So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
You got me runnin', goin' out of my mind
You got me thinkin' that I'm wastin' my time
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
You wanna stay out with your fancy friends
I'm tellin' you, it's got to be the end
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down
What happened to the girl I used to know?
You let your mind out somewhere down the road
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
You're always talkin' 'bout your crazy nights
One of these days, you're gonna get it right
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down
You're lookin' good, just like a snake in the grass
One of these days, you're gonna break your glass
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
You got me shakin', got me runnin' away
You got me crawlin' up to you everyday
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down, down, down, down, down, down
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
You got me thinkin' that I'm wastin' my time
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
You wanna stay out with your fancy friends
I'm tellin' you, it's got to be the end
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down
What happened to the girl I used to know?
You let your mind out somewhere down the road
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
You're always talkin' 'bout your crazy nights
One of these days, you're gonna get it right
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down, groos
Don't bring me down
You're lookin' good, just like a snake in the grass
One of these days, you're gonna break your glass
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
You got me shakin', got me runnin' away
You got me crawlin' up to you everyday
Don't bring me down
No, no, no, no, no
Ooh-ooh-hoo
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down, down, down, down, down, down
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor
Don't bring me down
Lyrics submitted by Kenobi65, edited by demonearl88, Mal12345
Don't Bring Me Down Lyrics as written by Jeff Lynne
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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A common mondegreen in the song is the perception that, following the title line, Jeff Lynne shouts "Bruce!" . However, according to liner notes, he is actually saying a made-up word "Groos". This is similar to a German word for "greeting", Gruß possibly referring to the Bavarian greeting Grüß Gott the group would have heard while recording the album in Munich. However, after the song's release, so many people had misinterpreted the word as Bruce that the band actually changed the lyrics and began to sing the word as Bruce.
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Yes we all know about the Gross / Bruce thing...
This song is, like many of Jeff's, is very simple!
He's met someone who's ruining his mood :) Don't bring me down!
@jadeia Not if you weren't born at the time this was released.
@jadeia so very true
Yes, "grroosss" is the actual word (taken straight off the lyric sheet). Jeff Lynne says it's just a word he made up, although Mack (the German engineer who worked on this album) noted that it sounded kind of like the German word for "good morning." Most folks think it sounds like they're singing "Bruce;" for that reason, when the song is performed these days, Jeff will sing "Bruce" instead.
@Kenobi65 Germans say "Gruss" to each other in the morning just as often as Americans say "Greetings" to each other in the morning. Which is: never.<br />
This song has a sound totally unique to itself. Great beat, combined with powerful phrases make it one of my favorites. A guy is done with a girl who could care less about him. Now he is walking out.
It's "couldn't care less". If you could care less, that means you do care.
I was all rocking out when this came on "Super 8". Again I can remember dancing to this with my sisters but on "American Bandstand". :)
I always thought it was Bruce...now I know. Great song.
This song is brilliant.
ELO, top feel-good music.
ELO rocks, Showdown is a Kick A song too
lol, bruce too
This was my first favorite ELO song (although, I also grew to love "Telephone Line" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman").