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.
You Don't Love Me Yet
Roky Erickson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I can′t make it rain
Because it would only mean lightning again
Lightning never strike anymore
But I can't make it rain
Because it would only mean lightning again
′Cause you don't love me yet
I just would forget
Because you don′t love me
You don′t love me yet
I have my start but I never have begun
Because without you my life is unsung
I have my start but I don't have a part
Because without you it only breaks my heart
′Cause you don't love me yet
You don′t love me yet
I just would forget
Because you don't love me
You don′t love me yet
You don't love me yet
You don't love me yet
I just would forget
Because you don′t love me
You don′t love me yet
To be or not to be
That's the question unceasingly
But with you I would long to be yours to be
′Cause without you I'm not a king
Because without you it would never do
Because I can′t think what life
Would be like without you
'Cause you don′t love me yet
You don't love me yet
I just would forget
Because you don't love me
You don′t love me yet
The lyrics to Roky Erickson's "You Don't Love Me Yet" convey a sense of longing and unrequited love. The singer is narrating his desire for someone who does not reciprocate his feelings. The use of weather imagery is a metaphor for the emotions that the singer is experiencing - lightning represents the intense, passionate love that he desires, but it never strikes anymore for him, meaning he has lost that spark of love. He wishes he could make it rain, but he knows that it would only lead to more lightning, which would be painful without the love of the person he wants.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses how incomplete he feels without the other person. He feels like he's never truly begun his life without their love, and that their lack of affection leaves him feeling unsung and without a purpose. The singer longs to be with this person and imagines how life would be impossible without them. The repetition of the phrase "You don't love me yet" emphasizes the longing the singer feels, and how his love is unrequited.
Overall, the song is a poignant portrayal of unrequited love, conveying the pain and longing that comes with loving someone who does not love you back.
Line by Line Meaning
Lightning never strike anymore
I feel like nothing exciting ever happens anymore.
But I can′t make it rain
I can't control what happens in my life.
Because it would only mean lightning again
Even if I could control it, I know it wouldn't make a difference.
'Cause you don't love me yet
The reason I feel this way is because you don't love me.
You don't love me yet
I don't feel like you love me yet.
I just would forget
I would try to forget about it if I could.
Because you don′t love me
The root of my problem is that you don't love me.
I have my start but I never have begun
I feel like I have potential but I haven't been able to realize it.
Because without you my life is unsung
Without you, I feel like my life is missing something important.
I have my start but I don't have a part
I have potential but I don't feel like I fit in anywhere.
Because without you it only breaks my heart
Without you, I feel sad and incomplete.
To be or not to be
The question of whether or not I should exist.
That's the question unceasingly
It's a question that never leaves my mind.
But with you I would long to be yours to be
If you loved me, I would want to be with you forever.
′Cause without you I'm not a king
Without you, I don't feel confident or important.
Because without you it would never do
Without you, nothing feels worthwhile or satisfying.
Because I can′t think what life
I can't imagine my life
Would be like without you
Without you, my life would be dull and empty.
Writer(s): Roky Erickson
Contributed by Elena A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@DivineCatalyst93
Lightning never strikes anymore
but I can't make it rain
because it would only mean lightning again
Lightning never strikes anymore
but I can't make it rain
because it would only cause me pain
'Cause you don't love me yet
you don't love me yet
I just would forget
because you don't love me
you don't love me yet
I have my start but I never have begun
because without you my life is unsung
I have my start but I don't have a part
because without you it only breaks my heart
'Cause you don't love me yet
you don't love me yet
I just would forget
because you don't love me
you don't love me yet
you don't love me yet
you don't love me yet
I just would forget
because you don't love me
you don't love me yet
To be or not to be
that's the question unceasingly
but with you I would long to be yours to be
'cause without you I'm not a king
because without you it would never do
because I can't think what life
would be like without you
'Cause you don't love me yet
you don't love me yet
I just would forget
because you don't love me
you don't love me yet.
@caseymonahan6260
It is so great all the love shown here for Roky and particularly this wonderful song. It was produced in 1984 by Miller Vidor "Speedy" Sparks, Jr. and recorded by Wayne Gathright at Music Lane Studios in Austin, TX. The session was comprised of five songs, two of which were released on a 45 rpm single on the Dynamic Records label (total production cost was $150). The single was voted fourth best in the annual Village Voice Pazz and Jop music poll in 1985, but You Don't Love Me Yet wasn't available until 1987 when it was released on an EP "Clear Night For Love" by the French label New Rose Records. In 1995 the recording was released on Butthole Surfer drummer King Coffey's label Trance Syndicate on the All That May Do My Rhyme LP. That LP had all five 1984 recordings, and added six songs recorded in 1995 that were produced by Sparks, Casey Monahan, and Stuart Sullivan. Personnel on You Don't Love Me Yet included Ernie Durawa on drums, Sparks on bass and acoustic guitar, John Reed on guitar, and Roky on vocals. For more info feel free to contact me via caseymonahan dot com.
@TheGrandmasterMan
Possibly the best song about unrequited love and pure yearning there has ever been....
@jamoandb8470
No doubt about it
@diyfreediver
The addition of the word “yet” reveals a surprising confidence/strength that isn’t immediately apparent.
@magnificentfailure2390
A part of me died today. Godspeed, Roky.
@slint69
I still can't believe it.................
@liz1060
I've listened to this song many dozens of times and it chokes me up every time.
@AlabamaCelt
Genius. It'll never cease to amaze me how no one knows about the likes of Roky yet they'll buy everything ever released by bands like U2. Baffling.
@edhelvey
Or Sting, Genesis, Rush, Journey, R.E.O,. Speedwagon, Foreigner et al.
@clydekimsey7503
I met him about 1980, a tender sensitive soul