1. An alterna… Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists that have used the name Electric Six
1. An alternative rock band from the United States
2. A musical group from South Africa
1. Electric Six is a six-piece Detroit-based rock band consisting of Dick Valentine (vocals), Tait Nucleus? (synthesizers), Johhny Na$hinal (guitar), Da Ve (guitar), Percussion World (drums), and Smorgasboard (bass) who play a mix of rock, funk and disco.
The band's first notorious formation comprised Valentine, Rock and Roll Indian (guitar), Surge Joebot (guitar), Disco (bass, former member of Detroit Cobras), and M (drums). Dick Valentine (real name Tyler Spencer) has always been the primary songwriter (both music and lyrics) of Electric Six, currently and under their former incarnation, when they were known as the Wildbunch. During the band's temporary split at the end of the 1990s, Spencer formed his own band called The Dirty Shame and released one CD entitled Smog Cutter Love Story which featured, among other tracks, a first version of Fire track "Vengeance and Fashion". The band reformed by 2001 to record and release the first release of 'Danger! High Voltage' and record the track 'Dealin' With Death N' Stealin' In The Name Of The Lord' with Troy Gregory for his Sybil album.
Electric Six fuses rock and punk with the laid-back funky rhythms and falsetto vocals of disco, and a distinctly comic touch. However, they tend to reject such genre classifications as disco-metal and disco punk. They formed the band in 1996 and were initially known as The Wildbunch, eventually dropping that name due to pressure from the Bristol trip-hop collection of the same name. Throughout the latter half of the '90s, they played about once a month at the Magic Bag in Ferndale, Magic Stick, and the now-defunct Gold Dollar in Detroit, the center of a scene that produced breakout acts like the White Stripes.
Electric Six's 2002 breakout single "Danger! High Voltage" was an infectious dance-rock number, and Jack White from The White Stripes helped sing back up vocals to this track. White has denied this, though Spencer has confirmed it in several interviews. The single reached number 2 on the UK singles chart, and they enjoy icon status in that nation.
Their second single, "Gay Bar", released in 2003, became a hit as well in the UK, reaching #5 in the charts and further aided the group's growth. Curiously, in the American Radio Edit of this track, The words "Nuclear War" are censored with whip-crack sound effects. After fulfilling their recording duties (namely their debut album) three members left in June, leaving Dick Valentine, Tait Nucleus? (synthesizer), and M.
The Colonel (Zach Shipps, guitar, ex-member of Brendan Benson and Mood Elevator), John R Dequindre (guitar and whose stage name is a combination of two Detroit streets) and Frank Lloyd Bonaventure (bass) subsequently joined the group, though they had all been credited on the album and most had been associated with the group for some time. At that time, they were touring in the UK, and they managed to seamlessly replace the members without interrupting the gigs. In time, Johnny Na$hinal joined the group on guitar, Dequindre switched to bass, and Bonaventure switched to law school.
The band's sophomore album, Señor Smoke, was released in the UK on February 14, 2005. Percussion World replaced M on drums around the same time.
The first single from the album put the band at the center of controversy, especially with Queen fans following a cover of the Queen hit song "Radio Ga Ga". The controversial music video shows lead singer Dick Valentine as the ghost of Queen's flamboyant lead singer Freddie Mercury and a backing band of poodles. Queen drummer Roger Taylor, who wrote the song, said that he was "unimpressed" with the video; however, Queen guitarist Brian May reportedly liked it. Electric Six claims they were contractually obligated to commit the song to the album. Issues with Warner Brothers caused a switch to Metropolis Records, who released Señor Smoke in the US.
Switzerland was released in September 2006. A plethora of videos have also been released, and a fan contribution contest led to the video for the single "I Buy the Drugs."
I Shall Exterminate Everything Around Me That Restricts Me From Being the Master was released in October 2007. Their next album, titled Flashy, was released in October 2008. In October 2009, their sixth album, KILL, was released. The 7th album, Zodiac was released on September 28, 2010, with one tour-exclusive single ("Jam it in the Hole") and the 8th, Heartbeats and Brainwaves, on October 11th 2011.
A double live album is set for release in 2012.
