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
Steal Your Bones
Electric Six Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But look what we've become
Truth can be somewhat numbing
When we see that we've been so dumb
To ensure your survival
I need you dead upon arrival
Though you surely won't remember
Everything I did to make you love me
You are the friend of mine
And when you die I'm gonna steal your bones
You are a space in time
And when you rise I'm gonna feel your clones
Oh, your colored love light shines as you outnumber me
They said we should never go here
That it should never be done
But smile your thousand faces
For all their fear they merely won?
And then we'll abandon wrong for right
And hear the heartbeats of the dead tonight
And I love you forever
And you never will remember
Everything I did to make you love me
You are a friend of mine
And when you die I'm gonna steal your bones
You are a space in time
And when you rise I'm gonna feel your clones
Oh, your colored love light shines as you owe everything to me
And I declare where there's a way, there's a will
And have you ever seen "The Boys from Brazil"?
Evolution rolls the dice
We can be so much more precise
And I love you forever
Though you surely won't remember
Everything I did to make you love me
You are a friend of mine
And when you die I'm gonna steal your bones
You are a space in time
And when you rise I'm gonna feel your clones
Oh, your colored love light shines as you outnumber me
The lyrics to Electric 6's song "Steal Your Bones" depict a twisted love story where one partner is highly possessive and obsessed with the other's mortality. The opening lines of the song suggest that the characters are at odds with what they have become, hinting at their inner turmoil. The following lines reveal the extent to which the infatuated character is willing to go to keep their partner safe – by ensuring their death.
The lyrics "To ensure your survival, I need you dead upon arrival" are a paradox. The singer believes that only in death can their beloved be truly safe, and they will always love them, even though they know that their lover will not remember everything they did to make them love them. The promise of eternal love is also tainted with the possessiveness and control their character exerts over the other.
The lyrics further emphasize the singer's desire to possess their lover's physical being when they speak about stealing their bones. It is a morbid and macabre way of showing their passion and possessiveness over their beloved. The singer claims that their lover owes everything to them, and their clone will be a reminder of that loyalty.
In conclusion, the song "Steal Your Bones" by Electric 6 portrays a possessive, obsessive, and macabre love story. It depicts the darker side of love, where a partner seeks complete control over another's being, even in death. The song also emphasizes the idea that love sometimes comes with a price, and that price can be too high to pay.
Line by Line Meaning
We fear what we're becoming
We are anxious about the direction our lives are going in
But look what we've become
We've taken a step back and realized what we've turned into
Truth can be somewhat numbing
The truth can be overwhelming and difficult to process
When we see that we've been so dumb
When we realize the foolish mistakes we've made
To ensure your survival
In order to guarantee your continued existence
I need you dead upon arrival
I need you to be killed as soon as you arrive
And I will love you forever
Despite everything, I will always love you
Though you surely won't remember
Even if you forget everything about us
Everything I did to make you love me
All the things I did to make you fall in love with me
You are the friend of mine
You are someone I consider a friend
And when you die I'm gonna steal your bones
When you pass away, I plan to take your bones
You are a space in time
You exist in a specific moment in time
And when you rise I'm gonna feel your clones
When you are resurrected, I will interact with your duplicates
Oh, your colored love light shines as you outnumber me
Your radiant love for life is stronger than my feelings of jealousy or inadequacy
They said we should never go here
There were warnings to never venture into this territory
That it should never be done
That this action was taboo and forbidden
But smile your thousand faces
Despite everything, continue to look happy and put on a facade
For all their fear they merely won?
Despite everyone's fear or apprehension, there was no actual danger
And then we'll abandon wrong for right
We will choose the correct path and leave behind what is morally wrong
And hear the heartbeats of the dead tonight
We will listen to the sounds of the deceased's still-beating hearts this evening
And I declare where there's a way, there's a will
If there's a possible method or course of action, someone will be determined enough to pursue it
And have you ever seen "The Boys from Brazil"?
Have you watched the movie 'The Boys from Brazil'?
Evolution rolls the dice
The course of evolution is unpredictable
We can be so much more precise
We have the potential to be more accurate and intentional
Oh, your colored love light shines as you owe everything to me
Your love radiates outwards, and it is evident that you are deeply indebted to me
Contributed by Claire G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MikaTamni
What an epic love song... What a great power-ballad. Great little moment for music history. One of my favorite E6 songs, love to play it on my acoustic guitar...
@EvilOstrich
I feel like this is one of their 5 best songs.
@Mslalaland92
lovely song :)
@NoFearNoFlame
who but electric six will put a crazy freaky deaky vibe on a basic love song.
@WildFungus
in my mind i hope this is the themesong to the next Re-Animator film.
@mrfenderbenderman
Tyler sings brilliant on this.
@hugodunsany5576
Man. It's like a little Roger Zelazny story in a song.
@elianafranco2026
He's planning to steal my bones...
@elianafranco2026
Felisa Franco I know lol
That's song was made for me! 😊
@adamwebb1174
Rooty toot toot my sister from another mister. Maximum Effort!