The United State of Electronica, or U.S.E., is a Seattle, Washington-based … Read Full Bio ↴The United State of Electronica, or U.S.E., is a Seattle, Washington-based dance/rock band formed in 2002. It includes the four members of the band Wonderful: Jason Holstrom (guitar), Jon E. Rock (drums, vocals), Peter Sali (guitar, vocals), and Noah Star Weaver (keyboards, vocoder), as well as Derek Chan (bass guitar), Carly Nicklaus (backup vocals), and Amanda Okonek (backup vocals).

U.S.E. was formed when the members of Wonderful posed as an imaginary electronica band from Mannheim, Germany at a Seattle-area nightclub. When the four members of the group noticed the audience's enthusiasm about their improvised dance songs, they decided to form a side project that would take dance music more seriously. Chan, Nicklaus, and Okonek joined the members of Wonderful to develop that project, which would become the United State of Electronica.

U.S.E. released its debut self-titled album with handpainted covers in 2004. With no distribution, U.S.E turned to the Internet and gave the album to the world for free via http://www.mannheimworldwide.com. The album was released nationally through Sonic Boom Records in early 2005. U.S.E continued to tour, playing the U.S and Japan in 2005, including the 2005 Fuji Rock Festival.

Besides releasing a Japanese-only EP in 2005 called "Party People", the band retreated for various personal reasons, allowing occasional live shows in Japan and the U.S. Pacific Northwest. Finally, in 2009, U.S.E. released their sophomore album in the fall called "Loveworld". This album features some songs that date back to the era of the first album, as well as much newer tracks, all recorded shortly before the album's release.

Night Shift
United State of Electronica Lyrics

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My day starts when your head hits the pillow
Gotta get my shot of double café amaretto
Kiss my boo goodnight, and then I'm out the door
My dream last night, my only friend on the metro

clock in, let the night begin
Let's see what the city dragged in
A gangster, a hustler, a bum with some crack

Last week, dude on weed, on too much smack

on the nightshift, I go up the escalator
On the nightshift, I go down the elevator
Cause I'm the only one that's here tonight
My boss called around three, wanted to know the kronkite

my job requires me to mace out of hate
But it's up to me, so I will lyrically assassinate
Those that step, and those that test,
The best damned security in the northwest.

on the nightshift
(one more day, let's get away)

call up the cops because I'm one of them
I'll be, I guess not, i'm just makin' fun of them
Wanted to be a 5-0 like my brother, but I failed the piss test
Now i'm a disgrace to my mother

and pleasure in the job, and perfection in the work
Then why's my uniform a second-hand t-shirt?
But hope floats, and that's how it goes
My 401k plan—yo, it blows!

on the nightshift, I go up the escalator
On the nightshift, one more time down the elevator
I'm the only one that's here tonight
My boss called around three, wanted to know the kronkite

my job requires me to mace out of hate
But it's up to me, so I will lyrically assassinate
Those that step, and those that boast
The best damned security on the west coast.

on the nightshift
(one more day, let's get away, what's it gonna take?)
(trust your heart, it's not gonna break)
(love's gonna take us outta here)

that was fresh.
My whole crew is fresh.
You know what you could do to help me out?
I want everybody—put your hands in the air.

(one more day, let's get away, what's it gonna take?)

i've worked a lot of places
All over this world.
But this, the northwest
This is definitely where it's at

So baby, you know i'm comin' home in about ten minutes, right?
With a little thing I like, goodnight.

Overall Meaning

The song "Night Shift" by United State of Electronica portrays the life of a security guard working night shifts, starting when the singer's partner goes to bed. The song begins by mentioning the singer's love for caffeine, bidding their partner goodbye, the dreams they had last night, and their only friend during a commute. The singer heads to work and takes charge of the security duties, even though they feel like a failure in other aspects of their life. The lyrics mention the various characters who pass by - gangsters, hustlers, bums, drug users - and also highlight the role of mace for security.

The chorus features the singer using the escalator and elevator, indicating their constant movement and vigilance. They emphasize that they are the only ones at work tonight, and their boss calls in to inquire about the "kronkite." The second verse describes the singer's failed attempt at becoming a police officer, the irony of their work uniform, and the dissatisfying state of their 401k plan. The song ends with the singer returning home, eagerly looking forward to being with their loved one.

The song is an homage to the life of a working-class hero, who diligently works through the night, despite the adverse circumstances. It emphasizes that love and hope can take one through difficult times.

Line by Line Meaning

My day starts when your head hits the pillow
I have an unconventional schedule where I start work when most people are going to bed.

Gotta get my shot of double café amaretto
I need a caffeine kick to get through my long night ahead.

Kiss my boo goodnight, and then I'm out the door
I say goodbye to my loved one before heading off to work.

My dream last night, my only friend on the metro
My only source of comfort was a dream I had on my journey to work.

Clock in, let the night begin
I officially start my shift and am ready for the night ahead.

Let's see what the city dragged in
I am prepared to deal with the challenges that will come my way during my shift.

A gangster, a hustler, a bum with some crack
I encounter a variety of people during my shift ranging from criminals to those experiencing hardship.

Last week, dude on weed, on too much smack
I've seen a lot of drug-related incidents during my job and it's a common issue in the area.

On the nightshift, I go up the escalator
I use the escalator to start my work routine.

On the nightshift, I go down the elevator
I use the elevator as part of my shift duties.

Cause I'm the only one that's here tonight
I'm the only one on duty for the nightshift at this time.

My boss called around three, wanted to know the kronkite
My boss checked in during the night to ensure things were going smoothly.

My job requires me to mace out of hate
I carry mace as part of my security job duties to protect myself and others from harm.

But it's up to me, so I will lyrically assassinate
I use music as a creative outlet and to cope with the stresses of my job.

Those that step, and those that test
I deal with individuals who try to challenge the authority and safety measures in place.

The best damned security in the northwest.
I take pride in my job as a security professional and believe that our team provides exceptional service in this region.

Call up the cops because I'm one of them
I often work closely with law enforcement due to the nature of my job.

I'll be, I guess not, I'm just makin' fun of them
Although I respect law enforcement, I use humor as a way to relieve stress from my job.

Wanted to be a 5-0 like my brother, but I failed the piss test
I had aspirations of joining law enforcement but failed to meet the necessary requirements.

Now I'm a disgrace to my mother
My family was disappointed in my inability to become a law enforcement officer.

And pleasure in the job, and perfection in the work
I take pride in doing quality work and enjoy what I do for a living.

Then why's my uniform a second-hand t-shirt?
Although I enjoy my job, there are still some drawbacks such as the poor quality of the work uniform.

But hope floats, and that's how it goes
Despite the hardships of my job, I remain optimistic and hopeful for a better future.

My 401k plan—yo, it blows!
Although I remain hopeful, there are still some setbacks such as the poor quality of my retirement plan.

That was fresh. My whole crew is fresh.
I recently had a positive experience at work and am enjoying the camaraderie of my team.

You know what you could do to help me out?
I could use some support or assistance during my shift.

I want everybody—put your hands in the air.
I want to inspire and rally my team to continue doing great work and to stay motivated.

Love's gonna take us outta here
I hold onto the belief that love can overcome the hardships of our lives and help us move forward.

I've worked a lot of places All over this world.
I've had a lot of work experience in various places.

But this, the northwest This is definitely where it's at
Despite my varied work experience, I believe that the northwest is the best place for me and my career.

So, baby, you know I'm comin' home in about ten minutes, right?
I'm looking forward to ending my shift and returning home soon.

With a little thing I like, goodnight.
I plan on having some enjoyable downtime after my shift ends, possibly with a loved one.

"(one more day, let's get away, what's it gonna take?)
I'm looking forward to the end of my shift and the freedom to plan my next outing or adventure.

"Trust your heart, it's not gonna break)
I remain optimistic and believe that even though life can present challenges, we can all get through them with hope and courage.

(Love's gonna take us outta here)
I hold onto the belief that love can help overcome hardships and bring us all to a better place.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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