Deep Purple have had several line-up changes and were broken up for eight years from 1976 to 1984, with drummer Ian Paice being the band's only constant member. The first four line-ups, which constituted the band's original 1968–1976 run, are officially indicated as Mark I (1968–1969), Mark II (1969–1973), Mark III (1973–1975) and Mark IV (1975–1976). Mark I comprised the founding members of Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Rod Evans (vocals), Jon Lord (keyboards), Paice (drums) and Nick Simper (bass), while Mark II was the most commercially successful line-up, with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover replacing Evans and Simper respectively. Mark III saw David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes replace Gillan and Glover respectively, while Mark IV featured Tommy Bolin replacing Blackmore. The band split in July 1976 and Bolin died from a drug overdose five months later. In 1984, Deep Purple reformed with the Mark II line-up, which remained in place until Joe Lynn Turner replaced Gillan in 1989. Gillan rejoined in 1992, with Blackmore leaving for the second and final time the following year. He was replaced temporarily by Joe Satriani and then permanently by Steve Morse. In 2002 Don Airey replaced Jon Lord, which saw Deep Purple settle into its longest running line-up, unchanged for the next twenty years, until Morse announced his departure from the band in 2022. His place was taken by Simon McBride. Paice, Glover, Gillan, Airey and McBride comprise the current line-up of Deep Purple.
Deep Purple were ranked number 22 on VH1's Greatest Artists of Hard Rock programme] and a poll on radio station Planet Rock ranked them 5th among the "most influential bands ever". The band received the Legend Award at the 2008 World Music Awards. Deep Purple (specifically Blackmore, Lord, Paice, Gillan, Glover, Coverdale, Evans, and Hughes) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
Going down
Deep Purple Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Going down, down, down, down, down I'm going down Going down, down,
Down, down, down
Got my head out the window my feet are on the ground
The lyrics to Deep Purple's song "Going Down" express a sense of hopelessness and despair, as the singer is resigned to his fate of "going down." The repetition of the phrase "down, down, down" reinforces this sense of inevitability and creates a feeling of anxiety or urgency. The line "got my head out the window my feet are on the ground" is an interesting image, as it suggests a sort of disconnect between the singer's thoughts and his physical body. He is aware of his surroundings (his feet are on the ground) but his mind is elsewhere (his head is out the window).
One possible interpretation of the song is that it is about addiction or a downward spiral of some sort. The repetition of "going down" could represent the feeling of being pulled deeper and deeper into a cycle of destructive behavior, while the image of the head out the window and the feet on the ground suggests a sense of being pulled in two different directions. Another possible interpretation is that it is about depression or mental illness, with the singer feeling as though he is falling into a dark pit from which he cannot escape.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, I'm going down
I am experiencing a decline in my life, feeling low and defeated.
Going down, down, down, down, down I'm going down Going down, down, down,down, down
I am gradually sinking into a negative state, unable to stop the downward spiral.
Got my head out the window my feet are on the ground
I am in a state of confusion and disorientation, feeling disconnected from reality and unable to focus.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Don Nix
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christoph Hodel
Glen Hughes is pumping out some monster bass lines, great song!
Radoslav Georgiev
A great live version! Lord shines bright!
luz ramos
One of The best bands of all The times
Marcin Żmuda
Absolutely love it.
Arturo Báez
Excelente versión...música y vocal, extraordinario!!!!!
Michael Crone
Love that big organ sound!
Vanei Pontes
Tommy Bolin "R.i.p"🎵🎼🎶🎸😎👊
Jon Douglas lord "R.i.p"🎵🎼🎶🎹😎👊
Nikolai Черныше́вский
I like how Bolin sneaks in I Shot the Sheriff.
The Grey Rider
Hope Ya Like It Babe
Eric Campbell
They censored it! 😡