The original lineup of the band were songwriter Eddie Bengtsson (formerly a founding member of Page), Finn Albertsson, and vocalist Alexander Hofman. Over time the members of the band have shifted: Johan Billing was a member of the band for several years during the 90s, but with the release of S.P.O.C.K in 1999 the band's line-up changed to the current one with Alexander Hofman (the band's only remaining founding member), Johan Malmgren (former member of Elegant Machinery and Aaron Sutcliffe) and Christer Hermodsson. During the summer of 2010 Christer Hermodsson decided to focus more on his own project Biomekkanik. Alexander then called in his old friend Valdi Solemo who since then has played with S.P.O.C.K
In 1988 Eddie Bengtsson wrote a handful of songs to be performed at Finn Albertsson's next birthday party, with Alexander Hofman performing vocals; the three men dubbed the band Mr. Spock (named for Mr. Spock of the Star Trek franchise). After the performance at Albertsson's birthday celebration, the band continued for several months to play at house parties, and soon managed to secure some event bookings. In 1989 the band members contacted Paramount Pictures for permission to use the name "Mr. Spock." When Paramount demanded compensation for the privilege, the band renamed themselves Star Pilot on Channel K, abbreviated S.P.O.C.K.
S.P.O.C.K's commercial success began in 1990 when the Swedish record label Accelerating Blue Fish published Silicon Dream as a limited-edition single.
On stage the band members adopted sci-fi-esque personae, with Eddie Bengtsson as "Eddie B. Kirk", Alexander Hofman as "Android", and Finn Albertsson as "Cybernoid".
Together with such bands as Page, Elegant Machinery, Sista Mannen På Jorden and Kiethevez, S.P.O.C.K helped to define the sound of the Swedish synthpop movement.
Representative songs include Never Trust a Klingon, In Space No One Can Hear You Scream, Mr. Spock's Brain, and Astrogirl.
Beam Me Up
S.P.O.C.K Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We saw this planet and we went down to the ground
Where and when could we be? - Nobody was sure,
But I had this feeling that I'd been here before
Beam me up
There's no intelligent life
Down here where I am
The planet was blue and we could breathe the air
The people were separated into different partitions
Many of them fought a war without any logical missions
Beam me up
There's no intelligent life
Down here where I am
The computer now told me that this was 300 years back
So, I suddenly realised this was the place of my birth
In the 20th century, this is a planet called Earth!
Beam me up
There's no intelligent life
Down here where I am
The lyrics of S.P.O.C.K's "Beam Me Up" explore the experience of a space crew who have landed on an unknown planet. The crew initially experiences confusion about the time and place where they are located. However, the singer has a feeling of familiarity with the planet despite not knowing where he is. He requests to be beamed up because he believes there is no intelligent life on the planet. The crew can breathe the air on the planet, but there is something off about it, and it could be poisonous.
As they explore the planet, they realize that the inhabitants are divided, and they are fighting a senseless war. In the end, the computer system tells the singer that he is on Earth, his home planet, from 300 years in the past. This realization makes him ask to be beamed up again.
The song invites us to explore the idea of what is intelligent life, and although the planet may seem inhabitable, the singer believes that the people who inhabit it are not. The song also plays with time travel and ideas surrounding the concept of home.Overall, the song encourages us to appreciate our planet and to recognize the importance of world peace.
Line by Line Meaning
After a mission we'd been flying around
Following a successful space exploration quest,
We saw this planet and we went down to the ground
We found another celestial body and decided to land,
Where and when could we be? - Nobody was sure,
We were uncertain of our location and time,
But I had this feeling that I'd been here before
However, a sense of familiarity dawned on me,
Beam me up
Transport me back to my spaceship,
There's no intelligent life
This place lacks rational and logical beings,
Down here where I am
Where I am standing presently,
The planet was blue and we could breathe the air
The atmosphere in this planet was hospitable for us,
But it tickled my throat; was this a poison sphere
Despite the planet's favorable air quality, there was a possibility of toxic contaminants,
The people were separated into different partitions
The inhabitants of this planet were fragmented into various groups,
Many of them fought a war without any logical missions
Some of these groups engaged in inexplicable and illogical conflicts,
The computer now told me that this was 300 years back
After consulting the computer, I discovered that we had traveled back 300 years in time,
So, I suddenly realised this was the place of my birth
I had an epiphany that this was my home planet where I was born,
In the 20th century, this is a planet called Earth!
This was Earth, the third planet from the sun in the solar system, during the 20th century,
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Coyote Demon
"After a mission we'd been flying around
We saw this planet and we went down to the ground
Where and when could we be? - Nobody was sure,
but I had this feeling that I'd been here before
Beam me up
there's no intelligent life
down here where I am
The planet was blue and we could breathe the air
But it tickled my throat; was this a poison sphere
The people were separated into different partitions
Many of them fought a war without any logical missions
Beam me up
there's no intelligent life
down here where I am
The computer now told me that this was 300 years back
So, I suddenly realised this was the place of my birth
In the 20th century, this is a planet called Earth!
Beam me up
there's no intelligent life
down here where I am "
Coyote Demon
"After a mission we'd been flying around
We saw this planet and we went down to the ground
Where and when could we be? - Nobody was sure,
but I had this feeling that I'd been here before
Beam me up
there's no intelligent life
down here where I am
The planet was blue and we could breathe the air
But it tickled my throat; was this a poison sphere
The people were separated into different partitions
Many of them fought a war without any logical missions
Beam me up
there's no intelligent life
down here where I am
The computer now told me that this was 300 years back
So, I suddenly realised this was the place of my birth
In the 20th century, this is a planet called Earth!
Beam me up
there's no intelligent life
down here where I am "
Dallen Eldredge
I loved hearing this one for the first time and finding out that it was actually a roast to humanity.
Enduro Camaro Dusty
Amazing Song... I Really Love It!
Velotrol
I was introduced to this band in 1994 by a beautiful Swedish girl called Linda, we were living in London at the time. Linda if you ever see this I want you to know I never forgot you and would love to know how you are doing. Alex from Brazil. <3
Haruka Kōmi
Hahaha verdade, não é da minha época
Velotrol
@Haruka Kōmi Posso te dizer o mesmo, especialmente porque seguramente nao é de tua época, certo?
Haruka Kōmi
Interessante saber que mais alguém do Brasil conhece S.P.O.C.K. :D
MangansRosaleen
Great song :)
Krälet
This wasn't on "Alien Worlds", it was on "A Piece of the Action" :)
digital ENERGY official
and on the single STRANGE DIMENSIONS