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Gang Of Four: Lyrics to Songs Of The Free

Songs Of The Free:
Call Me Up / I Love A Man In A Uniform / Muscle For Brains / It Is Not Enough / Life, It's A Shame / I Will Be A Good Boy / The History Of The World / We Live As We Dream, Alone / Of The Instant.

All songs published by Gang Of Four Music (1982)

All songs written by Andy Gill / Jon King.

Lyrics reproduced with permission from members of the band.
Transcribed by Phil Hetherington, with thanks to Andy Gill for answering queries along the way.

• Call Me Up
  
  Call me up, If I'm home
  Don't say too much, I might be upset
  Let us agree to differ
  We're consumed by competition
  
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  
  Call me up, if I'm alone
  I don't like to spend too much time on my own
  I need to have diversion
  Consume me with a new passion
  
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  
  We are all in competition
  Better move fast gobble up your dinner
  Take a tip - get hip!
  It's not so bad in the promised land
  It's not so bad in the promised land
  It's not so bad in the promised land
  How do I fill my days?
  A force called "Hard Cash" moves my feet
  
  We are all in competition
  It's the one thing that is simple
  We are all in competition
  It's not so bad in the promised land
  
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  
  Children of the pleasure culture
  Who must be grateful for what we've got
  Happy smiles in sunny climes
  So don't upset the ice-cream cart
  
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  Having fun is my reason for living
  (Give me a break)
  
  
• I Love A Man In A Uniform
  
  Time with my girl I spent it well
  I had to be strong for my woman
  (You must be joking, O man you must be joking)
  She needed to be protected
  
  The good life was so elusive
  Handouts, they got me down
  I had to regain my self-respect
  So I got into camouflage
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  
  I love a man in a uniform
  I love a man in a uniform
  I love a man in a uniform
  I love a man in a uniform
  
  To have ambitions was my ambition
  But I had nothing to show for my dreams
  Time with my girl I spent it well
  (You must be joking, O man you must be joking)
  
  The good life was so elusive
  Handouts, they got me down
  I had to regain my confidence
  So I got into camouflage
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  
  I love a man in a uniform
  I love a man in a uniform
  I love a man in a uniform
  I love a man in a uniform
  
  I need an order
  (Shoot, shoot)
  I need an order
  (Shoot, shoot)
  I need an order
  (Shoot, shoot)
  I need an order
  (Shoot, shoot)
  
  To have ambition
  Was my ambition
  Time with my girl I spent it well
  (You must be joking, O man you must be joking)
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  
  I love a man in a uniform
  I love a man in a uniform
  (They love to see you shoot)
  I love a man in a uniform
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  I love a man in a uniform
  (They love to see you shoot)
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  I love a man in a uniform
  (They love a... they love a... they love a...)
  (They love to see you shoot)
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  (Bang bang you're dead)
  I love a man in a uniform
  (They love a... they love a... they love a... bang bang)
  (They love to see you shoot)
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  I love a man in a uniform
  (They love a... they love a... they love a... bang bang)
  (They love to see you shoot)
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  (Bang bang you're dead)
  I love a man in a uniform
  (They love a... they love a... they love a... bang bang)
  (They love to see you shoot)
  
  The girls they love to see you shoot
  (Bang bang you're dead)
  (They love a... they love a... they love a...)
  (I love a man in a uniform)
  
  
• Muscle For Brains
  
  Don't help me I can save myself
  If I'm incomplete don't fill the gaps
  Save me from the people who would save me from myself
  They got muscle for brains
  
  For reasons that are not mysterious
  The weak are sent to the wall
  They have reservations in heaven
  Down here they're not so fashionable
  
  Don't help me I can save myself
  If I'm incomplete don't fill the gaps
  Save me from the people who would save me from my sin
  They got muscle for brains
  
  For reasons that are not mysterious
  Morality's used as a tool
  The poor are told to be contented
  But in this life they've no choice at all
  
  Don't help me I can save myself
  If I'm incomplete don't fill the gaps
  Save me from the people who would save me from myself
  They got muscle for brains
  
  For reasons that are not mysterious
  The weak are sent to the wall
  They have reservations in heaven
  Down here they're not so fashionable
  
  Don't help me I can save myself
  If I'm incomplete don't fill the gaps
  Save me from the people who would save me from myelf
  They got muscle for brains
  
  Save me from the people who would save me from my sin
  They got muscle for brains
  
  
• It Is Not Enough
  
  It is not enough
  Here we go again
  I'd like to see something new
  It's all so familiar
  
  I wanted to be a good wife
  I wonder if I've lived before this life
  Or seen it on television
  I can't stand the repetition
  
  It is not enough
  It is just a habit
  Nostalgia, it's no good
  Our future was in the past
  (I will be good to you, if you love me true)
  (I will be good to you, if you love me true)
  Passion, it burns me up
  It isn't how I thought it would be
  I have to wait for the right moment
  It always depends on him
  
  It is not enough
  It is just a habit
  Nostalgia, it's no good
  Our future was in the past
  
  Have I lived before this life?
  Have I lived before this life?
  Have I lived before this life?
  Have I lived before this life?
  
  It is not enough
  It is just a habit
  Nostalgia, it's no good
  Our future was in the past
  
  It is not enough
  It is just a habit
  Nostalgia, it's no good
  Our future was in the past
  
  It is not enough
  It is just a habit
  It is just a habit
  
  
• Life, It's A Shame
  
  Don't stop out too late at night
  Stop! It's a caution
  
  Don't cross the red light
  Stop! It's a caution
  
  To act for the good for congressman is money
  A balance of power will ensure our safety
  
  (Making money is making sense)
  Life!
  (Making money is making sense)
  It's a shame
  (It's logical, making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  
  Don't stop out too late at night
  Stop! It's a caution
  
  Don't cross the red light
  Stop! It's a caution
  
  To act for the good for congressman is money
  The right to get rich is in the constitution
  Talk of corruption is to preach insurrection
  Elected to power men suspend self-interest
  
  You and I, we are satellites, it's a shame
  You and I, we are satellites, it's a shame
  
  Life!
  (Making money is making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  It's a shame
  (It's logical, making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  
  (Making money is making sense)
  Life!
  (Making money is making sense)
  It's a shame
  (It's logical, making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  
  To act for the good is to defend our homeland
  A balance of power will ensure our safety
  To step out of line is to risk disaster
  To walk in the rain is to risk pneumonia
  A balance of power will ensure our safety
  
  You and I, we are satellites
  (Making money is making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  It's a shame
  (It's logical, making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  
  You and I, we are satellites
  (Making money is making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  It's a shame
  (It's logical, making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  
  Life!
  (Making money is making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  It's a shame
  (It's logical, making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  
  Life!
  (Making money is making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  It's a shame
  (It's logical, making sense)
  (Making money is making sense)
  
  Life!
  
  
• I Will Be A Good Boy
  
  Take me, dance with me
  I want to be
  Everything a man should be
  
  Their world is shrinking
  But as they dance the dollar is falling
  Do you love me?
  Do you love me?
  Their world is shrinking
  But as they dance the dollar is falling
  Do you love me?
  
  No longer on my own
  Secure, I smile
  Now I am a man
  I understand
  And I am complete
  
  Their world is shrinking
  But as they dance the dollar is falling
  Do you love me?
  Do you love me?
  Their world is shrinking
  But as they dance the dollar is falling
  Do you love me?
  
  Take me, dance with me
  Dance
  To the tension of a world on the wane
  I shuffle around on wooden boards
  Now no longer afraid
  
  I will be a good boy, I said
  I will be a good boy
  
  
• The History Of The World
  
  When I was in my mother's womb
  Social structure seemed a simple thing
  After birth I cursed my luck
  Then went down to breakfast
  
  What I know fills me up
  It is an everlasting cup
  What I believe will never change
  My consolation for the night
  
  Mother had for me an egg
  I understood the relations of production
  She always provided for me
  That's where I lost my naiveté
  
  Stability is in my mind
  I associate with my kind
  Charity, it fills my heart
  To help the poor in Africa
  
  Good, yes, you've done well
  Here is a small prize
  The history of the world
  Good, yes, you've done well
  Here is a small prize
  The history of the world
  Good, yes, you've done well
  Here is a small prize
  The history of the world
  
  Good, yes, you've done well
  Here is a small prize
  The history of the world
  Good, yes, you've done well
  Here is a small prize
  The history of the world
  Good, yes, you've done well
  Here is a small prize
  The history of the world
  
  
• We Live As We Dream, Alone
  
  Everybody is in too many pieces
  No-man's-land surrounds our desires
  To crack the shell we mix with others
  Some lie in the arms of lovers
  
  The city is the place to be
  With no money you go crazy
  I need an occupation!
  You have to pay for satisfaction
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  To crack the shell we mix with the others
  Some flirt with fascism
  Some lie in the arms of lovers
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  
  Everybody is in too many pieces
  No-man's-land surrounds me!
  With no money we'll all go crazy
  (we apologize)
  
  Man and woman need to work
  It helps us define ourselves
  We were not born in isolation
  But sometimes it seems that way
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  The space between our work and its product
  Some fall into fatalism
  As if it started this way
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  (We live as we dream, alone)
  We live as we dream, alone
  (We were not born in isolation)
  We live as we dream, alone
  (But sometimes it seems that way)
  
  (The space between our work and its product)
  
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  (As if it always must be this way)
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  We live as we dream, alone
  (With no money we'll all go crazy)
  
  
• Of The Instant
  
  Who owns what you do?
  Who owns what you use?
  This land is your land
  This land is my land
  
  Right now to touch flesh is real
  Let us think only of the instant
  There was something that I can't remember
  Did you say "I've had enough"?
  
  We are in a happy state
  It all comes to those who wait
  While others plot the fate of nations
  We spent the afternoons in an embrace
  
  Somehow, you can't block it out
  The bitter taste of interference
  We still try to construct the difference
  The space between a word and its sense
  
  We, it seems, can own ourselves
  In imagination
  
  Then you say, we make our own world
  Not everyone takes what they are given
  If we believe what we are saying
  We have the chance to include ourselves out
  
  Who owns what you do?
  Who owns what you use?
  
  Then you say, we make our own world
  Not everyone takes what they are given
  There was something that I can't remember
  Did you say "I've had enough"?
  
  There was something that I can't remember
  We have the chance to include ourselves out
  
  

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