering if they will dry on the eyes or not.
When you discover my name
Reiterating the earlier condition where the love interest discovers the singer's name.
I'll tattoo it on your heart
Reminding the love interest that the singer will undoubtedly tattoo their name on their heart if the condition is met.
When you discover my name
Repeating the condition once again, stressing its significance.
I'll tattoo it on your heart
Emphasizing that the tattooing will happen regardless of any doubts or disbelief from the love interest.
When you find out my name
A slight variation of the previous line, rephrasing the condition in a different way.
I'll tattoo it on your heart
Reiterating that the ultimate result of the condition will be a tattoo on the heart.
I'm no delinquent
Clearing up any doubts about the singer's interest in the love interest, by stating that they aren't up to any mischief or wrongdoing.
I'm an artist
Putting forth the notion that the singer is an artist, possibly alluding to the concept of tattooing as an art.
I'm a collector
Revealing that the singer is also a collector, possibly of various things or experiences.
Life into art
Clarifying that the singer has a unique philosophy where they try to breathe life into everything that they consider as art.
You are my next work
Concluding the song on a note where the love interest is regarded as the singer's next piece of work, implying that they want to explore them artistically or romantically.
Contributed by Eli V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JaundiceJaun
My parents saw them at Emerald City many times (I of course could not, as I wasn't born till much later) but fucking a is this band fantastic. I was blessed that my parents had such killer taste in music (lots of punk, new wave/darkwave, and all the good stuff) I love this band to this day, and I can't believe how underrated they are, it's saddening.
Arce Sousa
I'm no delinquent
I'm an artist
I'm a collector
Life into art
You are my next work.
totalstranga
criminally underrated band. I hear people always saying how TJAMC or P.I.L. are, but these guys never get mentioned. ever.
The Former Channel
I saw this for the first time when I was 13. Thank you for everything.
okica87
that reminds me of my youth :) nice nice still after all this time makes me happy to listen
LockedPig
luv their mix of atonal noise and catchy rythm x)
Andrew Wade
Adam Curtis, you rule!
calaverasgrande
not the greatest representation of GOF. Heck they lost me after "I like a man in uniform"
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes
Sorry I'm old! But I still like Fang of Four. Even though no one knows them!
Samir Kainnou
👍🔥