X-Ray Spex's other distinctive musical element was Poly Styrene's voice, which has been variously described as "effervescently discordant" and "powerful enough to drill holes through sheet metal". As Mari Elliot, Poly had released a reggae single for GTO Records in 1976, "Silly Billy", which had not charted. Born in 1957 in Brixton, London, of Somali-English parentage, Poly Styrene became the group's public face, and remains one of the most memorable front-women to emerge from the punk movement. Poly Sytrene also became one of the first high-profile black people in punk rock. She wore braces on her teeth and once stated that "If anybody tried to make me a sex symbol I would shave my head tomorrow".
X-Ray Spex existed from mid-1976 to 1979, during which time they released five singles - "Oh Bondage, Up Yours", "Identity", "The Day the World Turned Day-Glo", "Germ Free Adolescents", and "Highly Inflammable" - and one album, Germ Free Adolescents. The album and title single reached 30 and 19 in their respective charts, although "Oh Bondage, Up Yours" is regarded as their most enduring artifact, both as a piece of music and as a phrase. The song was not originally on the album, although later CD releases added it as the final track. The group did play a fortnight's residency at New York's CBGB's even though Germ Free Adolescents was not released in America until 1992. Exhausted by touring, Poly Styrene left the band in 1979 to release a solo album, Translucence, before joining the Hare Krishna movement (as did Lora Logic, in a coincidental move, who left the band aged 16 in 1977 to form a new group called Essential Logic).
Without Styrene, the group lost its momentum and split up. Hurding and London went on to form Classix Nouveaux, while Paul Dean retired from musical activities.
In 1991 re-grouped X-Ray Spex played a surprise sell-out gig at the Brixton Academy. Uniquely, this version of the group did not include Poly Styrene, and according to an interview with Lora Logic: "...that was a mistake. They put that together with another singer and I played with them for a tour but you can't really have it without Poly."
The group reformed more successfully in 1995 with a line-up of Styrene, Dean and Logic to release a new album Conscious Consumer. Although heralded as the first in a trilogy, the album was not a commercial success. Styrene later explained that touring and promotional work suffered an abrupt end when she was run over by a fire engine in central London. The group disbanded, but subsequent releases include a compilation of the group's early records, a live album, and an anthology of all the aforementioned.
Jak Airport later worked for the BBC's Corporate and Public Relations department under his real name, Jack Stafford; he died in August 2004.
Discography
Singles
"Oh Bondage, Up Yours", 1977
"The Day The World Turned Day-Glo", 1978 #23 UK
"Identity", 1978 #24 UK
"Germ Free Adolescents", 1978 #19 UK
"Highly Inflammable", 1979 #45 UK
Albums
Germ Free Adolescents, 1978
Conscious Consumer, 1995
Poly Styrene later went on to reform X-Ray Spex with a 30 year anniversary sell-out gig at The Roundhouse, Camden, London September 6th 2008 with original bass player Paul Dean, Jak Airport sadly no longer with us was replaced by Saxby guitarist for Arnold, saxophone was provided by Flash formerly of Rip Rig & Panic and finally drummer Sid (Sidation) Truelove from Rubella Ballet and Flux of Pink Indians, hand picked by Poly for his authentic resemblance to B.P. Hurdings original punk style completing the line up for one of the most long awaited gigs of the last three decades. This performance will be available to buy on DVD and live album in November 2009 on Future Noise Music, for more info go to www.futurenoisemusic.com
Polystyrene sadly lost her battle with cancer and passed away 26/04/11
www.x-rayspex.com// http://www.myspace.com/xrayspexrealofficialpage
X-ray Spex
I Live Off You
X-Ray Spex Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you live of me
And the whole world lives
Off of everybody
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
Cat eats the rat
While the pimp beats the whore
As she just screams
Out for more and more
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
La-la-la-la!
I live off you
And you live of me
And the whole world lives
Off of everybody
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
La-la-la-la!
The lyrics to X-Ray Spex's song "I Live Off You" convey a sense of interconnectedness between individuals and the world as a whole. The refrain "I live off you and you live off me" emphasizes the idea that we are all reliant on each other in some way. However, the lyrics also highlight the power dynamics at play in society. The lines "cat eats the rat while the pimp beats the whore" draw attention to the exploitation and violence that can occur in human relationships. The repeated assertion that "we gotta be exploited" suggests a resignation to this fact of life, as if being taken advantage of is an unavoidable part of existence.
