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
Gridlock!
Electric Six Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You locked up the grid locked up the grid
You got the whole world flipping it's lid
Torture, is something we do at night for fun
You can't fit my burger in your bun
And thank God I'm not the only one
Who's feeling so alone
I will call you on the phone and
turn your bleeding heart to stone
And I ain't playing no joker poker
I ain't playing no joker poker
I ain't playing no joker, poker
Sometimes in a lifetime of lies
Bloody tears are the tears she cries
And are you joking with your tape recorder
You were sent here to restore the order
And give us just one more moment of sanity
Silence, is just a suspension of belief
A way to explain away the grief
And every policeman needs a chief
Gridlock, look what you did, look what you did
You locked up the grid locked up the grid
You know you gotta gotta
Keep your love hid from all those roguish thieves
Who live to kneecap knobby knees
Who cares what anyone here believes
I wear my heart on rayon sleeves
I ain't playing no joker poker
I ain't playing no joker poker
I ain't playing no joker poker
I ain't playing no joker poker
One night in a night life so white
The vampiress she takes a bite
She wallows in her delight
As you lose your will to fight
The news today was a real shocker
You're sitting down but you're off your rocker
Just another prisoner of fantasy
I ain't playing no joker poker
No joker poker
I ain't playing no joker poker
No joker poker
I ain't playing no joker poker
No joker poker
"Gridlock" by Electric Six is a song about the chaos and frustration caused by a traffic jam or a gridlocked situation. The lyrics describe the world going crazy and losing their minds because of the gridlock, which has trapped everyone in place. The song touches on several other themes too, with a few lines suggesting love, heartbreak, and torture.
The chorus, "Gridlock, look what you did, look what you did, you locked up the grid locked up the grid, you got the whole world flipping its lid," is a clear reference to the frustrating experience of being stuck in traffic or a gridlocked situation. The vocalist's tone of voice conveys annoyance and impatience, emphasizing the feeling of being stuck and unable to move.
The lyrics also reference other things that cause frustration and chaos, like torture and a vampire. The line "One night in a night life so white, the vampiress she takes a bite" suggests that even supernatural beings can be a source of chaos and frustration. "Sometimes in a lifetime of lies, bloody tears are the tears she cries" paints a picture of a person who has experienced heartbreak and disappointment, like all their lies and deceptions have finally caught up with them.
Overall, "Gridlock" captures the feeling of being trapped and frustrated in a chaotic, unpredictable world, where anything can happen at any moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Gridlock, look what you did, look what you did
Addressing the issue of gridlock on the streets affecting the lives of people
You locked up the grid locked up the grid
Traffic congestion everywhere caused by too many cars on the road
You got the whole world flipping it's lid
Gridlock causes frustration and rage among people
Torture, is something we do at night for fun
A satirical comment on how the humans find pleasure in torturing others
You can't fit my burger in your bun
An unfortunate circumstance where one's expectations don't match up to someone else's capability
And thank God I'm not the only one
Feeling grateful for not being alone in a tough situation
Who's feeling so alone
Expressing loneliness and isolation
Awaiting patiently for the cyclone
Waiting for a significant change or disruption to occur
I will call you on the phone and
A plan to confront someone or make a call
turn your bleeding heart to stone
An intention to make someone emotionally numb
And I ain't playing no joker poker
Not willing to compromise or back down
Sometimes in a lifetime of lies
Commenting on how often people are dishonest
Bloody tears are the tears she cries
Referring to someone who is crying with pain or suffering
And are you joking with your tape recorder
Skepticism about some media sources or their reporting methods
You were sent here to restore the order
A belief that someone has come to fix a problem or establish peace
And give us just one more moment of sanity
Wishing for peace and calmness in a chaotic world
Silence, is just a suspension of belief
Viewing silence as an unreal, temporary state
A way to explain away the grief
Silence is used as an excuse to hide sadness
And every policeman needs a chief
Acknowledging the importance of guidance and authority in law enforcement
You know you gotta gotta
Emphasis on the importance of something
Keep your love hid from all those roguish thieves
Warning someone to keep their emotions hidden from those who may exploit them
Who live to kneecap knobby knees
Describing people who harm others for fun or profit
Who cares what anyone here believes
Suggesting that others' beliefs are irrelevant or insignificant
I wear my heart on rayon sleeves
The act of being open and honest with one's emotions
One night in a night life so white
A scene describing a night-time setting
The vampiress she takes a bite
An illustration of someone taking advantage of another without regard for their feelings or consent
She wallows in her delight
The portrayal of someone who revels in causing others pain
As you lose your will to fight
The sense of helplessness when faced with adversity
The news today was a real shocker
The surprise of hearing something unexpected or unusual
You're sitting down but you're off your rocker
Describing someone who is behaving unusually or irrationally
Just another prisoner of fantasy
Describing someone who indulges in unrealistic or impossible dreams
No joker poker
Repeating the earlier statement about not being willing to compromise
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind