The Red Elvises were founded in 1995 by Igor Yuzov and Oleg Bernov, two Russians living in Los Angeles, California. Igor and Oleg met during a Russian-American peace walk and subsequently played together in a Russian folk-rock band called Limpopo. The band’s third original member, guitarist Zhenya Kolykhanov (he later legally changed his last name to “Zhenya Rock”), had also emigrated to America and had been spending time playing in Texas. For the first few months Andrey Baranov was the band’s drummer, but within that year, the first American in the band, drummer Avi Sills from Austin, Texas, was added to the lineup. The four of them got their start playing on Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade.
When they weren’t playing on the road they were busy recording and self-producing their own CDs. Grooving to the Moscow Beat was the band's first release in 1996, followed by Surfing in Siberia in 1997. In 1998, the band released their breakthrough CD, I Wanna See You Bellydance. Their music filled the soundtrack of Lance Mungia’s independent film released in 1998, Six-String Samurai, a film in which they also had small roles and screen credits. With Mungia directing, the band also produced two music videos of songs from the Six-String soundtrack, Lovepipe and Boogie on the Beach, that year. A full-length concert video, Live on the Pacific Ocean was also released, showcasing their appearance at the Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Summer Concert Series.
The small screen also beckoned with television show appearances, resulting in Red Elvises’ guest spot in an episode of the now-defunct Fox television series Melrose Place (Episode #206, "Suspicion") which aired on November 9, 1998. Near the end of that year they appeared on FX’s Penn & Teller’s Sin City Spectacular accompanied by Penn & Teller’s show dancers, which aired in January 1999. They released three new recordings in 1999, two studio-produced and one live. The band's fourth and fifth studio albums, Better Than Sex and Russian Bellydance, a Russian language version of their smash album I Wanna See You Bellydance from the previous year, were both released in March 1999. Later in that same month Red Elvises’ performance im San Francisco was released as the band's first live double album, Live At The Great American Music Hall.
In the summer of 1999 the FX television channel hired Red Elvises to play in Malibu on the beach for their Beverly Hills 90210 Swimsuit Beach Party highlighting a marathon airing of syndicated episodes of the hit series. FX held and flew the winners and ten of their friends to the beach party to appear on TV and dance to the band’s music. February 2000 heralded a brief change in musical direction for the band with the release of their seventh CD, Shake Your Pelvis, a more electronic techno/disco style CD that greatly differed from their earlier releases. December 2000 also saw an end to Avi Sills’ association with the band with his decision to move on to other musical opportunities.
The band persevered as an all-Russian three-piece during 2001 with Bernov giving up the big red balalaika bass and taking over much of the drumming. In March two new studio CDs were released, Welcome to the Freakshow, written entirely by Yuzov, and Bedroom Boogie, written entirely by Rock. The band continued their non-stop touring across America throughout the year and also toured their native Russia.
In 2002 Rokenrol was recorded entirely in Russian with the exception of two songs, Juliet by Yuzov and Sunshine by Rock, both sung in English. Rock began a side project, Zeerok, going in a completely different musical direction, and by the end of the year decided to commit to his new band full time, announcing his departure from Red Elvises. The band kept busy during the summer months with a tour through Russia that included some filming for the upcoming film Mail Order Bride, a romantic action comedy starring Danny Aiello, Vincent Pastore, Ivana Milocevich, and Robert Capelli, Jr., returning home in August to record the soundtrack. The band also returned to television with an appearance playing themselves in an episode of the Fox action series Fastlane (Episode #3 "Gone Native").
In 2003 Yuzov switched back to guitar, this time on lead, and Bernov returned to the large bass balalaika. Completing the new lineup were another Russian, Oleg "Schramm" Gorbunov on keyboards and accordion and new American drummer Adam Gust. In 2005 they were asked to perform in the Moscow Live8 concert, along with the Pet Shop Boys and a number of local performers. In 2006 Elena Shemankova from Moscow, the first female to ever play with Red Elvises, joined the band on keyboards and was very well received. Later that year they were joined by female guitarist Beth Garner from Texas, who continued to tour with them until the end of 2007.
In 1999 and 2002 the Red Elvises released CDs in Russian, which were very well received in Russia. Subsequently they have been invited to perform there every summer, and they spend a couple of months playing in clubs in larger cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg, as well as Yuzov's hometown of Odessa in the Ukraine.
