The song was written in July 1975 with friend and La Honda neighbor Taylor Phelps in the back of his car, (a DeSoto Suburban), when Neil Young was unable to sing due to an operation on his vocal cords. Driven by Young's trademark fierce guitars, the song has been played on nearly every tour Neil Young has done since. It has also appeared on the compilations Decade and Greatest Hits and on the live albums Live Rust, Weld and Unplugged (this last rendition is played almost entirely on a pump organ).
An edited version of "Like a Hurricane" was released as a single on August 8th 1977, with "Hold Back the Tears" as B-side.
Like a Hurricane
Neil Young Lyrics
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Dancing on the light from star to star
Far across the moonbeam I know that's who you are
I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire
You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye
And I'm gettin' blown away
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away
I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream
You could have been anyone to me
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip
You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away, blown away
You are just a dreamer, and I am just a dream
You could have been anyone to me
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip
You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away
The lyrics to Neil Young's song Like a Hurricane can be interpreted in a number of ways, but one of the main themes seems to be the power of love and its ability to overwhelm and sweep people away. The singer in the song is drawn to a mysterious figure (presumably a woman) whom he sees dancing in a crowded bar. He is entranced by her, describing her as a hurricane, yet also noting a sense of calm in her eyes. While he wants to love her, he senses that he is in danger of being "blown away" by his feelings for her.
The second verse of the song expands on the idea that the two people have a strong connection that transcends ordinary reality. They are both "just dreamers," yet they have a profound impact on each other. The singer recalls the moment when they first kissed, describing it as a "perfect feeling when time just slips away between us on our foggy trip."
Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of longing and desire, tempered by the fear of being overwhelmed by powerful emotions. The imagery of the hurricane suggests both the irresistible force of love and the danger that it can pose.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I thought I saw you in a crowded hazy bar
Amidst the thick crowd at the bar, I glimpsed someone like you
Dancing on the light from star to star
Your celestial movements were as graceful as a dance among the stars
Far across the moonbeam I know that's who you are
Even from a distance lit only by moonlight, I knew it was you
I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire
I saw a flicker of passion in your brown eyes
You are like a hurricane
You are unstoppable and powerful like a natural disaster
There's calm in your eye
But amidst the chaos, there is an unshakable inner peace
And I'm gettin' blown away
I am swept up in your energy and intensity
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I long for a place where the intensity of the feeling we share can last
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away
I am overwhelmed by my feelings for you and don't know how to express them
I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream
I acknowledge that I am a dreamer, but you seem too good to be true
You could have been anyone to me
Before meeting you, anyone could have captured my imagination
Before that moment you touched my lips
But the moment we kissed, everything changed
That perfect feeling when time just slips
For a moment, time stood still and everything was perfect
Away between us on our foggy trip
As we journey through life together, we may encounter uncertainties
Blown away
The overwhelming feeling of being captivated by someone
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind