13th Floor Elevators - I Had To Tell You (1967)

Tommy Hall, one of the two founders of this group, got the idea to play an electric jug after years of living in an area in Texas that thrived on jug-bands. Roky Erickson, the other group’s co-founder, had already written the group’s biggest hit, “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” before the two came together to form the group. They met at a show where Erickson had been performing with a band called The Spades. Hall managed to steal Erickson and took him under his wing, having their first jam session in November 1965.

This song was written by Hall and fellow bandmate Stacy Sutherland, who had been plucked from his previous group, The Lingsmen, by Hall in a similar manner to the way he stole Erickson. Released on their now critically acclaimed album, Easter Everywhere, the album had been considered a moderate failure when upon its initial release it only sold ten thousand copies.



13^th Floor Elevators - I Had To Tell You (1967)

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Lyrics:

Chaos all around me
With its fever clinging
But I can hear you singing
In the corners of my brain

Every doubt around me
Every sound of riot
Everything is quiet
But the song that keeps me sane

I can hear your voice
Echoing my voice softly
I can feel your strength
Reinforcing mine

If you fear I'll lose my spirit
Like a drunkard's wasted wine
Don't you even think about it
I'm feelin' fine

I can hear your voice
Echoing my voice softly
I can feel your strength
Reinforcing mine

If you fear I'll lose my spirits
Like a drunkard's wasted wine
Don't you even think about it
I'm feelin' fine