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.
With You
13th Floor Elevators Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you should watch them they soon will astound you,
I know a guy who said he felt threatened,
Said he dreamed nice things when you was around him
Dreams, dreams,
Can't help but believe him
Dreams, dreams,
How do you play there, many mind
How do you play there, many mind
Living in trust is what we should strive for,
Speak not the truth and soon you'll be called for,
Someday is coming and soon I'll be asking,
Ready yourself for love everlasting
Wind, rain, sun and sea,
Cannot keep, your love from me,
All these things, were meant to be
Dreams, dreams,
Can't help to believe me,
Dreams, dreams,
In seesaw bequeathing,
How do you play there, many mind
How do you play there, many mind
How do you play there, many mind
How do you play there, many mind
The lyrics of 13th Floor Elevators' song "You" are about the power of dreams and the people around us. The first two lines of the verse explain how dreams are told about people around us and how we should watch them closely because they can soon astound us. This suggests that people may have hidden talents or quirks that we can discover through our dreams. The next line talks about a man who felt threatened and claimed to have dreamed nice things when "you" were around him. "You" could refer to a specific person or simply the people around us. The chorus then emphasizes the power and importance of dreams, using the repetition of the word "dreams" to drive the point home. The last two lines of the chorus suggest that dreams can be unpredictable and fluctuate like a seesaw.
The second verse talks about the importance of trust and honesty in relationships. The line "speak not the truth and soon you'll be called for" suggests that hiding our true feelings or intentions will eventually catch up to us. The last two lines of the verse suggest that love is eternal and that we should prepare ourselves for it. The bridge continues with the theme of love, listing natural elements like wind, rain, sun, and sea that cannot keep someone's love from us. The repetition of "dreams" in the final verse emphasizes once again the importance of dreams and their potential to reveal truths about ourselves and others.
Overall, "You" is a song about the power of dreams and relationships. It suggests that by paying attention to our dreams and being honest and open with others, we can discover hidden talents and build lasting connections with those around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Dreams are told bout people around you,
There are rumors going around about the people you surround yourself with.
If you should watch them they soon will astound you,
If you pay attention to them, they will surprise you with what they are capable of.
I know a guy who said he felt threatened,
Someone told me that they felt uneasy or intimidated around you.
Said he dreamed nice things when you was around him
Despite feeling threatened, this person had good dreams when you were nearby.
Living in trust is what we should strive for,
We should aim to live our lives with trust in others.
Speak not the truth and soon you'll be called for,
If you lie or withhold the truth, eventually you will be held accountable.
Someday is coming and soon I'll be asking,
One day in the future, I will ask others to prepare themselves for eternal love.
Ready yourself for love everlasting
Prepare yourself for a type of love that will never end.
Wind, rain, sun and sea,
These natural elements are unable to stand in the way of love.
Cannot keep, your love from me,
Nothing can prevent me from receiving your love.
All these things, were meant to be
The connection between us and the love we share is destined to happen.
How do you play there, many mind
Asking how someone can keep their thoughts and emotions balanced in a complicated situation.
How do you play there, many mind
Reiterating the question about how someone is able to handle a difficult situation with multiple variables.
How do you play there, many mind
Asking again for insight on how someone can successfully navigate a complex scenario.
How do you play there, many mind
Continuing to question how someone is able to keep their thoughts and emotions under control in complicated situations.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID L. SHIRE, RICHARD E. MALTBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Djengo Corason
on of the best elevators songs outthere..
b.r. ross
Written by bassist Ronnie Leatherman--it was the only song he ever wrote for the Elevators--he had just returned to the band to provide the great bass parts on this song--and LP.
Leonardo Americo
totally agree!
wounds that never heal
My favourite Elevators song!
GALL
THANK YOU FOR UPLOADING! i love this song. great indeed
Michał Agsagsafsan
Stacy Sutherland was great musician. i wish he had more confidence and audacity in himself. he could have been so much more.
Glen Buxton
I strongly agree.
Mr RockNRoll
Chords are A, G, D, C... Throughout the song... For all you Homies on the 13th floor... Looking for the sound
fivedriedgramsinsilence
Dreams are told bout people around you,
If you should watch them they soon will astound you,
I know a guy who said he felt threatened,
Said he dreamed nice things when you was around him
Dreams, dreams,
can't help but believe him
Dreams, dreams,
can see saw beneath him
How do you play there ....many mind
How do you play there....many mind
Living in trust is what we should strive for,
speak not the truth and soon you'll be called for,
Someday is coming and soon I'll be asking,
Ready yourself for love everlasting
Wind, rain,... sun and sea,
Cannot keep... your love from me,
All these things... were meant to be
Dreams, dreams,
can't help to believe me,
Dreams, dreams,
in seesaw bequeathing,
How do you play there.... many mind
How do you play there.... many mind
How do you play there.... many mind
How do you play there.... many mind