Down Below
Pantera Lyrics


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People runnin'
In the street
Lookin' for some
Meat to eat
Its in your
Dirty magazines
All across your
Tv screens
Midnight riders
In the street
Feel the fire
Catch the heat
You better go
Down below
You better go
Down below

See the ladies
Of the night
Built for speed
To my delight
I steal them
In my limousine
Hear them shout
Hear them scream
Its a dirty job




But somebody's gotta do it
Scream

Overall Meaning

The song "Down Below" by Pantera portrays a gritty and raw view of society, with vivid imagery that paints a picture of desperation and lawlessness. The first stanza speaks about people running in the streets, looking for something to eat, intimating that the world is in a state of anarchy, with people scavenging for survival. The lyrics describe the availability of sleazy entertainment, with dirty magazines and TV screens showing it all. The midnight riders in the streets are full of passion and energy, with fire in their hearts, and heat in their souls. They are a warning to the listener, telling them that they better head down below, presumably to protect themselves from the seedy and sordid life that lies above.


The second stanza continues the theme of darkness and depravity. The ladies of night, who are built for speed, bring joy and satisfaction to the singer, who steals them away in his limousine. The women scream and shout, reflecting the passion and desire that is pervasive in this world. The lyrics suggest that it is a dirty job, but someone has to do it, implying that the world above is full of vices and immorality that must be enjoyed by someone, even if it is at the expense of others. The final word, "scream," emphasizes the raw and primal nature of this song and gets the listener to participate in the experience.


Line by Line Meaning

People runnin'
The chaos and desperation in society is mounting


In the street
This is happening out in the open for all to witness


Lookin' for some
People will resort to animalistic behavior in order to survive


Meat to eat
The hunger and desperation has driven people to seek out flesh to consume


Its in your
The depravity of society is not hidden, it is everywhere


Dirty magazines
Sex and violence have become common subject matter for entertainment


All across your
It permeates every aspect of our media


Tv screens
Including what we watch on TV


Midnight riders
People who operate outside the law to pursue their desires


In the street
They operate out in the open, fearless of consequences


Feel the fire
They are driven by a burning passion


Catch the heat
Their actions are intense and dangerous


You better go
The danger is escalating and leaving is the best choice


Down below
Get away from the chaos and depravity of society


See the ladies
There are women who cater to men's primal desires


Of the night
They only emerge after dark


Built for speed
They are fast and efficient at fulfilling men's desires


To my delight
The singer is pleased by their presence


I steal them
The singer takes these women for his own


In my limousine
The artist is wealthy and has luxury transportation


Hear them shout
The women are vocal and may not actually consent


Hear them scream
The women may be in distress and the artist takes pleasure in this


Its a dirty job
The singer's actions are morally questionable


But somebody's gotta do it
The artist sees himself as fulfilling a necessary but unpleasant role


Scream
The singer is reveling in the power he has over these women




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@paulmccartney8090

Lyrics:

People runnin'
In the street
Lookin' for some
Meat to eat
Its in your
Dirty magazines
All across your
TV screens

Midnight Riders
In the street
Feel the fire
Catch the heat

YOU BETTER GO
DOWN BELOW
YOU BETTER GO
DOWN BELOW

See the ladies
Of the night
Built for speed
To my delight
I steal them
In my limousine
Hear them shout
Hear them scream

Its a dirty job
But somebody's gotta do it

S-C-R-E-A-M !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



All comments from YouTube:

@christophercoles4401

I remember blasting this in my car back in the '80s. He went by "Diamond" Darrell back then, but he was no less awesome. Dude was one of a kind! RIP Dime

@CarlosVasquez-xu8ql

Dude Pantera from the 80s highly underrated badass riffs the way Dimebag did it all man he was one of a kind

@ayylmao5918

Honestly one of my favourite pantera riffs

@user-ix8hs2jn8t

Darrell’s solo on this gave me serious goosebumps

@velizarzhelev6552

It's the type of song which gets you hooked immediately

@toughguy9350

Heavy Metal at it's best.. it's sad that the band Is not gonna reissue those gems.

@eddiepullens6084

PANTERA , is the definition of
Heavy metal !

@TheNewBerser

THAT.... SOLO

@williamrichardson2344

that solo is Hell on wheels man !!!!!

@zoinkiezz

SOMEBODY HAD TO DO IT HAHAH

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