Overall, the lyrics of "I Live Off You" offer a commentary on the nature of living in a society. While we rely on each other for survival, this dependence can also lead to exploitation and inequality. The lyrics encourage listeners to consider their own relationships and the ways in which they may be perpetuating these power imbalances.
Line by Line Meaning
I live off you
I depend on you for my livelihood
And you live of me
You depend on me for your livelihood
And the whole world lives
Everyone depends on each other for survival
Off of everybody
We are all interconnected and rely on each other to live
See, we gotta be exploited
We are forced to be taken advantage of
See, we gotta be exploited
We have no other choice but to be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
We are exploited by others, repeatedly
Cat eats the rat
Powerful people take advantage of the weak
While the pimp beats the whore
Abuse and exploitation occur in many forms
As she just screams
The victim is helpless
Out for more and more
Exploiters never stop abusing and taking advantage
La-la-la-la!
Repeating these unpleasant truths is difficult and uncomfortable
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MARIAN JOAN ELLIOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ThePranavmann911
I live off you
And you live of me
And the whole world lives
Off of everybody
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
Cat eats the rat
While the pimp beats the whore
As she just screams
Out for more and more
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
La-la-la-la!
I live off you
And you live of me
And the whole world lives
Off of everybody
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
La-la-la-la!
@boris1873
I live off you
And you live off me
And the whole world
Lives off of everybody
[Chorus]
See we gotta be exploited
See we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
[Verse 2]
The cat eats the rat
While the pimp beats the whore
As she just screams out
For more and more
[Chorus]
See we gotta be exploited
See we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
La la la
[Verse 1]
I live off you
And you live off me
And the whole world
Lives off of everybody
@glynarchie5765
How prophetic was this album, artists like should never be forgotten
@BigBuick
RIP Poly - you changed music and set the tone for punk rock girls, rebel girls, for ages to come.
@karunaroots
THE MOST Prophetic of all Punk Bands, ever! ...and a Brilliant Sax to make it a unique sound along with Polly's voice
@GothicMod
I was a working class 2nd Generation Punk Rocker of 16, from August 1976 to August 1977, deciding the Scene was rotten to the core by February 1977, finished by April 1977. One night in early February, at the Roxy Club, I remember a girl standing across the room near the stage, dressed smartly in a black pinstripe suit (skirt and jacket) wearing a white fedora hat, totally unusual for the place, and we held each other's gaze, me a white boy with black and orange hair wearing my old school blazer; This 'look' was like a 'knowing' of something outside of it, and one of those 'key' moments of the whole thing, for me, somehow magical. Next, sometime in March, I saw this girl on stage, wearing a green metallic top, a child's plastic WW2 GI helmet at a rakish angle on her head, with this amazing voice, not the Soul Girl Marie Elliot, but Polystyrene of a new Roxy band, X Ray Spex. One of those wonderful people who didn't give a damn what colour or class a person was, only what was inside of them mattered. One day on the other side of Life, I hope to be able to shake her hand, for the music and the Spirit. Arcane Vendetta (ex 2nd Generation Punk Rocker)
@ThePranavmann911
I live off you
And you live of me
And the whole world lives
Off of everybody
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
Cat eats the rat
While the pimp beats the whore
As she just screams
Out for more and more
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
La-la-la-la!
I live off you
And you live of me
And the whole world lives
Off of everybody
See, we gotta be exploited
See, we gotta be exploited
By somebody, by somebody, by somebody
La-la-la-la!
@tonemuric
Awesome song
@hassanas-sabbagh6562
Punks finally caught up with Karl Marx.
@ethanhill9460
I heard this song years AGO obviously. in NYC club. Couldn't forget sex and voice. This is solid rock informed by jump blues horn and the shit is spot on.
God bless her soul, an anti-consumerist punk.
@misterdavid5400
1970's punk rock, the most honest music genre in modern history.
@wheyduch7007
its very beatiful is genre and reflect very psico mind at humanity ........ cheers!!