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.
We Live Forever
The Prodigy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We live forever
The time has come
We live forever
We're here, it's now
We live forever
The time has come
I am the oven your brains I wanna heat up
Mega, supersonic degrees
Fire, turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
I am the oven your brains I wanna heat up
Mega, supersonic degrees
Fire, turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
We're here, it's now
We live forever
The time has come
We live forever
Now
We live forever
Now
We live forever
I am the oven your brains I wanna heat up
Mega, supersonic degrees
Fire, turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
I am the oven your brains I wanna heat up
Mega, supersonic degrees
Fire, turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
(Forever, forever, forever, forever, forever)
Turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
We're here, it's now
We live forever
The time has come
We live forever
We're here, it's now
We live forever
The time has come
We live forever
Now
We live forever
Now
We live forever
Turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
Turn the flame higher
Now
Now
Now
Turn the flame higher
We live forever
Now
Turn the flame higher
We live forever
The lyrics to The Prodigy's "We Live Forever" are somewhat cryptic and abstract, but they seem to suggest a kind of defiant optimism in the face of impending doom or darkness. The repetition of "We're here, it's now" emphasizes a sense of presence and immediacy, as if the singer is urging listeners to embrace the moment and not worry about what might come next. The repeated phrase "We live forever" can be interpreted in a few different ways - it could suggest a belief in the eternal nature of the human spirit, or it could be a nod to the kind of legacy one leaves behind after death.
The lines "I am the oven your brains I wanna heat up / Mega, supersonic degrees / Fire, turn the flame higher" could be seen as a kind of challenge or warning to anyone who might underestimate the singer's power or ambition. The imagery of an oven implies that the singer has the ability to cook up something potent or transformative, and the repeated reference to heat and fire suggest a kind of destructive power as well. Overall, the song's lyrics seem to convey a kind of restless energy and a desire to push beyond established boundaries, whether those are personal or societal.
Line by Line Meaning
We're here, it's now
We are in the present moment.
We live forever
Our spirit and legacy will live on forever.
The time has come
The moment we have been waiting for is here.
I am the oven your brains I wanna heat up
I am the force that will ignite your passion and inspire your creativity.
Mega, supersonic degrees
Intense, powerful energy.
Fire, turn the flame higher
Engage and intensify your passion and drive.
(Forever, forever, forever, forever, forever)
Our legacy will continue for all eternity.
Turn the flame higher
Take action and push yourself to new heights.
Now
The moment is here.
We live forever
Our spirit and legacy will live on forever.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sentric Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Liam Howlett, Robert Bruce Chetcuti, Maurice Smith, Cedric Miller, Keith Camilleri, Trevor Randolph, Keith Thornton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
V
RIP Keith Flint. You'll live forever!
Drew Banfield
The comment I was going to make!! Well said!!
joo Mist gee
Forever through his warriors 🐜
heathen-ash
I second that, rest in peace :(
J4r0sz
Thats right !
maximbhh81
Thanks for your music Keith!!! You live forever!!!
Serge Leontieff
Живи вечно в нашей памяти, Флинт!
Ivan Susanin
Во всех треках легко узнаваемый неповторимый стиль prodigy🤘
Антон Король
Настроение на 100%! Супер трек!
silviu arsene
Rip Keith and congrats for your new album which sounds like the 90's rave music.Only Prodigy could create such a masterpiece like this song.