[Chorus] Well, I've been down so Goddamn long That it looks like up to me Well, I've been down so very damn long That it looks like up to me Yeah, why don't one you people C'mon and set me free
[Verse] I said, warden, warden, warden Won't you break your lock and key I said, warden, warden, warden Won't ya break your lock and key Yeah, come along here Mister C'mon and let the poor boy be
[Bridge] Baby, baby, baby Won't you get down on your knees Baby, baby, baby Won't you get down on your knees C'mon little darlin' C'mon and give your love to me, oh yeah
[Chorus] Well, I've been down so Goddamn long That it looks like up to me Well, I've been down so very damn long That it looks like up to me Yeah, why don't one you people C'mon, c'mon, c'mon and set me free
The title was inspired by Richard Farina’s 1966 novel Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up To Me — Farina died in a motorcycle accident two days after it was published. The lyrical content was driven by the band’s sense that they were constantly being harassed by authorities, notably Jim Morrison’s various arrests.