ZZ Top formed after Gibbons' previous band, Moving Sidewalks, disbanded in 1969. Within a year, they signed with London Records and released ZZ Top's First Album in 1971. Subsequent releases, such as Tres Hombres (1973) and Fandango! (1975), and the singles "La Grange" and "Tush", gained extensive radio airplay. By the mid-1970s, ZZ Top had become renowned in North America for their live act, including the Worldwide Texas Tour (1976–1977), which was a critical and commercial success.
After a hiatus, ZZ Top returned in 1979 with a new musical direction and image, with Gibbons and Hill wearing sunglasses and matching chest-length beards. With the album El Loco (1981), they began to experiment with synthesizers and drum machines. They established a more mainstream sound and rose to international stardom with Eliminator (1983) and Afterburner (1985), which integrated influences from new wave, punk, and dance-rock. The popularity of these albums' music videos, including those for "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs", gave them mass exposure on television channel MTV and made them prominent artists in 1980s pop culture. The Afterburner tour set records for the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour of 1986.
After gaining additional acclaim with the release of their tenth album Recycler (1990), and its accompanying tour, the group's experimentation continued with mixed success on the albums Antenna (1994), Rhythmeen (1996), XXX (1999), and Mescalero (2003). They most recently released La Futura (2012) and Goin' 50 (2019), a compilation album commemorating the band's 50th anniversary. By the time of Hill's death in 2021, ZZ Top had become the longest-running band with an unchanged lineup in the history of popular music. Per Hill's wishes, he was replaced by their longtime guitar tech Elwood Francis on bass.
ZZ Top has released 15 studio albums and sold an estimated 50 million records worldwide. They have won three MTV Video Music Awards, and in 2004, the members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Gibbons the 32nd greatest guitarist of all time. The band members have supported campaigns and charities including Childline, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and a fundraiser for the Delta Blues Museum.
Studio albums
ZZ Top's First Album (1971)
Rio Grande Mud (1972)
Tres Hombres (1973)
Fandango! (1975)
Tejas (1976)
Degüello (1979)
El Loco (1981)
Eliminator (1983)
Afterburner (1985)
Recycler (1990)
Antenna (1994)
Rhythmeen (1996)
XXX (1999)
Mescalero (2003)
La Futura (2012)
Doubleback
ZZ Top Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I thought I knew the place so well.
It wasn't the same, now it goes to show,
Sometime you never can tell.
I'm lookin' high and low, don't know where to go,
I got to double back, my friend.
The only way to find, what I left behind
You know I'm movin on in this fine machine,
Rollin' on through the night.
Seein' things like I've never seen
And it's taking me outta sight.
Lookin' high and low, don't know where to go,
I got to double back, my friend.
The only way to find, what I left behind
I got to double back again, double back again.
It's got me up and down,
I been lost and found,
Down in a deep dark hole.
Looks like my luck has changed,
I been rearranged
And I'm coming out on a roll.
Lookin' high and low, don't know where to go,
I got to double back, my friend.
The only way to find, what I left behind
I got to double back again, double back again.
The lyrics of ZZ Top’s “Doubleback” talk about the journey of a person who thought they knew everything about a certain place, but after returning there, they realized that everything has changed. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for life and how things can easily change without warning. The person in the song is searching for something that they left behind, and the only way to find it is to double back and retrace their steps.
The lyrics also talk about the journey of the person who is moving on in their “fine machine,” exploring new sights and experiences. Throughout this journey, they have been up and down, lost and found, and have come out on top. The repetition of the phrase “double back” seems to signify the importance of looking back at the past to navigate the present and future.
One could interpret the song’s lyrics in many different ways, such as a love story or a story of self-discovery. Regardless, the lyrics are certainly thought-provoking and encourage listeners to reflect on their own journeys in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I got shot through a space not long ago,
I recently went through an experience that took me by surprise.
I thought I knew the place so well.
I believed I understood the situation completely.
It wasn't the same, now it goes to show,
It turned out that the situation had changed, and this served as a reminder that things can be unpredictable.
Sometime you never can tell.
Occasionally there are circumstances that are impossible to foresee.
I'm lookin' high and low, don't know where to go,
I'm searching for something but am currently unsure of where to look.
I got to double back, my friend.
I need to retrace my steps to try and find what I'm looking for.
The only way to find, what I left behind
I can only locate what I'm searching for by going back to where I was previously.
You know I'm movin on in this fine machine,
I'm advancing forward with this impressive piece of equipment.
Rollin' on through the night.
I'm traveling through the nighttime hours.
Seein' things like I've never seen
I'm witnessing sights that I've never before encountered.
And it's taking me outta sight.
These new experiences are transporting me to new locations.
It's got me up and down,
I've had my highs and lows during this journey.
I been lost and found,
I've been confused and unsure, but I've also located what I was searching for.
Down in a deep dark hole.
At one point I felt trapped in a difficult situation that was hard to escape from.
Looks like my luck has changed,
Recently, things seem to be going my way.
I been rearranged
I feel like I've undergone a transformation or change recently.
And I'm coming out on a roll.
Things are currently going well for me, and I'm feeling confident and successful.
It's got me up and down,
Throughout my experiences, I've had both good and bad moments.
I been lost and found,
I've dealt with confusion and uncertainty, but I've also made progress towards what I'm searching for.
Lookin' high and low, don't know where to go,
Despite my recent success, I'm still searching for something and am currently unsure of where to find it.
I got to double back, my friend.
My only option is to retrace my steps and try and find what I'm looking for where I previously was.
The only way to find, what I left behind
The only method I have available to locate what I need is to go back and search where I once was.
I got to double back again, double back again.
I'll have to retrace my steps multiple times in order to locate what I'm looking for.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FRANK BEARD, BILLY GIBBONS, DUSTY HILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
O P Parassni Praveen
on future's so bright, i gotta
Which year was this single released