“Goin’ Down”

Sock it to me!

Floatin’ in the river
With a saturated liver
And I wish I could forgive her
But I do believe she meant it
When she told me to forget it
And I bet she will regret it
When they find me in the morning
Wet and drowned
And the word gets ’round
Goin’ down
I’m goin’ down

Comin’ up for air
It’s pretty stuffy under there
I’d like to say I didn’t care
But I forgot to leave a note
And it’s so hard to stay afloat
I’m soakin’ wet without a boat
And I knew I should have taken off my shoes
It’s front page news
Goin’ down
Goin’ down

Hep, hep
Hep, hep
Hep hep, hep hep, hep, hep hep, hep hep

I wish I had another drink
It wouldn’t be so hard to sink
I should have taken time to think
Besides I got the picture straight
She must have had another date
I didn’t need this extra weight
I wish that I could see the way to shore
I don’t want no more
Goin’ down
I’m goin’ down

And now I see the life I led
I slept it all away in bed
I should’ve learned to swim instead
And now it’s really got me stumped
I can’t believe why I jumped
I’d like to get my tummy pumped
I can’t believe they drink this stuff in town
This dirty brown
Whoa, goin’ down
Goin’ down

I’m goin’ down, hep
Goin’ down, hep, hep
Goin’ down, goin’ down
Goin’ down, goin’ down
Goin’ down, goin’ down

I wish I looked before I leaped
I didn’t know it was so deep
Been down so far I don’t get wet
I haven’t touched the bottom yet
This river scene is gettin’ old
I’m hungry, sleepy, wet, and cold
She told me to forget it nice
I should’ve taken her advice
I only want to go on home
I’d gladly leave that girl at home
What a way to spend the night
If I don’t drown, I’ll die of fright
My pappy taught me how to float
But I can’t swim a single note
He threw me in to teach me how
I stayed there floatin’ like a mama cow
And now I’ve floated way downstream
I know this has to be a dream
If I could find my way to shore
I’d never, never do this any more
They give you three, I’ve been down nine
I’m a-goin’ down just one more time

Goin’ down, ah ga-goin’ down
Ga-goin’ down, goin’ down
I’m goin’ down, go go go
Goin’ down
Back, back, back, back home
Back, back, back home, back
Back, back, back home
Goin’ down, goin’ down
I’m goin’ down
I’m goin’ back home
Back to my friends and
Back to the one and
Back to the truth
I’m goin’ home, ah

Now the sky is gettin’ light
And everything will be alright
Think I finally got the knack
Just floatin’ and lazy on my back
I never really liked that town
I think I’ll ride the river down
Just movin’ slow and floatin’ free
There’s a river swingin’ under me
Wavin’ back to the suckers on shore
I should’ve thought of this before
I’m floatin’ on down to New Orleans
And pick up on some swingin’ scenes
I don’t know a better day
I’m goin’ down groovin’ all the way

Goin’ down, ah
Go-go-goin’ down
I’m goin’ down
Back, back, back to New Orleans
Back, back, back, back home
Ah, go-goin’ down, hep hep, hep hep
Go goin’ down, hep hep, hep hep
Ah, go-go-go-goin’ down
I’m goin’ down
Goin’ down, go go
Aw, hep hep, hep, hep, hep
Hep, hep…


  1. The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the ’60s TV Pop Sensation (2005), Andrew Sandoval, p. 290.
  2. Greatest Hits (1995) (CD).