Even though the most dangerous moment in the Cold War (Cuban Missile Crisis) was already more than twenty years in the past, 1984 maybe represents the period of the greatest fear. Fear of the Bomb, fear of the Russians (for the West, I suppose). Two tribes is testament to that. Music and lyrics are about representing the two tribes of Russia and America, with at their heads Reagan and Chernenko. The accompanying video shows them both in a fighting match, as shown on the cover.
Musically the two tribes are represented by two different themes. In the Trevor Horn produced version from 1984 these are a funk line played on base for the American, and more harmonic string music for the Russian theme. There is however an earlier recording from BBC’s John Peel, made in 1982. According to the wiki page it already had these two distinctive melody lines, pre-Horn. I have to take that page on its word, because I couldn’t find the recording.
Today is Record Store Day, so it is time for me to leave the house!