Thursday October 23, 2020 “You’re Gonna Miss Me” 13th Floor Elevators
Sounds like it should be a nice romantic ballad from the movie High Fidelity.
Nope.
John Cusack is usually a solid barometer for good movies and High Fidelity based on the Nick Hornsby book of the same name is no exception. A story about the fear of commitment surrounded by so much good music that even if it was terrible, which it definitely is not, it would be worth watching if only to see Jack Black fronting the Sonic Death Monkeys singing, quite well, “Let’s Get It On”.
The song selected from the movie is “You’re Gonna Miss Me” by the 13th Floor Elevators, who are often credited as the first band to refer to their music as ‘psychedelic rock’. They were fronted by Roky Erickson, also the main songwriter, who as a result of his frequent indulgence in psychedelics had a very rocky life after the Elevators.
The band originated in Austin, TX and legend has it that Janis Joplin, from nearby Port Arthur, was considering joining The 13th Floor Elevators before receiving an invitation from Big Brother and the Holding Company. If you are not familiar with the band or this song I think you will be surprised by their romantic take on breaking up.
Does this sound like Van Morrison’s “Gloria” to you? And watch the video to the end for Dick Clark’s question ‘who is the head man in the group’ and the reply is ‘we’re all heads’. And that strange sound at the opening of the song is an electric jug...really.
Stay safe and well...and did you ever notice that most tall office buildings don’t actually have a thirteenth floor listed on their elevators.
