Forming in the wake of the early-'60s success of local favorites the Kingsmen and the Wailers (whose Etiquette label they recorded for), the Sonics combined classic Northwest-area teen band raunch with early English band grit (particularly influenced by the Kinks), relentless rhythmic drive, and unabashed '50s-style blues shouting for a combination that still makes their brand of rock & roll perhaps the raunchiest ever captured on wax.
Lead singer Gerry Roslie was no less than a white Little Richard, whose harrowing soul-screams were startling even to the Northwest teen audience, who liked their music powerful and driving with little regard to commercial subtleties. With hit after hit on the local charts (and influencing every local band that ever took the stage), the band inexplicably was never able to break out nationally, leaving its sound largely undiluted for mass consumption. Breaking up between 1966 and 1968 (after one ill-fated album attempt to water down their style for national attention), the Sonics continue today to be revered by '60s collectors the world over for their unique brand of rock & roll raunch.
In 2007, The Sonics reunited again, this time for the Cavestomp garage rock festival in Brooklyn (November 2-4, 2007). The line up featured original members Gerry Roslie on vocals/keyboards, Larry Parypa on guitar and Rob Lind on tenor sax; with Ricky Lynn Johnson (of The Wailers) on drums and Don Wilhelm (of The Daily Flash) on bass and vocals.
In 2008, The Sonics recorded a live session for Mark Lamarr's BBC Radio 2 show God's Jukebox on March 22. They played their first ever shows in London on Friday March 21 and Sunday March 23.
Since then, they have played the Primavera Festival in Barcelona, followed by Bilbao, then Belgium, Norway, and the Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria in the Basque Country.
Their first show in their home region since their last Seattle reunion in 1972 was on Halloween 31 October 2008 at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, where they were introduced and joined onstage for a couple numbers by Steven Van Zandt. Kent Morrill (front man of the Wailers) made a surprise appearance to help sing his signature song "Dirty Robber". Bob Bennett was also present to sit in on drums albeit only for a few songs and only while Ricky Lynn Johnson played in unison.
Shot Down
The Sonics Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What's the matter with you?
Don't you like
The things I do?
You're wearing a frown.
I've been shot down.
Hey little girl,
I play a guitar.
A brand new car.
Big man in town,
I've been shot down.
I thought he was having fun,
Now see what you've done.
Can't show my face in town
Cause I've been shot down.
Hey little girl,
I need you so.
If you want my love,
Just let me know.
Stop running around,
I've been shot down!
I've been shot down!
The Sonics's song "Shot Down" is a classic 60s garage rock hit that features the raw and rebellious sound that the band is known for. The song's lyrics are straightforward and tell the story of a man who has been rejected and "shot down" by a girl he likes. The song opens with the man addressing the girl, asking her what's wrong and expressing confusion over why she doesn't like him. He notes that she's wearing a frown and that he's been "shot down."
Despite his attempts to impress her (he plays guitar and drives a new car), the man has been rejected by the girl who has left him feeling embarrassed and ashamed. He thought he was having fun, but the girl's rejection has left him unable to show his face in town. The man's desperation is palpable in the chorus, where he pleads with the girl to give him a chance and let him know if she wants his love. He begs her to stop running around and to give him a chance, but ultimately, he remains "shot down."
The song is a classic example of the garage rock genre, which was popular in the mid-1960s. The genre was known for its raw, lo-fi sound and rebellious lyrics. The Sonics were one of the most influential bands in the genre and helped pave the way for later punk and grunge bands.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey Little girl,
The singer addresses a young woman
What's the matter with you?
He asks why she seems displeased
Don't you like The things I do?
He wonders if his actions are the reason behind her unhappiness
You're wearing a frown.
He observes that she is unhappy
I've been shot down.
Despite his success with women, he has been rejected by this particular woman
Hey little girl, I play a guitar.
He elaborates on his talents, expecting them to impress her
I even drive A brand new car.
He further boasts about his possessions which he thinks should make her want him
Big man in town, I've been shot down.
He is admitting that his confidence has taken a hit from being rejected by her
I thought he was having fun,
He believed he was winning her over
Now see what you've done.
He blames her for making him feel embarrassed
Can't show my face in town
The rejection has made him feel self-conscious and uncertain
Cause I've been shot down.
He can no longer face his friends because of the embarrassment of being rejected by her
Hey little girl, I need you so.
He attempts to change his tactics and pleads with her to give him a chance
If you want my love, Just let me know.
He offers his love if she would just reciprocate his feelings
Stop running around, I've been shot down!
He's trying to convince her that he's worth her time and not to waste her affections on anyone else
I've been shot down!
He repeats the chorus to emphasize the fact that he's been rejected
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CURTIS JAMES JACKSON, DAVID STYLES, EARL SIMMONS, SALAM E. NASSAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@keithwerner3218
Hey Little girl,
What's the matter with you?
Don't you like
The things I do?
You're wearing a frown.
I've been shot down.
Hey little girl,
I play a guitar.
I even drive
A brand new car.
Big man in town,
I've been shot down.
I thought he was having fun,
Now see what you've done.
Can't show my face in town
Cause I've been…
@andreaslattmann1813
Hey Little girl,
What's the matter with you?
Don't you like
The things I do?
You're wearing a frown.
I've been shot down.
Hey little girl,
I play a guitar.
I even drive
A brand new car.
Big man in town,
I've been shot down.
I thought he was having fun,
Now see what you've done.
Can't show my face in town
Cause I've been shot down.
Hey little girl,
I need you so.
If you want my love,
Just let me know.
Stop running around,
I've been shot down!
I've been shot down!
@samantha5460
Best band in the history of rock'n'roll!
@Mikeyt369
Should be on every garage band's must-play list.
@TitlowPark
These guys were the soundtrack for my youth! We would play their albums through a P.A. system with speakers hanging out my bedroom window while we played hoops in the driveway or worked on our cars. Like many kids of the day, we had a garage band that was inspired by the sound we heard from those vinyl LP's. Bob Bennett's drumming was as powerful as any rhythm maker I've ever heard and I still get that feeling I had then when I cue up "have Love Will Travel" or "Strychnine" on my IPod. REAL ROCK
@bensturm3525
Knowledge
@MichaelMosesHammer
I was at the Metro Rock Lounge in NY city Summer 1969. This song was being covered by a band, and Go-Go girls were dancing on the stage. Beer cost us $1.65 each that night, which was a lot then. It was worth it. That place really Rocked! That was a great weekend in Downtown Manhattan. Will never forget it. )
@MrJett1971
Beer couldn't possibly have cost you $4.95 in 1969, unless you were buying a case...
@MichaelMosesHammer
+Jett Crash your right. i am old and wasn't remembering correctly. i gave the bartender $5 and he gave me back a nickle. they cost 1.65 each which was a lot to us back then. thank you.
@MultiCgp
Summer of 1969? Wish to hell i was there with you. I was on a survey crew job which totally sucked!
Oh well we, I , all survived. Great group
@geniusmchaggis
FUCKING COOL MAN....im 63 and i think thats FUCKING COOL........Beer cost us $1.65!!!!! WTFFF.....beer at a bar cost less than 2O cents!! at that time....WHAT A fancy jernt that musta been back then!!!
@MsLoosylou
I saw them open for the Liverpool Five and the Stones in Seattle in 1965,...........three of the best rock bands in the World.