Fontainebleau
Neil Young / Stephen Stills Lyrics
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Who put all the tar on the morning sand?
Who took everything from where it once was
And put it where it was last seen?
Fontainebleau, they painted it green
Fontainebleau, for the well-to-do
At the Fontainebleau.
There's a palace in the gravy
That's holding on and on and on
Even after all the blue-haired ladies
And the wheelchairs are gone.
I guess the reason I'm so scared of it
Is I stayed there once and I almost fit
I left before I got out of it
People were drownin' in their own
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau, was that me?
Fontainebleau, well I guess I'll see
Fontainebleau.
Fontainebleau, where the surfer works
Fontainebleau, 'til the break of day
Fontainebleau, 'cause it takes a shark
Fontainebleau, to catch a wave at the Fontainebleau.
The song Fontainebleau by Neil Young and Stephen Stills is a reflection on the excesses and emptiness of wealthy society. The opening lines pose rhetorical questions, asking who was responsible for covering the singer's blonde hair with a palm and ruining the morning sand with tar. The following lines suggest that people have taken everything from its natural place and moved it to a more artificial one. The song's title is a reference to the luxurious Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, which serves as a symbol for the privileged and elite.
The lyrics continue to describe the Fontainebleau Hotel as a place for the "well-to-do" and a palace in the gravy, meaning it is an indulgent and lavish space. Interestingly, the song then references the old ladies and wheelchairs that used to frequent the hotel, perhaps indicating that the glory days have passed. The singer reflects on their own personal experience staying at the Fontainebleau, feeling scared because they almost fit into the shallow and superficial lifestyle it represents. The song ends with a reference to surfing at the Fontainebleau, suggesting that even the natural beauty of waves is no longer pure when filtered through the hotel's artificial luxury.
Line by Line Meaning
Who put the palm over my blond?
Who obscured my vision and prevented me from seeing clearly?
Who put all the tar on the morning sand?
Who polluted and ruined a once pristine environment?
Who took everything from where it once was / And put it where it was last seen?
Who displaced and disrupted the natural order of things?
Fontainebleau, they painted it green / Fontainebleau, for the well-to-do / At the Fontainebleau.
Fontainebleau, a luxurious and exclusive resort for the wealthy.
There's a palace in the gravy / That's holding on and on and on / Even after all the blue-haired ladies / And the wheelchairs are gone.
The decadent and extravagant lifestyle of the rich continues on, even after they have grown old and passed away.
I guess the reason I'm so scared of it / Is I stayed there once and I almost fit / I left before I got out of it / People were drownin' in their own
The singer is fearful of succumbing to the temptations and excesses of the lavish lifestyle he briefly experienced. He left before becoming trapped like others who were drowning in their own indulgences.
Fontainebleau / Fontainebleau, was that me? / Fontainebleau, well I guess I'll see / Fontainebleau.
The singer questions whether he himself was once a part of the wealthy elite who frequented Fontainebleau and wonders if he will succumb to it in the future.
Fontainebleau, where the surfer works / Fontainebleau, 'til the break of day / Fontainebleau, 'cause it takes a shark / Fontainebleau, to catch a wave at the Fontainebleau.
Despite its reputation as a place for the wealthy, the artist recognizes that there are working-class people who call Fontainebleau home. He also acknowledges the skill and danger required to catch the waves at this exclusive location.
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