This project was comprised by Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde (vocals, bass, guitar), the late Marc Moreland of Wall of Voodoo (guitar) and Danny Montgomery (drums).
Don't Take Me Down
Pretty & Twisted Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forever and a day
On a guy to buy my soul
I spend all night and day
How much harder can I play
You know I gave my life to Rock n' Roll
Momma begged me please
Yes, she got down on her knees
Said 'You'll burn in that Mississippi sun'
But I'm the only one that's standing here
So Mama don't you have no fear
I'm either last or I've already won
Here I go
Take me down
Take me down
Take me down
Won't you take me down
Standing at the crossroads
A dried up pen in hand
The conversation went like this
'Tell me your desire why you pulled me from the fire
And we'll seal the deal with a kiss'
Said 'I wanna raise the dead
Find a note that I can shred
On my walls I scrawl my gods
Don't care what happens when I die
As long as I'm alive
All I wanna do is rock, rock, rock!
Take me down
Take me down
Take me down
Won't you take me down
Sign with the devil, sign with the devil, sign with the devil
Sign with the devil, sign with the devil, sign with the devil
Sign with the devil, sign with the devil, sign with the devil
Sign with the devil, sign with the devil, sign with the devil
Take me down
Take me down
Take me down
Won't you take me down
Take me down
Take me down
Take me down
Won't you take me down
The lyrics to "Don't Take Me Down" by Pretty & Twisted speak to the familiar theme of the musician who sells his or her soul to the devil for fame and success. The song directly references the classic legend of Robert Johnson, who famously claimed to have sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads in exchange for guitar prowess. The singer of the song, presumably a musician, has been waiting at the crossroads for a "guy to buy my soul." The opening lines suggest that the singer has been waiting for a long time, emphasizing the desperation and desire for success that can drive one to make such a bargain.
The second verse describes a conversation with someone who may be the devil or a representative of the devil. The singer declares their desire to "raise the dead" and "find a note that I can shred," expressing a deep passion for music and an unrelenting desire to be a legendary musician. The final verse repeats the refrain of "sign with the devil," emphasizing that the singer is willing to go to any lengths to achieve their musical goals. Overall, the song portrays the dangers of making a deal with the devil and the power of music to drive people to extremes.
Line by Line Meaning
Been waitin' at these crossroads
I've been stuck in one place, waiting for a chance to make a deal
Forever and a day
For what feels like an eternity
On a guy to buy my soul
Looking for a man to offer me success in exchange for my soul
I spend all night and day
Working tirelessly all hours of the day and night
How much harder can I play
Wondering how much more effort I can give
You know I gave my life to Rock n' Roll
I have devoted everything to music and nothing else
Momma begged me please
My mother pleaded with me
Yes, she got down on her knees
She begged me earnestly
Said 'You'll burn in that Mississippi sun'
She warned me of the dangers of pursuing my dream in Mississippi
But I'm the only one that's standing here
I'm the only one left who hasn't given up
So Mama don't you have no fear
I want to reassure my mother that everything will be okay
I'm either last or I've already won
I may not succeed, but at least I tried my best
Standing at the crossroads
I'm still stuck in a difficult position
A dried up pen in hand
I'm struggling to be creative
The conversation went like this
Here's how our discussion went
'Tell me your desire why you pulled me from the fire
The devil asked me what I wanted in exchange for my soul
And we'll seal the deal with a kiss'
We'll finalize the agreement with a kiss
Said 'I wanna raise the dead
I told the devil I want to be a legendary musician
Find a note that I can shred
I want to play a powerful and emotional guitar solo
On my walls I scrawl my gods
I admire and look up to certain musicians and artists
Don't care what happens when I die
I'm not worried about my legacy after I'm gone
As long as I'm alive
All I care about is living and making music
All I wanna do is rock, rock, rock!
My only desire is to play rock music
Sign with the devil, sign with the devil, sign with the devil
I'm willing to make a deal with the devil to get what I want
Take me down
Take me to my destiny
Won't you take me down
Please, take me to where I need to be
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: TAYLOR MOMSEN, BEN PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dkpqzm
Johnette has such a unique voice I don't understand why they didn't reach bigger stardom.
@OCOrbits
I love Marc and I love Johnette. This is perfect
@micsmarvelousmusic8686
Love you Johnette👍❤️🔥
@noahbawdy3395
This song takes me back.
@chrisandersen5635
I played this album so much back then. Never saw this video. Thank you for the smiles.
@dagman49
I agree. One of the most underrated albums of the 90's. Why don't we go down to Mexico when the sun goes down?
@damianmcnaught5392
Classic track ... and to see so much of Johnete Napolitano being impish and having a blast with Marc Moreland is unique material ... RIP Mark and long live Johnette!!
@ervinschoeppe6055
That's why this is my favorite video, They look happy!
@jamesnunziato8068
This is just an incredible song
@mwski1
Johnette: So good...so underrated. Love her voice. Still a huge fan of Concrete Blonde.