2. Electric Six was a Soweto-based South African combo active in the 1960s and 1970s
Dance-A-Thon 2005
Electric Six Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That man you're with
He ain't no innocent man
He's a killer child
I seen him rip apart a young girl
With his bare hands
Now I know you think you know just what you're doin'
But be careful with your heart
'cause this things about to start
And its about to escalate into a war
25 contestants start the show
But only 1 will survive
It's not how you dance
It's who you know
Dance-A-Thon 2005
Dance-A-Thon 2005
Dance-A-Thon 2005
2005
It's too hot
Too far apart
To understand the game
But when this thing is over child
Everybody here gonna' remember your name
Now baby shoot out all the lights
And bring those crazy judges down to their knees
'Cause they're watchin' you all night child
A distinguished panel of celebrities
25 contestants start the show
But only 1 will survive
It's not how you dance
It's who you know
Dance-A-Thon 2005
Dance-A-Thon 2005
Dance-A-Thon 2005
Dance-A-Thon 2005
Dance-A-Thon 2005
Five!
And I want to reach into the fire of your heart
And I want to program all those beats right from the start
Have you ever been to New York City?
New York City.....
The song "Dance-A-Thon 2005" by Electric Six is a commentary on the cutthroat nature of modern day society that is akin to a dance competition. The lyrics warn a woman to be careful of the man she's with because he's not as innocent as he seems, having killed a young girl with his bare hands. The woman may think she knows what she's doing, but the competition is about to start, and it's going to escalate into a war. The competition referenced is Dance-A-Thon 2005 where 25 contestants start, but only one will survive, implying that only the strongest and most astute will come out on top. The song suggests that the competition is less about dance skills and more about knowing the right people or having the right connections.
The song delivers a sense of anticipation and urgency in its lyrics that's underlined by its upbeat tempo and catchy melody. Electric Six's commentary on modern society's cutthroat nature and the dire consequences of failing to navigate it appropriately is interjected throughout the song's lyrics. The 'distinguished panel of celebrities' alludes to people in positions of power or influence, who dictate the winner of such a competition. The competition metaphor speaks to the societal pressure that dictates that we must constantly prove our worth by being the best, and the effort that goes into doing so, sometimes necessitating nefarious acts.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby get up off the floor
Get up from the dance floor and pay attention to what I'm telling you.
That man you're with
Referring to the woman's dance partner who is potentially dangerous.
He ain't no innocent man
This man is not innocent and potentially harmful.
He's a killer child
The man is dangerous and may have caused harm in the past.
I seen him rip apart a young girl
The artist has witnessed the man causing harm to another person.
With his bare hands
The man caused harm without any weapons or tools.
Now I know you think you know just what you're doin'
The woman believes she is in control of the situation, but the singer knows better.
You've been here time and time again before
The woman has been in similar situations before and may be desensitized to potential danger.
But be careful with your heart
The artist advises the woman to be cautious and not let her guard down.
'cause this things about to start
The dance-athon event is about to begin.
And its about to escalate into a war
The competition will become intense and combative.
25 contestants start the show
There are 25 initial participants in the dance-athon event.
But only 1 will survive
There will be only one winner of the competition.
It's not how you dance
Winning the competition is not solely based on dance ability.
It's who you know
Knowing important people may give an advantage in the competition.
Dance-A-Thon 2005
The name of the competition event and its year.
It's too hot
The event is intense and overwhelming.
Too far apart
The dance moves may be difficult and require a lot of space.
To understand the game
The competition may have hidden rules or be difficult to comprehend.
But when this thing is over child
After the competition is finished, everyone will remember the winner.
Everybody here gonna' remember your name
The winner of the competition will become famous or well-known.
Now baby shoot out all the lights
Turn off all the lights to create a dramatic effect.
And bring those crazy judges down to their knees
Impress and amaze the judges with a spectacular performance.
'Cause they're watchin' you all night child
The judges will be observing the dancers throughout the entire competition.
A distinguished panel of celebrities
The judges are important and well-known individuals.
And I want to reach into the fire of your heart
The singer wants to ignite and harness the passion in the dancer's heart.
And I want to program all those beats right from the start
The singer wants to influence and control the dancer's movements from the beginning of the competition.
Have you ever been to New York City?
This line is unrelated to the rest of the song and appears to be a non sequitur.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: SPENCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Conflagration Destination
Damn this song just pushed all the right buttons. Electric Six pls never die.
Matt Knoblock
Insanely underrated and it’s about to escalate into a war! Please make a dance-a-thon 2025!
ihreee
it doesnt matter how you dance but who you know! damn electric 6 is good!!!
Decky
This was the first non fire electric six song I heard and it blew me away.
paaluis
could we get this album on spotify please and thank you :)
frank riccardi
@Ob Fuscated can you upload some more of their full albums in single file, please, fren?
Because, saying...'fuck Spotify in its unwiped ass'
for a fren
Ob Fuscated
I download them off Youtube. Google is your friend as the methods change frequently....
Tom B
Can't wait to E6 again, fantastic live show
AWSOMEPOSSUM16
Can't stop listening.
Nash Knight
Why isn't this album on Spotify??