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.
May the Circle Remain Unbroken
13th Floor Elevators Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
May the circle remain unbroken.
May the circle remain unbroken.
MmmhmmMmmmMmmm.
May the circle remain unbroken.
MmmhmmMmmmMmmm.
The lyrics of "May the Circle Remain Unbroken" by the 13th Floor Elevators are quite simple yet profound. The repetition of "May the circle remain unbroken" three times creates a ritualistic and meditative atmosphere within the song. The circle is a symbol of continuity and wholeness, representing a sense of unity and interconnectedness. By wishing for the circle to remain unbroken, the singer is expressing a desire for this sense of unity and interconnectedness to continue, perhaps even beyond death or other life changes.
Line by Line Meaning
May the circle remain unbroken.
Let the connection and bond between us remain strong and everlasting, unbroken by any outside influence or force.
May the circle remain unbroken.
Let our unity and sense of community persist and endure, unbroken even in the face of adversity or challenge.
May the circle remain unbroken.
Let our shared experiences and memories continue to bind us together, unbroken by the passing of time or distance.
MmmhmmMmmmMmmm.
Expressing a feeling of deep sincerity and heartfelt desire for the circle to remain unbroken.
May the circle remain unbroken.
Reiterating the hope and prayer that the circle, and all that it symbolizes, will remain intact and unbroken.
MmmhmmMmmmMmmm.
Continuing to convey a sense of genuine emotion and earnestness in the desire for the circle to stay unbroken.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ROCKY ERICKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mrrocknroll5284
Sitting on the edge of the cliff. My legs hanging over. Hot summers evening. No one around. I lit a joint and the warm wind blows. I had this on full blast. This song is my lullaby
@Sush9546
Its a shame that rock songs like these dont get much of a recognition
@Bilborock
In Spain we say honey is not made for the mouth of the pigs. We are rockers and the rest are common people.
@Upstreamprovider
@@Bilborock What an excellent saying!! :) Pearls before swine!
@TroyWindhorst
Hauntingly sweet.
@reedtheinfinite
i love that so much!@@Bilborock
@laurenceburris6361
This
song
is
spooky
good
that
gets
into
your
soul
as
nothing
else
can.
@markpearson4693
R.I.P. Roky . You made my 20's - in the '80's - magical ! Thanks .
@markpearson4693
Thanks for the heart ! That makes Two of us who understand the music ! Peace and calm to you .
@tundratunes
Same here, I was 19 in 1980 when I bought both the International Artists 12-lp vinyl box set and the International Artists compilation double-LP Epitaph for a Legend. These were a major component of the soundtrack for my years in university. Just mind-blowing. I still sometimes cry when I hear Right Track Now, Roky's duet with Clementine Hall on the Epitaph LP. no one can touch this level of pathos... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs-VricwqHI