The Count Five were a garage rock outfit from San José, California, United … Read Full Bio ↴The Count Five were a garage rock outfit from San José, California, United States.

They started off in 1964, founded by John "Mouse" Michalski and Kenn Ellner, two high school friends who had previously played in several short-lived outfits. After going shortly under the name of The Squires and several line-up changes later, the Count Five were born, with Roy Chaney taking over vocal duties, Irish-born John "Sean" Byrne on rhythm guitar and Craig "Butch" Atkinson on drums.

Almost from the start, they had a trademark song with "Psychotic Reaction" which was to become their one and only top-10 hit ever. The song was initially devised by Byrne, with the group refining it over the next time and turning it into the highlight of their live sets. Regarded from today's point of view, "Psychotic Reaction" is now a bonafide garage-rock classic, unashamedly borrowing on the style of contemporary bands and artists like The Standells and The Yardbirds.

Looking for a contract, the band found themselves rejected by several record companies before they finally got signed to the Los Angeles-based Double Shot Records. "Psychotic Reaction" was released as a single and found immediate popularity with the proto-punk movement that started in these days, peaking at #5 in the U.S. charts late 1966. The Count Five also gained some fair publicity for their habit of wearing Dracula-style capes when playing live. However, subsequent issues sold disappointingly. The band got along for about another year but dropped out of view altogether when their one and only hit had fallen from public memory. Another setback to a potential career in music business was the decision of the five members (the age of whom, at the time of their '15 minutes of fame', still ranged between 17 and 19 years) to pursue a college degree.

By 1969, the Count Five were history. Even after many had dismissed them as a one hit wonder, the band had one major supporter, legendary music critic Lester Bangs, who loved the single "Psychotic Reation" and wrote a famous essay called "Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung" about an alternate universe where the Count Five made four more albums to lukewarm sales but critical acclaim. The essay's name was used for a posthumous collection of Bangs' writings in 1987.

Out In The Street
The Count Five Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Out!

Out in the street
I'm talkin' 'bout slowly
I'm not gonna rest
Woman, you don't know me

Yeah, you don't know me, no

Know me, no
Know me, no
Yeah, but I'm a-gonna know you

Hey listen, woman
You just can't throw me
I won't stand it
If you don't know me

If you don't know me, no
Know me, no
Know me, no
Yeah, but I'm a-gonna know you

Listen to me
I'm telling you
You look at me, woman
Yeah, tell the truth

I know your mind
I can see that you're in need
I'll show you woman
Yeah, that you belong to me

You're gonna know me, no
Know me, no
Know me, no
Yeah, I'm a-gonna know you

Give me no reasons
Said you'd go free
It's not gonna be now
If you gotta know me

You're gonna know me now

Know me now
Know me now

Overall Meaning

In The Count Five's song "Out In The Street," the singer expresses a desire to get to know a woman better. He emphasizes that she doesn't know who he is yet, but he is determined to change that. He tells her that she can't throw him away and warns her that he won't stand for it if she doesn't take the time to get to know him. He claims that he can see that she's in need and he wants to show her that she belongs to him.

The singer's persistence is evident throughout the song as he repeats the phrase "know me, no" several times. He's determined to make a connection with this woman and won't take no for an answer. The line "give me no reasons/said you'd go free" suggests that the woman is hesitant to get involved with the singer, but he's not willing to let her go just yet.

Overall, the song portrays a man who is confident and assertive in his pursuit of a woman despite her reluctance. The repetition of the phrase "know me, no" adds to the song's catchy and memorable quality.

Line by Line Meaning

Out in the street
I am out in the open, accessible to all

I'm talkin' 'bout slowly
I am moving cautiously, taking my time

I'm not gonna rest
I won't back down or take a break

Woman, you don't know me
You lack understanding of who I am

Yeah, you don't know me, no
You are completely ignorant of my character

Yeah, but I'm a-gonna know you
I will make the effort to understand you

Hey listen, woman
I am requesting your undivided attention

You just can't throw me
You cannot dismiss me or my feelings easily

I won't stand it
I cannot tolerate being ignored or neglected

If you don't know me
If you lack understanding of who I am

Listen to me
Pay heed to what I am saying