Canadian singer and songwriter Neil Young includes his personal garage band… Read Full Bio ↴Canadian singer and songwriter Neil Young includes his personal garage band Crazy Horse ("second best backing band in the world") to make raw and unpolished rock. Their gritty style of rock has influenced countless artists and music styles.

Crazy Horse is best known for its long association with Young, despite having released five albums of its own over a 19-year span. It has been co-credited with Young as Neil Young and Crazy Horse on 15 albums, "Americana" and "Psychedelic Pill" from 2012 being the latest.

The band recorded a concept album entitled "Greendale" (2003) that told the story using metaphors of murder and crime to represent the destruction of a small town community. The final song "Be The Rain" is one of Neil's classic epics, pleading for the world to be like the rain -- recycle and conserve to save our planet.

Discography: the studio albums "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" (1969), "Zuma" (1975), "Rust Never Sleeps" (1979), "Re-ac-tor" (1981), "Life" (1987), "Ragged Glory" (1990), "Sleeps With Angels" (1994), "Broken Arrow" (1996), Greendale (2003), "Americana" (2012), Psychedelic Pill (2012) and live albums "Live Rust" (1979), "Weld" (1991), "Year of the Horse" (1997), "Live at the Fillmore East" (2006)

A Dream That Can Last
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I feel like I died and went to Heaven
The cupboards are bare but the streets are paved with gold

I saw a young girl who didn't die
I saw a glimmer from in her eye
I saw the distance, I saw the past
And I know I won't awaken, it's a dream that can last

I feel like I died and went to Heaven
The cupboards are bare but the streets are paved with gold

And all the lights were turned down low
And no one wondered or had to go
Out on the corner the angels say
There is a better life for me someday

I feel like I died and went to Heaven
The cupboards are bare but the streets are paved with gold

Overall Meaning

The song "A Dream That Can Last" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse revolves around the idea of a surreal and utopian world which the singer imagines. The opening lines, "I feel like I died and went to Heaven / The cupboards are bare but the streets are paved with gold" portray a strange contrast between the lack of everyday necessities like food and the streets that are filled with riches. This creates an image of an alternate reality where materialistic things hold no value, and the focus is on spiritual wealth rather than materialistic wealth.

Further into the song, the singer describes seeing a young girl who didn't die, and the glimmer in her eye suggests that she holds a secret to something beyond the physical realm. The phrase "I saw the distance, I saw the past" signifies a deeper insight into the unknown and the unexplored. The longing for never waking up from this dream suggests that the singer has found a sense of contentment and enlightenment in this alternate reality which they wish to stay in forever.

The song portrays a deep sense of longing for a world that is devoid of any negativity or materialistic possession. Tying to the idea of Heaven, the streets are paved with gold and the “angels say, there is a better life” yet to come. It is a beautiful representation of hope and faith in something higher than us, a place or a reality that might not exist.

Line by Line Meaning

I feel like I died and went to Heaven
I am overwhelmed with an inexplicable feeling of joy and happiness

The cupboards are bare but the streets are paved with gold
Although I have limited resources, I am surrounded by opulence and luxury

I saw a young girl who didn't die
I encountered a young girl who has not given up hope

I saw a glimmer from in her eye
I observed a spark of determination in her eyes

I saw the distance, I saw the past
I reflected on my journey and experiences thus far

And I know I won't awaken, it's a dream that can last
I am aware that this moment of bliss will not last forever, but I am content to savor it for as long as possible

And all the lights were turned down low
The surroundings were dimly lit, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere

And no one wondered or had to go
No one was restless or distracted, everyone was content to stay in the present moment

Out on the corner the angels say
Even the most unlikely places can hold messages of hope and inspiration

There is a better life for me someday
Believing in a brighter future is key to facing life's challenges with resilience and optimism

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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