“Do It Again” was Steely Dan‘s first major single, a track that introduced their distinct mix of soft rock, jazz, and storytelling. The song tells three different stories of self-destructive behavior, showing how people are often trapped in cycles of bad decisions that they keep repeating.
Below is a section-by-section breakdown of the lyrics in “Do It Again.”
- Song: Do It Again
- Artist: Steely Dan
- Songwriters: Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
- Released: 1972
- Album: Can’t Buy a Thrill
- Genre: Soft rock
What is “Do It Again” About?
Verse 1: Violence and Revenge
In the mornin’ you go gunnin’
For the man who stole your water
This first story is about a person who reacts to a small conflict with extreme violence.
The “water” here isn’t really water, but a stand-in for anything a person feels they own or are owed.
He is so focused on revenge that he is willing to resort to violence for a reason that might not even be worth it.
And you fire ’til he is done in
But they catch you at the border
The killing brings no victory.
The cycle begins: anger leads to violence and violence leads to consequences, and none of it solves the original issue.
And the mourners are all sangin’
As they drag you by your feet
There’s irony here. The mourners grieve the man who was killed, but their sadness flips into satisfaction when his killer is caught.
The singing feels less like sorrow and more like a grim celebration, showing how violence only creates more violence, and how even grief can turn into revenge.
But the hangman isn’t hangin’
And they put you on the street
Instead of justice, he is thrown back into the world as if his crime didn’t matter.
This could suggest that human corruption runs so deep that punishment often feels arbitrary or meaningless.
It also implies that this man won’t learn anything and will be back to committing crimes in no time.
Chorus: The Cycle
Yeah, you go back, Jack, do it again
Wheel turnin’ ’round and ’round
You go back, Jack, do it again
No matter the sin or mistake, the cycle continues.
The “wheel” is a symbol of fate, spinning endlessly, trapping people in the same patterns of violence, lust, and addiction.
The three people in the song won’t learn from their actions and are instead doomed to continue the cycle.
Verse 2: Lust and Betrayal
When you know she’s no high climber
This section changes the focus to relationships.
The man is with a woman he knows doesn’t have high goals or aspirations. He believes she has poor taste in men.
Then you find your only friend
In a room with your two timer
And you’re sure you’re near the end
Catching his partner cheating with his closest friend is both a betrayal and humiliating.
This double-cross of a loved one and his best friend makes him feel like his life is over.
Then you love a little wild one
And she brings you only sorrow
To get back at them, he goes for a new relationship with someone exciting but not good for him.
This new woman only brings him more sadness and pain.
All the time you know she’s smilin’
You’ll be on your knees tomorrow
He knows that he will soon be back to begging for forgiveness from his original partner, proving that the cycle of bad decisions continues.
The cynical message here is that desire and weakness overpower pride.
Verse 3: Addiction and Deception
Now you swear and kick and beg us
That you’re not a gambling man
The final story is about a person trapped by addiction.
This man is trying to convince himself and everyone else that he is not a gambler. He’s obviously lying.
Then you find you’re back in Vegas
With a handle in your hand
He is gambling again, unable to break free.
The “handle” works both as a slot machine lever and a bottle of alcohol. He is a slave to his vices.
Your black cards can make you money
So you hide them when you’re able
He isn’t just gambling, he’s cheating.
This is next-level addiction, where winning by any means becomes more important than anything.
In the land of milk and honey
You must put them on the table
The “land of milk and honey” is a metaphor for a world of excess, where expensive tastes have to be on display for everyone to see.
In this world, you can’t hide who you really are, and all your secrets will eventually have to be revealed.
Excess always catches up, no matter how much someone tries to cheat the system.
“Do It Again” Song Meaning: Cycles of Corruption
“Do It Again” is a cynical look at three different types of human self-destruction. Each verse shows a person making a bad choice, causing pain, and then being drawn back into the same behavior.
The central theme is that people are not really in control of their lives. The song suggests that we are slaves to our own vices and bad habits.
The phrase “do it again” is both a warning and a statement that we can’t escape our worst impulses, and we will always return to the things that hurt us.
Songs Like “Do It Again”
Here are some songs that deal with similar themes:
1. “Badfish” by Sublime
“Badfish” is a reggae rock song that tells the story of a person stuck in a self-destructive cycle of addiction. It’s about trying to escape from your problems but always falling back into the same behavior.
2. “Sympathy for the Devil” by The Rolling Stones
“Sympathy for the Devil” is about human evil and how it’s always been a part of history. It’s about how humanity is stuck in a loop of violence and destruction.
Related: “Sympathy for the Devil” Song Meaning
3. “Cocaine” by Eric Clapton
“Cocaine” is a classic rock song about the destructive cycle of drug use. Clapton sings about how a person can be pulled back into addiction even as it destroys them.
Conclusion: Stuck on the Wheel
“Do It Again” is a song about cycles of human weakness and how people are doomed to repeat their mistakes. Revenge, lust, and addiction take control, and no matter how many times a person tries to escape, the wheel keeps spinning.
The song leaves us with the idea that these cycles are hard to break and we will always be drawn to the things that hurt us.
Check out more ’70s Song Meanings!
