Crossroads
Country Joe McDonald Lyrics


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Put my heart inside a bottle
And place it on the shelf
I'm savin' my love for you babe
And for no one else
Though miles may come between us
My love for you still lives on
The days gone by can never die
No matter how long I'm gone

Oh, I'm standin' at the crossroads
Just like a ship adrift at sea
The blues are like a bloodhound
Always comin' after me
Oh I'm standin' at the crossroads
Wonderin' which way to go
The blues are like my shadow
They're with me wherever I go

The times aren't always gentle
The people aren't always kind
But behind the bend might be a friend
There for you to find
But it seems like all good people
I meet as I'm travelin' through
Just sit down to talk and




Before we begin
They're off with their own things to do

Overall Meaning

The song Crossroads by Country Joe McDonald is a melancholic blues song that explores the themes of heartbreak, distance, and the vagaries of life. It starts with the singer expressing his undying love for someone and his commitment to keeping that love alive even in the face of physical separation. He explains that he has put his heart in a bottle, on a shelf, and that his love is for no one else. The lyrics are poignant and touch on the themes of loneliness and longing. The chorus of the song takes a different turn, with the singer likening himself to a ship adrift at sea, directionless and unsure of where to go. He is followed by the "blues," which are like a bloodhound always coming after him. The blues in this case act as a metaphor for his troubled state of mind, his anguish at being directionless.


In the second verse, the lyrics become more introspective, with the singer reflecting on life's hardships. He laments that the times aren't always gentle and that people aren't always kind. He acknowledges that there might be good people out there, but they seem hard to find. He maintains that he keeps meeting people while traveling, but they're never around long enough to form meaningful friendships. The song is both a love ballad and a melancholic exploration of the human condition, and the way it ebbs and flows.


Line by Line Meaning

Put my heart inside a bottle
I am keeping my heart safe and reserved


And place it on the shelf
I am keeping my heart safe away from harm


I'm savin' my love for you babe
My love is only for you


And for no one else
I have no love for anyone besides you


Though miles may come between us
Despite the distance between us


My love for you still lives on
My love for you never fades away


The days gone by can never die
The memories of our past won't ever fade away


No matter how long I'm gone
Regardless of the time spent apart


Oh, I'm standin' at the crossroads
I am at a turning point in my life


Just like a ship adrift at sea
Feeling lost and directionless


The blues are like a bloodhound
Depression is always following me around


Always comin' after me
Depression always catches up to me


Wonderin' which way to go
I am unsure of what path to take


The blues are like my shadow
Depression always follows me wherever I go


They're with me wherever I go
Depression is never far away from me


The times aren't always gentle
Life can be tough at times


The people aren't always kind
People can be cruel at times


But behind the bend might be a friend
There might be a friend waiting for you up ahead


There for you to find
You just need to look for them


But it seems like all good people
People who appear kind


I meet as I'm travelin' through
That I encounter as I travel


Just sit down to talk and
They seem happy to chat with me


Before we begin
Before we can really talk


They're off with their own things to do
They leave, seemingly having lost interest in me




Lyrics © ALKATRAZ CORNER MUSIC CO

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