Television was one of the most creative bands to emerge from New York's und… Read Full Bio ↴Television was one of the most creative bands to emerge from New York's underground scene of the mid-'70s, creating an influential new guitar vocabulary. While guitarists Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd liked to jam, they didn't follow the accepted rock structures for improvisation — they removed the blues while retaining the raw energy of garage rock, adding complex, lyrical solo lines that recalled both jazz and rock. With its angular rhythms and fluid leads, Television's music always went in unconventional directions, laying the groundwork for many of the guitar-based post-punk pop groups of the late '70s and '80s.

In the early '70s, Television began as the Neon Boys, a group featuring guitarist/vocalist Tom Verlaine, drummer Billy Ficca, and bassist Richard Hell. At the end of 1973 in New York City, New York, the group reunited under the name Television, adding rhythm guitarist Richard Lloyd. The following year, the band made its live debut at New York's Townhouse theater and began to build up an underground following. Soon, their fan base was large enough that Verlaine was able to persuade CBGB to begin featuring live bands on a regular basis; the club would become an important venue for punk and new wave bands. Television was the first punk/new wave bands to play at CBGB. That year, Verlaine played guitar on Patti Smith's first single, "Hey Joe"/"Piss Factory," as well as wrote a book of poetry with the singer.

Television recorded a demo tape for Island Records with Brian Eno in 1975, yet the label decided not to sign the band. Hell left the band after the recording of the demo tape, forming the Heartbreakers with former New York Dolls guitarist Johnny Thunders; the following year, he began a solo career supported by the Voidoids, releasing a debut album, Blank Generation, in 1977. Hell was replaced by ex-Blondie bassist Fred Smith and Television recorded "Little Johnny Jewel," releasing it on their own Ork record label. "Little Johnny Jewel" became an underground hit, attracting the attention of major record labels. In 1976, the band released a British EP on Stiff Records, which expanded their reputation. They signed with Elektra Records and began recording their debut album.

Marquee Moon, the group's first album, was released in early 1977 to great critical acclaim, yet it failed to attract a wide audience in America; in the U.K., it reached number 28 on the charts, launching the Top 40 single "Prove It." Television supported Blondie on the group's 1977 tour, but the shows didn't increase the group's following significantly.

Television released their second album, Adventure, in the spring of 1978. While its American sales were better than those of Marquee Moon, the record didn't make the charts; in Britain, it became a Top Ten hit. Months later, the group suddenly broke up, largely due to tensions between the two guitarists. Smith rejoined Blondie, while Verlaine and Lloyd both pursued solo careers; Lloyd also played on John Doe's first solo album, as well as joined Matthew Sweet's supporting band with the 1991 album Girlfriend.

Nearly 14 years after their breakup, Television re-formed in late 1991, recording a new, self titled album for Capitol Records. The reunited band began its comeback with a performance at England's Glastonbury summer festival in 1992, releasing Television a couple months later. The album received good reviews, as did the tour that followed, yet the reunion was short-lived — the group disbanded again in early 1993. In 2001, Television again reunited for a handful of shows in the U.K., as well as an appearance at the Noise Pop Festival in Chicago.

Elevation
Television Lyrics

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The last word
Is the lost word
Why don't you say so?
Say so

I sleep light
On these shores tonight
I live light on these shores

Elevation, don't go to my head
Elevation, don't go to my head
Elevation, don't go to my head

Now you give me no trouble
And you give me no help
It is the clown
That works so well

I sleep light on these shores tonight
I live light on these shores

Elevation, don't go to my head
Elevation, don't go to my head
Elevation, don't go to my head

Our lips are sealed, our breath is burning
These cold wild seas have left us turning
But I sleep light on these shores tonight
I live light on these shores

Elevation, don't go to my head

Elevation, don't go to my head
Elevation, don't go to my head

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Television's song "Elevation" are quite cryptic and open to interpretation, but they seem to revolve around the concepts of loss, sleep, and self-control. The first verse talks about the last word being the lost word, which could be a reference to how once something is said, it cannot be unsaid, and the damage that can be caused by words spoken in haste or anger. The chorus warns against letting a sense of elevation or superiority go to the singer's head, possibly in regards to success or power. The second verse suggests that sometimes the greatest obstacle to progress is not active opposition, but rather a lack of support or guidance, and that sometimes those who seem the least serious can actually do the most good. The final verse paints a picture of a relationship where things are left unsaid and emotions run high, but the singer is able to remain calm and detached, living and sleeping "light on these shores."

Overall, "Elevation" seems to be a meditation on the ephemeral nature of life and the constant struggle to maintain a sense of balance and perspective in the face of success, loss, and adversity. The imagery of the shore, with its constantly shifting edges and the ebb and flow of the tides, suggests that the only constant in life is change, and that to survive we must be able to adjust and adapt to whatever comes our way.

Line by Line Meaning

The last word
The final utterance

Is the lost word
It's often forgotten or ignored

Why don't you say so?
Why not speak your mind?

Say so
Express yourself clearly

I sleep light
I rest easily

On these shores tonight
Near the ocean

I live light on these shores
I have a simple existence

Elevation, don't go to my head
Don't let success change me

Now you give me no trouble
You no longer cause me problems

And you give me no help
You're not assisting me

It is the clown
The fool or jester