Commonly referred to by their initials CSNY, the band is primarily known for their four-part vocal harmonies. They were one of the few North American groups that rivaled the Beatles in popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
After the 1970 shootings at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, Neil Young wrote "Ohio", a tribute to the four students who were shot by the Ohio National Guard. Many radio stations would not play the song "Ohio" because of the anti-war tone of the song. Even so, largely because of its topical nature, "Ohio" bumped "Teach Your Children", released three weeks earlier, from its ascent in the charts, replacing it on the popularity climb, ending at number fourteen, while "Teach Your Children" ended at number sixteen.
In the early seventies, each member released solo albums and by 1972, the band had essentially split up. Nash and Crosby began to perform as a duo and recorded and toured as Crosby & Nash (or, alternatively, Crosby-Nash). A 1974 CSNY reunion tour was a massive success, but attempts to make a second CSNY album ended with another split and separate albums from Crosby & Nash and The Stills-Young Band, both in 1976. After a falling-out between Stills and Young, CSN reformed to release CSN and has been the primary configuration since. CSNY finally returned in 1988 with American Dream, and again in 1999 with Looking Forward. Subsequent material has mostly been from Crosby, Stills & Nash, with the exception of live releases featuring all four members.
It is important to note that on their most famous album, Déjà vu, nearly every song features the trio configuration. Neil Young joins only on a handful of songs he didn't write (guitar on "Woodstock," "Almost Cut My Hair"). Neil Young is absent on "Teach Your Children," "Our House," "Carry On," "Déjà Vu" and therefore the most famous work by the group can be credited to the original trio configuration.
In 1991, Crosby was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Byrds. Neil Young was inducted in 1995 as a solo artist. Stephen Stills was inducted in 1997 as both a member of Buffalo Springfield (along with Young) and Crosby, Stills & Nash (with Crosby & Nash), Graham Nash was inducted in 2010 as a member of The Hollies.
Helplessly Hoping
Crosby Stills Nash & Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Awaiting a word
Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit he runs
Wishing he could fly
Only to trip at the sound of goodbye
Wordlessly watching he waits by the window and wonders
At the empty place inside
Did he hear a good-bye?
Or even hello?
They are one person
They are two alone
They are three together
They are for each other
Stand by the stairway you'll see something certain to tell you
Confusion has its cost
Love isn't lying it's loose in a lady who lingers
Saying she is lost
And choking on hello
They are one person
They are two alone
They are three together
They are for each other
The poem-like lyrics of the song Helplessly Hoping tell a story of a complex relationship between two people who seem to be interconnected and yet distant. The singer describes a woman who is helplessly hoping for something from the harlequin, perhaps love, while he hovers nearby without saying a word. The man is described as gasping at glimpses of the woman's gentle true spirit, wishing he could fly, but then tripping at the sound of goodbye. The lyrics capture the anxiousness and longing of a relationship that is not quite fulfilled and the vulnerability of the people involved.
In the second verse, the singer switches to the perspective of the harlequin, who is wordlessly watching and waiting by the window, wondering at the empty place inside. He seems to be taking advantage of the woman's bad dreams but also worrying if he heard a goodbye or even a hello. The lyrics reveal a complicated dynamic in the relationship between two people who are both lost in their own way but trying to find a common ground.
The chorus brings the three key characters of the song together, stating they are one person, two alone, but three together, and ultimately for each other. The lyrics express the idea that while each person might be struggling with their own fears and doubts, they are also intertwined and somehow tied to each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Helplessly hoping her harlequin hovers nearby
She is waiting anxiously for her lover to come to her.
Awaiting a word
She is waiting for his attention and for him to speak to her.
Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit he runs
She admires his sensitive personality, but is unable to catch his attention.
Wishing he could fly
She wishes he could come to her quickly and easily.
Only to trip at the sound of goodbye
However, she knows that their eventual parting will be difficult to bear.
Wordlessly watching he waits by the window and wonders
He watches her silently and wonders what she is thinking.
At the empty place inside
He feels a void within himself as he longs for her companionship.
Heartlessly helping himself to her bad dreams he worries
He makes her concerns his own, but fears that he is taking too much from her.
Did he hear a good-bye?
He questions whether she is leaving him or if there is still hope for their relationship.
Or even hello?
He is uncertain whether she even notices him or if she has forgotten him entirely.
They are one person
Their love has made them inseparable, to the point where they feel like a single entity.
They are two alone
Despite this, they remain lonely without each other's presence.
They are three together
Their love creates a new entity in the form of their relationship, separate from their individual selves.
They are for each other
Ultimately, their love is what sustains and connects them, regardless of the struggles they face.
Stand by the stairway you'll see something certain to tell you
His attention is drawn to an object that will reveal something crucial to their relationship.
Confusion has its cost
He knows that uncertainty and confusion about their relationship will inevitably have consequences.
Love isn't lying it's loose in a lady who lingers
He knows that love is not deceitful, but is instead present and clearly felt by both of them.
Saying she is lost
However, he senses that she is struggling to find her way in their relationship.
And choking on hello
She may be attempting to communicate with him, but is finding it difficult to do so.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Stephen A. Stills
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@IVameless
A moment of silence for the people still searching for this song.
@jedz849
lmao true
@bhbh820
The last of us 2 brought me here
@TopsyToxic
Whould be better if slowled
@desmonddoss2413
The art of the racing in the rain bought me here
@willitig7110
heh!
@funkeymunkey
See you around, Joel.
@OmarsWrld
💔
@gabriel.6477
😭😭😭😭
@joaovitorcruz5133
Yep...😢