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.
Livin' On
13th Floor Elevators Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To set the times awry,
I'm bringing in my stocking,
If the score is tied
I may drop in
And plant smokestakes,
Giving it,
What's up it's wrong,
So I'm just living on
I hear you talkin
You're only popping spits,
Automatic walking,
Oh the smack appears
Your dingy just, circles insane
Take the Lord's, name in vain
Betty Jean comes off like
Its livin on
Living on past the Ice Age,
And walrus harpoons,
Living on past the Space Age,
And the yellow balloons
In the Age of the exit,
Are the moving cartoons
Bringing you right along
Helping you living on
My special and took me out alone
He showed me a level,
I'm talking on my own
So don't be taken by what I say,
If its too rigid just go away,
You're never really gone,
Only livin on
If you miss my watching,
Sometimes I'm catching all I can,
In the steady watching,
Of the prophet's plan,
Whoa, and the good life will fill,
People tell
Will keep us our souls very well,
In the wisdom of Right ever long,
And the spirit of us, livin on
The lyrics of Livin' On by the 13th Floor Elevators seem to be about living life on one's own terms, despite what society may deem as right or wrong. The language used is quite poetic and abstract, making it open to interpretation.
The opening lines of "See me rocking / To set the times awry / I'm bringing in my stocking / If the score is tied" possibly suggest the singer is rebelling against societal norms and expectations. They don't want to conform and instead want to do things their way. "Bringing in my stocking / If the score is tied" may refer to the idea of having a secret weapon or trick to use if they need it.
"I may drop in / And plant smokestakes, / Giving it, / Leaves no tracks" suggests the singer is unpredictable and secretive. They might make an appearance and leave just as quickly without a trace. "What's up it's wrong, / So I'm just living on" seems to suggest that the singer acknowledges that their behavior may be frowned upon but they are going to continue living their life the way they want to anyway.
The second verse appears to describe the changing nature of society and how the singer and their beliefs fit into it. "Living on past the Ice Age / And walrus harpoons/ Living on past the Space Age / And the yellow balloons" suggests that the singer is looking beyond the current time and era, as if their beliefs have been and will continue to be relevant, regardless of the time period.
Overall, Livin' On seems to be a song about living one's life unconventionally and embracing individuality, even if it's not always accepted by society.
Line by Line Meaning
See me rocking,
Watch me dance and move energetically
To set the times awry,
To disrupt and challenge societal norms and expectations
I'm bringing in my stocking,
I have brought my best skills and abilities to succeed
If the score is tied
If the game is even and undecided
I may drop in
I might make an appearance
And plant smokestakes,
And leave behind evidence of my presence
Giving it,
Doing it
Leaves no tracks,
Does not leave any traceable evidence
What's up it's wrong,
Even though it may not be right, I keep doing it
So I'm just living on
So I continue to survive and exist
I hear you talkin
I hear you talking and making noise
You're only popping spits,
You are only talking nonsense
Automatic walking,
Moving through life like a machine without much thought
Oh the smack appears
Suddenly, there is a confrontation or problem
Your dingy just, circles insane
Your mind goes around in circles, unable to think straight
Take the Lord's, name in vain
Use religious language improperly or disrespectfully
Betty Jean comes off like
Betty Jean seems to be
Its livin on
Living without worrying too much about anything else
Living on past the Ice Age,
Surviving and thriving despite difficult and harsh conditions
And walrus harpoons,
And hunting tools used in the past
Living on past the Space Age,
Continuing to exist and progress beyond past achievements
And the yellow balloons
And the celebrations and hype surrounding progress and success
In the Age of the exit,
In a time when people are leaving or giving up
Are the moving cartoons
Are the distractions and entertainment that keep people going
Bringing you right along
Keeping you engaged and motivated
Helping you living on
Helping you continue to exist and survive
My special and took me out alone
My friend took me out to a special place
He showed me a level,
He revealed a new way of thinking or being
I'm talking on my own
I am now able to think and speak for myself
So don't be taken by what I say,
Do not be fooled or misled by my words
If its too rigid just go away,
If you cannot handle my ideas, then leave
You're never really gone,
You never truly disappear or die
Only livin on
Always surviving and continuing to exist
If you miss my watching,
If you miss my presence or guidance
Sometimes I'm catching all I can,
Sometimes I am doing my best to keep up
In the steady watching,
In the consistent and vigilant observing
Of the prophet's plan,
Of the insight and guidance provided by a prophetic figure
Whoa, and the good life will fill,
And a fulfilling and enjoyable life will be had
People tell
That's what people say
Will keep us our souls very well,
Will protect and nourish our inner selves
In the wisdom of Right ever long,
In the eternal guidance of what is right and just
And the spirit of us, livin on
And the perseverance and vitality of our spirits will continue to thrive
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind