Nana's Sunday Jams: Damaged Goods - Gang Of Four

Published on 2020-12-13 00:00:00 by Nana Fani-Kayode

Yes, Sunday Jammers! Hope you’re all well.\

Have you managed to catch any of the lights around the city? They feel extra special this year. I stood in the glow and felt like I was shaking off the blanket of fog and confusion that’s had us all so tightly wrapped. Something about the quietness of the streets makes it even more magical—like the setting for some post-modern musical, set to ambient lo-fi beats rather than show tunes. Definitely worth checking out.\

Now, onto the New Year’s playlist.\

Last week’s solo energizer track was courtesy of Little Simz. This week, I had trouble narrowing it down—finding something appropriate for a Sunday Jam dance felt impossible. New Year’s Eve is wild-out heaven for me; all I want is music that’s going to take over, lead me somewhere, and chase away the year’s dust. And this year, the dust has been heavy—thick, the kind that gets into the back of your throat and lingers, constantly tickling, forcing you to cough.\

So, should the music match that? Then I remembered: this part of the playlist is the group hype jam, the final track that gets us moving out the door and onto the main event. It needs attitude, familiarity (so we can shout the lyrics), and an instant smile the moment it starts.\

I still couldn’t narrow it down—so I’m declaring two tunes. They’re at completely opposite ends of the musical spectrum, yet both bring the hype. This week features the first, and next week, the second—but both belong in the same section of the overall playlist.\

This week’s track: ‘Damaged Goods’ by Gang of Four.\

Post-punk rocking energy to get everyone out of their corners and onto whatever space is posing as the dance floor. Whatever your musical vibe, this track never fails to get feet stomping. I’ve seen dedicated two-steppers, beat heads, and hardcore jumpers all find room in this song, each bringing their own attitude.\

I went through a phase of playing this at so many parties, no matter the vibe—mostly successful, with a few bomb-outs (but hey, you can’t lead everyone to genius). As the group hype track, it’s got everything: hard-fast guitar, a deep bass riff, crashing drums, and vocals that could take a bite out of you. There’s something so full about this track—it pulses with static electricity one minute, then strips back to sparse intensity the next.\

The song’s tale of maddening attraction adds an edge and a sexiness that always makes the hairs on my neck stand up—no matter how many times I play it, that electric rush never fades. It’s a track that demands to be sung out loud and given into. No polite dancing allowed—that’s an actual rule.\

For anyone interested: Check out the album Entertainment!—full of sonic deconstruction, vocal experimentation, and raw musical prowess. These guys were ahead of the curve; this was their debut album, and ‘Damaged Goods’ was their debut single. It will burn its way into your music memory. The perfect way to level up—or even make it the main event of your evening.

Written by Nana Fani-Kayode