Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London, in 1968. They are co… Read Full Bio ↴Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London, in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock but their musical approach has changed over the years.Originally formed as a psychedelic rock and progressive rock band, they shifted to a heavier sound with their 1970 album Deep Purple in Rock. Deep Purple (together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath) have been referred to as the "unholy trinity" of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies. They were listed in the 1975 Guinness Book of World Records as "the globe's loudest band" for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide.

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.

Wrong Man
Deep Purple Lyrics

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I wasn't in the room when the action was going down
I may have been there once but at the time I was out of town
I'm seeing strange fruit, they're saving off with his head
One way or another I'll end up dead

You got the wrong man
You don't understand
You got the wrong man

You got the wrong man
I do what I can

I plead not guilty to the charges you've laid out on your desk
l know what you're thinking 'Oh yes, this is a DSF
I think I'm prime ministerial material but I can't lie to you
So I'm out of the running
But from here in my cell I imagine
Wouldn't that be something

You got the wrong man
You don't understand
You got the wrong man

You got the wrong man
I do what I can

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Wrong Man" by Deep Purple portray a sense of confusion and injustice, as the singer claims to be wrongly accused and misunderstood by the law enforcement authorities. The first verse indicates that the character was not present during the alleged crime, but may have been in the room at some point. He mentions seeing "strange fruit" being taken away, which could be interpreted as a reference to the lynching of African Americans or a metaphor for the consequences of oppressive systems. The line "One way or another I'll end up dead" suggests that the character feels trapped and powerless, with no hope for a fair trial.

In the second verse, the character pleads not guilty to the charges but acknowledges that he is not suited for a position of power, such as the prime minister. He seems resigned to his fate and accepts his imprisonment, fantasizing about what could have been if he had succeeded in his ambitions. The repetition of "You got the wrong man" emphasizes the character's insistence on his innocence and highlights the theme of misjudgment.

Overall, "Wrong Man" conveys a sense of frustration with the justice system and the human tendency to jump to conclusions based on appearances or stereotypes. The lyrics reflect the band's interest in social and political issues, which are recurring themes in their music.

Line by Line Meaning

I wasn't in the room when the action was going down
I was not present at the time of the event

I may have been there once but at the time I was out of town
Although I have visited the place before, I was not there at that particular moment as I was somewhere else

I'm seeing strange fruit, they're saving off with his head
I am witnessing a gruesome sight where a person's head is being cut off, it's frightening and alarming

One way or another I'll end up dead
I fear that my fate is doomed, and I will not be able to escape death

You got the wrong man
You have made a mistake in identifying me as the culprit

You don't understand
You lack the understanding to see that I am not the person you are looking for

I do what I can
I am doing everything in my power to prove my innocence and clear my name

I plead not guilty to the charges you've laid out on your desk
I deny any involvement in the crime you have accused me of

l know what you're thinking 'Oh yes, this is a DSF
I can sense what you are thinking that this is a DSF (Department of Special Forces) case

I think I'm prime ministerial material but I can't lie to you
I believe I have the qualities to become the prime minister, but I cannot lie to prove my point

So I'm out of the running
As I cannot lie to clear my name, I will not be eligible for consideration anymore

But from here in my cell I imagine
Even though I am confined in a jail cell, I still dream and fantasize about what could have been

Wouldn't that be something
It would be so amazing if my dreams could come true

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Don Airey, Ian Gillan, Ian Anderson Paice, Roger David Glover, Steven J. Morse

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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01Money Talks5:33

02Girls Like That4:03

03Wrong Man4:58

PT4M58S

Deep Purple

04Rapture Of The Deep5:36

05Clearly Quite Absurd

06Don't Let Go4:34

07Back To Back4:05

08Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye4:23

09Junkyard Blues5:33

10Before Time Began6:30

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

michael henry

5y↑4

I wasn't in the room when the action was going down
I may have been there once but at the time I was out of town
I'm seeing strange fruit, they're saying off with his head
One way or another I'll end up dead

You got the wrong man
You don't understand
You got the wrong man
You got the wrong man
I do what I can

I plead not guilty to the charges you've laid out on your desk
I know what you're thinking "Oh yes - this is a DSF"
I think I'm prime ministerial material but I can't lie to you
So I'm out of the running
But from here in my cell I imagine
Wouldn't that be something

You got the wrong man
You don't understand
You got the wrong man
You got the wrong man
I do what I can

FUCK YEAH!!