Gang of Four today release Ivanka (Things You Can’t Have), the second single from the forthcoming Complicit EP, due out April 20, 2018. The new track is a co-production between Andy Gill and Ben Hillier (Blur, Depeche Mode).
Ivanka (Things You Can’t Have) is driven by a twisted, industrial bass-line, with Gaoler’s lead vocals aided and abetted here by Nova Twins’ Amy Love. Speaking about the track’s lyrics, which weave in direct quotes from Ivanka about herself and observations about her father, Gill says; ‘It would’ve been easy to be extremely damning about Donald Trump and of course, like everyone else, I could have called him all kinds of names. What drew me to this subject at all was the running commentary from Ivanka in the earlier stages of this administration – it was fascinating to get a kind of explanation or justification from the daughter who had already been given an official position within the White House. And frankly, a lot of it was pretty funny. But although the characters in the Trump family are interesting, it’s more the ideologies and politics which they represent and enable which need describing.’
Gang of Four will release a new EP, Complicit on April 20, 2018. Their first new material in three years, the release bookends a period since 2015’s critically acclaimed album ‘What Happens Next’, during which Gang of Four has been championed by artists as diverse as St Vincent, James Murphy, Pharrell Williams and Frank Ocean, the latter of which sampled the band on ‘Blonde’. A new Gang of Four studio album is due in Summer 2018.
Ivanka (Things You Can’t Have) Lyrics
Where once were her eyes Ivanka now sees through pearls
She said ‘I don’t know what it means to be complicit’
You need to believe, you’ve got to understand, you need to believe you’ve got to understand –
You mustn’t want the things you can’t have – only worth something if you work for it
You mustn’t want the things you can’t have – it’s only worth something if my names on it
I saw how hard daddy worked for his money
Daddy loves women and he believes in family
You need to believe, you’ve got to understand, you need to believe you’ve got to understand. –
You mustn’t want the things you can’t have – only worth something if you work for it
You mustn’t want the things you can’t have – it’s only worth something if my names on it
She said, it’s clear to me that things would not just be given to me
She said, it’s clear to me that things would not just be given to me
Given to me, given to me
In the morning daddy wants me in his room, it’s where we get together
It’s not true that daddy calls my name in stormy weather
Daddy loves women and he believes in family
He and I know the worst sins are lust and avarice
Now we are a long way from home
Now we are a long way from home
Someone said that we can make a better version of ourselves
You need to know I’ll do my best for you
Complicit EP Track-listing
Lucky
Ivanka (Things You Can’t Have)
I’m A Liar
Lucky (10 O’Clock Chemical Remix)
Tour News
27 April BOLOGNA, ITALY Zona Roveri Music Factory
28 April ROME, ITALY Traffic Club Roma
14 May BUENOS ARIES, PALERMO, ARGENTINA Niceto Club
19 May MEXICO CITY, CUAUHTEMOC, MEXICO Festival Marvin, CDMX
3 August HORTEN, NORWAY Bueskytterbanen
5 October LONDON, UK Indie Daze, 100 Club