{"id":3928,"date":"2018-10-09T14:38:42","date_gmt":"2018-10-09T20:38:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/?p=3928"},"modified":"2018-10-09T14:38:42","modified_gmt":"2018-10-09T20:38:42","slug":"song-review-roky-ericksons-cryptic-i-think-of-demons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/sites.coloradocollege.edu\/socc\/2018\/10\/09\/song-review-roky-ericksons-cryptic-i-think-of-demons\/","title":{"rendered":"SONG REVIEW: Roky Erickson’s Cryptic “I Think of Demons”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Roky Erickson is considered an undeniable pioneer of psychedelic rock. He’s mostly known for fronting The 13th<\/sup>Floor Elevators<\/a>, a group out of Texas that many argue to be the first psychedelic band. More than ever, The Elevators\u2019 sound can be heard in modern psychedelic garage rock like Oh Sees, The Black Angels, and Ty Segall. \u201cI Think of Demons,\u201d however, is less psychedelic sonically than it is psychedelic in its strange, surreal lyrics. Put out in 1980 under Roky’s solo project, the song is more similar to a stereotypical hard rock song; the melody itself isn\u2019t that innovative and it’s more so a feel-good, familiar classic rock groove. The simple melody lets Roky\u2019s lyrics shine.<\/p>\n

I, I, I think of demons<\/em>
\nThey never kill<\/em>
\nI, I, I think of demons<\/em>
\nThey never will<\/em><\/p>\n

They don’t need to<\/em>
\nThey’ll scare it’s true<\/em>
\nI think of demons for you<\/em><\/p>\n

Roky describes a demon he \u201creads,\u201d a demon with fangs in dazed moonlight and \u201cblood that never touches [his] lips.\u201d I always feel emotionally hit by this song, the idea of being able to “read” demons and thinking of demons for someone else. Maybe it\u2019s because I know Roky\u2019s difficult history with drugs and mental health that I read into \u201cI think of demons for you\u201d as a declaration of the forced martyrdom he endures psychically. His personal context aside, \u00a0this sentiment serves as a perverse love song and an acknowledgment of monstrosity and inferno. “I Think of Demons” is one of the less cartoonish songs in the context of\u00a0The Evil One, <\/em>an album\u00a0rife with vampires, zombies, two-headed dogs, and other monsters. While this could very well just be a goofy rock song about demons with my own projections running wild, I think there’s something mystic about the lyrics of this song. It continues to be something I keep with me and turn over and over.<\/p>\n

Here’s the song below, and here’s a link<\/a> to the full lyrics:<\/p>\n