Roky Erikson
13th floor elevators: “fire engine”
from: the psychedelic sounds ot the 13th floor elevators, 1966
“Let me take you to the empty place in my fire engine
Let me take you to the empty place in my fire engine
It can drive you out of your mind
Climb the ladder of your own design in my fire engine
Don’t you tell it to go slow or stop
You’ve got to work it right up to the top
A piercing bolt of neon red
Explodes on fire inside your head
Let me take you to the empty place in my fire engine
Let me take you to the empty place in my fire engine
Boiling rhythms making your ears ring
Rounding the corners you can feel the ring of my fire engine
Close your eyes and you erase
Your image you no longer chase
A fiery flood engulfs your brain
And drowns your thoughts with scarlet rain
Let me take you to the empty place in my fire engine
Let me take you to the empty place in my fire engine
It can drive you out of your mind
Climb the ladder of your own design in my fire engine
”
The 13th Floor Elevators easily compete for best group name of the 1960’s, easily outdistancing Question Mark and the Mysterions as well as Stark Naked and the Car Thieves. That settled, there is the matter of the electronic jug instrument that participates in all their songs and annoyed many. “Fire Engine” takes off, takes off and then it takes off taking off!
Note: Buildings never include a 13th floor because of its connotations with bad luck.
Note: The 13th Floor Elevators didn’t believe in luck
Back cover of the Elevators lp “Easter Everywhere,” 1967 Very elevatoresque!