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.
Smack My Bitch Up (Pendulum Re
The Prodigy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Smack my bitch up
Change my pitch up
Smack my bitch up
Change my pitch up
Smack my bitch up
Change my pitch up
Smack my bitch up
Eaaaheeyheeaheyyyee
Aaahaaahaaaaaaaaaaahha
Eaaaheeyheeaheyyyee
Aaahhaaaaa
Aaahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Smack my bitch up
Change my pitch up
Smack my bitch up
Change my pitch up
Smack my bitch up
The lyrics to The Prodigy's (Jim Pavloff rmx) song "Smack My Bitch Up" are controversial and often misunderstood. The song itself is an electronic dance track with an infectious beat that has become a club classic. However, the lyrics have sparked debate since the song's release in 1997.
The first verse of the song "Change my pitch up, smack my bitch up" can be seen as a reference to drug use. Changing one's pitch is a slang term for changing the level of intoxication, while "smack" is a slang term for heroin. The lyric "smack my bitch up" is a crude and violent phrase that has been criticized by feminist groups and labeled as misogynistic. However, others have argued that the line is not about violence against women but rather an expression of the singer's sexual desires.
The second verse "Aaahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Smack my bitch up, Change my pitch up" is more ambiguous but can be interpreted as a continuation of the first verse. It can also be seen as a reference to the intense experience of drug use, with the singer pushing their limits and seeking a heightened state of consciousness.
Line by Line Meaning
Change my pitch up
I want to alter my voice to sound different.
Smack my bitch up
I want to physically hit and abuse my female partner.
Eaaaheeyheeaheyyyee
Vocalization that expresses excitement and pleasure in committing acts of violence and degrading behavior towards women.
Aaahaaahaaaaaaaaaaahha
Similar to the previous line, this is a vocalization of pleasure in engaging in violent and disrespectful behavior towards women.
Aaahhaaaaa
More vocalization of pleasure in committing acts of violence towards women.
Aaahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Further vocalization of pleasure in engaging in violent and degrading behavior towards women.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Continued expression of pleasure in committing violence against women.
Smack my bitch up
I want to physically hit and abuse my female partner.
Change my pitch up
I want to alter my voice to sound different.
Smack my bitch up
I want to physically hit and abuse my female partner.
Change my pitch up
I want to alter my voice to sound different.
Smack my bitch up
I want to physically hit and abuse my female partner.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LIAM HOWLETT, CEDRIC ULMONT MILLER, TIM RANDOLPH, MIKE SMITH, KEITH MATHEW THORNTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind