I'm Not Down

Album: London Calling (1979)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was largely written by guitarist Mick Jones, and appears to be autobiographical for the most part. Around the time it was written, Jones was having a tough time in life - just before Christmas 1978 his flat was broken into and a lot of his possessions stolen. Soon after, his relationship with Slits guitarist Viv Albertine finally ended, leading to a brief period of depression in early 1979.
  • The lyrics are sad and depressing, but heavily defiant. They describe a narrator who has taken a rough deal in life but is putting on a brave face and facing life head on ("I've been beat up, I've been thrown out, but I'm not down, I'm not down").

    There is a specific section where Mick Jones refers to an incident in 1978 where he was attacked by a gang of rockers in the street:
    "On my own I faced a gang of jeering in strange streets
    When my nerves were pumping and I Fought my fear in
    I did not run, I was not done"
  • The song was introduced live in July 1979 in the London shows, although it only lasted in the set for three months - possibly because Mick Jones was on the road to recovery in life, although this is contradicted by the fact that he wound up writing the equally sad "Train in Vain (Stand By Me)" not long after "I'm Not Down."

    Before its live debut at the Notre Dame Hall in July 1979, singer Joe Strummer jokingly asked the audience if anyone was contemplating suicide.

Comments: 1

  • Avastrummer from EarthJoe wasn't joking, he wanted anybody in the audience who was depressed to remember this song "I've been beat up, been thrown down, but I'm not down" it's the kind of thing mick needed when he was depressed and Joe was spreading the "I'm not down" mentality.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-Nighters

Waiting For The Break of Day: Three Classic Songs About All-NightersSong Writing

These Three famous songs actually describe how they were written - late into the evening.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Rock Revenge Songs

Rock Revenge SongsMusic Quiz

John Lennon, Paul Simon and Lynyrd Skynyrd are some of the artists who have written revenge songs. Do you know who they wrote them about?

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.