Tighten Up

"Tighten Up" is the third track off of Electronic's self titled album, and Electronic's first promo single in the United States, releasing after "Get The Message" and before "Feel Every Beat".

The promo single's only musical difference is that, instead of a coda of a synthline changing its soundfont, the guitar part before that is looped and faded out.

"Tighten Up", like most other Electronic songs from the era of their first album, was performed live at five of their seven shows. It has since been performed live by Bad Lieutenant, but not Johnny Marr. It is also the only Electronic song that Bad Lieutenant ever performed.

It is the only promo single present on the cancelled Best of Electronic.

Themes
Lyrically, "Tighten Up" could be about living in some oppressive country ("How can we be free?") and being willfully ignorant to its practices ("Don't bring this secret home to me / Better to live than to know" "I used to run away but I can't no more"), yet wanting to escape from them ("It's never too late, I heard you say" / "There used to be a way, but there ain't no more"). The lyrics are vague like the majority of Sumner's songwriting so several other interpretations are possible.

The phrase "We both need each other like sister and brother" later appears in the Lost Sirens song "I'll Stay With You".

Musically, some of the synth parts are similar to those from New Order songs like "Round & Round" and "Best & Marsh", as well as Electronic's own "Lucky Bag".

Live stats
"Tighten Up" has been performed 5 times by Electronic and 11 times by Bad Lieutenant. Stats via Setlist.fm.

Lyrics
It's never too late I heard you say How can you turn and go away I'm staking my claim to some degree Don't bring the secret home to me Better to live than to know Better the noise that we love than hate Remember the moments we've got Whenever I feel like I'm in a state

There used to be a way but there ain't no more Tell me why because we need it I used to run away but I can't no more 'Cause I feel that I can beat it There used to be a way but there ain't no more There used to be a way but there ain't no more

How can we be free? We both need each other like Sister and brother. You mean that much to me Better to live than to know Better the noise that we love than hate Remember the moments we've left Whenever I feel like I'm in a state

There used to be a way but there ain't no more Tell me why because we need it I used to run away but I can't no more 'Cause I feel that I can beat it There used to be a way but there ain't no more There used to be a way but there ain't no more

There used to be a way but there ain't no more Tell me why because we need it I used to run away but I can't no more 'Cause I feel that I can beat it

I'm never gonna do what you want me to I'm never gonna do what you want me to