The band rattled to the middle of the Hot 100 in 1966 with You're Gonna Miss Me, anchored by Roky Erickson's unforgettable yelping vocals, Stacy Sutherland's guitar, and Tommy Hall's electric jug runs. According to myth, Tommy's jug was tuned by the amount of marijuana stored in it.
The group pioneered some of the first garage psychedelia on its albums The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators 1966, and the followup Easter Everywhere 1967.
However, Texas at that time was an extremely conservative area that still hadn't come to terms with 50's rock 'n' roll. The authorities and the police set out to bust the entire band for pot (and—not surprisingly—succeeded).
Stacy Sutherland was jailed. To avoid a prison term, Roky pleaded insanity—a misguided ploy that landed him in Rusk State Hospital for the criminally insane for 3 years. That turn of events spelled the end of the band, although there was a posthumous 1968 LP, Bull of the Woods.
Roky Erickson was released from hospital in 1973 and embarked upon a successful solo career that resulted in a CBS album produced by Stu Cook from Creedence Clearwater Revival. During the 1980s he struggled with mental illness and withdrew from public life for many years. However, in the 2000s he has re-emerged with one of his late 70s/early 80s backing bands, The Explosives, playing regular gigs including the Austin City Limits festival in September 2005, as well as Coachella in California, the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden and Montreal World Film festival in Canada.
On May 31, 2019, Roky Erickson passed away.
Kingdom of Heaven
13th Floor Elevators Lyrics
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I'm watching your reactions as the thing within you cries
And I'm bringing you this message 'cause I think it's time you knew
That the kingdom of heaven is within you
The incense and the candles and the colors on the wall
Your image stands reflected as a princess come to call
Your suspicions I'm confirming as you find them all quite true
Through the stained glass windows moonlight flashes on the choir
And splashes on the altar in glows of liquid fire
Then it bathes you with its glory and you begin life anew
And the kingdom of heaven is within you
The song "Kingdom of Heaven" by 13th Floor Elevators speaks about a spiritual journey where the singer helps his companion reach enlightenment. The first verse describes the singer observing his companion as something within them cries. This could represent their soul or inner self, yearning for spiritual growth. He then reveals a message that the "kingdom of heaven is within you." This phrase comes from Matthew 6:33, where Jesus tells his disciples to seek first the kingdom of God within themselves. The singer is urging his companion to embark on a spiritual journey and find the kingdom of heaven within themselves.
In the second verse, the singer creates an ambiance that is conducive to spiritual awakening. The incense, candlelight, and decorative colors on the wall create a mystical atmosphere that intensifies his companion's journey to enlightenment. The singer affirms his companion's suspicions of their spiritual crisis and reassures them that the kingdom of heaven they are seeking is within. The third verse describes how the moonlight shining through stained glass windows flashes on the choir and altar, creating an otherworldly environment. The light then bathes the companion in its glory and allows them to begin life anew, having found the kingdom of heaven within themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Here you are at my place within your glistening eyes
I can see that you are impressed with my surroundings and admiring them with wonder in your eyes.
I'm watching your reactions as the thing within you cries
I can see that you are moved emotionally, as if something deep inside of you is speaking out or shedding tears.
And I'm bringing you this message 'cause I think it's time you knew
I want to tell you this important message because I feel like it is something that you need to hear right now.
That the kingdom of heaven is within you
You have the power and potential within yourself to achieve greatness and attain inner peace and joy.
The incense and the candles and the colors on the wall
The atmosphere, the ambiance, and the aesthetics of this place are enhancing your spiritual experience.
Your image stands reflected as a princess come to call
You look like a royal, majestic figure who has come here to embrace your inner divinity.
Your suspicions I'm confirming as you find them all quite true
I am confirming your hunches or gut feelings that this place and this experience is indeed what you have been seeking or missing in your life.
And the kingdom of heaven is within you
Once again, I want to emphasize that you don't need to look elsewhere or depend on external factors to find happiness and fulfillment, as they are already present inside you.
Through the stained glass windows moonlight flashes on the choir
The moonlight shining through the colored glass windows creates constantly changing, mystical reflections on the singers or musicians in the choir, intensifying your immersion in the sacred or ethereal realm.
And splashes on the altar in glows of liquid fire
The light gives intensity and vividness to the altar or religious symbol, as if it is emitting a passionate, burning energy.
Then it bathes you with its glory and you begin life anew
The transformative, blissful effect of this spiritual ambiance envelopes you completely, making you feel renewed and revitalized, like you have been reborn.
And the kingdom of heaven is within you
This last line emphasizes and reinforces the central theme of the song, that the ultimate source of peace, love, and fulfillment can be found within oneself, without any external condition or restriction.
Contributed by Wyatt S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.