51st State (song)

This article is about the New Model Army song. For idea of a 51st state of the US, see 51st state. For the film, see The 51st State.
"51st State"
Single by New Model Army
from the album The Ghost of Cain
B-side"Ten Commandments"
"A Liberal Education" (live)
"No Rest" (live)
"No Man's Land" (live)
ReleasedSeptember 1986
GenrePost-punk
LabelEMI
Songwriter(s)Ashley Cartwright, New Model Army
Producer(s)Glyn Johns
New Model Army singles chronology
"Brave New World"
(1985) 		"51st State"
(1986) 		"Poison Street"
(1987)

"51st State" is a single by New Model Army, which appeared on their 1986 album The Ghost of Cain.[1] The lyrics to the song stated that the UK was the 51st state of the United States[2] and were believed to be behind a ban by the American Musician's Union on the band, which prevented them touring the Ghost of Cain album in the United States.[1]

The track was released as a single through EMI and reached number 71 on the UK Singles Chart,[3] spending just two weeks in the listing. It was the band's fourth appearance on that chart.

Originally this song was written by Ashley Cartwright and performed by his band called The Shakes, from whom New Model Army took the song after The Shakes broke up in 1983.[4]

  1. ^ a b Perrone, Pierre (2011-10-09). "Robert Heaton obituary: Drummer/songwriter with New Model Army". independent.co.uk. The Independent. Archived from the original on 2012-10-15.
  2. ^ Cartwright, Ashley (1986). "51st State". newmodelarmy.org. New Model Army. Archived from the original on 2020-09-22. Here in the land of opportunity, watch us revel in our liberty. You can say what you like but it doesn't change anything, because the corridors of power are an ocean away. We're the 51st state of America
  3. ^ "51st State Chart History". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  4. ^ "Ashley Cartwright". newmodelarmy.org. Retrieved 2024-03-27.