Named for a Soviet refrigerator (not the Korg line of musical instruments - the band predates those by a decade), the band was comprised of four electronic composers/producers from Birmingham (Brian Nordhoff, Joe Stevens, Les Fleming, and Roberto Cimarosti) and a female vocalist from Hamburg in Germany (Billie Ray Martin).
Before signing to Mercury Records in 1988, they released their first single Talking With Myself without much success. However before the next single release, Billie Ray Martin guested with Eric Robinson of Eric and the Good Good Feeling on the S'Express record, Hey Music Lover.
The Top Ten success of Hey Music Lover sparked interest from the music press in Billie Ray Martin's band, though Eric and the Good Good Feeling's album flopped on Exquinox. Electribe 101 were signed to Mercury/Phonogram and a press blitz (justified in this case) concerning their groundbreaking singles commenced as "Tell Me When The Fever Ended" (their first release on Mercury) was hitting the racks.
In 1990 Electribe 101 released their debut album called Electribal Memories to critical acclaim. The groups tracks were compared heavily to the music of Larry Heard a.k.a. Fingers Inc. and later as Mr. Fingers. Both Heard and fellow house pioneer Frankie Knuckle contributed remixes. "Electribal Memories" was a slinky house based album in a style similar to other early 90s acts such as The Beloved and Sunsonic. Electribe 101 stood out for their mixture of hip-hop beats (used as samples to garnish their grooves), techno house, avante-garde poetry and classic American soul.
In late 1990, the band released their reading of the classic Jesse Rae song Inside Out (a hit, amongst others, for the group Odyssey in the early 1980s. Perhaps due to fallings out with their management and a lack of a unified vision for the groups future, promotion was inadequate and the song failed to reach the Top 75. It has become an underground classic, as have all of their single releases.
Though accounts vary as to why, the group split during sessions for the never-completed second album. Not wanting to carry on under the Electribe 101 name without Billie , the band renamed themselves The Groove Corporation and signed to the Network sub-label Six6 - already home to Kevin Saunderson and his project Inner City. After guesting on tracks for others, Billie made a sensational solo debut when her first single for WEA, "Your Loving Arms" stormed the club charts in every European country before repeating its success on U.S. dancefloors. A second single "Running Around Town" failed to perform as well, but the third "Imitation of Life" enjoyed a respectable release and has become a classic in its own right. Electribe 101's importance can be discerned by their presence in Ben Watt's 2005 "Essential Mix" for Radio One: the relatively short set of mostly 2004/2005 house tracks featured their 1990 single "Inside Out" in its closing grooves. "Talking With Myself" and "Tell Me When the Fever Ended" continue to pop up in hipster-oriented "Chillout" compilations (such as the "Cafe Del Mar" series and its many knock-offs).
Inside Out
Electribe 101 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh darling, Mmmm
When you're sitting on your own
And you feel the city lights surround you
And she's always on the phone
But you just don't think that you can fight it
Don't give up don't give up
Ooo, give up give up darling what you dream
Coz like the words here in this song
We'll go on and on and on with our love
Yeaheaheah
I wanna be inside out, oh darling
Mmm,I want to be so deep that you can turn me
Inside out, oh darling
Oh I want to be so deep that you can read in me
Inside out, over and over again
Mmm, Oh darling
Oh darling
When you're lying in her bed
And you're in her arms instead of mine love
And you feel her tightening grip
Like a genie I will slip from your heart
Won't give up won't give up won't give up won't give up
Ohh, give up give up darling what you dream
Like the notes here in this song
Like the words here in this song
Life goes on and on and on with our love
Yeaheaheah
I wanna be inside out, oh darling
Oh,I've got to be so deep that you can turn me
Inside out, oh darling
Mmm,I want it to be so deep that you can drown in me
Inside out, over and over again, Mmm
Hey I want to be so deep that you can turn in me
Turn in me, yeah, Oh darling
Hey I've got to be so deep that you can turn in me
Over and over, oh baby
Oh darling, Mmm, oh darling, yeah, Mmm
When you're sitting on your own
And you feel the city lights surround you
And she's always on the phone
And you just don't think that you got the strength to fight it
Don't give up don't give up
Don't give up don't give up
Ooo, give up give up darling what you dream
Mmm, like the words here in this song
We'll go on and on and on with our love, yeaheaheah
I wanna be
Inside out
Oh darling
I wanna be
Inside out
Oh darling
I want to be so deep that you can turn in me
Inside out
Oh darling
I have to be so deep that you can read in me
Inside out
Over and over and over and over
Oh darling
Over and over
Oh, over and over
Oh darling
Oh darling
The song "Inside Out" by Electribe 101 is about unrequited love and the feelings of longing and despair that come with it. The lyrics describe the singer's feelings of isolation and helplessness when they are constantly surrounded by the sights and sounds of the city, and their heart is breaking because the person they love is with someone else. The chorus is a plea for the object of their affection to see them for who they are and to love them for their vulnerabilities, to "turn me inside out" and see all their deepest thoughts and desires.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of resilience and determination to keep fighting for what they want, even if it seems impossible. The repetition of "don't give up" and "we'll go on and on and on with our love" suggests that the singer is willing to keep hoping and dreaming, despite the pain of unrequited love. The use of musical metaphors, such as "like the notes here in this song," reinforces the sense that the singer sees their love as something beautiful, meaningful, and enduring.
Overall, "Inside Out" is a heartfelt and emotional song that captures the complexity of unrequited love, and the desire to be seen and accepted for one's true self.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're sitting on your own
When you're alone, surrounded by the bright lights of the city.
And you feel the city lights surround you
When you are surrounded by the bright lights of the city.
And she's always on the phone
And your lover is always on the phone, maybe talking to someone else.
But you just don't think that you can fight it
But you feel powerless to do anything about it.
Don't give up don't give up
Don't lose hope, keep going.
Ooo, give up give up darling what you dream
You may have to let go of your dreams, darling, to accept how things are.
Coz like the words here in this song
Because, like the lyrics of this song, life goes on and on with love.
We'll go on and on and on with our love
Love goes on and on and on.
I wanna be inside out, oh darling
I want to be so close to you that you can see every part of me, physically and emotionally.
And you feel her tightening grip
And you notice the hold that your lover has on you, maybe making it difficult to let go.
Like a genie I will slip from your heart
Just like how a genie disappears back into their lamp, I will also leave your heart.
Won't give up won't give up
I won't give up.
Like the notes here in this song
Just like the melody of this song, love is continuous.
Life goes on and on and on with our love
Love goes on and on and on.
I've got to be so deep that you can turn me
I need to be so close to you that you can completely change me, turn me inside out.
I want it to be so deep that you can drown in me
I want to be so close to you that you can completely immerse yourself in me, drown in me.
Hey I want to be so deep that you can turn in me
Hey, I need to be so close to you that you can change me from the inside.
When you're sitting on your own
When you're alone, surrounded by the city lights.
And you just don't think that you got the strength to fight it
And you might feel like you don't have the strength to face the challenges.
Ooo, give up give up darling what you dream
Maybe you need to let go of your dreams to come to terms with reality.
Mmm, like the words here in this song
Just like the lyrics of this song, love goes on and on and on.
We'll go on and on and on with our love, yeaheaheah
Love goes on and on and on.
I wanna be inside out
I want to be so close to you that you can fully understand me, inside out.
I have to be so deep that you can read in me
I need to be so close to you that you can understand me fully, read me like a book.
Over and over and over and over
Repeatedly, constantly, continuously.
Contributed by Cameron O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.