Roky Erickson (born Roger Kynard Erickson on July 15, 1947, died May 31, 20… Read Full Bio ↴Roky Erickson (born Roger Kynard Erickson on July 15, 1947, died May 31, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter, harmonica player and guitarist from Austin, Texas. He was a founding member of the 13th Floor Elevators, who are considered to be one of the first two bands to ever use the word "psychedelic" ( + see The Deep) to describe rock music. See also Roky Erickson & the Aliens and Roky Erickson & The Explosives.

In 1969 the band were all arrested for possession of marijuana and Roky was incarcerated in Rusk State Hospital for the Criminally Insane where he reportedly underwent electroshock therapy and was placed on Thorazine amongst other controversial treatments. Many claim he has never been the same since. Sadly in the intervening years record execs and managers displayed the bad side of the music business and took full advantage of his condition often leaving him living in poverty while they hoarded all the cash.

In 2001 Roky's youngest brother, Sumner Erickson (ex-tuba player for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra), was appointed his legal guardian and an improvement in Roky's faculties has been reported since, leading to a return to live shows.

An excellent documentary on Roky, "You're gonna miss me" (2005), chronicled his troubled life - his schizophrenia, incarceration for possession of a joint, and talented and eccentric family.

I Have Always Been Here Before
Roky Erickson Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by Roky Erickson:

Anthem I promise, I promise My green and blue eyes to you…
Bermuda Are you going to Bermuda Would you go there if you…
Bloody Hammer Demon is up in the attic to the left My eye…
Burn the Flames Here I sit A vampire at my piano The flames burn glaringly…
Can't Be Brought Down I was buried in a red man's Dan band And the…
Clear Night For Love It′s a clear night for love It's a clear night, clear…
Click Your Fingers Applauding the Play Click your fingers applauding the play Such clear clear nigh…
Cold Night for Alligators It's a cold night for alligators It's a cold night for…
Crazy Crazy Mama Crazy crazy mama she drive me insane Crazy crazy mama mount…

Creature With the Atom Brain Creature with the atom brain Creature with the atom brain Wh…
Don Don't fall down, If you see her Don't fall down,…
Don't Shake Me Lucifer Don't shake me, don't shake me Lucifer Don't shake me, don't…
Don't Slander Me Don't slander me, don't slander me, mama Never say don't I…
Gonna Die More When you were old And your heart was opener You used to…
Goodbye Sweet Dreams Goodbye Sweet Dreams Goodbye Sweet Dreams Goodbye Sweet Dr…
Haunt She must be some kind of ghost The way her loving…
I Am I am I am I am In Satan's all perfect love Eckstein Eckstein…
I Think of Demons I, I, I think of demons They never kill I, I, I…
I Walked With a Zombie I walked with a zombie I walked with a zombie I walked…
I'm A Demon I'm a demon and I love rock and roll I'm a…
I'm Gonna Free Her I remember her in her dream walking down the road Running…
I've Just Seen a Face I've just seen a face, I can't forget the time or…
If You Have Ghosts If you have ghosts then you have everything If you have…
It's A Cold Night For Alligators It's a cold night for alligators It's a cold night for…
Mad Dog Mad Dog was a rebel He roamed through the woods Mad Dog…
Mighty Is Our Love Mighty is our love, mighty, mighty Mighty is our love, might…
Mine Mine Mind Pencils bouncing twice up and down Haunted howling gremlins …
Never Say Goodbye Yeah Kidstep with no Stress And gaeun 2015 we collaborate yo…
Night of the Vampire Tonight is the night of the vampire Tonight is the night…
Please Judge Don't send that boy away In society I wish you'd let…
Red Temple Prayer Two-headed dog, two headed dog I've been working in the Krem…
Reverberation Well, you finally find your helpless mind, Is trapped insi…
Roller coaster Well once , somewhere, sometime ago His eyes were clear to…
Song to Abe Lincoln We are all so special Some don't realize, others realize it …
Splash #1 I've seen your face before, I've known you all my…
Splash One I've seen your face before, I've known you all my…
Sputnik (Intro) When it comes to fattening, there…
Stand for the Fire Demon Stand for the fire demon Rising into and with the clouds Sta…
Starry Eyes Starry eyes How can I get to you My true little Starry eyes …
Sweet Honey Pie No bad places One has no uses for abuses Not because it…
That's My Song It's been a good life I've done a whole lot of…
The Beast The beast is coming The beast is coming to your world The…
The Damn' Thing The damn thing, the damn thing Is still out there The damn…
The Interpreter The interpreter Where is he now Will he burn like the devil …
The Singing Grandfather The singing grandfather will saw off your head The singing g…
The times I've had Let me tell you about the times I've had Ain't so…
The Wind and More Ghosts rising from anywhere they please Demons leaving ghost…
Think of as One Your living is my music Your deeds are your song My needs…
True Love Cast Out All Evil True love cast out all evil True love cast out all…
Two Headed Dog Two-headed dog, two headed dog I've been working in the Krem…
Unforced Peace It takes nothing to get there No remedies needed No killing,…
White faces Friends with a beast Because of sharp teeth The devil so red…
You Oh yeah! Ahh! You're gonna wake up one morning as…
You Don't Love Me Yet Lightning never strike anymore But I can′t make it rain Beca…
You Drive Me Crazy You drive me crazy I can't feel alone I hear voices of…
You're Gonna Mis Me Oh yeah! Ahh! You're gonna wake up one morning as…

You're Gonna Miss Me Oh yeah Ah You're gonna wake up one morning as the sun…

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS

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Comments from YouTube:

Jesse Diaz

5y↑7

He made it out of here, into space. Rip Roky.

