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)
Computer Age
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fly by me on the corner
But I'm all right
Standin' proud before the signal
When I see the light
I know I'm more than just a number.
And I stand before you
Or else we just don't see the other
Computer age.
Bikes and vans
Fly by me on the desert
But I'm all right
Standing out here in the hot sun
When I see the light
I feel like more than just a number
And I stand before you
Or else we just don't see the other
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
Precious metal lines
Molded into highways
Running through me
So microscopically
Days and nights
Weeks and months and seasons
Rolling through me
So chronologically.
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
I need you
To let me know that there's a heartbeat
Let it pound and pound
And I'll be flying like a free bird
And you need me
Like ugly needs a mirror
And day by day
This horizon's getting clearer
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
The lyrics to Neil Young's song, Computer Age, reflect on the rapid advancement of technology, particularly the nascent computer age of the 1980s. The first verse depicts a busy street corner with cars and trucks, but the singer stands tall and "proud before the signal." He knows that he is "more than just a number" in this complex, computerized world, but he also recognizes the necessity of interconnectivity. The second verse changes the setting to a desert, with bikes and vans passing by, but again, the singer is unbothered and feels like he is more than just another statistic in this technological age.
The chorus, "computer age," is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the theme of technology's ubiquity. The third verse takes a more metaphorical approach, likening highways to "precious metal lines" that are "microscopically" and "chronologically" running through the singer. The final verse uses figurative language to suggest that humans need technology to understand themselves and the world around them. The singer needs to feel a "heartbeat" in order to truly live and be free, and others need him like "ugly needs a mirror." The horizon is getting "clearer," suggesting that technology is an indispensable part of our world view that is constantly evolving and improving.
Line by Line Meaning
Cars and trucks
Fly by me on the corner
But I'm all right
Standin' proud before the signal
When I see the light
I know I'm more than just a number.
Even though the world around me is moving fast, I'm still standing strong and confident. When I get the green light, I feel like I have a purpose and I'm not just a faceless entity.
And I stand before you
Or else we just don't see the other
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
We need to look at each other and connect on a personal level in this era of technological advances. It's crucial to not only focus on computers but also the human connection.
Bikes and vans
Fly by me on the desert
But I'm all right
Standing out here in the hot sun
When I see the light
I feel like more than just a number
And I stand before you
Or else we just don't see the other
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
Despite being alone and with few possessions, I still feel like I have worth and purpose. Connecting with others is still essential in an age where we are inundated with technology.
Precious metal lines
Molded into highways
Running through me
So microscopically
Days and nights
Weeks and months and seasons
Rolling through me
So chronologically.
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
The highways and roads are not just conduits for transportation but rather a part of me and my experience. Time passes in a linear fashion and the computer age is just part of that progression.
I need you
To let me know that there's a heartbeat
Let it pound and pound
And I'll be flying like a free bird
And you need me
Like ugly needs a mirror
And day by day
This horizon's getting clearer
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
We need each other to feel alive and valuable, like a bird soaring through the sky. Even though we may not always like what we see, we need to confront our own reflection. As we move forward in the computer age, we can see a better tomorrow.
Contributed by Charlie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
doctor creepy
Such a weird yet progressive & cool album.