The band's line-up is slightly different in Russia than in North America, and features many Russian musicians who are hired specifically for that tour.
Discography
* Give Us A Break (as Limpopo) — 1995
* Grooving To The Moscow Beat — 1996
* Surfing In Siberia — 1997
* I Wanna See You Bellydance — 1998
* Six-String Samurai soundtrack — 1998
* Russian Bellydance — 1999 (in Russian language)
* Better Than Sex — 1999
* Live At The Great American Music Hall — 1999 (live album)
* Shake Your Pelvis — 2000
* Bedroom Boogie — 2001 (written and performed by Zhenya Rock)
* Welcome To The Freakshow — 2001 (written and performed by Igor Yuzov)
* Rokenrol — 2002 (in Russian language except for two songs)
* Lunatics and Poets — 2004
* 30 Greatest Hits - 2007 (greatest hits compilation)
* Drinking With Jesus - 2008
www.redelvises.com/
Don't Crucify Me
Red Elvises Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the good old rock'n'roll is dead
Burning down like falling stars
Wasting life behind the bars
Life of ignorance is bliss
And I don't know why I'm doing this
You can take me for what I am
I was born a wild man, hey!
Don't crucify me, I'm no Jesus
I'm a sinner and a prodigal son
Don't crucify me, I'm no Jesus
I'm a sinner
I've been traveling seven seas
Trains and highways and STDs
Fell in love a million times
Drank tequila and got high
You can blame me for the world is mad
And the good old rock'n'roll is dead
You can take me for what I am
I was born a wild man, hey!
The Red Elvises' song "Don't Crucify Me" is a self-reflective track that delves into themes of blame and guilt, as well as self-realization and acceptance. The opening verse sets a somber tone as the singer presents himself as the one responsible for the madness of the world and the death of rock and roll. The use of apocalyptic imagery, such as falling stars and life behind bars, further emphasizes the hopelessness of the situation. The next verse speaks to the idea of ignorance being bliss, and the singer's bewilderment as to why he's doing what he does.
The chorus of the song drives the point home, with the singer pleading for people not to judge him too harshly, as he knows he is far from perfect. He confesses to being a sinner and a prodigal son, acknowledging his mistakes and shortcomings. The second half of the song takes a more lighthearted turn, with the singer recounting his travels around the world, his numerous romantic conquests, and his love of tequila and other forms of escapism. The final verse echoes the first, once again placing blame on the singer for the state of the world, but also asserting that he is a "wild man" who cannot be contained or tamed.
Overall, "Don't Crucify Me" is a powerful meditation on the human condition and the struggle for self-acceptance. The Red Elvises' unique blend of rock, punk, and Russian folk music lends the song an infectious energy that belies its melancholic subject matter.
Line by Line Meaning
You can blame me for the world is mad
I understand that the world is in a state of chaos, but I cannot change it, so do not hold me responsible for it.
And the good old rock'n'roll is dead
The timeless music genre that many people once loved is now fading and becoming less popular.
Burning down like falling stars
Rock'n'roll is slowly disappearing from the music scene like shooting stars that vanish into the night.
Wasting life behind the bars
Many people miss out on exploring life to the fullest and are instead confined to a monotonous routine or even incarceration.
Life of ignorance is bliss
People who are unaware of the negative events occurring around them are often happier and content with their lives.
And I don't know why I'm doing this
I am unsure why I am singing about these things or pursuing this particular lifestyle.
You can take me for what I am
I am who I am, and you can accept me as I am, with all my flaws and qualities.
I was born a wild man, hey!
I was born to be adventurous and slightly reckless, living life without fear of the consequences.
Don't crucify me, I'm no Jesus
Please don't crucify me, as I am not a perfect representation of a holy figure like Jesus.
I'm a sinner and a prodigal son
I understand that I have made mistakes and have strayed from what is right, but I hope to make amends and return to the right path.
I've been traveling seven seas
I have traveled to numerous places around the world, encountering different cultures and ways of living.
Trains and highways and STDs
My travels have taken me on many modes of transportation, and I have had some interesting experiences and misadventures with sexually transmitted diseases.
Fell in love a million times
I have experienced the feeling of love for many people, bringing about different emotions and memories.
Drank tequila and got high
I have indulged in vices such as alcohol and drugs, even though it may not be healthy or beneficial for me.
Contributed by Elijah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.