The Prodigy first emerged in the underground rave scene in the early 1990s and achieved popularity and worldwide recognition with UK number one singles such as "Firestarter" and "Breathe", both singles coming from their UK and US chart topping album The Fat of the Land (1997). A third single from the album, “Smack My Bitch Up”, was also successful. They earned titles like "the premiere dance act for the alternative masses" and "the Godfathers of Rave", and remain one of the most successful electronic acts of all time. They have sold an estimated 25 million records worldwide, and won numerous music awards during their career, including two Brit Awards for Best British Dance Act, three MTV Video Music Awards, two Kerrang! Awards, five MTV Europe Music Awards, and received two Grammy Award nominations.
The Prodigy were founded in Braintree, Essex, in 1990 by keyboardist and songwriter Liam Howlett. He had taken piano lessons in his youth and gained the ability to play difficult passages in just a few run-throughs. After he decided to pursue a music career, Howlett met dancer and vocalist Keith Flint in mid-1989 at a rave at which Howlett was DJing. After Flint requested Howlett make a mix tape for him, Howlett obliged, returning a cassette several days later with a collection of his own songs on the other side. Howlett had scratched the word "Prodigy" onto the cassette, the same name as the Moog Prodigy analogue synthesiser, and Howlett's moniker. The tape was well-received by Flint and keyboardist Leeroy Thornhill who developed new dance sequences to the music and suggested to Howlett they begin a group together. They were soon joined by MC and vocalist Maxim, then known as Maxim Reality, and female dancer and vocalist Sharky, a friend of Flint's. Together they became the first line-up of the Prodigy.
On 4 March 2019, Keith Flint was found dead at his home in Essex, just weeks after playing six live dates in Australia and New Zealand. On 5 March, the band announced on Twitter that "all forthcoming concerts in 2019 would be canceled, effective immediately".
Following Flint's death, fans began using the Twitter hashtag "Firestarter4Number1" on various social media platforms to get "Firestarter" to top the British singles charts again. This was done out of respect for Keith Flint and to raise awareness of suicide among men.
On 20 August 2019, one day before his 48th birthday, Liam Howlett posted on the band's official Instagram page, saying he is "back in the studio making noise [...] brand new Prodigy tunes are gonna roll", referring to his intention to keep on releasing music under the Prodigy moniker.
Along with the Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim, the Prodigy have been credited as pioneers of the big beat genre, which achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s. The Prodigy, however, is not considered entirely representative of the genre as their production "often reflected the more intelligent edge of trip-hop, and rarely broke into the mindless arena of true big beat" according to AllMusic. The Prodigy are also considered alternative dance, techno, electronica, breakbeat hardcore, and rave.
Liam Howlett cited early electro as a big influence, mentioning tunes like "Clear" by American music group Cybotron and "Al Naafiysh" by Hashim. Liam Howlett also cited The Bomb Squad, Public Enemy, and Rage Against the Machine as influences.
Death Of Prodigy Dancer
The Prodigy Lyrics
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Watch the MC kill the dancer
Death of the Prodigy dancer
Come on, come on
Gonna take you with me
Gonna kill you, gonna rock you
Gonna move you, gonna groove you
Tonight, come on
Let it rock, let it move, let it move you, let it use you
Let it move you, let it move you, let it move you
One for the troubles
Two for the time
Three for the lyrics
Four for the rhyme
Come on now
Let it rock, let it rock
Pump it up, rock it up
Don't stop to the fuckin' core
Maxim reality is talking to you (?)
Let it rock you, let it rock you
Let it move you, let it groove you
Let it rock, let it rock, let it rock
Let it rock you, let it rock you, let it rock you
Let it rock you, let it rock you
Where's the response?
Where's the response?
Death of the Prodigy dancer
Watch me kill the dancer!
I'm a kill the dancer! (a = gonna)
Come on!
Gonna kill you, gonna send you to the grave tonight, oh yea that's right!
Let it rock, let it move
Let it move you, let it use you!
Let it rock you, don't you stop!
Gonna take you to the other side(???) â?? word up(???)
Let it move, let it move, let it move
Let it move you
Let it rock you, let it rock you
Get ready
One for the troubles
Two for the time
Three for the lyrics
Four for the rhyme
Let it rock you, let it move you
Don't you stop, gonna take you
To the top, oh yea
You'll fail, we're for real
Oh no!
The Prodigy's song Death of the Prodigy Dancers is a high-energy track with a raw, underground feel. The lyrics predominantly feature the main refrain, a fast-paced chant that highlights the destructive power of music. The lines "Well, this is where I kill the dancer / Watch the MC kill the dancer / Death of the Prodigy dancer" create an almost cinematic image of the destruction of the titular "Prodigy dancer." The repetition of "gonna kill you, gonna rock you, gonna move you, gonna groove you" adds to the menacing tone of the song, painting the picture of a frenzied crowd caught up in the destruction.
The verses of the song are less focused on the violent imagery and instead emphasize the power of music to move people. The lines "Let it rock, let it move, let it move you, let it use you / Let it move you, let it move you, let it move you" are about surrendering oneself to the music and allowing it to take you over completely. The verses also have a strong emphasis on rhythm and rhyme, with lines like "One for the troubles, two for the time / Three for the lyrics, four for the rhyme" highlighting the song's own musical structure.
Overall, Death of the Prodigy Dancers is a high-energy track that showcases The Prodigy's unique blend of industrial beats and raw punk rock energy. The lyrics are a mix of violent imagery and celebratory statements about the power of music, creating a complex and somewhat contradictory message.
Line by Line Meaning
Well this is where I kill the dancer
The singer is saying that this is the point where the dancer dies
Watch the MC kill the dancer
The audience should watch as the Master of Ceremonies kills the dancer
Death of the Prodigy dancer
The title of the song, referring to the death of this particular dancer
Come on, come on
An invitation to the audience to join in
Gonna take you with me
The singer is taking the audience on a journey
Gonna kill you, gonna rock you
The singer plans to kill the audience with their music
Gonna move you, gonna groove you
The music will make the audience dance
Tonight, come on
The event is happening tonight
Let it rock, let it move, let it move you, let it use you
The music is powerful and should be allowed to take control
One for the troubles
A tribute to those who have had difficulties in their lives
Two for the time
A tribute to the good times
Three for the lyrics
A tribute to the quality of the song's lyrics
Four for the rhyme
A tribute to the music's rhyme and rhythm
Come on now
An encouragement to the audience to participate
Pump it up, rock it up
Make the music louder and more intense
Don't stop to the fuckin' core
The music should be so intense that it is felt in one's core
Maxim reality is talking to you (?)
Maxim Reality, one of the members of The Prodigy, is addressing the audience
Where's the response?
Asking for a reaction from the audience
Watch me kill the dancer!
A declaration that the dancer will be killed on stage
I'm a kill the dancer! (a = gonna)
Repeating the singer's plan to kill the dancer
Gonna kill you, gonna send you to the grave tonight, oh yea that's right!
The intense music will kill the audience and send them to the grave
Let it rock, let it move
The audience should allow the music to take control
Gonna take you to the other side(???) - word up(???)
Not clear what this means; it may be a reference to a different song
Let it move, let it move, let it move
The music should continue to move the audience
Let it move you
The music should move the listener emotionally
Get ready
The audience should be prepared for what is about to happen
You'll fail, we're for real
The audience will be unable to handle the power of the music, but The Prodigy is authentic
Oh no!
An exclamation of surprise or concern, possibly to emphasize the intensity of the music
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LIAM HOWLETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind