She's Got Claws

"She’s Got Claws" is a song by Gary Numan released in 1981 as a single and on the album Dance. It was Numan’s first record under his own name following his so-called 'farewell' concerts at Wembley Arena in April the same year. It signalled a different musical style for the electropop star, featuring jazz-influenced saxophone and fretless bass, as well as a new image comprising trilby hat and pinstriped suit, inspired by Humphrey Bogart and Howard Hughes.

An obscure single in July 1981 called "Stormtrooper in Drag", released under the name of his friend and bass-player Paul Gardiner but co-written and sung by Numan, provided a foretaste of the latter’s new sound, far removed from the science fiction influenced synthpop that had made him a star. Aside from being a departure from previous material, "She’s Got Claws" was unusual among Numan’s jazz-style output in utilising the sax as lead instrument rather than simply for a discreet solo; it was played by Mick Karn from Japan, who also contributed bass on the track.

Like much of its parent album, the song was inspired by the betrayal of a former lover. According to Numan, "There was a 'little incident' in February that involved one particular person who thought she could make an awful lot of money out of saying what it was like to be with me for six months. You don't expect that. I was all set for, y'know, the ring - the lot! Then it turns round and hits you like an atom bomb."^[1] The music video literalised the idea of a predatory woman by showing the singer on the run from a panther in scenes that prefigured the remake of Cat People, released the following year.

The single's B-side was an abstract track called "I Sing Rain", whose vocal largely consisted of the word "rain" repeated over and over as well as various wordless cries. An additional B-side released on the 12" single, "Exhibition", utilised the ubiquitous Roland CR-78 drum machine preset also found on Numan's recordings of "On Broadway", "Bombers (live)", "Remember I was Vapour", "Telekon", and "Stories".

"She's Got Claws" was the only single release from the Dance album, making number 6 in the UK.^[2] Prior to its release it was played live on Numan's Teletour, and recorded at the farewell Wembley concert for the video Micromusic (soundtrack released later as Living Ornaments '81). It was covered by Posh on the Random tribute album in 1997. A remixed version appeared on the collection The Mix in 1998.