"Going Under" is the opening track of Girlschool's fourth studio album Play Dirty (1983), their last album with Bronze Records in the UK. This album is generally noted for a significant change in the band's sound from punk-influenced metal to a more polished, radio-friendly sound, including the addition of keyboard on a number of the tracks. The overall sound and production is often compared to that of Def Leppard.

This change in direction resulted in the album drawing plenty of criticism. According to various reviews, some people rate this as Girlschool's worst album. I'm definitely not one of those people, I've always heard lots to like on Play Dirty. As Kelly Johnson's guitar playing goes, this album may be her best recorded work. Maybe the different style of this album even further showcased the great melodic sense, phrasing and vibrato Kelly had in her playing. Also, something about this album always reminds me of Queen. Some of the guitar playing has a Brian May-esque sound and stye, and the after-show party Outro of "Breakout (Knob In the Media)" is very reminiscent of the after-show party Outro of Queen's "Let Me Entertain You" from their Jazz album. (And in what is certainly a pure coincidence, "Let Me Entertain You" boasts that "We found the right location, Got a lot of pretty lights", while "Going Under" suggests to "Stow away the promise of pretty lights.")  Considering Play Dirty was produced by Slade's Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, it's probably not surprising to hear influences of other British glam rockers in the music.

"Going Under" has long been one of my favourite songs by Girlschool. It's a very well-constructed track with lots going on guitar-wise...arpeggios, power chords, lead lines and fills, layers of harmonized guitar on the Outro and an impeccably phrased, succinct guitar solo.

Unfortunately, Girlschool didn't play this song live. It's too bad because it would have made a great live number, giving people a chance to hear a more stripped down (by necessity), rawer version of the song. Lyrically, "Going Under" seems to foreshadow Kelly Johnson's imminent departure from the band and subsequent move to Los Angeles ("No time to stay, I've got to run", "I've found a city that burns my eyes".)

All in all, "Going Under" is the strongest track on Play Dirty and among the best in Girlschool's entire song catalogue.


The tab: https://www.angelfire.com/planet/zerofret/girlschooltab/goingunder.txt

Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng-EETLzKj4