Goin' Down (The Monkees song)
"Goin' Down" is a song by the American pop rock band the Monkees, written by all four members of the group along with Diane Hildebrand, and was first released as the B-side to the "Daydream Believer" single on Colgems Records on 25 October 1967 in support of the band's fourth album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (see 1967 in music). It is the only composition recorded by the Monkees that is credited to all its members, and managed to bubble under the Billboard Hot 100 upon its distribution.[1]
| "Goin' Down" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by The Monkees | ||||
| A-side | "Daydream Believer" | |||
| Released | 25 October 1967 | |||
| Recorded | 20 June, 5 July, and 15 September 1967, RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, California | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:57 | |||
| Label | Colgems | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, Diane Hildebrand | |||
| Producer(s) | Chip Douglas | |||
| The Monkees singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
According to interviews with various members of the band, the song was inspired by Mose Allison's Parchman Farm. Michael Nesmith explains, “Peter had always loved to jam on ‘Parchman Farm’ and started off on this thing. We just headed off into la-la land. Then Micky started riffing this thing over the top of it.” Peter Tork continues, “Somebody gave me an arrangement of ‘Parchman Farm’ that a friend of theirs had sort of generated – the real folk process at work. I had played that version around for a while amongst the guys. I don’t remember why we started playing it that day, but we just jammed it unrehearsed.” Micky Dolenz concludes, "It was the exact same song, and we were covering it basically. So we did the tracks, and it came out real good. I remember Mike saying, ‘All it is is the chord progression; we’re not going to steal the melody or anything. Let’s use this track but write other words, another melody to it. Why should we just cover somebody else’s tune?’ So I said, ‘OK, fine. Good idea.’”
Diane Hildebrand's lyrics to "Goin' Down" describe a man whose relationship has ended, and he attempts to "end it all" by drunkenly leaping into the river to be dragged away by the current. He immediately regrets the decision and comes to a self-realization before coming to shore in New Orleans to partake in its "swingin' scenes". Micky Dolenz explains, "Diane Hildebrand was given the track, and she was told to go away and write a song. She came back with this song, and I started practicing it. Singing it like this (adopts slow tempo). She said, ‘No, no. It’s twice that fast.’ I was doing it half-time. I remember that I said, ‘What?!’ She said, ‘Yes, it’s twice that fast.’ I get a lot of comments about that tune. (On the TV show) I did that live. You don’t see nobody doing that stuff these days, do ya?” The song's energetic, rapid lead vocals by Micky Dolenz, and big band influences that are melded into the pop song, with the arrangements organized by jazz musician Shorty Rogers.[2]
With "Daydream Believer", as the song's A-side, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100, "Goin' Down" managed to chart at number 104 nationally.[1] Since its release, the composition has become a staple of the Monkees' touring setlists, with a live version of the song appearing on the album 2001: Live in Las Vegas.[3][4] An extended rendition of "Goin' Down" also appears on the deluxe version of Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., Greatest Hits, The Best of the Monkees, and Extended Versions.[5][6]
In 2012, the composition met with controversy for its unexpected use in the television show, Breaking Bad. Dolenz, who was unaware an abridged version of "Goin' Down" was to be featured on the show, commented, "'Goin’ Down' has nothing to do with drugs, obviously. And I certainly don't condone meth — that is nasty stuff that kills a lot of people and ruins a lot of lives. ... On the other hand, I like the TV show, it's very well-made. … And no, I didn't make a penny".[7]
References
- Sandoval, Andrew (2005). The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the '60s TV Pop Sensation. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-59223-372-4.
- Greenwald, Matthew. "Goin' Down - Review". allmusic.com. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- "1969 North American Tour". monkeesconcerts.com. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- "2001 North American Tour". monkeesconcerts.com. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- "Goin' Down". monkees.coolcherrycream.com. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
- Sandoval, Andrew (2006), Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (CD booklet), Rhino Records
- Halperlin, Shirley. "Breaking Bad' Uses Monkees Song in Key Meth Cooking Scene; Micky Dolenz Weighs In". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
