They released three albums during the '90s, with their debut Electronic selling over a million copies worldwide. However, the follow-up Raise the Pressure, despite debuting in the UK Top 10, was a commercial flop by comparison. The group's highest charting singles is 1992's Disappointed, which reached #6 in the UK. The band's biggest American hit was 1989's Getting Away With It which reached #38 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Twisted Tenderness was released in 1999 and again hit the UK Top 10. This third and final studio album was co-produced by influential New York club DJ and dance producer Arthur Baker, with whom Sumner had previously worked on New Order's 1983 hit Confusion, amongst other songs. Marr and Sumner remained the only official members of the band, but were joined by Doves Jimi Goodwin on bass and Black Grape drummer Ged Lynch.
In September 2006 the duo's work was compiled on the album Get The Message - The Best Of Electronic.
Soviet
Electronic Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
like a record with its bruises skips a beat of history.
In between the grooves is where I lie, wondering where this lover hides.
To the girl with the marble eyes, can it be that you've taken me by surprise,
the wind and rain have carried your fame to my front door in spite of my heart's refrain.
Capulet and Montegue, never even heard of me and you.
I'll keep this secret of how I adore, this passion girl that I was looking for.
Somehow here we are standing i the rain again,
If we could only run away, take this train to better days.
To the girl with the marble eyes, can it be that you've taken me by surprise,
the wind and rain have carried your fame to my front door in spite of my heart's refrain.
Capulet and Montegue, never even heard of me and you.
I'll keep this secret of how I adore, this passion girl that I was looking for.
Can I feel that it's all around, in your eyes there lies this perfect sound.
Ummm... I digress.
To the girl with the marble eyes, can it be that you've taken me by surprise,
The wind and rain have carried your fame to my front door in spite of my heart's refrain.
Capulet and Montegue, never even heard of me and you.
I'll keep this secret of how I adore, this passion girl that I was looking for.
The lyrics of Electronic's song "Soviet" reflect themes of romantic yearning and longing for a soulmate. The opening lines express the singer's sense of disconnection from the world and history, which seems to move on without him. He envisions himself as lying “in between the grooves” of a record that skips a beat, highlighting his sense of being stuck in a moment. The singer then turns his attention to a mysterious girl with “marble eyes” who has appeared in his life, seemingly out of nowhere. He marvels at her beauty and feels as if he has been taken by surprise. Despite the fact that they come from different worlds (as suggested by the reference to “Capulet and Montague”), he keeps his love for her a secret, cherishing the passion she has brought into his life.
The chorus is marked by repeated imagery of rain, running away, and seeking a better future. This suggests that the singer sees the girl as a symbol of escape and hope, someone who might offer him a brighter future than the one he currently faces. He seems to be counting on her to run away with him and start anew.
Overall, the lyrics of "Soviet" reflect a sense of yearning for a deeper connection to the world and to another person. Through the singer's romantic musings, the song suggests that love has the potential to lift us out of despair and provide a sense of purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it any wonder how the world spins its lonely days for me,
It's not surprising that the world feels empty to me.
like a record with its bruises skips a beat of history.
The world is full of pain and suffering, much like a damaged record that skips over important parts of history.
In between the grooves is where I lie, wondering where this lover hides.
I am stuck in this world, searching for love and wondering where my soulmate is hiding.
To the girl with the marble eyes, can it be that you've taken me by surprise,
I am addressing a girl with stunning eyes, expressing my shock that she has captured my heart.
the wind and rain have carried your fame to my front door in spite of my heart's refrain.
Despite my resistance, fate has brought this girl to me and I can't help but be drawn to her.
Capulet and Montegue, never even heard of me and you.
Our love story doesn't have the same dramatic history as Romeo and Juliet's, but that doesn't make it any less real.
I'll keep this secret of how I adore, this passion girl that I was looking for.
I'll keep my love for this girl a secret, but I can't help but be passionate about her and grateful to have found her.
Somehow here we are standing i the rain again,
Despite everything, we keep ending up in the same place - together, in the rain.
If we could only run away, take this train to better days.
If we had the chance to escape our problems and start fresh, we would take it.
Can I feel that it's all around, in your eyes there lies this perfect sound.
When I look into her eyes, I feel surrounded by something wonderful and indescribable.
Ummm... I digress.
I got sidetracked, sorry.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER, JOHNNY MARR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind