Going Down
Galt MacDermot;Gerome Ragni Lyrics

The song "Going Down" is a satirical and witty take on the high school experience of getting expelled, the feeling of shame, and the path of self-destruction that may sometimes follow. The song presents a metaphorical comparison between the singer and Lucifer, with the lines "Me and Lucifer, Lucifer and me, just like the angel that fell, banished forever to Hell" suggesting a feeling of being ostracized and outcast from society. The elevator going down can be interpreted as the descent into Hell or the descent into failure.

The lyrics describe the singer's feelings of humiliation and disgrace after being expelled from high school, and the ironic delight they find in their downfall. The line "Why should this pain bring me such strange elation" highlights the singer's ambivalence towards their situation. They feel liberated from the pressures of conformity and the expectations of society, represented by the "Emancipation Proclamation" mentioned in the lyrics.

The song also references historical figures such as President Abraham Lincoln, who is referred to as "Dr. Lincoln", and the Fourth of July. The sarcastic tone of the lyrics suggests a disillusionment with the American Dream and the institutions that are meant to uphold it.