Album: Welcome To The Pleasuredome (1984)

Charted: 1 43

License This Song 

• The air attack warning sounds like
  This is the sound
  
  When you hear the air attack warning
  You and your family must take cover
  
  Ah, ah, ah
  Ah, ah, ah
  
  Let's go, oh, oh, oh
  
  When two tribes go to war
  One is all that you can score
  (Score no more, score no more)
  When two tribes go to war
  Money's all that you can score
  (Workin' for the black hats)
  
  Cowboy number one
  A born again poor man's son
  (Poor man's son)
  On the air America
  I modeled shirts for Van Heusen
  (Workin' for the black hats) yeah
  
  When two tribes go to war
  Money's all that you can score
  (Score no more, score no more)
  When two tribes go to war
  One is all that you can score
  (Workin' for the black hats)
  
  Switch up your shield
  Switch up and feel
  I'm walkin' out, lover hey, yeah
  I'm givin' you back a good time
  I'm shippin' out, out
  I'm workin' for the black hats
  
  Tell the world that you're winning
  loving life, loving life
  
  Listen to the voice sing, follow me
  Listen to the voice sing, follow me oh
  
  When two tribes go to war
  Money's all that you can score
  When two tribes go to war
  Money's all that you can score
  
  We got two tribes
  We got the spunk
  We got the spunk, yeah, yeah
  Sock it to me biscuits
  
  (Are we living in a land where sex and horror are the new gods yeah?)
  
  When two tribes go to war
  Money's all that you can score Writer/s: Holly Johnson, Mark William OToole, Peter Gill
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 12

• Jerry Hunter from Oklahoma City, OkThe line is “working for the black hats”. The “black hats” are a common term that references less-than-scrupulous private security firms (aka mercenaries) working “black ops” where plausible deniability is critical.
• Mike from United KingdomI've always assumed that the lyrics "When two tribes go to war, A point is all that you can score" refers to the points system in a football/soccer league where it's three points for win, one point for a draw. So the song is saying that in the case of a nuclear war, nobody wins and the only result possible is a draw.
• Dave from UsaIsn't "Workin' for the black mask" supposed to be black GAS... as in "oil"?
• Andrew from MalaysiaWould certainly love to watch a 2018 remake of the video featuring Donald Trump wrestling with Vladimir Putin!
• Darren from Bedford, United Kingdomre: soviet leader. considering they had 4 different leaders in 2.5 years it easy to get confused
• Darren from Bedford, United KingdomThe single was #1 for 9 weeks in the UK
• Jon from Scotland, United KingdomUnlike "Relax!", the BBC had no objections about "Two Tribes" being played on BBC Radio One. The video, however, was banned on decency grounds (pretty tame by today's standards). Instead of showing the video on the Top Of The Pops music show, the band played the song "live" in front of the audience. Several months later, the BBC lifted the ban on the "Two Tribes" video and for the song "Relax!" ITV aired a slightly edited version of the video, but Channel Four broadcast the video for "Two Tribes" in it's entirety.
  
• Steve from Aylesbury, United KingdomThe voice of Reagan for the recording sessions, which included FGHT's cover of Edwin Starr's "War" was none other than Chris Barrie - then a voice over artist for TV's Spitting Image, later to be Arnold Rimmer in Red Dwarf.
• Andy from Orlando, FlAgreed, the 12" "Carnage" mix of Two Tribes is a Trevor Horn masterpiece in every sense of the word. I cannot hear the song any other way. Also, the 12" "Annihilation" Mix is excellent; not quite as lush in the orchestration, but more like a bomb going off on the dance floor! Frankie along with Depeche completely transformed the 12" single concept. You got your money's worth back in the 80's.
• Pete from Ny, NyThose constant remixes and versions were also highly annoying and tended to dilute the impact of the hit. The extended 7-minute version of this (the one you heard on alternative radio and in the clubs) was a flat-out sonic masterpiece, hugely influential. The short, rockier version on the LP stunk, with none of the amazing twists and turns of the big mix. Seek out the long version only!
• Tom from Newark, DeUhhhh....first off that was not Breshnev in the video, it was Constantin Chernyenko(sp?) who was the Soviet leader in 1984 when this song & video where made. Second, who said it was Andropov?
• Ydur from Knoxville, TnThat's Breshnev, not Andropov in the video.

More Songfacts:

Up Around the BendCreedence Clearwater Revival

"Up Around The Bend" by Creedence Clearwater Revival had a different meaning to British listeners. In England, to go "Around the bend" means to go crazy.

DynamiteTaio Cruz

Taio Cruz throws his hands up "sometimes" in "Dynamite" because the song was originally written about surrender.

Crank That (Soulja Boy)Soulja Boy

"Crank That (Soulja Boy)" was the most successful digital track of 2007 in the US with 2,909,000 downloads. On January 6, 2008 it became the first song ever to sell 3 million digital copies in the States.

True CompanionMarc Cohn

When Marc Cohn played "True Companion" to his girlfriend, she thought he was proposing. He wasn't, but he did eventually marry her.

Brian WilsonBarenaked Ladies

Brian Wilson played Barenaked Ladies "Brian Wilson" at some of his concerts. He was "honored" by the song.

SongbirdFleetwood Mac

Christine McVie wrote "Songbird" for Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album in just half a hour after she woke up in the middle of the night with the song in her head.

Editor's Picks

Angelo Moore of FishboneSongwriter Interviews

Fishbone has always enjoyed much more acclaim than popularity - Angelo might know why.

Barney Hoskyns Explores The Forgotten History Of Woodstock, New YorkSong Writing

Our chat with Barney Hoskyns, who covers the wild years of Woodstock - the town, not the festival - in his book Small Town Talk.

Rush: Album by Album - A Conversation With Martin PopoffSong Writing

A talk with Martin Popoff about his latest book on Rush and how he assessed the thousands of albums he reviewed.

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Rob Halford of Judas PriestSongwriter Interviews

Rob Halford dives into some of his Judas Priest lyrics, talking about his most personal songs and the message behind "You've Got Another Thing Comin'."

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.