Come on out and dance,
If you get the chance,
We're gonna spit on the rival.
All's I wanna know,
Is how far you wanna go,
Fighting for survival.

Underneath the stars,
Where we parked the cars,
Ain't showing signs of stopping.
Pretty little girls,
Naked to their curls,
Ready to lay in a coffin.
If you wanna go,
I'm gonna go,
I gotta fire burning.
Go on take my hand,
When we see the man,
Baby's gonna be a big one.
Baby's gonna be a big one.

When you see the lights,
And when we hear the fights,
It's gonna be a stunner.
I've got something here,
If you give me one more beer,
I'm gonna call a runner.
I don't want to say,
What I have to say,
If I'm kicking off now.
If you wanna go,
I'm gonna go,
I'm going back down south now ahh
I'm going back down south now ahh
I'm going back down south now.

If you wanna go,
I'm going back down south now.
Come on take my hand,
I'm going back down south now.
When we see the lights,
And we hear those fights,
I'm going back down south now.
All I want to know,
Is how far you wanna go,
I'm going back down south now oh yeah.

I'm going back down south now.
I'm going back down south now.
I'm going back down south now.
Oh, yeah.



Lyrics submitted by llscience

Track duration: 04:01

"Back Down South" as written by Nathan Followill Caleb Followill

Lyrics © BUG MUSIC

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Back Down South song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:When I first read the lyrics for the first time the general impression I got is that although this song references a more current day setting -cars and such-, I felt like it could have been a confederate soldier wanting to get back home.
    Flag pattikayon July 30, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Opinion:This song is about dying and remembering better days. A runner is an obvious reference to a drug dealer. Alot of opiate users like to push the limits - hence "how far you want to go".

    The way it's sung, it sounds like down south is obviously home. And that's the one place everyone wants to be when they don't think they're going to make it.
    Flag SergeStormson October 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I do believe there are some obvious football references in this song which, of course, is a huge part of southern culture. Some that really stick out to me:

    "We're gonna spit on the rival" - Rival team

    "If you see the lights, And when we hear the fights, It's gonna be a Stunner" - Referring to the lights above a night game and describing the game as a fight.

    "I'm kicking off now" -Kick-off...

    "I'm gonna call a runner" -Maybe a reference to a running play.
    Flag Scannon September 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is about his one, true home. For sure. I'm obsessed with this song and Kings of Leon. :)
    Flag enhawkon August 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:All I can think about is West Virginia when I hear this song. Went to school there and feel as though it is my true home even though I was born in raised in CT. Wish I could be back right now
    Flag srowellaon August 10, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:In this song, Caleb is reminiscing on his younger days in Nashville (Down South). From the first verse, he's saying that in those years he spent down South you had to fight for survival. "How far you wanna go" Here, he's saying that him and the rest of the band had to fight a lot / work very hard to get were they are today.
    In the second verse, he goes into deeper detail of life down South. He shares us with one of his memories of him and the bands journey to get to the top, "underneath the stars, where we parked the cars 'aint showing signs of stopping. Pretty little girls, naked to their curls ready to lay in a coffin". When the band first started off they used to play in strip clubs in the night. We can pretty much tell were it goes from here with, "Naked to their curls ready to lay in a coffin".
    Then in the third verse he's going back to when they were forming the band. Caleb is telling everyone to trust him and that the band is going to be a big one.
    Then in the last verse, Caleb is looking at where he is now. He wants to go Back Down South and relive these beautiful happy memories he has. Once again he says "take my hand" as he wants everyone to trust him and Back Down South is a beautiful happy place. Back Down South is his home, he needs a break from the fame and he wants to go back to the much simpler things, home.

    Flagged Shannonisculon June 25, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hmmm, makes sense - the reference to the song "the runner"

    For some reason I thought the runner was in reference to his guy, aka his dealer - hence "babe I'm kickin off now" as in getting his kicks.

    Probably way off though...
    Flag lsm285on February 25, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hello fans of KOL !

    Bought their new album three days ago and I can't stop listening to it ! I have a question ( english is not my first language....so sometimes I'm a little lost !) What does " call the runner" mean ?? Research on the net gave me ref to baseball, which is certainly NOT accurate for this song... Help ? Thank you !!
    Flag musicismyhomeon October 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Lyrics are right with 'naked to their curls' and 'I'm gonna call the runner' from the CD booklet..

    I always thought 'call the runner' had something to do with The Runner off Because of the times. That maybe he's one beer away from being the guy from The Runner.
    Flag freshonlybakeryon October 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Lyric Correction:"Naked to the curls" = "Naked to the curbs"
    "I'm gonna call a runner" = I'm gonna crawl a runner"

    I think have a listen and it makes more sense... He's so wasted he will have to crawl a runner. Pretty little girls naked to the curbs (hookers)
    Flag Worstexon October 18, 2010   Link

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