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Don't Go Down Lyrics

I met a girl,
A snowball in hell.
She's as hard,
And as cracked, as a liberty bell.
And I got her to come on, and move in with me,
And I said I'll find a better place,
Where we can spend eternity.

Don't go down.
Don't go down.
Stay with me, baby, stay.

Her momma called me a thief,
And her dad
Was a total commander-in-chief.
I fought him off with my love,
But I knew the kind of worthlessness, we have to raise above.

Don't go down.
Don't go down.
Stay with me, baby, stay.
Don't go down.
Don't go down.
Stay with me, baby, stay.

She had a dream,
Woke up in shock.
She had seen
Her own body, outlined in chalk.
No fingerprints were found on the gun,
And her ghost leaned down to kiss me,
With a message from the sun!

Don't go down.
Don't go down.
Stay with me, baby, stay.
Don't go down.
Stay with me, baby, stay.
Don't go down.
Stay with me, baby, stay.
38 Meanings

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Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

I think...he's a heroin addict, meets a girl and the girl gets introduced to the scene. It happens, she has low self-esteem and he's fun and interesting and she falls in love. The parents aren't stupid, they see who he is and know his game. The mom says he's a 'thief' - very, very common amongst heroin users. So the girl takes the guy's side and runs off - moves in - with him. She's struggling with where she is and what she's become, and he's saying 'don't go down - stay (high) with me' It's always more fun as well as justifiable when you have a partner. So then her conflicts come out in a dream, where she envisions herself overdosing 'her body outlined in chalk'. He takes off (the globe has been spun - it happened and there's nothing he can do about it) and she see's this. So her ghosts comes down to kiss him to let him know that this is what happens, this is the end result of where their life is going. And all he cares about is doing the drug, not wanting to 'go down' - mortality isn't a worry to him. And she knows this, and wants to do something about it but can't. So she has to let him go.

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

I really don't think it's about craddle-robbing. I'm not sure where you came up with that. Not saying that you're wrong, I would just like to know your explanation.

Anyway, my interpretation is that of a failed relationship. He falls in love with this girl, whose parents hate him, but she moves in with him anyway. She finally realizes that this relationship isn't doing her any good, but 'he' keeps asking her to 'stay with me, baby stay.'

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

the music is kinda un-elliott smith-like, I guess I'm just used to the more acoustic sound, but man...the lyrics are so creepy and good.

I think it's kind of self-explanatory - an older guy craddle-robbing, making the girl think he loves her when he really is just abusive and all, and realises that he could kill her with his temperment, but everytime she thinks about it, he tells her that he loves her.

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

I love this song bc of his voice and the guitars and flutes....its just sounds kick ass all put together. The lyrics are pretty catchy too!!

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

i agree. i think it's about a guy who just wants to be with this girl. he believes he can help her. i don't think he's trying to harm her, he just wants to make her happy

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

The chorus really reminds me of the Beatles. Hm.

Anyway, I like this song. It has a very different sound. The whole album is really great, and there are better songs, but this one isn't bad at all.

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

I also think some of these lyrics are wrong...

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

yeah, some of the lyrics ARE wrong.

"I fall in love with my love" should be "I fought them all with my love."

it makes more sense that way.

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

he doesn't say anything about fingerprints on a gun....insert eye roll

Cover art for Don't Go Down lyrics by Elliott Smith

lol yeah i was reading that and i thought, wtf??

 
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