Crosby joined the Byrds in 1964. They had their first number-one hit in April 1965 with a cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan. Crosby appeared on the Byrds' first five albums and produced the original lineup's 1973 reunion album. He subsequently formed Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1968 with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash.
After the release of their debut album, CSN won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist of 1969. Neil Young joined the group for live appearances, their second concert being Woodstock, before recording their second album Déjà Vu. Meant to be a group that could collaborate freely, Crosby and Nash recorded three gold albums in the 1970s, while the core trio of CSN remained active from 1976 until 2016. CSNY reunions took place in each decade from the 1970s through the 2000s.
Songs Crosby wrote or co-wrote include "Lady Friend", "Everybody's Been Burned", "Why", and "Eight Miles High" with the Byrds and "Guinnevere", "Wooden Ships", "Shadow Captain", and "In My Dreams" with Crosby, Stills & Nash. He wrote "Almost Cut My Hair" and the title track "Déjà Vu" for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 1970 album of the same name. He is known for having employed alternative guitar tunings and jazz influences. He released six solo albums, five of which charted. Additionally, he formed a jazz-influenced trio with his son James Raymond and guitarist Jeff Pevar in CPR. Crosby's work with the Byrds and CSNY has sold over 35 million albums.
Crosby was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once for his work in the Byrds and again for his work with CSN. Five albums to which he contributed are included in Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, three with the Byrds and two with CSN(Y). He was outspoken politically and was sometimes depicted as emblematic of the counterculture of the 1960s.
Monkey and the Underdog
David Crosby Lyrics
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Well, I went out for my evenin' stroll
All along the boulevard
It's familiar turf from the hills to the surf
I treat it like my front yard
Well, I right away ran into a girl I know
She said "You gotta come with me tonight
The word is out that the underdog
I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
And I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Well, now I'm not what you'd call a violent man
But the news brought a smile to my face
'Cause the underdog is a friend of mine
I'd just love to see him put that monkey in his place
You may think I'm crazy
The odds are against the dog you understand
This monkey is as strong as a gorilla
He'd stretch a tire like a rubber band
But I've been fightin', fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', oh, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Now, he's sneaky and he'll smile on
Right at you pretend to lick your boots
And all the while he'd be thinking
How to rip your soul out by the roots
When we got there my old underdog
He didn't really look too good, no
But his eyes met mine and he said "I'll kick his ass"
I knew right then he would
Oh, been fightin', yeah, I've been fightin', yeah
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', oh, oh, oh, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Well, now I don't want to bore you
With a bunch of dialog
It's not how much dog is in the fight
It's how much fight is in my dog
And I've been fightin', oh, fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', yeah, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
Oh, fightin', oh, fightin', yeah
Fightin' just to stay alive
Fight ... fightin', fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock ... oh, oh ... oh, oh
Fightin', oh, fightin'
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fightin', yeah, oh, fightin'
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
The lyrics of David Crosby's song Monkey and the Underdog tell a story of a street fight between two animals, the underdog and a monkey. The singer of the song stumbles upon the scene and is intrigued by the prospect of the two creatures fighting. Although he is not a violent man, he finds himself rooting for the underdog, who is a friend of his. Throughout the song, the singer talks about how much he's been "fightin'" just to stay alive, a sentiment that could be interpreted as a metaphor for surviving in a tough world.
As the singer and his friend arrive at the scene of the fight, they find the underdog looking worse for wear. However, the underdog looks him in the eye and promises to "kick his ass." The fighting spirit in the underdog inspires the singer to believe in him, despite the long odds against him. The song ends with the singer repeating the refrain "Fightin' just to stay alive," a reminder of the daily battles we all face to keep going.
The song's lyrics can be interpreted in many different ways, but at its heart, it's a story about the fighting spirit and the will to survive against all odds.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I went out for my evenin' stroll
I took a walk in my familiar neighborhood in the evening.
All along the boulevard
I walked along the main street.
It's familiar turf from the hills to the surf
I'm used to this area from the hills to the beach.
I treat it like my front yard
I feel comfortable here like it's my own front yard.
Well, I right away ran into a girl I know
I immediately met a girl I'm acquainted with.
She said "You gotta come with me tonight
She invited me to come with her tonight.
The word is out that the underdog
It's become known that the underdog is part of something.
And the monkey gonna finally fight"
The monkey is going to engage in a fight with the underdog.
I've been fightin', fightin'
I've been struggling and fighting.
Fightin' just to stay alive
I've been fighting to survive.
And I've been fightin', fightin'
I've been constantly battling.
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
I've been struggling to make it through each hour of the day.
Well, now I'm not what you'd call a violent man
I'm not typically a violent person.
But the news brought a smile to my face
However, hearing the news brought me joy.
'Cause the underdog is a friend of mine
The underdog is my friend, which makes me happy for him.
I'd just love to see him put that monkey in his place
I'd enjoy watching the underdog win and prove the monkey wrong.
You may think I'm crazy
You might perceive me as a little insane.
The odds are against the dog you understand
The underdog is unlikely to win.
This monkey is as strong as a gorilla
The monkey is incredibly strong.
He'd stretch a tire like a rubber band
The monkey is strong enough to even stretch a tire.
Now, he's sneaky and he'll smile on
The monkey is cunning and appears friendly but is devious.
Right at you pretend to lick your boots
He'll even try to flatter you to get what he wants.
And all the while he'd be thinking
The monkey is always planning behind the scenes.
How to rip your soul out by the roots
He's capable of hurting you deeply both mentally and emotionally.
When we got there my old underdog
Arriving at the scene, I met my loyal underdog friend.
He didn't really look too good, no
My friend appeared quite worn down and not in his best shape.
But his eyes met mine and he said "I'll kick his ass"
But despite his condition, he was determined and confident he'd win.
I knew right then he would
I believed in my friend's strength and ability to win.
Now, I don't want to bore you
I don't want to seem uninteresting.
With a bunch of dialog
By giving too many details or talking too much.
It's not how much dog is in the fight
It's not about having a lot of strength or power.
It's how much fight is in my dog
It's about having the will to fight and never giving up.
And I've been fightin', oh, fightin'
I've been fighting constantly.
Fightin' just to stay alive
I'm fighting to survive day by day.
Oh, fightin', oh, fightin', yeah
I've been fighting all this time, and I'm still fighting.
Fight ... fightin', fightin'
I'm in a constant battle.
Fightin' to get from four o'clock ... oh, oh ... oh, oh
I'm struggling to get through each moment of each day.
Fightin', oh, fightin'
I've been fighting tirelessly.
Fightin' just to stay alive
I'm fighting to survive and keep going.
I've been fightin', yeah, oh, fightin'
I've been fighting with all my strength and endurance.
Fightin' to get from four o'clock to five
I'm struggling to make it through each hour of the day.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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