Woodstock
Matthews Lyrics
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He was walking along the road
When I asked him where are you going
This he told me.
I'm going down to Yasgurs farm
Think Ill join a rock and roll band
I'll camp out on the land
We are stardust, we are golden
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
Then can I walk beside you
I have come here to lose the smog
And I feel just like a cog in something turning.
Well maybe its the time of year
Or maybe its the time of man
And I don't know who I am
But lifes for learning.
We are stardust, we are golden
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
By the time I got to Woodstock
They were half a million strong
Everywhere there were songs and celebration
And I dreamed I saw the bombers
Riding shotgun in the sky
Turning into butterflies
Above our nation.
We are stardust, we are golden
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
We are stardust, we are golden
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
We are stardust, we are golden
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
Matthews' Southern Comfort's song Woodstock is a poignant reflection on the counterculture movement of the late 1960s, particularly the famous Woodstock Festival of 1969. The song begins with the singer encountering a "child of God" walking along the road, who reveals they are heading to Yasgur's farm to join a rock and roll band, camp out on the land, and try to set their soul free. The song then shifts to a contemplation of the larger societal issues facing the singer, who feels like just a "cog in something turning." They muse on whether the present moment is driven by the time of year or the time of man, and notes that they don't know who they are, but "life's for learning."
The chorus, "We are stardust, we are golden, and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden," becomes a recurring mantra throughout the song. It suggests a desire to return to a simpler, more innocent time - represented by the idyllic image of a garden. The lyrics speak to a longing for wholeness, both at the personal and societal level. The final verses depict the Woodstock Festival as a transcendent moment of community and celebration, where half a million people came together in peace and love. The vivid imagery of bombers turning into butterflies above the nation symbolizes a collective shift towards change, transformation, and hope for a better future.
Line by Line Meaning
I came upon a child of God
I came across a person who was free-spirited and peaceful.
He was walking along the road
The person was traveling and living their life on their own terms.
When I asked him where are you going, This he told me.
When I asked where the person was headed, they answered honestly.
I'm going down to Yasgurs farm, Think Ill join a rock and roll band, I'll camp out on the land, I'll try and set my soul free.
The person is going to a farm where there will be music, they plan to stay there, and they hope to find freedom and enlightenment.
We are stardust, we are golden, And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
We are made of the same substance as the universe, we are precious, and we need to return to our natural state of harmony and balance.
Then can I walk beside you, I have come here to lose the smog, And I feel just like a cog in something turning.
Can I join you on your journey? I want to escape the pollution and confusion of the city and find meaning in something larger than myself.
Well maybe its the time of year, Or maybe its the time of man, And I don't know who I am, But lifes for learning.
Perhaps it's a significant moment in history or a turning point in human consciousness that's causing me to question my identity. Regardless, life is about growing and evolving.
By the time I got to Woodstock, They were half a million strong, Everywhere there were songs and celebration, And I dreamed I saw the bombers, Riding shotgun in the sky, Turning into butterflies Above our nation.
When I arrived at Woodstock, there were hundreds of thousands of people who gathered in peace and music. I had a vision of warplanes transforming into beautiful creatures above our peaceful gathering.
We are stardust, we are golden, And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
We are all interconnected and a part of the universe, and we must return to a state of harmony and balance.
We are stardust, we are golden, And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
Our connection to the universe and each other is essential, and we need to work to restore it.
We are stardust, we are golden, And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
Our intrinsic value as beings and our interdependence with the universe must not be forgotten, and we need to return to our natural state of being.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@harleygal420
If you remember this song, you are not old. You are high quality vintage.
@scottsteel4230
Youth is not only for the young.
@tom.hoffmann6585
Harley gal you are quite kìnd😇😅
@ivanppillay914
Wow, Harleygal420, take a bow for this sublime comment, my Angel!
@jean-pierreyot5871
I am old high quality vintage!
@bobvasquez1257
Thank you. Grew up with all these beautiful tunes and wish I was at Woodstock. I'm 70 years old and thank youtube for sharing the wonderful music that I grew up with. Damn wish to go back in time,
@davidtrail7035
I am 70 years old now I was almost 18 years old back then ! I surely miss those days! Great music great time to live in the 60’s and 70’s with the tremendous songs then! Never will be another time like that!! Fantastic song here!
@g.o.8943
Hallo bin 71 das war damals mein Song mit ihm konnte ich mich in eine schöne Zeit bei Woodstock vorstellen habe ihn auf meiner Playliste höre ihn wenn ich in unserer schönen Rhön wandern gehe die Zeiten früher waren sehr schön heute habe ich einen Enkel der die 60 ziger Oldies sehr gerne hört
@pjparkwood9277
We are stardust
Billion year old carbon
We are golden
Caught in the devil's bargain
And we've got to get ourselves
back to the garden
@craigmcgrathactor
I'm also 70! Great time to be around listening to music. I get emotional hearing this song.