Formed in Cincinnati in 1986, Greg Dulli (vocals, rhythm guitar), Rick McCollum (lead guitar), John Curley (bass), and Steve Earle (drums -- not to be confused with country musician Steve Earle) .
In 1988, they released their debut album Big Top Halloween on their own Ultrasuede label. The album caught the attention and imagination of the independent music community and the band soon signed to Sub Pop of Seattle in 1989. Sub Pop's signing of the Afghan Whigs created quite a stir at the time as they were the first non-Northwestern U.S. band to record for the label.
In 1990, their first Sub Pop release Up in It was released; the blistering pace and yowling, effects-heavy guitars on tracks like "White Trash Party" gave no hint of the stylistic about-face to come. It was followed by a limited edition single released by No.6 Records under the name The Ornament.
With the critically acclaimed 1992 album Congregation and a limited covers EP, Uptown Avondale, the band adopted what would become their signature soul-influenced sound.
Soon the Afghan Whigs signed to a major label, Elektra Records, and in 1993 released another critically acclaimed album, Gentlemen. Although the singles “Debonair” and “Gentlemen” were fairly popular, the album failed to launch the band into the mainstream.
Beside regular appearances on MTV's playlists, their track "Fountain and Fairfax" also appeared on the television series My So-Called Life in 1994.
Despite personnel problems interfering with recording and touring, 1996 saw the band release the noir-influenced Black Love (the album featured Paul Buchignani on drums in place of Steve Earle). Although the main subject matter in previous releases were liquor-drenched obsession, secrets and misery, Black Love was a step into a more dark, even seedier and complex side of Dulli’s persona.
In 1996, Greg Dulli served as executive producer for the soundtrack for the Ted Demme film Beautiful Girls. the Afghan Whigs appeared in the film as a bar band and contributed two songs to the soundtrack (Frederick Knight’s "Be For Real" and Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe").
In 1998, the Afghan Whigs released their 6th album, 1965, on Columbia Records (Michael Horrigan, former Love Cowboys bassist replaced Buchignani). The album saw the band on inspired form. Sadly, it was the band's last full-length album of original material.
Despite reports that the band had started work on their 7th album, the Afghan Whigs announced their split in 2001, citing the strain of geographic distance between members as the reason.
In 2006, the Afghan Whigs temporarily reunited. The ‘1965’ lineup (Dulli, McCollum, Curley, Horrigan) recorded two new tracks ("I’m A Soldier" and "Magazine") which are featured on their retrospective titled Unbreakable (A Retrospective) which was released in June 2007.
In December 2011, the band announced that it would be appearing at All Tomorrow's Parties' renowned I'll Be Your Mirror festival on May 25-27, 2012 in London, England. As well, Dulli will serve as the curator, and the Whigs the headliner, for ATP's stateside edition on September 22nd, 2012 in Asbury Park, New Jersey; further dates continue to be announced, including major summer-festival headlining spots at Spain's Primavera, among others. Drummer Cully Symington (Okkervil River, Gutter Twins) and multi-instrumentalist Rick Nelson (Polyphonic Spree, Twilight Singers) will join Curley, Dulli, and McCollum for all shows, which will feature songs from the entire span of the Afghan Whigs repertoire, along with a few new surprises and songs never before played live.
These developments provided both surprise and relief for the group's members. "The pressure is really nonexistent, because we're playing songs that we've already completed - that we already know," Dulli says. "Those songs still resonate with me; in fact, they have always resonated with me. I imagine there will be people who never saw the band before, too, and that's exciting." "It will be nice to experience the Whigs again as a grown-up," jokes Curley. "In my mind, the Whigs were a live band above anything else. Playing shows always was our favorite part about being in the band, and the times when we felt the most freedom and release. I missed playing at that level; I missed playing the songs that we wrote, that meant so much to people - and to us." (from www.theafghanwhigs.com History). In 2014 they released "Do to the Beast" and performed in Ireland, Israel, and the U.S.
66
Afghan Whigs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just like smoke
With a little come on, come on, come on
In your walk
Well, come on
I've been waitin'
Are you waitin?
For my move, well I'm makin' it
If I can move it with ya
Will you let me take it?
I'll be down on my knees
Screamin' take me, take me, take me, take me
I'm yours
I've never felt so out of control
You don't even know what you're doin' to me
Come on and do it to me
Don'tcha stop
Come on, come on
Come on little rabbit
Show me where you got it
Cause I know you got a habit
The Afghan Whigs’ song 66 is a sultry and seductive tune about a chance encounter with a mysterious woman that leaves the singer feeling helplessly infatuated. The opening line, “you walked in just like smoke”, emphasizes how effortlessly and mysteriously the woman entered the scene. The repetition of “come on” throughout the song suggests the woman’s teasing nature and the singer’s desire for her to be more direct with her intentions. The singer is clearly enamored with her and is making his own move in the hopes of winning her over. The lyrics convey a sense of heightened desire and vulnerability as the singer pleads with the woman to let him in and take him over. The line “I've never felt so out of control” suggests that the singer has been completely taken over by the woman’s power and seduction, and he is powerless to resist her.
The verses of the song consist of deep basslines, layered percussion rhythms, and Greg Dulli’s gritty and soulful vocals. The chorus explodes with exuberance and energy as the entire band joins in with “come on, come on” chants, accentuated by the brass section. The smooth and sultry saxophone solo towards the end of the song heightens the feeling of intense desire and passion that permeates throughout.
Line by Line Meaning
You walked in
You entered the room
Just like smoke
Very lightly and swiftly
With a little come on, come on, come on
With a subtle invitation to engage
In your walk
In the way you move
Well, come on
I am inviting you
I've been waitin'
I have been anticipating this moment
Are you waitin'?
Are you excited too?
For my move, well I'm makin' it
I am taking action in response to your presence
So tell me baby, can you shake it?
Can you dance with me?
If I can move it with ya
If we can dance together
Will you let me take it?
Will you let me lead?
I'll be down on my knees
I am submitting to you
Screamin' take me, take me, take me, take me
I want you to have me
I'm yours
I belong to you
I've never felt so out of control
You make me feel vulnerable
You don't even know what you're doin' to me
You have power over me
Come on and do it to me
Please use your power over me
Don'tcha stop
Don't stop what you're doing
Come on, come on
Encouraging to continue
Come on little rabbit
Addressing the partner in a playful manner
Show me where you got it
Demonstrate your skills
Cause I know you got a habit
You are skilled at what you are doing
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: GREGORY E. DULLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@luanbejeveld80
Damn, I ran into this band back in 1999 thanks to rock sound magazine number 15, it came with a cd full of great tunes including this one..
So f…nostalgic
@nicolestarr4556
This song is very hard to find. I love it!!!
@ENIAWOOD
Me in 2020 looking at my 15 year old self listening to this song like... dude, you were so happy and you didn't even know!
@liamx6636
You weren't as happy as you're thinking. That'd called nostalgia. Chances are you were moody and angsty at 15. If your life is less happy as an adult, then make the changes necessary to be happier.
@robc5051
I'm 34 so no clue if I was 15 when I discovered Afghan Whigs... maybe 19ish? But yeah, I know the feeling you're talking about.
@Andys61724
90s kid 😉
@edibleair
Possibly the greatest song about rabbits I've ever heard
@Revelwoodie
Oh, it's a great song, no doubt. But there are a lot of great songs about rabbits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4efjxYr-Y2E
@treasuremaclea1641
Mr. Rabbit. Birl Ives and Mr. Westerberg.
@ericsamuelaguirre5709
The most sexual rock band of the nineties. While other bands were talking about depression and drugs, this guys were talking about sex.