Songs of the Free is the third studio album by Gang of Four, released in 1982.
It is their first recording with Sara Lee as bassist, replacing Dave Allen. The album also marks a shift towards R&B or funk music, and away from the more abrasive elements in their earlier albums.
In 1996, Infinite Zero Archive/American Recordings label issued it on CD, with two bonus tracks, and with a slightly changed song order (swapping the positions of "Muscle for Brains" and "We Live as We Dream, Alone"), and mistitling "I Love a Man in a Uniform" as "I Love a Man in Uniform." EMI reissued the album on CD in 2008 with the original song order and no bonus tracks.
Pitchfork listed Songs of the Free as 99th best album of the 1980s. Rhino Records re-released Songs of the Free in limited edition of 6,250 on 180-gram blue, purple, and yellow splattered vinyl for Black Friday Record Store Day 2015.
Track listing All songs written by Andy Gill and Jon King All songs written at Mount Pleasant Studios, 38 Mount Pleasant, London E1; with special assistance from Jon Astrop Side one "Call Me Up" – 3:35 "I Love a Man in a Uniform" – 4:06 "Muscle for Brains" – 3:17 "It Is Not Enough" – 3:27 "Life! It's a Shame" – 5:06 Side two "I Will Be a Good Boy" – 3:52 "The History of the World" – 4:40 "We Live as We Dream, Alone" – 3:37 "Of the Instant" – 4:58
1996 bonus tracks "The World at Fault" – 3:38 "I Love a Man in a Uniform" (dub) – 4:48
Personnel Gang of Four Hugo Burnham – drums, percussion Andrew Gill – guitar, vocals Jon King – vocals, melodica Sara Lee – bass, backing vocals with: Stevie Lange – backing vocals Joy Yates – backing vocals Technical Simon Smart, Walter Samuel – engineer Shot That Tiger! – art direction, design Colin Barker – photography
Charts Album YearChartPosition1982Billboard Pop Albums175
Single YearSingleChartPosition1982"I Love a Man in a Uniform"Billboard Club Play Singles271982"I Love a Man in a Uniform"UK Singles Charts65
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