Saddler's family migrated to the United States, and he grew up in the Bronx. He became involved in the earliest Queensbridge, New York DJ scene, attending parties set up by early luminaries. Learning from Pete Jones and Kool Herc, he used duplicate copies of a single record and two turntables but added a dextrous manual edit with a mixer to promote the break (a point of isolated drum rhythm) - the ordinary playing of the record would be interrupted to overlay the break, the break could be repeated by using the mixer to switch channels while the second record was spun back. The speed and dexterity needed showed why Saddler was called Flash, although he got the nickname in school due to the fact that he hung around with another guy named Gordon (from Flash Gordon). He also invented the technique initially called cutting, which was developed by Grand Wizard Theodore into scratching (AMG).
Flash played illegal parties and also worked with rappers such as Kurtis Blow and Lovebug Starski. He formed his own group in the late 1970s, after promptings from Ray Chandler. The initial members were Cowboy (Keith Wiggins), Melle Mel (Melvin Glover) and Kid(d) Creole (Nathaniel Glover) making Grandmaster Flash & the 3 MCs. Two other rappers briefly joined, but they were replaced more permanently by Rahiem (Guy Todd Williams, previously in the Funky Four) and Scorpio (Eddie Morris, also used the name Mr. Ness) to create Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. Soon gaining recognition for their skillful raps, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five pioneered MCing, freestyle battles, and invented some of the staple phrases in MCing. They performed at Disco Fever in the Bronx beginning in 1978.
Signed to Sugar Hill Records in 1980 by Joe Robinson, they released numerous singles, gaining a gold disc for "Freedom," and also toured. The classic "The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel," released in 1981 was the best display of their skills (combining elements of Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust", Chic's "Good Times" and samples from Blondie's Rapture), but it was their least successful single at the time. The group's most significant hit was "The Message" (1982), which was produced by in-house Sugar Hill producer Clifton "Jiggs" Chase and went platinum in less than a month. Flash sued Sugar Hill in 1983 over the non-payment of royalties, and in 1984 the group split between Flash and Mel before disintegrating entirely. Flash, Kid Creole and Rahiem signed to Elektra Records while the others continued as "Grandmaster Melle Mel & the Furious Five." (Mel notably appeared on Chaka Khan's I Feel for You). They reformed in 1987 for a charity concert, to release one album and then fell apart again. There was another reunion, of a kind, in 1994, although Cowboy died in 1989 from a drug overdose due to the effects of his crack cocaine addiction.
Scorpio
Grandmaster Flash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Show no shame
Shake it baby
He is DJ Flash and he came here to give you a blast
And we are the Furious Five and we're rocking, shocking all the way live
Show no shame
Shake it
Shake it baby
Don't be shy girl
Show no shame
Higher baby
Higher now
Higher baby
Higher now
Higher baby
Break it down
Show no shame now
Throw your hands, way up high
And everybody's gonna try to reach the sky
Because you can't stop, won't stop playing the game
And I know that you can do it if you show no shame
Hey girl, don't be shy
Shake your body the way I, the way that I like it
With no shame girl
That's the way
Shake it baby
Take me higher
Higher
Higher
Higher
Higher
Now break it down
Don't be shy girl
Now switch
Make a switch
Biology power
Ah, make a switch
Hey Dune Bug, switch
[?] Hey, trainee?, switch
Make a switch
Make a switch
Make a switch
Make a switch
Switch
Don't be shy girl
Higher
Higher baby
Higher now
Higher
Higher baby
Break it down
And show no shame girl
Mister Nash who rocks the fest
And Rhaheim who beliefs things
And Cowboy is the real McCoy
And Dell and master, cuts much faster
And me and Rob, doing the job
And Jigsaw is giving me more
And Steve Jerome is the king of the throne
And Merob is the place to be
And Kid Creole is selling? goso?
Don't be shy girl
Ah baby, break it down
Now take me higher
[?] Tricia?, and break it down
Ah take me higher now
Now baby, break it down
Higher
Higher
Lower
Higher
Low baby
Higher
Lower, higher, lower, higher, lower, higher
The song "Scorpio" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five is a classic old-school hip hop track that was released in 1984. The song is about a party atmosphere, where everyone is encouraged to let their hair down and dance without any inhibitions. The lyrics are about showing no shame, and embracing the fun and freedom of partying.
The verses are rapped in a call-and-response format, with the chorus urging the listener to show no shame, and the rest of the verses featuring each member of the Furious Five rapping about themselves or their DJ, DJ Flash. The chorus is repeated frequently throughout the song, and there are several breakdowns that feature shouts of "higher, higher" and "lower, lower" to encourage the dancers to move along with the beat.
Overall, "Scorpio" is a classic party song that has stood the test of time. The track combines catchy lyrics with an infectious beat, and it's easy to see why it's still a popular song among fans of old-school hip hop.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah, Scorpio
The song is titled Scorpio
Show no shame
Be confident and unashamed
Shake it baby
Dance and move your body
He is DJ Flash and he came here to give you a blast
Grandmaster Flash is the DJ and he's here to give you a great performance
And we are the Furious Five and we're rocking, shocking all the way live
The Furious Five are the performers and they're giving a lively and exciting show
Don't be shy girl
Be confident and don't hold back
Higher baby
Rise up and reach for the stars
Break it down
To break it down means to break it into smaller parts, or to dance in a more rhythmical, systematic way
Throw your hands, way up high
Raise your hands in the air
And everybody's gonna try to reach the sky
Everyone is trying to achieve great things
Because you can't stop, won't stop playing the game
You must keep going and striving forward
And I know that you can do it if you show no shame
You can achieve success if you are confident and unashamed
That's the way
Doing things confidently and without shame is the best way
Take me higher
Rise higher and achieve greater things
Now switch
Change your movements or actions
Biology power
It's not clear what this line means in context
Mister Nash who rocks the fest
A shoutout to someone named Mister Nash who is performing at the festival
And Rhaheim who beliefs things
A shoutout to someone named Rhaheim who has strong beliefs
And Cowboy is the real McCoy
A shoutout to someone named Cowboy, who is the real deal
And Dell and master, cuts much faster
A shoutout to someone named Dell and master, who cuts or scratches records quickly
And me and Rob, doing the job
Grandmaster Flash and Rob are doing a great job performing
And Jigsaw is giving me more
A shoutout to someone named Jigsaw who is providing additional support or resources
And Steve Jerome is the king of the throne
A shoutout to someone named Steve Jerome who is highly respected and regarded
And Merob is the place to be
A shoutout to a place named Merob that is a great place to be
And Kid Creole is selling? goso?
A shoutout to someone named Kid Creole who may be selling a specific product or service, but the exact meaning is unclear
Low baby
Move your body in a slow, sensual way
Contributed by Annabelle D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@eddiemuise4791
I'm 65 years old and still love Grandmaster Flash Grandmaster Flash forever
@govinpillai3475
23 and I do too
@Gangul.
i am 19, real hip hop forever.
haha.
@fergusonfourn5061
Fuck yeah Holmes!
@shastina5493
Whose still jammin to this with me in 2020? The 80's has the best music of all times! Nothin jams harder or has a funkier beat! 💯
@the_king_edd
This track is fire brother makes wanna dance🔥🔥 gets me hyped
@julianpalmer1163
stillll here
@MrSwerve1966
All the way live. In my hay days pop locked to that shit
@alman54
Right here! I still love old skool jams, and I'm almost 50!
@dionwallace845
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