Helpless
Crosby. Stills. Nash & Young Lyrics
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Dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Leave us
Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Babe, can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us
Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
"Helpless" is a song by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young that explores a sense of nostalgia and longing for a place and time that no longer exists. The opening lines depict a small town in North Ontario that holds a place in the singer's memory as a source of comfort and dreams. The singer acknowledges that they still yearn for that place, as it holds all the key changes in their life.
The chorus of the song repeatedly states "helpless," which adds to the feeling of longing and a lack of control over the past. The chains across the door suggest a sense of entrapment and inability to return to that place. The second verse continues to paint a picture of the beauty of that time and place, with blue windows behind the stars, a yellow moon on the rise, and big birds casting shadows.
Overall, "Helpless" is a deeply emotional song that evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and wistfulness for a time and place that can no longer be retrieved. It highlights the human desire to hold on to memories and the past, even when we know it's impossible.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a town in North Ontario
I remember a town in northern Ontario
Dream comfort memory to spare
It was a place of comfort, a memory I hold dear
And in my mind I still need a place to go
I still long for that place and need to go back in my memory
All my changes were there
That town was where I experienced important changes in my life
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
The sky was so blue and vast, it seemed like the windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
A yellow moon was rising in the sky
Big birds flying across the sky
Birds were flying high and far
Throwing shadows on our eyes
The birds were so big that their shadows were cast on our eyes
Leave us
Let us be
Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
We feel powerless and vulnerable
Babe, can you hear me now?
Can you listen to me and understand how I feel?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
We are trapped and unable to escape
Baby, sing with me somehow
Sing with me and provide some comfort
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Again, the beautiful blue sky is like a window hiding behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
The yellow moon is still rising
Big birds flying across the sky
The birds are still flying and casting shadows on our eyes
Throwing shadows on our eyes
The birds' wings are covering the light and keep us in the shadows
Leave us
But please, just let us be
Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
We are still powerless and vulnerable
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind