Not really a singer and not really a rapper, Clail got his start working the mixing board at Tackhead shows, during which he would chime in with weird political pronouncements from time to time.
His solo work gives a fair idea of what that must have sounded like. Over instrumental backdrops that alternate between reggae (courtesy of Dub Syndicate) and funk (courtesy of various members of Tackhead), Clail intones stentorian pronouncements on such topics as social justice ("Food Clothes and Shelter"), domestic abuse ("The Emotional Hooligan") and vegetarianism ("Beef"). While his arguments aren't always completely coherent ("When ignorance fails/Violence prevails," etc.), there's something so essentially good-natured about his delivery that you can't help but like him.
And then there's the music itself, which, coming as it does from Dub Syndicate and Tackhead, kicks major butt.
Gary Clail slipped quietly out of the music scene in the late 1990s. He went on to buy a church in Penzance, Cornwall, converted it into a guest house and then run it for several years. The most recent word we have however is that he is back to Bristol and keen to gig again. Watch out!
Human Nature
Gary Clail Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That makes us hate and cheat
And steal and kill?
Why do people get off on bigotry
Intolerance and racial intolerance?
There's something wrong with human nature
Let the carnival begin
Let the carnival begin
Every pleasure, every sin
Huddled by the restaurant windows
Watching how the other half lives
All over the world
They put their hands in their pockets
It relieves their conscience
There's something wrong with human nature
What is it that makes a man gaze down
From his penthouse suite
Watching those young children
Sleeping rough on the streets?
There's something wrong with human nature
Let the carnival begin
Every pleasure, every sin
Let the carnival begin
Every pleasure, every sin
Huddled by the restaurant windows
Watching how the other half lives
All over the world
They put their hands in their pockets
It relieves their conscience
There's something wrong with human nature
In Gary Clail's song "Human Nature", he is questioning the nature of mankind and why we have a tendency to hate, cheat, steal, and kill. He questions why people find pleasure in bigotry, intolerance, and racial discrimination. The song highlights the wrongs of human nature and how it is a disgrace that individuals take pleasure in activities that should not bring joy, such as intolerance towards others. Clail is trying to draw attention to how we become comfortable with our own beliefs, that it's difficult for us to change.
The chorus of the song "Let the carnival begin, every pleasure, every sin" suggests that humans are like a carnival. We are constantly indulging in activities that make us happy and gratified, even if those activities are sinful. The second verse of the song talks about watching how the other half lives, where people tend to feel better about themselves because they see others in worse situations. Clail highlights how people put their hands in their pockets, meaning that they ignore what they see and turn a blind eye to the suffering of others.
Overall, Gary Clail's song "Human Nature" brings attention to some of the issues created by humanity's nature, issues that are not only disappointing in a social perspective but may also have a significant impact on our existence.
Line by Line Meaning
What is it in the nature of man
What is it about humans
That makes us hate and cheat
That causes us to feel animosity and deceive
And steal and kill?
And commit theft and murder?
Why do people get off on bigotry
Why does one get pleasure from intolerance
Intolerance and racial intolerance?
Intolerance based on race?
There's something wrong with human nature
There seems to be a defect in the human condition
Let the carnival begin
Let the celebration commence
Every pleasure, every sin
All forms of enjoyment and wrongdoing
Huddled by the restaurant windows
Crowded near the establishment's glass panes
Watching how the other half lives
Observing the lifestyle of others
All over the world
Everywhere
They put their hands in their pockets
Individuals place their hands in their pockets
It relieves their conscience
It soothes their guilty feelings
There's something wrong with human nature
There seems to be a defect in the human condition
What is it that makes a man gaze down
What causes someone to look down
From his penthouse suite
From their luxurious apartment at the top of the building
Watching those young children
Observing those youthful individuals
Sleeping rough on the streets?
Slumbering unhappily on the sidewalks?
There's something wrong with human nature
There seems to be a defect in the human condition
Writer(s): Gary Clail
Contributed by Jordyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@gipsyjoe69
1991, but so ahead of its time. There’s so much about this record that sounds even more relevant today, than it did then.
@johnhulsey2131
agreed!!
@dancemusicorganisation
100%, I find it funny that it is labeled as downtempo dub on Discogs, to me this is proper Indie Techno House, a classic 1991 rave tune and am proud to have the original 12" in my collection. When you see that the main producer is Adrian Sherwood who was involved with remixing acts such as Primal Scream & Pop Will Eat Itself, the indie / rave cross-over influences becomes blatanly obvious. Absolutely top draw of a track!
@jeremybuddle1924
This is a fantastic dance song with great lyrics. I still have my original copy of the 1991 vinyl 12" single and it's one of my favourite 12"s ever.
@qikdraw67
Yep I got 2 copies of this on 12" so I can mix different parts.....................
@neveo9428
yes all round superb record
@armanienzo7740
I guess Im kind of randomly asking but do anybody know of a good site to watch newly released movies online?
@bakerrodney6332
@Armani Enzo I use Flixzone. Just google for it :)
@robwilliams6753
@@armanienzo7740 yep, bend double, stretch well forward and sniff. guaranteed glimpse of the future
@kathybarry2765
Taken me years and years to find this..... Thankyou you tube..👍