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)
What Would You Do
ZZ Top Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What would you do if I loved you too?
I knew that I'd fall like a sinner
I'd rather fall in a sinner than fall in lose
What would you do if you was to kill me?
What would you do if I killed you too?
I knew that I'd fall like a sinner
Sometimes someone gets down and out
Sometimes someone gets love divine
What would I do if you was to fuck me?
What would you do if I fuck you too?
I know that I fuck like a sinner
I know that I'd fuck you 'til you're blue
I know that I'd fuck you 'til you're blue
The lyrics to ZZ Top's song "What Would You Do" explore the themes of love, sin, and desire. The singer poses a series of hypothetical questions to their romantic interest, asking what they would do in various scenarios. The first verse asks what the other person would do if they were to fall in love with the singer, to which the singer responds that they knew they were already falling like a sinner. The repetition of this phrase highlights the idea that love, like sin, can be both pleasurable and morally questionable.
The second verse continues with the same format, but this time poses the question of what they would do if they were to kill each other. This scenario represents the idea that love can be dangerous or destructive, but the singer still believes it's better to experience this type of loss than to fall in "lose."
The final verse takes a more explicit turn, with the singer asking what they would do if they were to have sex with each other. The repetition of the word "fuck" emphasizes the raw, passionate nature of their desire, and the line "I know that I'd fuck you 'til you're blue" suggests that the singer's desire is intense and unapologetic.
Overall, the lyrics to "What Would You Do" explore the complex nature of romantic relationships and the idea that love, like sin, can be both pleasurable and destructive.
Line by Line Meaning
What would you do if you was to love me?
If you were to love me, what actions would you take?
What would you do if I loved you too?
If I loved you back, how would you respond?
I knew that I'd fall like a sinner
I was aware that I would become deeply involved, even if it may not be considered proper or acceptable behavior.
I'd rather fall in a sinner than fall in lose
I would rather do something that may be seen as risky or inappropriate than to lose the opportunity and regret not taking a chance.
What would you do if you was to kill me?
If you were to kill me, how would you react?
What would you do if I killed you too?
If I also killed you, how would you respond?
Sometimes someone gets down and out
Occasionally, someone experiences challenges or difficult times.
Sometimes someone gets love divine
Sometimes, someone experiences a deep and profound love.
What would I do if you was to fuck me?
If you had sex with me, how would I respond?
What would you do if I fuck you too?
If I also had sex with you, how would you react?
I know that I fuck like a sinner
I am aware that my sexual behavior may not be viewed as morally acceptable or appropriate.
I know that I'd fuck you 'til you're blue
I am aware that I would engage in very rough and aggressive sex with you, to the point that it may be physically harmful.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BILLY GIBBONS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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