Dum Dum Girls – Coming Down (2011)
from the album “Only In Dreams”.
So here’s a surprise; me reviewing a “new” and “modern” song.
It’s not that I don’t follow the newer trends of rock history, it’s not that I don’t like anything that’s released today (though most of it are rather forgettable, let’s be honest here) but my main focus always lies with the old classics. It’s rare to find a newly released song or album that makes any long-standing impression on me. But it does happen.
What’s also rare is me following series, or watching tv. I review movies for my pastime, and I’ve had several projects the past two years; the first of it being reviewing the entire IMDB top 250, then my favourite movies of all time, then all the movies nominated for Best Movie 2015 and now… I’m going through the book called “1001 Movies You Should See Before You Die”. Yeah, that’s right. Nobody could ever say I’m resting on my laurels when it comes to my hobbies.
But, I digress. One show that have found my liking and made its way into my television programme schedule is “Orange Is the New Black” – and in episode 3 of season 3, we see the character “Nicky” being taken away to maximum security prison after being caught of cocaine possession while in prison. It’s an emotional moment, having followed Nicky’s struggle with addiction, and the audience, as well as herself, realising she may never be rid of her own self destructional tendencies. While we see this, the song “Coming Down” by Dum Dum Girls is played in the background.
The most obvious connection to the song is coming down off alcohol or drugs; but I’m thinking it could also be coming down off a relationship, or coming to the realization, or conclusion, that it wasn’t what you thought it was. Sort of like coming out of a drug-induced haze, I suppose.
“I take as much as I can get
I don’t take any regret
I close my eyes to conjure up something
But it’s just a faint taste in my mouth
I think I’m coming down
I think I’m coming down”
Anyone who was ever infatuated with the wrong person, who just broke up with someone, who just got lied to and found out, or simply has unrequited feelings for someone knows exactly what this is about. You’ll go out for a drink… or maybe ten, you take as much as you can get, without any regret. As long as you can take your mind off it, nothing else matters. You’re there, drunk, sleepy, high, or whatever, you close your eyes and try to conjure up something, an image of this person or situation that brought you here, and for this moments, it’s just a faint taste in your mouth.
“By tomorrow I’ll be leaving
By tomorrow I’ll gone
If you want to tell me something
You had better make it strong
‘Cause I think I’m coming down”
You do tell yourself, that tomorrow I’ll be fine, tomorrow I’ll be gone. Tomorrow it’s all over, because tonight, I’m coming down, and I’m coming down strong. I’m one of those people who just can’t go around harbouring and nesting feelings deep inside and pretending everything’s alright; it’s cards on the table with me, and I want to get it all out, once and for all, and then I’m basically done with it.
I think there’s no denying these kind of moments in life, because in a way, they define who you are and how you feel, and they’re, in a way, as pure as they come.
The trouble is when you’re told yourself this time and time again, that it’s time to let go, that I just need this one moment to get it all out, just one more night of screaming, kicking, crying and literally coming down hard on your own feelings. It’s when it’s happening for the tenth time because you keep going back to what’s hurting you in the first place that is becomes a dangerous habit indeed.
“You abuse the ones who love you
You abuse the ones who won’t”
Going back to drug abuse, time and time again, to cope with yourself and your feelings, is unfathomable to some people. Why would you do this to yourself? Why would you so obviously hurt yourself and destroy any kind of future for yourself?
Well, you abuse the ones you love.. and the ones you don’t, including yourself, leading to self-abuse. And I think this also includes going back to dysfunctional relationships, because, quite literally, you only know what you had, you never know what you’re going to get. You think this might be the best that you’re ever going to get – because you might not be worth anything more than this – maybe things are going to get worse anyway?
You need to make sure you’re coming down, once and for all.
Anyway. Great to see there are still songs, groups and artists out there that can still make me think, ponder, and analyse their work – and that can still make me feel something while listening to it. There are obviously some pieces of gold out there still being made.
