Arrangements by The Walker Brothers
Produced b… Read Full Bio ↴Written by Scott Engel
Arrangements by The Walker Brothers
Produced by Scott Walker and Dave MacRae
Orchestrations and Conducting by Dave MacRae
Vocals: John Walker and Scott Walker
Drums: Frank Gibson
Bass: Dill Katz
Percussion: Morris Pert
Guitar: Jim Sullivan
First released on Nite Flights LP (1978)
The Electrician
The Walker Brothers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the lights go low
There's no help, no
Baby, it's slow
When lights go low
There's no help, no
He's drilling through the Spiritus Sanctus tonight
Screaming, "Oh, you mambos
Kill me and kill me and kill me"
If I jerk the handle
You'll die in your dreams
If I jerk the handle, jerk the handle
You'll thrill me and thrill me and thrill me
Baby, it's slow
When lights go low
There's no help, no
The lyrics of "The Electrician" by The Walker Brothers are enigmatic and haunting, touching on themes of violence, control, and submission. The opening lines, "Baby, it's slow / When the lights go low / There's no help, no," suggest a feeling of isolation and vulnerability that intensifies in the later verses. The chorus, which repeats the phrase "Baby, it's slow / When lights go low / There's no help, no," reinforces this atmosphere of dread.
The most disturbing image in the song is the repeated reference to the "Spiritus Sanctus," which the singer is drilling into. The Latin phrase translates to "Holy Spirit," but in the context of the song it takes on a sinister quality, as though the singer is violating something sacred. The later verse, which includes the lines "If I jerk the handle / You'll die in your dreams / If I jerk the handle, jerk the handle / You'll thrill me and thrill me and thrill me," further suggests a power dynamic in which the singer is exerting control over another person.
Overall, "The Electrician" is a deeply unsettling song that creates a sense of unease that lingers long after the music stops. Its themes of violence, power, and submission are explored in a way that is both vague and specific, creating a feeling of ambiguity that invites interpretation and analysis.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, it's slow
The situation is progressing slowly and is devoid of any excitement or urgency.
When the lights go low
When the surroundings become dark and gloomy.
There's no help, no
There is no assistance or support available to deal with the situation at hand.
He's drilling through the Spiritus Sanctus tonight
The artist is working on a complex and important mission, which may be symbolic of a personal or emotional dilemma.
Through the dark hip falls
He is persevering through challenges and obstacles despite the challenges he encounters.
Screaming, "Oh, you mambos
The singer is shouting or crying out loud in distress or anguish.
Kill me and kill me and kill me"
The singer feels deeply troubled or pained and uses extreme language to express his sentiments.
If I jerk the handle
If the situation is handled in a certain way by the artist or another individual.
You'll die in your dreams
Unfavorable consequences may follow, leading to a negative outcome.
If I jerk the handle, jerk the handle
The artist repeats his previous statement to emphasize the gravity of the situation.
You'll thrill me and thrill me and thrill me
Despite the risk involved, there may be a certain satisfaction or thrill associated with the actions taken.
Baby, it's slow
The situation remains stagnant and the artist continues to struggle through it.
When lights go low
As the situation becomes more difficult and challenging.
There's no help, no
As the singer continues to face obstacles and struggles without any assistance or support.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Scott Engel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Alexandre F. Paradis
A rare moment of lucidity in pop music.
This song manages to feel like a 15-minute pop opera journey in just 6 minutes. The scope and grandeur of the piece is as big as some classical compositions like Mahler and Ravel.
It's also the missing link in Scott Walker's discography, the only bridge between his early baroque pop and avant-garde music of his late years.
Surprisingly, the absence of percussions in the first and last section pushes me into a deep listening mode that I rarely get in pop music. There's rhythm with the bass and vocals, but your brain can't find it, and you're left listening to the song in a suspended mental state. Truly amazing.
Thank you Scott. You will be remembered.
Martin Vallejo
Baby, it's slow
When lights go low
There's no help, no
Baby, it's slow
When lights go low
There's no help, no
[Verse: Scott Walker + John Walker]
He's drilling through the Spiritus Sanctus tonight
Through the dark hip falls
Screaming, "Oh, you mambos
Kill me and kill me and kill me"
If I jerk the handle
You'll die in your dreams
If I jerk the handle, jerk the handle
You'll thrill me and thrill me and thrill me
[Instrumental]
[Refrain: Scott Walker + John Walker]
Baby, it's slow
When lights go low
There's no help, no
Banana boat
Baby its slow
When lights
Go low
There's no help
No
Baby its slow
When lights
Go low
There's no help
No
He's
Drilling through
The spiritus sanctus
Tonight
Through
The dark hip falls
Screaming
Oh you mambos
Kill me
And
Kill me
And
Kill me
If I
Jerk the handle
You'll die
In your dreams
If I
Jerk the handle
Jerk the handle
You'll
Thrill me
And
Thrill me
And
Thrill me
Baby it's slow
When lights
Go low
There's no help
No
Thurnley Abbey
There's about 20 songs in the world that make me ask: How can this music possibly exist? Scott Walker wrote at least 12 of them.
Victon Ironell
what are the songs? :D
Andrea Mariño Sanmamed
Mr Sir Why are you here?
Victon Ironell
Andrea Mariño Sanmamed what?
Slay No More
If you think this is creepy, listen to pretty much anything the Swans put out.
Thuysbebop
Ben Crea i have to agree. this particular song is beyond divine really.
Ray J
For me this is the quintessential Scott Walker track, the perfect bridge between the beautiful orchestrated work of his early career, and the avant-garde work of his later career.
Scott
it's mesmerizing
groofay
Absolutely. You don't have a full understanding of Scott Walker at all without hearing the Nite Flights tracks, especially The Electrician. It's his Rosetta Stone.
Félix Marqués
This track and “Such a Small Love” feel to me like they're staring at each other across the decades.