Summers graduated from Duncanville High School in 1957 and attended Arlington State College, now known as the University of Texas at Arlington. That same year, he formed the rockabilly band The Rebels and performed on Joe Bill's Country Picnic on KRLD, where they were spotted by songwriter Jed Tarver. This led to the band being signed by newly-found Jan Records. Their first record was released on February 1, 1958, under the name of Gene Summers & His Rebels.
Partial Discography
Rock 'n Roll Volume 2. 1973, Holland
The Southern Cat Rocks On 1975, Switzerland
Mister Rock and Roll 1977, Switzerland
Rock a Boogie Shake 1980, Sweden
Early Rocking Recordings 1981, Holland
Texas Rock and Roll 1981, France
Gene Summers In Nashville 1981, France
Dance Dance Dance 1981, UK
Rock 'n Roll Tour - "Live" In Scandinavia 1983, Sweden
School Of Rock 'n Roll (album) 1993, Holland
Sounds Like Elvis CD 1996 (compilation), USA
The Ultimate School of Rock & Roll 1997, USA
Rockaboogie Shake 1999, UK
Do Right Daddy 2004, Sweden
Reminisce Cafe 2008, USA
Taboo! 2011, USA
Gotta Lotta That: The Essential Gene Summers 2012, USA
Taboo
Gene Summers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hear the words in a fire as it crackles to you
Heed these words and don't you forget
The devil is a woman
A red-headed woman
A firey-headed woman
Taboo
But her lover proved fickle and he left her all alone
She died in grief and took the witches curse
And she cries in her spirit
Now I am the devil
Forever man will atone
CHORUS:
Taboo
Made me love you so much
Taboo
Lips mine could never touch
Taboo
Devil that you are
You're the loveliest of all
With your hair of fire
Working in the mind of woman like a spider in his web
Taboo helps her lure and deceive me and you
Charm they call it as she drives you mad
It's the work of the devil
A red-headed devil
A firey-headed woman
Taboo.
The lyrics of Gene Summers's song "Taboo" are quite intriguing and poetic. The singer warns his listeners to be cautious of a certain woman who possesses the devilish charm and lures men into her web of deceit. The desert's burning winds, crackling fire, and the woman's "hair of fire" create a picture of danger and passion. The chorus speaks of the singer's intense love for Taboo, but he cannot touch her taboo lips, and the devilish allure of the red-headed woman continues to play with him and others like a spider in a web.
The song speaks of a lover who had been left alone by her fickle partner and died of grief with a witch's curse. The curse has turned her into the devil, and now she drives men mad with her charm. The lyrics suggest that the devilish allure of the red-headed woman is an ancient taboo that men cannot resist, making them atone for their sins forever. The lyrics create a tense and enigmatic atmosphere, warning the listeners of the danger of succumbing to the devilish charm of the red-headed woman.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to the winds from the desert's burning waste
Pay attention to the dangerous things that come from places that are harsh and unforgiving
Hear the words in a fire as it crackles to you
Take note of the messages that seem to come from the flames of a fire
Heed these words and don't you forget
Take these messages seriously and remember them always
The devil is a woman
The most tempting and dangerous force in the world often takes the form of a woman
A red-headed woman
The woman in question has fiery passion and power
A firey-headed woman
The woman in question has a wild, untamed energy that can be dangerous
Taboo had a lover many years ago
Taboo had a romantic partner in the past
But her lover proved fickle and he left her all alone
Taboo's lover abandoned her and left her to suffer alone
She died in grief and took the witches curse
Taboo died after suffering greatly, and may have turned to dark magic for help
And she cries in her spirit
Taboo is tormented even in death
Now I am the devil
Taboo has been transformed into an evil, tempting force
Forever man will atone
Mankind will suffer for the mistakes made in relation to Taboo
Taboo made me love you so much
Taboo's dangerous influence caused a deep and overwhelming love
Lips mine could never touch
The love is so intense that physical touch isn't enough
Devil that you are
Taboo is a dangerous and tempting presence
You're the loveliest of all
Despite the danger, Taboo is irresistible and beautiful
With your hair of fire
The fiery energy of Taboo's hair is a symbol of her wild and dangerous nature
Working in the mind of woman like a spider in his web
Taboo knows how to manipulate women and control them like a spider traps its prey
Taboo helps her lure and deceive me and you
Taboo is complicit in the actions of the woman she works with to seduce and deceive
Charm they call it as she drives you mad
The power to seduce and manipulate is often referred to as 'charm,' even though it can lead to madness
It's the work of the devil
The act of tempting and deceiving is akin to the work of the devil
A red-headed devil
The temptation and threat come from a powerful and fiery woman
A firey-headed woman
The woman in question has a wild and untamed energy that can be dangerous
Taboo
The dangerous and tempting forces embodied by Taboo and the woman she works with
Contributed by Landon O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.