Crazy Horse has also released 5 albums of its own. They have received inconsistent critical reaction, partially due to the band's frequent and radical lineup changes; though bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina appear on every album, few other musicians have appeared on more than one. The band's first and best-received self-titled album also featured Jack Nietzsche, Nils Lofgren, and Danny Whitten, who became the topic of various Neil Young songs after his heroin overdose in late 1972. On Crazy Horse's 1972 album, "Loose," they were all replaced with John Blanton, Greg Leroy, and George Whitsell, who was a member of Crazy Horse's predecessor The Rockets. Crazy Horse's third album also released in 1972, "At Crooked Lake," replaced those three with Rick and Mike Curtis.
Later that decade in 1978, Crazy Horse released another album under its own name entitled "Crazy Moon." This would feature, along with the steady Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina, some guest work by Neil Young and guitarist Frank Sampedro, who had joined the band in 1975 for Young's album "Zuma." This lineup would be used for many of Crazy Horse's albums with Neil Young through the rest of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. In the late 1980s, Young used Frank Sampedro in his R&B-styled Bluenotes backing band, but did not use Molina or Talbot as he thought their style was unfitting. Now without Sampedro, Crazy Horse recruited Sonny Mone and Matt Piucci for their most recent album, "Left For Dead," released 1989. Piucci would later play on Billy Talbot's 2006 solo release. The album's title track is a pointed remark about their frustrating relationship with Young in the late 1980s, and included a number of other references to Neil Young and his work.
Down by the River
Crazy Horse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There is no reason for you to hide
It's so hard for me staying here all alone
When you could be taking me for a ride, yeah
She could drag me over the rainbow
And send me away
I shot my baby
Down by the river
Dead, ooh
Shot her dead, ooh
You take my hand, I'll take your hand
Together we may get away
This much madness is too much sorrow
It's impossible to make it today, yeah
Ooh, yeah
She could drag me over the rainbow
And send me away, yeah
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river
Dead, dead, ooh ooh
Ooh ooh shot her dead
Shot her dead
Be on my side, I'll be on your side
There is no reason for you to hide
It's so hard for me staying here all alone
When you could be taking me for a ride
Ooh, yeah
She could drag me over the rainbow
And send me away, yeah
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river
The song "Down by the River" by Crazy Horse is a hauntingly beautiful ballad about love, loss, and regret. The opening lines of the song are an invitation for the listener to join the singer on their journey: "Be on my side, I'll be on your side, baby. There is no reason for you to hide". The singer is urging the person to be honest and open with them, because they too are willing to do the same. The singer then confesses that they are feeling lonely and vulnerable, and that they long for someone to take them on an adventure: "It's so hard for me staying here all alone, when you could be taking me for a ride".
The lyrics take a dark turn in the next verse, where the singer sings about a woman who could "drag me over the rainbow and send me away". The tone becomes even more somber as the chorus arrives, and the singer sings that they shot their lover down by the river. The song is then repeated with the haunting refrain "down by the river, dead, ooh, shot her dead, ooh".
The lyrical content of "Down by the River" is open to interpretation, but it is widely believed to be about the regret and guilt associated with killing someone, possibly in a fit of passion. The song is a dark and intense exploration of the human psyche, and it has spoken to many listeners over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Be on my side, I'll be on your side, baby
Let's work together and support each other.
There is no reason for you to hide
You don't have to keep things from me; I'm here for you.
It's so hard for me staying here all alone
I feel lonely without you here.
When you could be taking me for a ride, yeah
We could be enjoying life together instead of being apart.
She could drag me over the rainbow
Being with her is like experiencing the impossible and the magical.
And send me away
Being with her has the power to take me to another place.
Down by the river
This is where the tragedy happens.
I shot my baby
I killed the person I loved.
Dead, ooh
It's over, and there's no turning back.
Shot her dead, ooh
I ended her life.
You take my hand, I'll take your hand
Let's support each other and face the difficulties together.
Together we may get away
We can escape from the madness of the world if we work together.
This much madness is too much sorrow
The world can be too overwhelming, and it can lead to sadness.
It's impossible to make it today, yeah
Sometimes it can feel like there's no way out.
Ooh, yeah
Expressing emotions and feelings.
Lyrics © Broken Arrow Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sean O'Neil
Fantastic version. Crazy Horse, always the perfect match for electric Neil.
Three albums by other bands I know & love that obviously come from this song's influence (as well as that of Cowgirl In the Sand):
Perfect From Now On - Built to Spill
May I Sing With Me - Yo La Tengo
El Moodio - Eleventh Dream Day
Thank you, Neil Young & Crazy Horse, for such great electric guitar music.
Tomás Cullen
Oh how I love Neil's solos. It's as if he's locked in a deadly fight against his guitar for every note that has to come out, and he always barely wins.
paul gallagher
well put.
William Lezotte
yes for sure!
Patricia Ballard
Good old Neil, crazy horse is awesome. A problem a Woodstock, playing Buffalo Springfield, while CSN is trying to dump him for S.Stills. My favorite song, "the damage done ". I Used to be a herion addict
Glen Stacey
Fark yeah tomas👌
anton1949
Gold Star post.
blklvsmttr
Everytime I run into anything by Neil Young it's like a warm all over, stress free, head rush.
warholnyc
It just doesn't get any better. A riveting love song wrapped in a guitarists dream......one of the original jam band songs. Rock and roll will never die!
Greg Crawford
If you don't mind having all the YouTube ad Interruptions then the MUSIC is GOOD
Chance1957
@Greg Crawford pay $4 a month and get rid of the ads.