Freshly departed from the Human League, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh adopted the name British Electric Foundation. In 1981 they released an album on cassette called Music For Stowaways, which was 8 tracks of instrumental electronic music that picked up from where they left off - edgy experimentalism mixed with pop smarts. Included on this album is Groove Thang, a funky track that rides a banging martial beat and features the stellar bass poppin' and guitar riffing of then unknown John Wilson. It's a great track. The tune reappears later in the year as the first single from Heaven 17's debut album Penthouse And Pavement, retitled (We Don't Need This) Fascist Groove Thang. They are now a trio with vocalist Glenn Gregory, and the song is now a politcally charged call to shake your ass and get rid of the Reaganites. Much like yesterday's post, the words ring true in today's political arena - just substitute Bush for Reagan!
Have you heard it on the news
About this fascist groove thang
Evil men with racist views
Spreading all across the land
Don't just sit there on your ass
Unlock that funky chaindance
Brothers, sisters shoot your best
We don't need this fascist groove thang
(Chorus)
Brothers, sisters, we don't need this fascist groove thang
History will repeat itself
Crisis point we're near the hour
Counterforce will do no good
Hot you ass I feel your power
Hitler proves that funky stuff
Is not for you and me girl
Europe's an unhappy land
They've had their fascist groove thang
(Chorus)
Democrats are out of power
Across that great wide ocean
Reagan's president elect
Fascist god in motion
Generals tell him what to do
Stop your good time dancing
Train their guns on me and you
Fascist thang advancing
(Chorus)
Sisters, brothers lend a hand
Increase our population
Grab that groove thang by the throat
And throw it in the ocean
You're real tonight you move my soul
Let's cruise out of the dance war
Come out your house and dance your dance
Shake that fascist groove thang
(Shake it!)
2 comments:
noNoNONO! Awesome! Great pick, Heaven 17 and BEF produced several spectacular remixes in the 80's-chuck full of creative ideas and near-misses.
Love the total oddball ness of this, what the fuck were people thinking in the 80s?
Did they just have free reign and no one to tell em what was good and bad taste?
Nice post, cheers.
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