The "classic lineup" of the group would reunite in 1999 and began recording new material. However, the group continued to change lineups and Guns eventually left to form the hard rock supergroup Brides of Destruction with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe in 2002. L.A. Guns continued without Guns, bringing in guitarist Stacey Blades, however, following his decision to put Brides of Destruction on hiatus in 2006, Guns formed The Tracii Guns Band. The group's lineup consisted of former L.A. Guns members Black, Alexander as well as Jeremy Guns (though the lineup would eventually change), with the group eventually changing their name to L.A. Guns. Both groups continued to record and tour under the L.A. Guns moniker until 2012, when the Tracii Guns-led version of the group disbanded. Riley died in 2023.
L.A. Guns (feat. Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis) released a new single "Let You Down" on May 6, 2020. It was released as the first single from their then-upcoming fourteenth studio album Checkered Past, which was released on November 12, 2021, and featured producer Adam Hamilton on drums.
In May 2022, it was announced that Shawn Duncan had replaced Shane Fitzgibbon as their drummer. In the following month, guitarist Ace Von Johnson revealed that L.A. Guns had been working on new material for their next studio album. The resulting album, Black Diamonds, was released on April 14, 2023.
Face Down
L.A. Guns Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Clutching to our faded glory
Trusted me but I'm a thief
Get down on your knees before me
Worlds collide hate fills my mind
Tension rising no surrender
The street's a place where love is dying
Now you're gonna end up face down...
At night the vipers rip my flesh
The bitch from hell is feeding
Scratch my wounds to keep them fresh
She likes 'em young 'n' bloody
Now you gonna end up face down...
Good and hate fear and shame
Wasted our disaster
Cuts like cancer in my brain
Man now he's your master
Now you're gonna end up face down
Now you're gonna end up face down
Now you're gonna end up face down
Now you're gonna end up face down
The lyrics of "Face Down" by L.A. Guns depict a world of chaos and destruction, where people cling to their past glories and trust, only to be betrayed by a thief or a master who turns them face down. The song describes the tension and hatred present in the world, where love is dying and legal tender is the new king. The lyrics reflect the dark side of humanity and how it can be consumed by greed and power.
The first verse of the song talks about disbelief and faded glory, implying that people are losing hope in their dreams and aspirations. The second verse is more intense and talks about the vipers ripping flesh and a bitch from hell feeding on wounds. The imagery used in the song is quite disturbing, but it serves to convey the bleakness and hostility of the world. The chorus of the song repeats the line "Now you're gonna end up face down," which suggests that the singer is warning someone that they will fall victim to the same fate as the others who trusted and believed in their own way.
In essence, "Face Down" is a song that speaks to the destructive nature of humanity and how power and greed can corrupt even the purest of intentions. The lyrics are a warning to those who decide to trust the wrong people; they will ultimately end up face down.
Line by Line Meaning
It's true we walk in disbelief
We are walking in doubt or uncertainty
Clutching to our faded glory
Holding onto our past, which is no longer relevant
Trusted me but I'm a thief
You believed in me, but I'm a dishonest person
Get down on your knees before me
Show reverence or submission to me
Worlds collide hate fills my mind
Different worlds or viewpoints are clashing, and it is causing hatred to take over my thoughts
Tension rising no surrender
The stress is increasing, but we won't give up
The street's a place where love is dying
Love is disappearing from the streets
All hail to thee thy legal tender
We are bowing down to money, which is our ruler
Now you're gonna end up face down...
You will soon be defeated or humiliated
At night the vipers rip my flesh
At night, I am hurt by deceitful people
The bitch from hell is feeding
An evil woman is taking pleasure in my suffering
Scratch my wounds to keep them fresh
She is causing more harm to me by reopening my wounds
She likes 'em young 'n' bloody
She enjoys inflicting pain on vulnerable and defenseless victims
Good and hate fear and shame
Positive and negative emotions are conflicting, causing us to feel fearful and shameful
Wasted our disaster
We failed miserably and wasted our opportunity
Cuts like cancer in my brain
The pain is spreading like a disease in my mind
Man now he's your master
Someone else now has control over your life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: KELLY NICKELS, MICHAEL GERSHIMA, MICK CRIPPS, PHILIP LEWIS, TRACII GUNNS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind