Ohio
Crosby Stills Nash & Young Crosby Stills & Nash Lyrics
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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 coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
“Ohio,” written by Neil Young and performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, was a protest song that was released at the height of the Vietnam War. The song was penned in response to the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970, where Ohio National Guardsmen fired at unarmed college students attending an anti-Vietnam War protest, killing four and wounding nine.
The lyrics of the song paint a picture of the political climate at the time. The line, “Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, we're finally on our own,” refers to President Richard Nixon's politicization of the National Guard, which he used to suppress anti-war protests in the United States. The song also captures the fear and anxiety experienced during the Vietnam War era with lyrics such as, “This summer I hear the drumming, four dead in Ohio.”
“Ohio” is a powerful protest song that not only highlights the tragic events at Kent State but also the broader anti-war protest movement in the US. The lyrics, with their haunting chorus and mournful melody, perfectly capture the spirit of the times and the disillusionment felt by many Americans towards their government and its policies during this tumultuous period.
Line by Line Meaning
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming
The US soldiers and the country's then President Richard Nixon are approaching.
We're finally on our own
The US has finally left Vietnam, and citizens can feel a sense of independence from conflict.
This summer I hear the drumming
Drums are being drummed as protest against the Vietnam War increases.
Four dead in Ohio
Four students were killed at Kent State University by the National Guard during a protest against the Vietnam War.
Gotta get down to it
We must immediately take action to bring change.
Soldiers are cutting us down
The National Guard is killing and oppressing protestors.
Should have been done long ago
The war should have ended a long time ago, and thus the deaths at Kent State were unnecessary.
What if you knew her
What if you personally knew one of the students killed?
And found her dead on the ground
And discovered she was killed during a peaceful protest.
How can you run when you know?
How can one turn a blind eye to the atrocities and suffering that result from governmental actions?
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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