Alternative hit: Live’s “Lakini’s Juice” – Stereogum

In this ongoing series, Alternative Number Ones, we are dissecting each song that has reached the top spot in the history of Billboard’s Modern Rock Tracks/Alternative Songs chart. Kicking off in 1988 when this chart was inaugurated, this column is designed to be a companion to The Number Ones, presented biweekly in alternation with The Number Ones on Mondays.

Live, the band, was a prominent figure on the ’90s music scene, and witnessing them live was not an uncommon experience during that decade. With their rigorous touring schedule and frequent festival appearances, Live’s presence was felt by many who were involved with alternative rock at the time. I had the chance to catch them twice, each experience vastly different from the other.

In the summer of 1994, at 14 years old, I saw Live for the first time at Peter Gabriel’s WOMAD Festival. Although the band had just reached their first alt-rock chart-topping position with “Selling The Drama,” they had not yet reached the level of fame they would later enjoy. Performing early on the main stage alongside the likes of prominent acts such as Gabriel, Midnight Oil, and Arrested Development, Live exuded a charm that was hard to ignore. Their unassuming demeanor on stage and reminiscent of studious, serious individuals I knew from my earlier years, Live’s performance left a positive impression on me.

Four years later in 1998, I found myself watching Live once again, this time at the Tibetan Freedom Concert. The band had undergone a transformation, shedding their former earnestly nerdy image for a more self-assured rockstar persona. Sharing the stage with heavyweights like the Beastie Boys, Pearl Jam, and Radiohead, Live seemed more confident, despite not having the same cultural significance as their fellow performers. The show even experienced a unique twist when a lightning strike forced a temporary shutdown, leading to the cancellation of several acts, including Beck and Kraftwerk.

Throughout these experiences, Live’s trajectory as a band shifted significantly due to the massive success of their album Throwing Copper, which sold over eight million copies. Bolstered by this success, the band ventured to Jamaica to work on their follow-up album, Secret Samadhi. However, the resulting record failed to match its predecessor’s acclaim, marking a notable decline in their relevance. Although Live maintained some radio presence post-Secret Samadhi, their appearance at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in 1998 may have marked the end of an era for the band.

Now, let’s delve into the first single from Secret Samadhi, “Lakini’s Juice.” Often ridiculed for its pretentious and self-serious nature, the song’s enigmatic title and seemingly cryptic lyrics have piqued curiosity. Stories around the song suggest that “Lakini” refers to a Hindu goddess, specifically associated with the Manipura chakra related to yoga and tantra practices. Despite various interpretations of the song’s meaning, its notoriously memorable title has lingered longer in memory than the song itself, which many have criticized as unremarkable.

Ultimately, the mystique surrounding “Lakini’s Juice” remains unsolved, leaving listeners to decipher its meaning through a cloud of poetic ambiguity. The song’s unconventional lyrics and cryptic references only add to its intrigue, inviting speculation and interpretation. Live’s foray into the enigmatic with “Lakini’s Juice” captured a moment in time, solidifying their position as a band unafraid to explore the boundaries of artistic expression, even if the outcome may have fallen short for many.