The Rolling Stones – All The Way Down

General CommentLiked this one when it came out in 83/84 but I could never understand what the words were (it's played really fast).
Years later I now see how telling they lyrics are of jagger in that period of his life.

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  @fatAmerican

General CommentHave loved the UNDERCOVER Lp since I bought it as a teenager when it first came out. Really rocking.
As for ALL THE WAY DOWN - my thoughts, and these are just my thoughts and I'd like to hear feedback or further illumination from others, are the song is about the relationship of Mick & Marianne Faithful. They were pretty hot & heavy, glamorous and famous in the 60's to 1970, but by time the 80's came she was basically a homeless, drugged mess(quite a shame)trying to restart a "career" for the 3rd time. Who knows, maybe Mick heard about her in the news and was thinking about her and decided to write a song. Then again maybe not....

Key are lyrics like:

"I was twenty one naive Not cynical, I try to please Her wit, her speech, her repartee
Impressed me almost instantly"

I read when Mick first met her in the early, wild days of the Stones at a party (maybe 1964? please correct me) she was a married, elgant social climber and he was a pimple faced young singer. While trying to impress her he spilled his drink on her.

"She showed me sex a hundred ways,
How she pimped and how she paid
All the daughters, all the sons
All were welcome, all would come"

Not too sure her, they did have a son however there also may have been a miscarriage or 2, hence the daughers/sons part.
Pimped & paid may be her drug habit. Reading UP & DOWN WITH THE ROLLING STONES Tony Sanchez talks about Marianne whoring around for drugs.

"I was king, mr cool
Just a snotty little fool (like kids are now)
Dreamed of reaching greater heights
I raved about it every night (talked)"

Mick's ego.... snotty little fool could refer to either one of them. He wanted greater heights and she wanted herion.

"How the years rush on by,
Birthdays, kids and suicides
But still I play the fool and strut
Still you're a slut"

Time goes by...Now Mick talks about the 80's... suicides COULD be Brian Jones, also a line in IT'S ONLY ROCK & ROLL refers to suicide.
Obviously Mick likes to play the fool and strut, and I supposed Marianne, according to Mick, was still a slut. There are many documents about how she was with other men & women during their time together. I supposed if a woman "sells" herself for drugs she would be considered a slut. I dunno - ask Mick.

Other than the sexual reference of "ALL THE WAY DOWN" the title could be that she & her lifestyle (especially her herion addiction)brought him down when intead both of them had a chance to more elevated people. Still a Mick ego sided song. If it IS about he & MF then it would be cool to hear her side of it.

Once again, only my quick thoughts - some may be on target and some totally foolish.
enjoy

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  @mageestout