Aesthetically, GE is a project that refuses to land in a particular bin at the record store. A mix of vintage sounds, hip hop beats, noir riffs, dreamy vocals, cinematic arrangements and digital twinkle, ‘Cliquety Kliqk’ embraces all of RV’s musical addictions. Radically new yet strangely familiar, General Elektriks is like a friend that you meet for the first time but feel like you’ve known all your life.
It's What You Took
General Elektriks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The way your destiny was sung
It’s not your fate
It’s what you took
It’s not the chair that made you fall
That knocked your head against the wall
And watched you crawl
It’s what you took
The only real way you could fly
Was with your name up in lights
And when your name slid from the bill
You looked for someone to kill
And you found you
It’s what you took
The lyrics of "It's What You Took" by General Elektriks delve deep into the concept of personal responsibility and agency in shaping one's own destiny. The opening lines, "It’s not the way the wheel was spun, The way your destiny was sung," suggest that fate and predetermined outcomes are not the sole factors at play in one's life journey. Rather, it emphasizes the choices and actions individuals make in response to circumstances and challenges.
The repeated refrain, "It’s not your fate, It’s what you took," underscores the theme of accountability and the consequences of one's decisions. It highlights the importance of ownership and agency in shaping one's path, implying that it is not the external forces but rather one's choices and actions that define their journey.
The lyrics further explore the idea of facing setbacks and adversity, symbolized by falling from a chair and hitting one's head against the wall. Despite these challenges, the emphasis is not on the obstacles themselves but on how one responds to them. The line, "And watched you crawl, It's what you took," suggests that the true measure of resilience and determination lies in how one picks themselves up and moves forward.
The narrative also touches on themes of ego, recognition, and the pursuit of validation through external sources such as fame and accolades. The verses describe a character who seeks validation through a "marquee high" and having their "name up in lights," only to find themselves lost when their name fades from the spotlight. This journey of self-discovery and understanding ultimately leads to a realization that true fulfillment and growth come from within, from the choices made and the lessons learned along the way.
Line by Line Meaning
It’s not the way the wheel was spun
It's not just luck or chance that determines your path
The way your destiny was sung
The way your future was foretold or perceived
It’s not your fate
Your destiny is not predetermined
It’s what you took
It's the choices you made that shape your life
It’s not the chair that made you fall
It's not external circumstances that caused your downfall
That knocked your head against the wall
That caused you pain and obstacle
And watched you crawl
And saw you struggle to recover
It’s what you took
It's the responsibility you accepted for your actions
You used to need a marquee high
You used to seek validation and attention from others
The only real way you could fly
The only way you felt truly alive and successful
Was with your name up in lights
Was by being in the spotlight and recognized
And when your name slid from the bill
And when you were no longer in the spotlight
You looked for someone to kill
You sought someone to blame for your downfall
And you found you
But ultimately, you realized you are responsible for your own choices
It’s what you took
It's the consequences of your actions that define you
Lyrics © THE AUDIO KITCHEN BERLIN, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HERVE SALTERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind