The Electric Slide Song: Its Meaning And History

what is the song electric slide about

Electric Boogie, also known as The Electric Slide, is a popular dance song written by Bunny Wailer in 1982. The song gained popularity due to its association with the Electric Slide line dance and has become a celebratory staple. Despite rumours circulating that the song's lyrics are about a vibrator, the songwriter has denied these claims.

Characteristics Values
Song Name Electric Boogie (The Electric Slide)
Songwriter Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston)
Song Inspiration The song was inspired by Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue"
Lyrics Interpretation Some people interpret the song's lyrics as being about a vibrator
Songwriter's Response Livingston denied the rumor, stating the song was not inspired by anything other than "Electric Avenue"

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The song's inspiration

The song "Electric Boogie" (also known as "The Electric Slide") was written by Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston) in 1982. It was inspired by Eddy Grant's song "Electric Avenue", which was also released that year. According to Marcia Griffiths, the song was created spontaneously when she and Wailer experimented with a rhythm box she had purchased in Toronto. Griffiths has stated that the song was made for fun and was not related to anything sexual. Wailer himself has denied the rumor that the song was about a vibrator.

Despite this, rumors have persisted that the song is about a vibrator. This interpretation is based on the song's lyrics, which some have interpreted as suggestive of a vibrator or sex toy: "It's Electric! You can't see it/It's electric! You gotta feel it/It's electric! Ooh, it's shakin'/It's electric! Jiggle-a-mesa-cara/She's a pumpin' like a matic/She's a movin' like electric".

The rumor gained traction in 2018 when an article by Aazios.com quoted an anonymous source claiming to be close to Livingston. According to this source, Livingston had confirmed that the song was indeed about a vibrator. The article alleged that Livingston wrote the song after his girlfriend at the time left him for her vibrator, which she nicknamed the "Electric Slide".

However, the reliability of this story has been questioned. Livingston never confirmed the rumor himself, and the article did not provide any information on how the anonymous source was contacted or why they chose to remain unnamed. In fact, Livingston has since denied the rumor, stating that the song was inspired solely by Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue".

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The Electric Slide dance

The Electric Slide is a line dance that became a celebratory staple. It is performed to the song "Electric Boogie" (also known as "The Electric Slide"), a 1982 dance song by Bunny Wailer, which he wrote after hearing "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant.

The dance is typically performed at weddings, bat mitzvahs, and other celebratory events. The song's lyrics include:

> "It's Electric! You can't see it

> It's electric! You gotta feel it

> It's electric! Ooh, it's shakin'

> It's electric! Jiggle-a-mesa-cara

> She's a pumpin' like a matic

> She's a movin' like electric

> She sure got the boogie."

In 2018, rumours began circulating that the song was about a vibrator, with some claiming that songwriter Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston) had confirmed this. However, these rumours were never confirmed by Wailer, who specifically denied them, stating that the song was inspired only by Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue".

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Bunny Wailer's denial

In 2018, rumours began circulating that the song "Electric Boogie" (also known as "The Electric Slide") was about a vibrator. The rumour was based on an interpretation of the song's lyrics, which some believed alluded to a sex toy:

> It's Electric! You can't see it

> It's electric! You gotta feel it

> It's electric! Ooh, it's shakin'

> It's electric! Jiggle-a-mesa-cara

> She's a pumpin' like a matic

> She's a movin' like electric

> She sure got the boogie

According to the rumour, songwriter Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston) was inspired to write the song after a girlfriend told him she didn't need him because she had a vibrator nicknamed the "Electric Slide".

However, Bunny Wailer has denied this rumour. In a statement to EDM, Wailer said:

> At no time have I ever lent credence to a rumour that the song was inspired by anything other than Eddie [Grant's] 'Electric Avenue'. To state otherwise is a falsehood and offends my legacy, the legacy of the singer Marcia Griffiths, and tarnishes the [Jamaican] culture that the song and dance were originally intended to celebrate.

