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)
Country Home
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I can't park on a hill
Instead getting a rolling start
I have to pay the bill
I guess I need that city life
It sure has lots of style
But pretty soon it wears me out
I'm thankful for my country home
It gives me peace of mind
Somewhere I can walk alone
And leave myself behind
It's only someone else's potatoes
You pickin' someone else's patch
And if you go down there anyway
It very seldom lasts
I found that out once long ago
And it sure got me confused
I still don't know which way to go
To lose those old spud blues
I'm thankful for my country home
It gives me peace of mind
Somewhere I can walk alone
And leave myself behind
I'm thankful for my country home
It gives me peace of mind
Somewhere I can walk alone
And leave myself behind
I'm thankful for my country home
It gives me peace of mind
Somewhere I can walk alone
And leave myself behind
In "Country Home," Neil Young contrasts the lives of those who reside in the city versus rural areas. He begins by stating he does not like to go down to the flats because he can't park on a hill, and instead, he must pay the bill for a rolling start. This line implies that in the city, everything comes with a price tag; even the simplest of tasks require payment, such as parking on a hill. Although the city has style, it eventually wears him out, and he has to think to smile. The hustle and bustle of the city drain him, and he finds himself not enjoying it as much as he'd like to.
He then highlights the advantages of his country home, explaining it gives him peace of mind, and he can leave himself behind by walking alone. He emphasizes the importance of the solitude it provides him. Additionally, he concludes the song by warning his listeners not to pick someone else's potatoes that they didn't plant. He uses this metaphor to illustrate the idea that one can't take what belongs to others without consequences eventually catching up to them. Young reminds everyone to stay true to themselves and not be enticed by what looks like an easy win.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't like to go down to the flats
I prefer to stay away from the lower areas where parking is challenging
'Cause I can't park on a hill
As I'm unable to park on a hill, I avoid flat areas that pose challenges for parking.
Instead getting a rolling start
Rather than starting my vehicle on a flat area, I prefer to build a momentum through a sloping area to start it..
I have to pay the bill
It comes with an associated cost of paying for the parking spot.
I guess I need that city life
I feel a need for urban and sophisticated lifestyle.
It sure has lots of style
Urban life is equipped with a lot of stylish attractions and human interactions.
But pretty soon it wears me out
I find city life exhausting and tiring after a while.
And I have to think to smile
I force myself to smile and be happy even if it is not a natural outcome.
I'm thankful for my country home
I'm grateful for the solace and peace of mind that my rural dwelling provides.
It gives me peace of mind
The homestead brings tranquility to my thoughts and my heart.
Somewhere I can walk alone
A perfect place where I can detach from the world around me and be alone with myself.
And leave myself behind
Where I can forget my troubles and enjoy a worry-free life.
It's only someone else's potatoes
It's just someone else's success that people try to claim credit for.
You pickin' someone else's patch
You are trying to reap the fruits of someone else's labor without doing the work yourself.
And if you go down there anyway
If you still choose to do so, it will not benefit you in the long term.
It very seldom lasts
It's a fleeting feeling of accomplishment and will not last.
I found that out once long ago
I learned about this a while back, in my past.
And it sure got me confused
It left me perplexed and confounded, not sure of what to do next.
I still don't know which way to go
Even after all these years, I am still uncertain about the right course of action.
To lose those old spud blues
To move past that feeling of longing or jealousy for someone else's accomplishments.
Lyrics © Silver Fiddle, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Foghat
He is a fantastic musician and what a great person Neil Young is 👍
Alison Penelope Pitstop Scarborough
I love a song where the guitar sings as much as the vocals. 🎸
Tony Virili
Couldn't agree more. Especially when the guitar seems to be singing with even more emotion and feeling.
Makes me think of the guitar solo in The Firm's "Live in Peace". It literally sounds like the guitar is entering the conversation, has it's own voice, and is providing it's two cents. Maybe it's just me, but it's starts out sounding cool, calm and collected, then literally gets frustrated and starts pleading to be heard, "Don't you get what I'm saying? This is ridiculous! It doesn't have to be this way... "
Henk Oosterhof
Alison Penelope when the guitars sing and the vocals are suporting music?
Know him from when csny had their first hits. Sometimes its earlyer here than in their home country. Pity its not the other way around.
Earl Inglis
⁰
Earl Inglis
@Kobus G
l
L
Earl Inglis
@Kobus G
Ll
Bigfoot Anthropologist
I love this song! I recently played it over and over for two hours on my way to my country home. I was belting out: "I'm thankful for my country home. It gives me peace of mind. Somewhere I can walk alone and leave my self behind." Thank you Neil for putting my life to your songs and being the background music to my life.
Derrell Thomas
Couldn't tell you how many times I pull into my driveway and think of this song. Yes, I live in the country.
Izzet Mustafa
keep rocking neil thank you for all the pleasure you have brought to millions of people with your beautiful music, peace be with you and the horse 🙏❤️