After the Gold Rush
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming
Sayin' something about a queen
There were peasants singin' and drummers drumming
And the archer split the tree
There was a fanfare blowin' to the sun
That floated on the breeze
Look at mother nature on the run in the nineteen seventies
Look at mother nature on the run in the nineteen seventies

I was lyin' in a burned out basement
With a full moon in my eyes
I was hopin' for a replacement
When the sun burst through the skies
There was a band playin' in my head
And I felt like getting high
Thinkin' about what a friend had said,
I was hopin' it was a lie
Thinkin' about what a friend had said,
I was hopin' it was a lie

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying
In the yellow haze of the sun
There were children crying and colors flying
All around the chosen ones
All in a dream, all in a dream
The loading had begun
Flyin' mother nature's silver seed
To a new home in the sun




Flyin' mother nature's silver seed
To a new home in the sun

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush" are both surreal and layered with meaning. In the first verse, he sings about a dream of knights, peasants, and drummers, which conjures images of medieval times. However, the allusion to a queen suggests a more contemporary interpretation, possibly referring to the Queen of England. Meanwhile, the fanfare blowing to the sun and the reference to mother nature on the run in the seventies speak to the political and social upheaval of the times. The image of the archer splitting a tree suggests a type of heroism that both respects nature and creates something new.


In the second verse, Young describes himself lying in a burned-out basement with a full moon in his eyes, hoping for a replacement when the sun burst through the skies. The band playing in his head and his desire to get high speaks to the transformative power of music and the search for escape from a difficult reality. He repeats the line about thinking about what a friend had said and hoping it was a lie, which adds to the sense of unease and uncertainty.


The final verse returns to the dream-like imagery, with silver spaceships flying in the yellow haze of the sun while children cry and colors fly around the chosen ones. The loading that Young mentions could be a reference to the idea of colonization, but also to transcendence and transformation. Flying mother nature's silver seed to a new home in the sun suggests a new beginning or a rebirth, but it could also be seen as a warning about the dangers of playing with nature.


Overall, "After the Gold Rush" is a complex and haunting song that speaks to the hopes, fears, and uncertainty of a generation living in a time of upheaval and change.


Line by Line Meaning

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming
I had a dream where I saw medieval knights journeying to proclaim the authority of a queen


Sayin' something about a queen
Their words were probably in honor of the queen's deeds or achievements


There were peasants singin' and drummers drumming
The lower class expressed their joy and enthusiasm with singing and percussive instruments


And the archer split the tree
An archer did something impressive by shooting an arrow that split a tree


There was a fanfare blowin' to the sun
There was a grand and impressive instrumental piece played while facing towards the sun


That floated on the breeze
The music was carried melodiously by the air


Look at mother nature on the run in the nineteen seventies
In the 1970s, mankind caused irreversible damage to nature by exploiting its resources recklessly


I was lyin' in a burned out basement
I was resting in a ruined, destroyed cellar


With a full moon in my eyes
The moon shone bright enough to illuminate my surroundings


I was hopin' for a replacement
I longed for something to replace what was lost or destroyed


When the sun burst through the skies
Suddenly, the sun shone brightly and brilliantly in the sky


There was a band playin' in my head
There was a tune constantly playing in my mind


And I felt like getting high
It made me wish to experience a drug-induced euphoria


Thinkin' about what a friend had said,
Recalling the words of a friend


I was hopin' it was a lie
I hoped those words weren't true


Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying
In another dream, I saw silver spaceships soaring through the air


In the yellow haze of the sun
The yellowish glare of the sun created an intoxicating atmosphere


There were children crying and colors flying
Hues of colors flew around while children sobbed in the presence of these vehicles


All around the chosen ones
These spaceships circled around specific individuals who were selected for a specific purpose


All in a dream, all in a dream
It was all just a figment of my imagination


The loading had begun
Some kind of freight was being loaded onto these vehicles


Flyin' mother nature's silver seed
Perhaps, something organic and powerful was being transported


To a new home in the sun
These spaceships were headed for a brand new civilization on a different planet


Flyin' mother nature's silver seed
Nature's creation was being carried by these spaceships


To a new home in the sun
A home among the wild, untamed power of the sun




Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Beth


on We Never Danced

i desperately want to know who painted aunt lisa's paintings in the movie

More Versions