Phillips began her musical career as a vocalist in the early 1980s, singing background parts for Christian artists such as Mark Heard, Randy Stonehill, and others. After a short time, Phillips was signed to a solo contract with Myrrh Records (under her given name) where she went on to record four Christian pop albums: Beyond Saturday Night, Dancing with Danger, Black & White in a Grey World, and, The Turning, which teamed her with producer and future husband T-Bone Burnett. Throughout the Myrrh period, Phillips wrote more and more of her own songs and several were Top 10 singles on Christian radio.
Since Cyndi Lauper was popular at the time and also had an high-pitched, idiosyncratic vocal style, Myrrh insisted on promoting her as "the Christian Cyndi Lauper." Phillips was never comfortable with this image, and it was a bone of contention between her and the label. She began using the name "Sam" professionally in 1988 when she left Myrrh Records and signed with Virgin Records, partially in order to distance herself from her somewhat embarrassing Myrrh-imposed persona.
Like many Christian artists before her, she expanded into more secular content at the new label. She released The Indescribable Wow, which featured the orchestrations of Van Dyke Parks. Cruel Inventions, which was released in 1991, included a guest appearance from close friend Elvis Costello, and she (with her husband) supported Costello on his 1991 tour. 1994's Martinis & Bikinis was widely praised by music critics and was even nominated for a Grammy Award; this was Phillips' first nomination.
In 1995, Phillips made her silver screen debut in the Bruce Willis blockbuster Die Hard With a Vengeance, in which she played a mute terrorist. She was originally supposed to have a speaking part in the film but it was decided that her character would be silent, since it made her appear much more imposing and lethal, although it also placed her in a more stereotypically femme fatale role at the same time.
In 1996, Phillips released Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop), which was more experimental musically and ended up being her worst-selling album to date. After releasing a contractual obligation "best-of" album for Virgin in 1999, the label dropped Phillips from their roster.
In 2001, Phillips signed with Nonesuch Records and released a stripped-down acoustic album called Fan Dance, which featured some of the most critically acclaimed songwriting of Phillips' career. Van Dyke Parks contributed string arrangements for a track or two. Phillips also began writing music for and scoring the television series Gilmore Girls, and even appeared on-screen during the final episode of season six, performing Taking Pictures. In 2004 she released A Boot and a Shoe, another collection of acoustic cabaret songs in the same vein as her previous album.
Sam returned with a new album don't do anything in 2008. In October 2009 Sam launched Long Play, an exclusively web-based membership site which promised subscribers 5 digital EPs and 1 full-length digital album over the course of about one year. A physical "best of" compilation of Long Play songs, titled Solid State, was released in June 2011.
Go Down
Sam Phillips Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But arches of commerce have made the sky corrupt
Go down
Break the code of death for profit break the guns
Break the silence of money break the greedy unison
Maybe someday you'll come back to me
Find the mystical connection find the dreams
Under cynical wreckage find the winding conscious stream
Go down
Maybe someday you'll come back to me
The song "Go Down" by Sam Phillips is a poignant and reflective piece that explores the themes of disillusionment and hope amid a world marred by corruption and greed. The opening lines, "You face the blue and wish the roof would open up, but arches of commerce have made the sky corrupt" set the tone for the song's overarching message of frustration at the state of the world. The "roof" symbolizes the limits of one's own personal world and the yearning to break free and experience something greater. However, the "arches of commerce" are a metaphor for the destructive and all-consuming force of capitalism that has infiltrated every aspect of modern society, corrupting it from within. The view of the "blue" sky becomes tainted and polluted by the greed of those in power.
The verses that follow speak of a desire to break the established norms and codes that perpetuate violence, greed, and oppression. The lines "break the code of death for profit break the guns, break the silence of money break the greedy unison" express the need to subvert the idea of profit-driven violence that has become the norm in society. The reference to "break the silence of money" speaks to the need to uncover the corrupt deals and power structures that perpetuate economic inequality. The call to "break the greedy unison" is a plea for individuals to resist the pressure to conform to a value system that is devoid of morality in its pursuit of profit at all costs.
The final stanza holds out a ray of hope; a belief that there is a "mystical connection" that can be found despite the "cynical wreckage" of the modern world. This connection is located within one's own consciousness and can be accessed through a "winding conscious stream." The sentiment expressed in the final line, "Maybe someday you'll come back to me," suggests a belief that something greater can be achieved, as long as one remains open to the possibility of change and evolution.
Line by Line Meaning
You face the blue and wish the roof would open up
You look up at the sky and hope for a way out of your current situation
But arches of commerce have made the sky corrupt
The influence of money and capitalism has tainted the purity of the sky and the world around us
Go down
Take action to make a change and push back against the corrupt systems in place
Break the code of death for profit break the guns
Stop valuing profit over human lives, and work to end the violence caused by guns
Break the silence of money break the greedy unison
Speak out against the corruption and greed perpetuated by the systems of power controlled by money
Go down
Keep taking action to fight against these corrupt systems and bring about change
Maybe someday you'll come back to me
There is hope for a better future where things are not as they currently are
Find the mystical connection find the dreams
Look for a spiritual connection to the world and strive to achieve your dreams
Under cynical wreckage find the winding conscious stream
Even in the midst of destruction and despair, search for the inner voice that guides you and speaks truth
Go down
Continue to work towards making positive change and fighting against corrupt systems
Maybe someday you'll come back to me
Hope for a better future and keep pushing towards it
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: LESLIE PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind