Singer-songwriter Garrett Borns, commonly known as BØRNS, is a notable figure in the music scene today. Gifted in visual arts and music, the singer confesses pursuing a music career was never his aspiration. A born performer, the artist loved entertaining his parent’s friends by playing a baby grand piano as a child. At 10, Borns began to show his creativity by working as a young magician called Garrett the Great. When he was 14, he studied film at Interlochen Center for the Arts’ summer program. The singer was a prodigy and a genius in the making.
The Michigan native joined the filmmaking business as a teenager. He started shooting music videos and traveling around. Soon, his focus shifted from film to music and so, began his musical journey.
A year after moving to Los Angeles, Borns earned recognition for his music and signed with Interscope. The result was the birth of Candy. The EP earned a positive response and critical acclaim.
Borns released his popular track “Electric Love” in November 2014 as a part of Candy, his second EP. The song also appears as the third track in his debut album, Dopamine, released in October 2015. In December 2014, an acoustic version of “Electric Love”, featuring Zella Day, was uploaded on his YouTube channel.
The official music video of the song paints a fantastical scene with glitters and neon lights. It displays the influences of psychedelic rock. The opening scene is hazy and dark as we enter a dream. The video features the singer performing on a small glowing stage in the woods. He plays the guitar in a glittering jacket and is surrounded by dancing space cheerleaders.
RIAA certified the track Gold on March 24, 2016, which became Platinum by February 2017. Let us take a look at Electric Love lyrics meaning.
What does the title mean
The musician was born and brought up in Lake Michigan, a small town surrounded by tall trees and greenery. When the artist relocated to LA, he ended up living in a “treehouse” that reminded him of his childhood. The secluded guesthouse with rustic charm became a cozy home to the Michigan singer and an inspiration for his songs.
Borns wrote “Electric Love” with his producer friend, Tommy English. The artist revealed that his landowner’s love for Ziggy Stardust influenced the songwriting process for this track.
As the title suggests, it is about the singer’s infatuation with a charismatic woman. “Electric Love” is the fantasy of a lover. The song is about the feeling of being with someone special, the magic of falling in love and sharing the electrifying experience. It is a dreamy love filled with pheromones, glitters and sparks.
Inspired by artists like Billy Joel, Bee Gees, and Prince, Borns created “Electric Love” a glam rock song with a retro feel. The songwriter admits his love for psychedelic rock, disco, and pop in a past interview. “Electric Love” begins with powerful live drums and a guitar riff. The music captures the feeling of falling hard for someone with drum beats that imitate a pounding heart. Read on to know more about Electric Love lyrics meaning.
Verse 1 – What does it mean
“Candy, she’s sweet like candy in my veins
Baby, I’m dying for another taste”
The song begins with the singer describing his love for a woman. He is addicted to her sweetness. He begs her for more.
Candy is also slang for a sugary illicit drug. Here, the artist could be referring to his lover as a dangerous addiction. He can’t resist her charm, although he knows it might lead to some consequences. She makes him feel high and sends him into ecstasy. He doesn’t want the dream-like state to end and finds himself asking for more.
What does the pre-chorus mean
“And every night my mind is running around her
Thunder’s getting louder and louder”
This part of the song captures the desire and desperation of the young lovers. She is all that he can think of in the middle of the night. He is starting to get restless as the “thunder” is “getting louder and louder”.
The thirst of the singer can only be quenched by her love. Her absence makes him crazy and only her company would calm him down. The pre-chorus gives a taste of what’s to come.
What does the chorus mean
“Baby you’re like lightning in a bottle
I can’t let you go now that I got it
And all I need is to be struck
By your electric love
Baby, you’re electric love
Electric love”
The song reaches its climax in the chorus. The singer’s lover is a “lightning in a bottle” which comes from the phrase “to catch lightning in a bottle” meaning an unlikely accomplishment. He is able to succeed in an almost impossible task.
Possibly, Borns compares himself to Benjamin Franklin who attempted to capture lightning in a jar. His lady love is someone who is probably hard to please or reach. Or she is simply a tease. The chase ends as he succeeds in his endeavor. Now that they’re together, he doesn’t want to let her go.
He wants to feel the electrifying love with her. As the lovers become intimate, he is “struck” by the feeling. He is enchanted by her.
Verse 2 – What does it mean
“Drowning, you make my heart beat like the rain
Surround me, hold me deep beneath your waves”
In the second verse, the lover describes the feeling of “drowning” in love. He can’t help but fall deeply for her. She makes his heart beat fast like the beating rain.
The singer craves for his lover’s embrace. He compares her to a deep ocean of love that he wants to dive in, and he’s going to drown in it. He wants the waves of her ocean to sweep him away and engulf him. She makes him go crazy and also brings peace to his mind.
What does the bridge mean
“Rushing through me
feel your energy rushing through me
feel your energy rushing through me”
In the bridge, the lovers are united. The singer says he can feel the energy of his lover rushing through him. They make love and the feeling is indescribably amazing.
This reminds us of the opening line where he says he’s addicted to his lady. She is the drug that he feels in his veins. It is sweet, intoxicating, and leaves him wanting more. It’s an ecstatic love.
Conclusion
“Electric Love” received praise both from audiences and critics. Dubbed an “instant classic” by pop star and international sensation Taylor Swift, this 2014 upbeat love anthem has been gaining popularity recently as a viral TikTok challenge (Kissing my best friend). The participants record themselves attempting to kiss their best friend (with consent!). The challenge encourages the participants to confess their romantic feelings towards their friends. While many lucky users experience the dopamine rush as their love is reciprocated, it can be painful and funny to see some suffer from rejection.
The platinum-certified single transports its listeners to a lover’s fantasy. It is a sugary and euphoric dream.
