The band's original lineup consisted of Neil Young (vocals, guitar), Stephen Stills (vocals, guitar), Richie Furay (vocals, guitar), Bruce Palmer (bass) and Dewey Martin (drums). Palmer left the band in 1968 and was replaced by Jim Messina. The band's only Top 40 single, "For What It's Worth", was released in 1967. The band split in 1968. Despite lasting for under 25 months, the band was massively influential on many later folk rock and country rock artists and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
The band only released three albums in its short life, "Buffalo Springfield" (1966), "Buffalo Springfield Again" (1967) and "Last Time Around" (1968). "For What It's Worth", which peaked at #7 in early 1967, was the band's only Top 40 single in the United States. 1967's "Rock 'n' Roll Woman" came the closest to giving the band a second Top 40 entry, peaking at #44.
Stills and Young would go on to perform with David Crosby and Graham Nash in the hugely popular rock act Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young shortly after Buffalo Springfield's demise. Furay and Messina went on to found country-rock group Poco, before Furay embarked on his own solo career. After Messina left Poco, he formed Loggins and Messina with singer/songwriter Kenny Loggins.
On October 23 and 24, 2010, Young, Furay and Stills, along with drummer Joe Vitale and Rick Rosas (replacing the deceased Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer, respectively) reunited for two performances for the Bridge Schools Benefit concert in Mountain View, California.
The band played six concerts starting in Oakland, CA, on June 1, 2011, followed by dates in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, before moving on to play the 2011 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. A proposed full tour in 2012 never took place. On February 27, 2012, founder member Furay announced that the band was on indefinite hiatus.
Kahuna Sunset
Buffalo Springfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How I wondered where I'd go
While the blizzards
Cold wind and snow
Pounded outside my window
California sunset
Going down in the West
Kiss another day goodbye
Land of beauty
Space and light
Land of promise
Land of might
You're my home now
And it's true
California, here's to you
California sunset
Going down in the West
All the colors in the sky
Kiss another day goodbye
California sunset
Going down in the West
All the colors in the sky
Kiss another day goodbye
The golden state
The lyrics to Buffalo Springfield's song "Kahuna Sunset" evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a place called California. The song begins with the singer reminiscing about their past, when they used to wonder about their future and where they would go. They remember the harsh winter storms, the blizzards, the cold wind, and the snow pounding outside their window. It's a scene that portrays a sense of isolation and perhaps a yearning for something more.
But then the focus quickly shifts to California, with the mention of the "California sunset going down in the West." The colors of the sky during sunset symbolize the passing of time and the end of another day. It's as if the singer is watching the sunset, witnessing the beauty of the moment while saying goodbye to yet another day. The lyrics express admiration for California as a land of beauty, space, and light. It's a place that holds promise and might.
The song takes a personal turn when the singer acknowledges that California has become their home. They express their love and gratitude, saying "California, here's to you." It's a declaration of affection towards this place that has become meaningful and significant in their life. The repetition of the line "California sunset going down in the West, all the colors in the sky kiss another day goodbye" reinforces the bittersweet nature of the passage of time and the appreciation for the beauty of the California sunsets.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember long ago
In the past, I have memories
How I wondered where I'd go
I used to wonder about my future destinations
While the blizzards
During the heavy snowstorms
Cold wind and snow
With the freezing gusts and snowfall
Pounded outside my window
Constantly hitting against my window with force
California sunset
The setting sun in California
Going down in the West
Sinking below the horizon in the western sky
All the colors in the sky
The vibrant hues painted across the sky
Kiss another day goodbye
Symbolically bidding farewell to another day
Land of beauty
An area of great natural aesthetics
Space and light
Expansive surroundings and luminosity
Land of promise
A place full of potential and opportunities
Land of might
A region of power and strength
You're my home now
California is now my place of residence
And it's true
This statement is genuine
California, here's to you
Celebrating California, dedicating a toast to it
The golden state
Referring to California as The Golden State
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind