Why Most People Missed the Meaning of Eddy Grant’s Biggest Hit

When you heard the irresistible beat and the insinuating synth squiggles, you tended to forget everything else. “Electric Avenue”, thanks to that music and Eddy Grant’s charismatic performance, sounded unlike anything on the radio when it hit big in 1983.

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As such, many people missed the meaning behind the song. “Electric Avenue” actually possessed a lot of protest-song material in its DNA.

Grant’s Boom

Eddy Grant’s music career stretched far back beyond the time when “Electric Avenue” conquered the world. Born in the area now known as Guiana, he moved to England at the start of the 60s, just in time to be captivated by the thrilling musical revolution going on in the country.

Grant made his first mark on the music scene with a multiracial band known as The Equals. They enjoyed some success before health problems forced Grant to retrench. He eventually formed his own label and started releasing solo albums, many of which featured him playing all the instruments.

It should be noted that “Electric Avenue” was only his breakthrough in the US. By that time, he had already churned out several major hits in the UK. He eventually moved to Barbados, where he built the studio that would host the recording of his biggest worldwide single.

Going “Electric”

The title “Electric Avenue” comes from a street in Bristol, England, that was an early adopter of electricity in the 19^th century. Grant became familiar with the area when he did some acting with a theater group in the city.

As such, he knew that racial riots broke out in Brixton in the early 80s, as Black youths protested against the actions of police in the area. Grant built the track up via synthesizer and included it on his 1982 album Killer On The Rampage.

The song gave him his first US hit in large part because a video of the track caught fire at MTV. That made Grant a trailblazer of sorts, since Black artists were often shunned by the network in the early days. “Electric Avenue” peaked at No. 2 in the US for five weeks, kept out of the top spot by Irene Cara’s “Flashdance…What A Feeling” and The Police’s “Every Breath You Take”.

Behind the Lyrics of “Electric Avenue”

As we mentioned above, the music of “Electric Avenue” could carry anybody away. But Eddy Grant set the antagonistic tone of the lyrics right off the bat. “Down in the street there is violence,” he bellows. “And I can’t blame all on the sun,” he admits, suggesting that the powers that be have to answer for it.

The narrator expresses frustration at his poverty. “Deep in my heart I’m a warrior,” he claims. “Can’t get food for them kid, good God.” “Dealin’ in multiplication,” he moans about the wealth accumulating for the nation’s leaders. “And they still can’t feed everyone.”

Eddy Grant built off the success of that single, eventually scoring another Top 40 hit with the pulsating “Romancing The Stone.” You can groove to his biggest hit, but you should focus on those lyrics to get the fury of “Electric Avenue” along with the funk.

Photo by David Redfern/Redferns