Early rehearsals in Justin's parents house were followed by a move to secret rehearsal space behind some storage cartons in the basement of Glasgow Art Centre (now defunct). Later on the band secured official rehearsal space at the Art Centre in a proper room with a cupboard to keep their gear in. Postcard Record signing and future megastars Aztec Camera rehearsed in the room next door. At this time Paul Tyagi (drums) joined the band as its first drummer. The first recorded Del Amitri track "What she Calls it" was the B side of a flexi-disc given away free with Stand and Deliver fanzine - the A side was given to another future Glasgow megaband The Bluebells. Unable to read music, early Del tracks were arranged and remembered according to 'bits' named after musical influences that included from Genesis, Captain Beefheart and Orange Juice.
Guitarists Bentley and Scobbie left in 1982 for university and the band faced a brief uncertain future until Justin Currie placed an advert in the window of a music store asking for people who could play to contact him, and the new line-up was formed with Currie (bass and vocals), Iain Harvie (lead guitar), Bryan Tolland (guitar) and Paul Tyagi (drums). The first non-flexi 45 single was 'Crows in the Wheatfield' with cover design by artist Laura Michael. Tyagi left after the release of the first album three years later becoming a successful photographer. Currie and Harvie were the only members of the band to remain present throughout its history – they were also the main songwriters of the group.
Jon McLoughlin (recorded and toured with the band during 'Some Other Suckers Parade') passed away in March 2005 from complications of Diabetes. He was 42.
Long Way Down
Del Amitri Lyrics
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From what I was then to what I'm now
I was up there and baby you were proud
Yeah, it's been a long way down
It's been a slow road back
To having nothing again, from having that
You were mine babe, and we were right on track
It's been a long way down
I was high, but you were right about how
The higher you get on love
The longer it takes to forget and get out of
It's been a hard trail home
We went somewhere I've never known
From living it up Babe, to waking up alone
It's been a hard trail home
It's been a long way down
I was high, but you were right about how
The longer the dream goes on
The harder the fall will seem when it has gone
It's been a long way down
We had everything heaven would allow
From the dizzy heights to the life I'm living now
It's been a long way down
The song "Long Way Down" by Del Amitri is a powerful ode to the highs and lows of love from the perspective of someone who has experienced both. The lyrics are poignant and reflect the journey of a person who was once at the top of the world, but has now fallen to rock bottom. This is a common experience for many people who have lost everything, and the song serves as a reminder to anyone going through such an experience that they are not alone.
The song opens with the singer reflecting on his journey from the top to the bottom. He acknowledges how proud his partner was of him when he was on top, as he reflects on how difficult it has been to come back to nothing. The lyrics remind us that falling from grace can be a slow and gradual process, as we lose a little bit of ourselves every day until we are left with nothing.
The song includes another powerful message which is that love is a powerful drug that can take us to dizzying heights, only to bring us crashing down. The longer we stay in love, the harder it becomes to let go, and the harder the fall when love is gone. Overall, "Long Way Down" is a powerful reminder of how love can both lift us up and bring us down, and how difficult it can be to navigate its many twists and turns.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long way down
I have experienced a downward spiral in my life
From what I was then to what I'm now
I have changed a lot since the past, and not necessarily for the better
I was up there and baby you were proud
I was once in a good place and you were happy for me
Yeah, it's been a long way down
My decline has been extensive
It's been a slow road back
I have been recovering slowly
To having nothing again, from having that
I went from having something to having nothing
You were mine babe, and we were right on track
We had a good thing going on, but it did not last
Yeah, it's been a slow road back
My recovery process has taken a long time
It's been a long way down
I have experienced a significant fall from grace
I was high, but you were right about how
I was overestimating my situation, but you saw the truth
The higher you get on love
The more invested you are in a relationship
The longer it takes to forget and get out of
It takes longer to move on from a deeper relationship
It's been a hard trail home
My journey has been difficult
We went somewhere I've never known
We went to a place that was unfamiliar to me
From living it up Babe, to waking up alone
From having the time of our lives to feeling lonely and rejected
It's been a long way down
The fall has been extensive
The longer the dream goes on
The longer you hold onto a fantasy
The harder the fall will seem when it has gone
The more painful it will be when the dream ends
We had everything heaven would allow
We had it all, the best there was to have
From the dizzy heights to the life I'm living now
From great success to a lower quality of life
It's been a long way down
The fall from grace has been long and steep
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JUSTIN CURRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind