Déjà Vu
Crosby. Stills. Nash & Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I would probably know just what to do
Don't you?
If I had ever been here before on another time around the wheel
I would probably know just how to deal
With all of you
And I feel like I've been here before
And you know it does make me wonder
What's going on under the ground
Do you know?
Don't you wonder
What's going on
Down under you?
We have all been here before
We have all been here before
We have all been here before
We have all been here before
We have all been here before
We have all been here before
The lyrics to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's song "Deja Vu" speak to the concept of reincarnation and the feeling of familiarity with a place or situation that cannot be explained. The opening lines of the song suggest that if the singer had been in this place or situation before, they would know how to handle it. The repetition of the phrase "don't you?" implies that the singer is asking the listener if they feel the same sense of familiarity and understanding.
The second verse delves deeper into the theme of reincarnation, with the singer wondering if they have been in this same situation in a previous life. The line "another time around the wheel" refers to the spiritual concept of samsara, which holds that the soul is continuously reborn into new bodies and lives until it achieves enlightenment. The singer feels like they should know how to deal with the people around them if they have experienced this situation before.
The repeated line "we have all been here before" reinforces the idea of reincarnation and suggests that everyone has lived multiple lives and experienced the same situations over and over again. The final lines of the song bring the listener back to the present moment, asking if they wonder what is going on beneath the surface of their current situation.
Overall, "Deja Vu" is a contemplative and philosophical song that explores the concept of reincarnation and the feeling of familiarity that cannot be explained.
Line by Line Meaning
If I had ever been here before
If I had experienced this situation previously
I would probably know just what to do
I would likely know how to proceed
Don't you?
Do you not agree?
If I had ever been here before on another time around the wheel
If I had lived through this in a past life
I would probably know just how to deal
I would know how to handle the situation
With all of you
Involving all those present
And I feel like I've been here before
I sense a familiar experience
Feel like I've been here before
It seems like a recurring event
And you know it does make me wonder
This certainly causes me to speculate
What's going on under the ground
What activity is occurring beneath the surface
Do you know?
Do you possess this information?
Don't you wonder?
Do you not question this as well?
What's going on
What activity is happening
Down under you
Beneath your feet
We have all been here before
We share this experience
We have all been here before
We have all lived through this before
We have all been here before
It is not a new experience for anyone
We have all been here before
We all empathize with each other
Lyrics © CTM Outlander Music LC
Written by: Caitlin Crosby, Jay Dylan Nash
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gelubatir9794
Personnel
David Crosby – vocals all tracks except "4+20"; rhythm guitar on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Woodstock," "Déjà Vu," and "Country Girl"
Stephen Stills – vocals all tracks except "Almost Cut My Hair"; guitars all tracks except "Our House"; bass on "Carry On," "Teach Your Children," and "Déjà Vu"; keyboards on "Déjà Vu" and "Everybody I Love You"; organ on "Carry On" and "Woodstock"; piano on "Helpless"; percussion on "Carry On"
Graham Nash – vocals all tracks except "Almost Cut My Hair" and "4+20"; piano on "Woodstock" and "Our House"; organ on "Almost Cut My Hair"; rhythm guitar on "Teach Your Children"; percussion on "Carry On" and "Country Girl"; tambourine on "Teach Your Children"
Neil Young – vocals on "Helpless" and "Country Girl"; guitars on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Helpless," "Woodstock," "Country Girl," and "Everybody I Love You"; keyboards, harmonica on "Country Girl"
Additional musicians
Greg Reeves – bass on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Helpless," "Woodstock," "Our House," "Country Girl," and "Everybody I Love You"
Dallas Taylor – drums all tracks except "Teach Your Children" and "4+20"; tambourine on "Teach Your Children"
Jerry Garcia – pedal steel guitar on "Teach Your Children"
John Sebastian – harmonica on "Déjà Vu"
@gelubatir9794
Personnel
David Crosby – vocals all tracks except "4+20"; rhythm guitar on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Woodstock," "Déjà Vu," and "Country Girl"
Stephen Stills – vocals all tracks except "Almost Cut My Hair"; guitars all tracks except "Our House"; bass on "Carry On," "Teach Your Children," and "Déjà Vu"; keyboards on "Déjà Vu" and "Everybody I Love You"; organ on "Carry On" and "Woodstock"; piano on "Helpless"; percussion on "Carry On"
Graham Nash – vocals all tracks except "Almost Cut My Hair" and "4+20"; piano on "Woodstock" and "Our House"; organ on "Almost Cut My Hair"; rhythm guitar on "Teach Your Children"; percussion on "Carry On" and "Country Girl"; tambourine on "Teach Your Children"
Neil Young – vocals on "Helpless" and "Country Girl"; guitars on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Helpless," "Woodstock," "Country Girl," and "Everybody I Love You"; keyboards, harmonica on "Country Girl"
Additional musicians
Greg Reeves – bass on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Helpless," "Woodstock," "Our House," "Country Girl," and "Everybody I Love You"
Dallas Taylor – drums all tracks except "Teach Your Children" and "4+20"; tambourine on "Teach Your Children"
Jerry Garcia – pedal steel guitar on "Teach Your Children"
John Sebastian – harmonica on "Déjà Vu"
@gelubatir9794
Personnel
David Crosby – vocals all tracks except "4+20"; rhythm guitar on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Woodstock," "Déjà Vu," and "Country Girl"
Stephen Stills – vocals all tracks except "Almost Cut My Hair"; guitars all tracks except "Our House"; bass on "Carry On," "Teach Your Children," and "Déjà Vu"; keyboards on "Déjà Vu" and "Everybody I Love You"; organ on "Carry On" and "Woodstock"; piano on "Helpless"; percussion on "Carry On"
Graham Nash – vocals all tracks except "Almost Cut My Hair" and "4+20"; piano on "Woodstock" and "Our House"; organ on "Almost Cut My Hair"; rhythm guitar on "Teach Your Children"; percussion on "Carry On" and "Country Girl"; tambourine on "Teach Your Children"
Neil Young – vocals on "Helpless" and "Country Girl"; guitars on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Helpless," "Woodstock," "Country Girl," and "Everybody I Love You"; keyboards, harmonica on "Country Girl"
Additional musicians
Greg Reeves – bass on "Almost Cut My Hair," "Helpless," "Woodstock," "Our House," "Country Girl," and "Everybody I Love You"
Dallas Taylor – drums all tracks except "Teach Your Children" and "4+20"; tambourine on "Teach Your Children"
Jerry Garcia – pedal steel guitar on "Teach Your Children"
John Sebastian – harmonica on "Déjà Vu"
@pocusfocus
I'm 71 and this isn't a Hippie masterpiece...It is a masterpiece for the ages for all.
@mr2000dukr
Amen fellow 71 y.o. when i listen to this i dont feel old. i miss the 70's.🌞
@hrhrae1959
@Honest Mark good morning! So far so good out in Vegas. Hope you are having a good one too. 😊
@Ileah
As we used to say, keep your sh-shirt on, brother. I can think of lots of worse things than to be or to have been a hippie. As a human and a music lover you should know without a slightly older female having to tell you that music connects directly to the soul, whatever you prefer to call it or even yourself, for loving to listen to it.
@AnotherDamnFandomShow
Im 37 and when I was a kid, I found this tape in my mom's house. I WORE IT OUT. Literally destroyed the cassette from listening so much.
@dr.aniasara7038
I'm 73, and this is still my favorite band next to the Beatles. Ageless.
@jackspry9736
RIP David Crosby (August 14, 1941 – January 18, 2023), aged 81
You will always be remembered as a legend.
@fatboy3076
loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
@jayfredrickson8632
The man is gone 😔 but the music lives on 🎵🎶
@francineroot-adler7205
Have been listening to his/their music all day! In the day, it changed my life. I hear this music and I am right there again! Thanks David for all the gifts you left us!