Songs of the Free

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Songs of the Free is Gang of Four's third studio album and was released in 1982. It is the first record with Sara Lee on bass, succeeding Dave Allen. Andy Gill and Jon King wrote all the songs at Mount Pleasant Studios in London. Besides Gill, King and Lee, the drummer Hugo Burnham played, and Stevie Lange and Joy Yates sang backing vocals.

The sound moves towards R&B and funk, and gives up some of the sharper edges of earlier records. Call Me Up opens the record, with I Love a Man in a Uniform following. Later reissues added bonus tracks and a slightly altered running order, until EMI restored the original order in 2008. In 2015 a limited edition appeared on coloured vinyl. Pitchfork placed the album at number 99 of the 1980s.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Call Me Up3:36Apple Music ↗
2. 2I Love a Man in a Uniform4:07Apple Music ↗
3. 3Muscle for Brains3:17Apple Music ↗
4. 4It Is Not Enough3:29Apple Music ↗
5. 5Life, It's a Shame4:08Apple Music ↗
6. 6I Will Be a Good Boy3:56Apple Music ↗
7. 7The History of the World4:40Apple Music ↗
8. 8We Live as We Dream, Alone3:39Apple Music ↗
9. 9Of the Instant4:57Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