The themes and imagery in the band's songs were often influenced by futuristic, dystopian, or post-apocalyptic films such as A Clockwork Orange, The Terminator, Blade Runner, and the Mad Max trilogy. The band's music and image also mashed together a range of other pop culture influences, including the New York electronica duo Suicide, Marc Bolan's T-Rex, and the swagger and sex appeal of Eddie Cochran, Elvis Presley, and glam rock.
The original line-up also featured Martin Degville, Neal X (Whitmore), Chris Kavanagh, and Ray Mayhew. Tony James' friend Mick Jones, a former member of The Clash, gave James advice about starting the band and selecting musicians. While searching for members, in 1983 Tony James tried out Andrew Eldritch from The Sisters of Mercy and, on Mick Jones' suggestion, auditioned the then-unknown Annie Lennox. As well, Jones gave James a Roland G-707 synth guitar, which at the time was a new and rarely-used device. The futuristic, electronic sounds of the synth guitar helped James to create Sputnik's new wave-cyberpunk sound.
The band took its name from a Moscow street gang called Sigue Sigue Sputnik, which means "Burn, burn, satellite." Their outlandish appearance and image, which included towering, multicoloured mohawk hairstyles, wigs, makeup, and multiple piercings, and gender-bending fetish clothing (plastic, rubber, or leather outfits, fishnet stockings, and stiletto heels) garnered a great deal of attention from the media. While these styles have since been used by a number of gothic or glam bands, in the mid-1980s, Sigue Sigue band members' appearance was unique and startling.
The "packaging" of the band's appearance and presentation was carefully considered well before the band ever performed in public. Inspired by the Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren's unorthodox methods of promoting a band, Tony James generated a great deal of hype about Sigue Sigue Sputnik, while wisely not allowing anyone from the music industry a chance to hear the band. James famously showed record executives a short video collage of futuristic and science-fiction movie clips as a "demo tape" of the band. The buzz became a frenzy as several record labels began a bidding war to sign Sigue Sigue Sputnik. James finally settled on EMI, which was rumored to have given the band a £1 million advance.
The group split soon after the release of their second album, Dress for Excess (the initial single from which, Success, was produced by British hitmakers Stock Aitken Waterman). Tony James stated that the band "...couldn't sustain this pretend bastardized version of Sputnik." James also blamed the media for the band's fall from grace. When Sputnik's first singles were released, the media and James' promotional efforts worked symbiotically, sharing the mutual benefits of the band's hype and shock value. Once the initial shock and tabloid outrage over the band's unusual image and appearance had worn off, media coverage became dismissive, criticizing the band's focus on image and style.
The band was reformed once in the 1990s (featuring Tomoyasu Hotei on guitar and Christopher Novak singing) releasing Sputnik: The Next Generation and once again in 2001 with Martin Degville and Neal X, which resulted in the release of Piratespace. The reformed Sigue Sigue Sputnik continues to play live, and it has also produced a number of remixes of other artists' work. In 2004, lead singer Martin Degville left the band to pursue a solo career.
http://www.sputnikworld.com
http://www.sputnik2.com
DISCOGRAPHY
Love Missile F1-11
Sigue Sigue Sputnik Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But there goes my love rocket red
Shoot it up
Oh, shoot it up
Blaster bomb bomb bomb ahead
Multi millions still unfed (unfed)
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
(Terminator, terminator)
Hold me, shake me, I'm all shook up (all shook up)
Psycho maniac inter blend
Shoot it up
Now shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Teenage crime now fashion's dead
Shoot it up
There goes my love rocket red
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Amondo teeno giving giving giving
Shoot it up
There goes my love rocket red
Shoot it up
Now shoot it up
(Then when you get the money, you get the power) oh, shoot it up
Ultraviolence in Japan
Oh, shoot it up
Oh shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Shoot it up
Soon the whole world will know my name
Let's shoot it up
Shoot it up
The lyrics to Sigue Sigue Sputnik's song Love Missile F1-11 are a combination of references to war, love, and drug use. The first lines, "The US bombs cruising overhead, but there goes my love rocket red," juxtapose the destructive power of war with the passion and excitement of love. The repeated refrain "Shoot it up" can be interpreted as a command to fire weapons, but it can also refer to taking drugs or injecting oneself with a love potion. The line "Psycho maniac inter blend" suggests a distorted and unstable emotional state, possibly caused by the use of drugs.
The lyrics also contain social commentary and criticism of consumerist culture. The line "Multi millions still unfed" suggests that despite technological advancements and military power, there are still many people in the world who are struggling to survive. The reference to "teenage crime" and "fashion's dead" could be interpreted as a criticism of the shallow and materialistic values of youth culture. The line "Soon the whole world will know my name" suggests a desire for attention and fame, which could be seen as a manifestation of the same values.
Overall, Love Missile F1-11 is a complex and enigmatic song that combines elements of punk, electronic dance music, and social commentary. It celebrates the power of passion and the thrill of rebellion, while also highlighting the destructive consequences of war and consumption.
Line by Line Meaning
The US bombs cruising overhead
The skies are filled with bombs that threaten destruction.
But there goes my love rocket red
Despite the danger, a symbol of love is ascending into the sky.
Shoot it up
Accelerate the launch of the rocket.
Oh, shoot it up
Reiterate the need to launch the rocket quickly.
Blaster bomb bomb bomb ahead
Explosions from bombs in the sky are imminent.
Multi millions still unfed (unfed)
Many people around the world are still starving.
Amondo teeno giving
It's unclear what this phrase means, but it could be interpreted as a call to action for young people to give aid to those in need.
(Terminator, terminator)
This is likely a reference to the movie 'Terminator,' but its significance in the context of the song is unclear.
Hold me, shake me, I'm all shook up (all shook up)
The artist is feeling intense emotions in response to the situation at hand.
Psycho maniac inter blend
This phrase is nonsensical, but it may suggest chaos or instability.
Shoot it up
Repeat the need to launch the rocket.
Now shoot it up
Emphasize the urgency of the situation.
Teenage crime now fashion's dead
Youthful rebellion and defiance are no longer in vogue.
There goes my love rocket red
The rocket of love is soaring into the sky.
Shoot it up
Repeat the need for acceleration and launch.
Shoot it up
Again, repeat the need for acceleration and launch.
Shoot it up
Emphasize the necessity of launching the rocket.
Amondo teeno giving giving giving
Again, it's unclear what this phrase means, but it could be interpreted as a plea for young people to donate or help those in need.
There goes my love rocket red
Once more, the singer repeats the sight of their symbol of love ascending into the sky.
Shoot it up
Repeat the need for speed and launch.
Now shoot it up
Once again, emphasize the urgency of the situation.
(Then when you get the money, you get the power) oh, shoot it up
This line could suggest that the desire for wealth and power motivates the launch of the rocket.
Ultraviolence in Japan
A reference to the book by Haruki Murakami 'Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World', or to the movie 'A Clockwork Orange', but its relevance in the context of the song is unclear.
Oh, shoot it up
Reiterate the need to launch the rocket quickly.
Oh shoot it up
Repeat the previous line.
Shoot it up
Further emphasize the need to launch the rocket.
Shoot it up
Repeat the previous line.
Shoot it up
Again, emphasize the necessity of launching the rocket.
Soon the whole world will know my name
Zealous confidence that the launch of the rocket will garner worldwide attention.
Let's shoot it up
Encourage others to join in on the launch and share in the excitement.
Shoot it up
Finally, one last call to launch the rocket.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Martin Degville, Neal Whitmore, Tony James
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind