Dulli and Lanegan have regularly contributed to each other's projects since 2000; of the duo's origins, Dulli said "I think Mark told a journalist we were doing it, and then the journalist called me, and I didn't know we were doing it." On Christmas Day 2003, Dulli and Lanegan began work on the collaboration, titled Saturnalia.
In July 2007, the music website Pitchfork Media announced that the duo, "two of the alt-rock era's greatest frontmen," had signed to Seattle label Sub Pop. Soon thereafter, Sub Pop reported a 4 March, 2008 release date for Saturnalia. Dulli and Lanegan plan to tour in the United States and abroad to promote the album.
On September 2, 2008, The Gutter Twins released their eight-song EP Adorata exclusively through iTunes. The EP was mostly recorded during sessions for their first album, Saturnalia. Adorata features two previously unreleased originals ("Spanish Doors" and "We Have Met Before") alongside covers of "Down the Line" (José González), "Deep Hit of Morning Sun" (Primal Scream), "Duchess" (Scott Walker), "Belles" (Vetiver), "Flow Like a River" (Eleven), and "St. James Infirmary" (traditional). A portion of the proceeds from the release of Adorata will go to the Natasha Shneider Memorial Fund. Shneider, a long-time friend of the band, was the lead singer for Eleven and a member of Queens Of The Stone Age.
Their official web presence is located at http://www.theguttertwins.com.
Down The Line
The Gutter Twins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I know they're not mine.
Don't wash the dirt off of your hands.
You're doing the same mistake twice,
Making the same mistake twice.
Come on over. Don't be so caught up.
It's not about compromising.
I see problems down the line.
I know they're not mine.
I see darkness down the line.
I know it's not fine.
But don't wash the dirt off of your hands.
You're doing the same mistake twice,
Making the same mistake twice.
Come on over. Don't be so caught up.
It's all about colonizing.
I see problems down the line.
I know they're not mine.
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the darkness eat you up
The Gutter Twins' song "Down the Line" is a song about a person who sees problems and darkness in their future, but knows that these issues are not necessarily their own. The lyrics "I see problems down the line, I know they're not mine" suggest that the singer is able to detect potential issues, but that they do not feel personally responsible for them. The repeated line "Don't wash the dirt off of your hands" implies that others around them may be trying to avoid responsibility for mistakes they have made, or that they are not taking action to prevent the problems that are looming on the horizon.
The song's chorus, "Come on over, don't be so caught up, it's not about compromising," seems to be a call to action for the person the singer is addressing. Rather than being consumed by the problems and darkness they see down the line, the singer is urging them to take action, to not be so caught up in their own concerns, and to stop compromising on what they know to be right. The lyric "It's all about colonizing" is somewhat opaque, but seems to suggest that what is needed is a bold and proactive attitude of taking control and making space for oneself.
Overall, "Down the Line" is a song about the need to face the future with clarity, determination, and a willingness to take action. The repeated refrain "Don't let the darkness eat you up" suggests that there is a sense of urgency to the message, that the singer is urging the listener to not give in to despair and to not be consumed by the problems that they see down the line.
Line by Line Meaning
I see problems down the line.
There are issues that will arise in the future that I can predict
I know they're not mine.
I am aware that the issues are not caused by me
Don't wash the dirt off of your hands.
Don't try to erase the responsibility of your actions
You're doing the same mistake twice,
Making the same mistake twice.
You're repeating a mistake you already made and not learning from it
Come on over. Don't be so caught up.
It's not about compromising.
Don't be stubborn and unwilling to change, it's not about giving up what you want
I see darkness down the line.
There are negative consequences that will occur in the future that I can anticipate
I know it's not fine.
I am aware that the situation is not good
It's all about colonizing.
It's about taking control and making something your own
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the negativity consume you
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the negativity consume you
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the negativity consume you
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the negativity consume you
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the negativity consume you
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the negativity consume you
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the negativity consume you
Don't let the darkness eat you up
Don't let the negativity consume you
Contributed by Layla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.