The song also appears on Neil Young's Live at Massey Hall album, which he recorded in 1971 but did not release until 2007.
The record was mastered with the participation of the four principals, rush-released by Atlantic and heard on the radio with only a few weeks' delay. (This was despite the group already having their hit song "Teach Your Children" on the charts at the time.) In his liner notes for the song on the Decade retrospective, Young termed the Kent State incident as 'probably the biggest lesson ever learned at an American place of learning' and reported that "David Crosby cried when we finished this take." Indeed, Crosby can be heard keening "Four, why? Why did they die?" and "How many more?" in the fade.
Notable covers of the song:
1971 – The song was recorded by the Isley Brothers on their album Givin' It Back.
approx. 1971 – The song was recorded by Bay Area group The Two Things in One. That recording is included on the 2011 reissue, "Together Forever - The Music City Sessions."
1993 – Paul Weller recorded a cover during the sessions for Wild Wood, and it was released as a B-side to his single "The Weaver."
1998 – The song was included as a hidden track on the album Thirty Days Out by the Montrose Avenue.
2001 – Zegota, an American punk rock band, released a 9-minute-long cover of the song.
2002 – The song was covered by Devo on the album When Pigs Fly: Songs You Never Thought You'd Hear. The song was of particular significance to this group. Two of its founding members, Jerry Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh, were students at Kent State during the killings, Casale having witnessed the shooting and known two of the victims. Casale was not impressed by it at the time, seeing it as an opportunist song by "rich hippies...making money off of something horrible...that they didn't get." In the liner notes of Decade, Young reflected in 1976, "It's ironic that I capitalized on the death of those American students."
2003 – Tori Amos used the song in a bridge with her song Pancake while in tour supporting her album Scarlet's Walk in San Antonio, Texas
2003 – A live version of the song was included as a bonus track on a re-release of Mott the Hoople's self-titled first album.
2004 – The Dandy Warhols placed a version of the song on the B-sides and covers album Come on Feel the Dandy Warhols, available only through the band's website.
2007 – The song was covered by Dala on the Canadian Borrowed Tunes II: A Tribute to Neil Young tribute album. Their recording later appeared on the 2008 tribute album Cinnamon Girl – Women Artists Cover Neil Young.
2009 – The song was covered by Chris and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes in the documentary feature film The People Speak.
2014 – The song was covered by French singer Nolwenn Leroy on her live album Ô Tour de L'Eau.
Ohio
Crosby Stills Nash & Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
And found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Four dead in Ohio (four dead)
Four dead in Ohio (four)
Four dead in Ohio
Four dead in Ohio (how many more?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio
The song "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was released in 1970 during a time of political turmoil and social unrest in the United States. The lyrics are a commentary on the events that took place at Kent State University in Ohio on May 4, 1970, where National Guard soldiers killed four unarmed students who were protesting against the Vietnam War.
The first line of the song, "Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming," is a reference to the National Guard soldiers who were sent to the campus by President Nixon to maintain order during the protests. The second line, "We're finally on our own," represents the students' feeling of being abandoned by their government and left to fend for themselves. The line "This summer I hear the drumming" refers to the sound of the soldiers' boots as they marched onto the campus. The refrain "Four dead in Ohio" is a mournful reminder of the tragedy that occurred.
The song's powerful lyrics and haunting melody captured the national mood and became an anthem for a generation of Americans who were opposed to the war and the government's handling of the protests. It remains a powerful reminder of the need to hold those in power accountable and to fight for justice in the face of oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming
The National Guard, or 'tin soldiers', are being sent by President Nixon to deal with anti-war protestors.
We're finally on our own
The protestors feel that they cannot rely on the government or authority figures to help them, and are forced to fend for themselves.
This summer I hear the drumming
The beat of the drums represents the growing intensity and tension of the situation.
Four dead in Ohio
Four protestors were shot and killed by National Guard soldiers on the campus of Kent State University in Ohio during a demonstration against the Vietnam War.
Gotta get down to it
The protestors feel a sense of urgency and obligation to take action in response to the violence and injustice they are facing.
Soldiers are cutting us down
The National Guard soldiers are using physical force to quell the protestors and prevent them from expressing their dissenting views.
Should have been done long ago
The protestors believe that the government should have taken action to end the war and address their concerns much earlier, and that the delay has only led to more suffering and tragedy.
What if you knew her
The singer prompts the listener to consider the humanity of the victims and imagine how they would feel if someone they knew personally was killed in the same manner.
And found her dead on the ground?
The gruesome image of a dead body lying on the ground is intended to evoke a strong emotional response and convey the horror of the situation.
How can you run when you know?
The singer questions the ability of those in power to turn a blind eye to the violence and injustice that has taken place, and urges them to take responsibility for their actions.
Four dead in Ohio (four dead)
The repetition of the phrase emphasizes the gravity and significance of the event, and helps to make the message more memorable and impactful.
How many more? (why?)
The singer wonders how many more lives will be lost before the government takes action and puts an end to the war and the violence against protestors.
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
The repetition of the phrase serves as a refrain that provides a sense of unity and solidarity among the protestors.
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
The repetition of the phrase serves as a refrain that provides a sense of unity and solidarity among the protestors.
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
The singer continues to question the reasoning behind the violence and lament the loss of life that could have been avoided.
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
The singer continues to question the reasoning behind the violence and lament the loss of life that could have been avoided.
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
The singer continues to question the reasoning behind the violence and lament the loss of life that could have been avoided.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind