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Electric Avenue is a song by Guyanese-British musician Eddy Grant, released in 1982 as a single and on his album Killer on the Rampage. It was one of the biggest hits of 1983 in the United States, spending five weeks at number two on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart. The song refers to Electric Avenue in Brixton, London, which was the first market street in the area to be lit by electricity. The song has been featured in various movies and TV shows, including Pineapple Express, and was used in a 2020 Donald Trump campaign video, leading to a copyright lawsuit.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song Name | Electric Avenue |
| Singer | Eddy Grant |
| Album | Killer on the Rampage |
| Year of Release | 1982 |
| Charts | Reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1983 |
| Charts | Spent five weeks at No. 2 on Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 charts in 1983 |
| Charts | Reached No. 1 in Cash Box Magazine in 1983 |
| Charts | Reached No. 18 on the Hot Black Singles chart in 1983 |
| Charts | Reached No. 6 on the Dance/Disco Top 80 chart in 1983 |
| Awards | Nominated for a Grammy Award as Best R&B Song of 1983 |
| Movie | Featured in the movie "Pineapple Express" |
| Cover | Refugee Camp All-Stars covered the song for the movie Money Talks |
| Cover | Peter Black remixed "Electric Avenue" as the "Ringbang Remix" in 2001 |
| Lawsuits | Filed a copyright lawsuit against the Donald Trump campaign in 2020 |
| Lawsuits | Won a copyright lawsuit against Donald Trump in 2022 |
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What You'll Learn
'Electric Avenue' was featured in the movie *Pineapple Express*
"Electric Avenue" is a song by Guyanese-British musician Eddy Grant. It was released on his 1982 album "Killer on the Rampage". In the United States, the song became one of the biggest hits of 1983, thanks in part to the MTV music video he made. The song's title refers to Electric Avenue in London, the first market street in the Brixton district to be lit by electricity. The area is known for its high population of Caribbean immigrants and high unemployment.
The song was written and produced by Grant in response to the Brixton riots between police and protesters in 1981. The opening line of the song, "Down in the street, there is violence", sets the tone for the narrative, which highlights the social issues of the time.
"Electric Avenue" was featured in the 2008 movie "Pineapple Express", starring Seth Rogen and James Franco. The song's upbeat and catchy rhythm contrasts with the serious themes of the lyrics, making it a memorable and impactful addition to the film's soundtrack.
The inclusion of "Electric Avenue" in "Pineapple Express" is not the only instance of the song's cultural impact. In 2020, US President Donald Trump used the song in a campaign video, leading to a copyright lawsuit filed by Grant. The song has also been referenced and covered by other artists, solidifying its place in popular culture.
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The song was written and produced by Eddy Grant
"Electric Avenue" is a song written, recorded, and produced by Guyanese-British musician Eddy Grant. It was released on his 1982 studio album "Killer on the Rampage". The song was inspired by the Electric Avenue street in Brixton, London, which was the first market street to be lit by electricity. Grant first learned about Electric Avenue during a stint of acting at the Black Theatre of Brixton.
At the beginning of the 1980s, tensions over unemployment, racism, and poverty, exacerbated by racist policing, culminated in the street events now known as the 1981 Brixton riots. Horrified and enraged by these events, Grant wrote and composed "Electric Avenue" as a response to the riots. The song includes the lyrics: "Now in the street, there is violence, and a lot of work to be done".
The song was one of the biggest hits of 1983 in the United States, aided by the MTV music video that Grant made. It spent five weeks at number two on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart and hit number one on Cash Box magazine's chart. "Electric Avenue" was also a hit on two other US charts: the Hot Black Singles chart, where it reached number 18, and the Dance/Disco Top 80 chart, where it peaked at number 6. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best R&B Song of 1983 but lost to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean".
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It was Grant's biggest hit, released in 1982
"Electric Avenue" is a song by Guyanese-British musician Eddy Grant. It was initially released as a single in 1983, reaching No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart and spending five weeks at No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. However, the song was first written and produced by Grant for his 1982 studio album "Killer on the Rampage". The song's title refers to Electric Avenue in the south London district of Brixton, which was the first market street to be lit by electricity.
Grant's inspiration for the song came from his time acting at the Black Theatre of Brixton. The area is known for its high population of Caribbean immigrants, and at the beginning of the 1980s, it was a hotbed of tension and unrest. As identified by the Scarman Report, issues of unemployment, racism, and poverty, exacerbated by racist policing, culminated in the 1981 Brixton riots.
"Electric Avenue" became one of the biggest hits of 1983 in the United States, aided by the MTV music video Grant created for the song. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best R&B Song of 1983 but lost to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean".
The song's impact extended beyond its initial success, as it inspired Jamaican singer Bunny Wailer's song "Electric Boogie" in 1982, written for Marcia Griffiths. In 1997, the Refugee Camp All-Stars covered "Electric Avenue" for the original soundtrack of the film "Money Talks", showcasing the song's enduring appeal.
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The song refers to Electric Avenue in Brixton, London
The song "Electric Avenue" was written and produced by Guyanese-British musician Eddy Grant. It was released on his 1982 studio album "Killer on the Rampage". The song's title refers to Electric Avenue in Brixton, London, which was the first market street in Britain to be lit by electricity.
Electric Avenue was built in 1888 and originally featured cast iron Victorian canopies over the pavement, which were sadly damaged during World War II and removed in the 1980s. The street is located just around the corner from Brixton Underground station and is now home to national retail chains and local food and houseware retailers. It also hosts a part of Brixton Market, which specialises in selling products from Africa, the Caribbean, South America, and South Asia.
The song "Electric Avenue" was inspired by the 1981 Brixton riot. At the beginning of the 1980s, tensions over unemployment, racism, and poverty, exacerbated by racist policing, culminated in the Brixton riot. The song reflects on the violence and social issues present in the area at the time.
The song was one of the biggest hits of 1983, reaching No. 2 on both the UK and US singles charts. It spent five weeks at number two on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and hit number one on Cash Box magazine's chart. "Electric Avenue" was also nominated for a Grammy Award as Best R&B Song of 1983. The song's success helped to bring attention to the issues depicted in the song and shone a light on the history of Electric Avenue in Brixton, London.
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It was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1983
"Electric Avenue" is a song by Guyanese-British musician Eddy Grant. It was released on his 1982 album "Killer on the Rampage". The song was one of the biggest hits of 1983 in the United States, thanks in part to the MTV music video he made.
"Electric Avenue" was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best R&B Song of 1983. However, it lost to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean". The song was a hit on two other US charts: the Hot Black Singles chart, where it reached No. 18, and the Dance/Disco Top 80 chart, where it peaked at No. 6.
The song refers to Electric Avenue in Brixton, London, which was the first market street in the area to be lit by electricity. The lyrics refer to the 1981 Brixton riots, which were the culmination of rising tensions over unemployment, racism, and poverty, exacerbated by racist policing.
The song was also the subject of a copyright infringement lawsuit in 2020 when US President Donald Trump used it in a campaign commercial without permission. A federal judge ruled in 2024 that Trump had breached Grant's copyright and was liable for damages and legal fees.
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Frequently asked questions
"Electric Avenue" is a song by Guyanese-British musician Eddy Grant.
Eddy Grant released "Electric Avenue" from his 1982 album "Killer on the Rampage".
The song refers to Electric Avenue in London during the 1981 Brixton riots. The area is known for its high population of Caribbean immigrants and high unemployment.
The song "Electric Avenue" is featured in the movie "Pineapple Express". It was also covered by Refugee Camp All-Stars for the original soundtrack of the film "Money Talks".
