I swear this song is amazing. Years ago when I first heard it I sang along with the sung parts. Cranked full blast on my cassette player I gyrated to the fantastic bass work. In all honesty this song is a bass-gasm. So tough, so cool so fantastic. This is one of the songs that when it creep sup in shuffle you dive for the volume button. Recently with all the Hook and Joy Division buzz I have been venturing back.
For the first time ever I listened to this song through headphones. May I say, that I was blown away by the spoke word within this.
Woke up this morning desperation a.m.
What I've been saying won't say them again
My head's not empty, it's full with my brain
The thoughts I'm thinking
Like piss down a drain
As if that wasn't cool enough add a tribal beat and some singsong on top and you have a masterpiece. With distorted guitars and a nearly jungle like drum you have a psychedelic hipster tilt a whirl from….1978. Honestly I thought this was released much later but it just goes to show you that The Gang of Four were so far ahead of their time that they sound as fresh today as they did then.
I am more and more drawn in by this stuff lately. Some sentimental journeys perhaps or maybe its just the realization that music can never be this cool again.
Hers is a 30 years later live version of this song…timeless.