Tom Higgins

13y↑23

"When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him". Jonathan Swift

dennis martin

Good call.

Michael Irvine

14y↑6

I had listened to this song over and over again while I was in the mental hospital. I chose Roky in order to feel some sort of mental illness solidarity but the refrain "I have always been here before" got a little too haunting although it didn't stop me from adoring the song.

Marioag20

16y↑5

Thanks man, much appreciated. Sometimes I just NEED to hear this song.

Brook Mathews

14y↑3

love this just as much as i did before the first time of ever listening to it. roky rules

Peter Baum

12y↑2

Cope's version is indeed inspired. Brilliant song and brilliant cover.

Billy Roues

15y↑1

Love this song

StrummingSparrow

12y↑1

what a treasure! this man has so many tucked away.

kate davenporty

8y↑1

love Roky,and am blown away by how he sings like Buddy Holly here.Very cool.

Thanos Darkseid

they're both from texas like roy orbison, so....but his inspiration was little richard!

Jessica Fee

14y↑2

That that is pleasing That that is real That that is forever keeps filling never filled That that snuck up on you in the night That that you remember in an early child's delight That that was supposed to have frightened you But somehow you never took to fright

sobm3

13y↑2

Thanks for more Roky. Another good ol' S. Austin boy. Long may he live! And I mean really live.

Slammerworm1

10y↑39

Somebody who makes big-budget movies; please show good taste and make this guy some money by using his music.

Black Road Band

+Slammerworm1 The fourth Texas Chainsaw Massacre, they use Two Headed Dog.

GLITZandGLOOM

@slint69 Sweet! I didn't know that, and High Fidelity is a huge favorite of mine, as I'm a big Cusack fan.

slint69

@***** Yes you are right it was "Return Of The Living Dead".
It was a nice suprise to hear him on that soundtrack. For me it all began with the Nuggets album and "Your Gonna Misss Me" by "The Thirteen Floor Elevators"..
Which is by the way the opening song in the "High Fidelity" movie.

GLITZandGLOOM

9y↑4

@slint69 The RETURN of The Living Dead. And that song, "Burn the Flames", is what turned me on to him. Love him!

slint69

10y↑1

He is on "The night of the living dead" OST.

2 More Replies...

Jessica Fee

14y↑6

I have always been here before Allowing my mind's call of no love Incorporate more never stops his flow I have always been here before Love you forever, now, and then...

Jessica Fee

14y↑2

I have always been here before Allowing my mind's call of no love Incorporate more never stops his flow I have always been here before

Jessica Fee

14y↑10

From the gargoyles to stone henge From the sphynx to the pyramids To Lucifer's temples praising the devil right To the Devil's clock as it strikes midnight

dr_dick_merdock_pi

my favorite version of this song rip to the rok you where the best

Jessica Fee

14y↑1

It seems like a bell rings time for deja vu, Everything is familiar, being here with you All you ever had before you've had to understand Now all you have to do is want to have at your command

I WANT TO BELIEVE TRUSTNO1

I can't believe you are gone. When you passed I cried. I found emptiness in a place I couldn't believe could get any emptier... I still remember the first time I heard this tune. and I always will, because I have always been here before! Rest In Peace Roky. The music will live on until the next time we come back to this life for infinity.

Amy C1171

How are you now? Message me

I WANT TO BELIEVE TRUSTNO1

Your spirit will live on until the end of time!

I WANT TO BELIEVE TRUSTNO1

REST IN PEACE!

I WANT TO BELIEVE TRUSTNO1

Rest In Peace Roky.

Benjamin Dorion

The song reminds me of the most ridiculous and Reckless things that I've done with a loved one who is no longer with me I miss that time I miss that place

Javier Ibañez

por qué existen temas de este calibre... me quiebro ptmre!
feelingggggggggggggggggggggggg!

Kerry Knotts

5y↑7

Unfortunately Roki has lost the battle...RIP

Stan Menshic

Roky defiantly won the battle He was in the most awesome Psy band ever namely the 13th Floor Elevators & released several amazing solo albums!

lazy homebody

Eh. As will we all

Vv Vv

5y↑2

Hes in peace now. I hope. He had a rough time here

Magnificent Failure

5y↑5

He didn't lose. He made it.

Magnificent Failure

5y↑2

Thank you for this version, @VerhipBe

dennis martin

5y↑1

Great song.

diecilire

16y↑2

it seems Julian Cope took inspiration from this version to make his cover, included in the album Jehovahkill (1992)

byron p

5y↑1

I got to see Roky resurrected. He was almost forgotten. But the Austin punks were nothing if not inventive and they found Roky, called him up and said would you like to play at Raul's? We'll find a band for you. They did. Unfortunately, it was the Re*Cords, a 'band' who could not play their way out of a Beatles song. More of a presence, a force, than an actual band. So Roky played for us, fronting the most inept band in the world. And he carried them. On his shoulders. He walked the room and left us in awe.