Artist: America
Album: America
Read Full Bio ↴A Horse with No Name by America
Artist: America
Album: America
Released: 1971
Overview
"A Horse with No Name" is a classic song by the folk rock band America, released as the lead single from their self-titled debut album. Written by band member Dewey Bunnell, the song became renowned for its distinctive melody, enigmatic lyrics, and the warmth of its acoustic arrangement.
Background
The song was penned by Bunnell who was inspired by the deserts of California, which he likened to the landscapes he had known as a child in Arizona. Despite its American imagery, the song was actually composed while the band members were in England and longing for home.
Composition
Featuring a simple two-chord pattern and a catchy refrain, "A Horse with No Name" is known for its ease of play and sing-along quality. The song's structure and Bunnell's lead vocals contribute to its enduring popularity.
Reception
Upon its release, "A Horse with No Name" soared to the top of the American charts, becoming a defining song of the 70s and a signature piece for the band. It has been covered by numerous artists and remains a staple on classic rock radio stations.
Cultural Impact
The song's ambiguous lyrics have led to much speculation and interpretation over the years, adding to its mystique and legacy. It has been featured in films, television shows, and commercials, embedding it firmly in the cultural consciousness.
Personnel
[*]Dewey Bunnell – lead vocals, guitar
[*]Gerry Beckley – backing vocals, guitar
[*]Dan Peek – backing vocals, guitar
[*]Additional musicians – bass, percussion
Track Listing
"A Horse with No Name" appears as the opening track on America's debut album, setting the tone for the band's sound and paving the way for their future success.
External Links
Listen to "A Horse with No Name" on YouTube
Listen to "A Horse with No Name" on Spotify
A Horse with No Name on Wikipedia
America's Debut Album on Wikipedia
A Horse With No Name
America Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound
I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
And after three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead
You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
After nine days I let the horse run free
'Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with it's life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
But the humans will give no love
You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
The song "A Horse With No Name" by America has often been interpreted as a journey of self-discovery through the desert. The first verse talks about the start of the journey and the various things seen while traveling through the desert such as plants, birds, rocks, and sand with no clouds in the sky. The singer meets a fly with a buzz and hears sounds in the air.
As the journey continues, the singer spends several days in the desert and starts to experience the harsh conditions such as the heat and dry ground. However, being in the desert also brings a sense of freedom and relief from the rain. The desert also allows for self-reflection and remembrance of one's name without any interference or pain from others.
Towards the end of the journey, the singer lets the horse run free as the desert has transformed into the sea. The ocean is compared to the desert with its underground life and disguise above. The song concludes with the notion that although humans reside in cities made of ground, they fail to give love.
Line by Line Meaning
On the first part of the journey
At the beginning of the journey
I was looking at all the life
Observing the surrounding nature and living things
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
The environment consisted of plants, birds, rocks, and other elements of nature
There was sand and hills and rings
The landscape included sand, hills, and circular formations
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
The first living creature encountered was a buzzing fly
And the sky with no clouds
The sky was devoid of clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
It was extremely hot and the ground was parched
But the air was full of sound
Despite the silence, there were many sounds in the air
I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
The singer has travelled through the desert on a nameless horse
It felt good to be out of the rain
Being out of the rain was refreshing and enjoyable
In the desert you can remember your name
The isolation of the desert makes it easy to remember one's own identity
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
Without anyone else around, there is no one to inflict emotional or physical pain
After two days in the desert sun
After spending two days under the hot desert sun
My skin began to turn red
The sunburn caused the singer's skin to redden
And after three days in the desert fun
After spending three days having fun in the desert
I was looking at a river bed
The singer was observing a dry river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
The dry river bed once had a flowing river
Made me sad to think it was dead
The realization that the river was now dead caused the singer to feel sad
After nine days I let the horse run free
After nine days, the singer let the horse run free
'Cause the desert had turned to sea
The desert had transformed into a sea
The ocean is a desert with it's life underground
The ocean is similar to a desert, but with life existing below the surface
And a perfect disguise above
The surface of the ocean looks perfect, but it disguises the lack of life above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
Beneath the cities, there is a heart made of earth
But the humans will give no love
However, humans do not show love or appreciation for this earth
You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
Repeat of earlier line
It felt good to be out of the rain
Repeat of earlier line
In the desert you can remember your name
Repeat of earlier line
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
Repeat of earlier line
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Dewey Bunnell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sabrinapaulas
Lyrics
On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot, and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound
I've been through the desert
On a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead
You see I've been through the desert
On a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
After nine days, I let the horse run free
'Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with it's life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
But the humans will give no love
You see I've been through the desert
On a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
@owenc.0
This fits so well with someone that is driving a Pontiac Aztek 2003 car and singing alone that has no hair that so wearing M.E.C. Big Mens Sam Eyeglasses and has a goatee and driving in New Mexico
(This is Off topic but Thanks the nice and funny comments!)
@GYUUN
LYRICS BY Musixmatch :-
On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound
I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can't remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La la la la la la...
After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
And after three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead
You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can't remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La la la la la la...
After nine days I let the horse run free
'Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with its life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
But the humans will give no love
You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can't remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La la la la la la...
Thank you all very much
Take care of yourselves, take care
@90PercentNerd
this is the kind of song you listen to before getting pulled over by the police because your windshield is broken but you still argue with the officer and end up getting pepper sprayed.
@abgp9410
And then your brother in law asks you to apologize to the officer who pulled you over
@melodica5407
That👏is👏just👏perfect!!
@andreusredloff2252
A hearty modern interpretation!😅
@Chignet
Haha so you searched this song after watching season 3 episode 2 of breaking bad
@90PercentNerd
@@Chignet Hmmmm
@SomeSkyrimFan
Breaking Bad, Bojack Horseman, or GTA, we can all agree this song is amazing.
@barnabyhuckleberry3103
Or just, on its own.
@AmericaMyDearist
hell yeah
@deandremckinney85
I just heard it on bojack too 😂