“Goin’ Down (live)”

Floatin’ down 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
A-goin’ down
Let’s go on down!

[break]

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

Wish I looked before I leaped
Didn’t know it was so deep
Been down so far I can’t get wet
I haven’t touched the bottom yet
This river scene is gettin’ old
I’m hungry, sleepy, wet, and cold
Told me to forget it nice
Should have taken her advice
Only want to go on home
I’d gladly leave that girl alone
What a way to spend the night
If I don’t drown, I’ll die of fright
Pappy taught me how to float
Can’t swim a single note
Threw me in to teach me how
I stayed there floatin’ like a mama cow
Now I’ve floated way downstream
Oh, this has to be a dream
Find my way to shore
I’d never, never do this any more
Give you three, been down nine
I’m goin’ down just one more time

[break]

Now the sky is gettin’ light
Everything will be alright
Think I finally got the knack
Floatin’ and lazy on my back
I never really liked that town
Think I’ll ride the river down
Just movin’ slow and floatin’ free
There’s a river swingin’ under me
Wavin’ back to the folks on shore
Should have thought of this before
I’m floatin’ on down to New Orleans
And I’ll pick up on some swingin’ scenes
Find me a better day
But I’ll go down groovin’ all the way
Goin’ down
Goin’ down
Goin’ down
Goin’ down
Ow, back back back back home
Back back back back home
Back back back
I’m goin’ down!

Micky: Take that! Guess I showed them, huh? …What?
Davy, Peter: The ending!
Micky: Oy vey, oy.


  1. Live Summer Tour (2003) (CD).
  2. The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the ’60s TV Pop Sensation (2005), Andrew Sandoval, p. 290.