Wailer noted that "Electric Boogie" was inspired by "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant, which was also released in 1982. The song was written for singer Marcia Griffiths, who confirmed that the song was made out of innocent fun and had no sexual connotations.

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Rumours and social media

In June 2018, rumours began circulating on social media that the popular dance song "Electric Boogie" (also known as "The Electric Slide") was written about a vibrator. The song, written by Bunny Wailer and released in 1982, is strongly associated with the "Electric Slide" line dance and has become a celebratory staple.

The rumour was based on an interpretation of the song's lyrics, which some believed alluded to a vibrator: "It's Electric! You can't see it/It's electric! You gotta feel it/It's electric! Ooh, it's shakin'/It's electric! Jiggle-a-mesa-cara/She's a pumpin' like a matic/She's a movin' like electric".

An article by Aazios, an online source of LGBTQ news and entertainment, reported that an anonymous source close to the songwriter, Neville Livingston (aka Bunny Wailer), had confirmed the song was about a vibrator. The source claimed that Livingston wrote the song after his girlfriend left him for her vibrator, which she nicknamed the "Electric Slide".

However, the rumour was quickly debunked by Wailer himself, who denied the interpretation in a statement to EDM: "At no time have I ever lent credence to a rumor that the song was inspired by anything other than Eddie Grant’s Electric Avenue. To state otherwise is a falsehood and offends my legacy, the legacy of the singer Marcia Griffiths, and tarnishes the [legacy of the Wailers]" Griffiths, who the song was written for, also denied any sexual connotations, stating that the song was made out of innocent fun.

Despite the denial, the rumour spread widely across social media and news outlets, with many sharing the story as if it were fact. This incident highlights how easily misinformation can spread online, with rumours and interpretations often being shared as truth without proper verification. It also underscores the power of social media in shaping public discourse and influencing popular culture.

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The song's lyrics

"Electric Boogie", also known as "The Electric Slide", is a dance song written by Bunny Wailer and released in December 1982. The song is strongly associated with the "Electric Slide" line dance and has become a celebratory staple.

> Come let me take you on a party ride

> And I'll teach you, teach you, teach you

> I'll teach you the electric slide

> Some say it's mystic (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

> You can't resist it (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

> You can't do without it (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

> Jiggle-a-mesa-cara she's a pumpin' like a matic

> She's movin' like electric

> She sure got the boogie

> Don't want to lose it (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

> But you can't choose it (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

> But you know it's there, Here, there and everywhere

> I've got to move, Come let me take you on a party ride

> And I'll teach you, teach you, teach you

> I'll teach you the electric slide

> You can't see it (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

> You gotta feel it (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

> Ooh, it's shakin' (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

> Jiggle-a-mesa-cara she's a pumpin' like a matic

> She's movin' like electric

> She sure got the boogie

> You gotta know it (It's electric Boogie woogie, woogie)

There are several rumours about the meaning of the song's lyrics. One rumour suggests that the song is about a vibrator, with the interpretation that the "Electric Slide" is the name of a woman's sex toy. This interpretation gained traction in 2018 when an article by Aazios.com reported that an anonymous source close to the songwriter, Bunny Wailer (Neville Livingston), had confirmed the song's subtext. However, this rumour was later refuted by Wailer himself, who stated that the song was inspired by Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue", also released in 1982.

Despite the denial, the interpretation of the song's lyrics as being about a vibrator persists, with many people continuing to associate the song with this rumoured meaning.

Frequently asked questions

The song "Electric Slide", also known as Electric Boogie, is rumoured to be about a vibrator.

The rumour started when someone interpreted the song's lyrics and shared their interpretation on social media.

The interpretation is that the lyrics are about a vibrator, specifically one that a girlfriend has and therefore, does not need her partner anymore.

The song was written by Bunny Wailer, also known as Neville Livingston.

Bunny Wailer has denied the rumour and stated that the song was inspired by "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant.

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