Like a Hurricane
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics


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Once I thought I saw you in a crowded hazy bar,
Dancing on the light from star to star.
Far across the moonbeam I know that's who you are,
I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire.

You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye.
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays.
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away.

I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream,
You could have been anyone to me.
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip.

You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye.
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays.
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away.

You are just a dreamer, and I am just a dream.
You could have been anyone to me.
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip.

You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye.
And I'm gettin' blown away




To somewhere safer where the feeling stays.
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away.

Overall Meaning

"Like a Hurricane" is a classic rock song by Neil Young & Crazy Horse. The lyrics are a reflection of a past love, with Young wandering through a crowded bar and seeing his former flame. Even though he knows she's long gone, he can't help but be drawn in by her charm and beauty. The metaphor of a storm is used throughout the song, with Young comparing his former lover to a hurricane. There's a calmness in her eye, but her presence is so powerful that it's pushing him away.


The chorus is a balance of Young's desire for her and his fear of getting swept away. The repetition of the line "I'm getting blown away" is used to convey the vulnerability and powerlessness he feels in her presence. Young's lyrics convey a mixture of emotion: longing, love, sadness, and a hint of anger. It’s impossible not to be swept up in the emotion of the song, as it paints a vivid picture of a relationship that was intense but ultimately unsustainable.


Overall, "Like a Hurricane" is a beautiful and melancholic reflection on a love affair that ended in heartbreak. Its vivid imagery and haunting melody have made it one of the most beloved tracks in Neil Young's extensive discography.


Line by Line Meaning

Once I thought I saw you in a crowded hazy bar,
In a dimly lit and packed bar, I had a fleeting thought that I spotted you.


Dancing on the light from star to star.
You appeared to be gracefully dancing among twinkling stars' rays.


Far across the moonbeam I know that's who you are,
Even in the distance, I recognized you as the same enchanting person I knew you to be.


I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire.
Your ordinarily calm and gentle gaze dramatically became fierce.


You are like a hurricane
I see you as a powerful, yet unpredictable force of nature.


There's calm in your eye.
Despite your stormy nature, there is a sense of tranquility in your gaze.


And I'm gettin' blown away
Your energy and spirit are overwhelming and taking me on an unexpected journey.


To somewhere safer where the feeling stays.
I long to find a place where I can feel secure and stable in my emotions.


I want to love you but I'm getting blown away.
Although my desire is to care for you deeply, the intensity of our connection is overwhelming me.


I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream,
We both seem to exist in a space of mere possibilities and imagination, with no clear sense of reality.


You could have been anyone to me.
Before I fully knew you, there was a chance that you could have been any other person in my life.


Before that moment you touched my lips
It was only after our first kiss that my perception of you shifted.


That perfect feeling when time just slips away between us on our foggy trip.
There is an indescribable sense of bliss and timelessness that we experience when we are together, almost like a foggy, dreamlike state.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC , Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NEIL YOUNG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@Wilrizen48

I’m 71 and I’ve seen Neil 16 times. I’d go see him tomorrow if I could. Peace

@BISSEYSZ

As a fellow long-time Neil Young fan - saw him for the first time in '73 - I thought you might appreciate this. Pt 1 = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWMGFnXHk44 . Pt 2 = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IhUMy4aNnI

@hoppyrabbit1833

@cat Thanks for the link. Here is another rendition of Hurricane, in case you have not heard it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCY8e3VhFGA

@weechill333

First time I heard Neil Young would have been 92/93 working as a plumbers mate in Thurso. The Glaswegian plumber who I worked for would always play Sugar Mountain and I never appreciated as I probably should have at the time but I soon thank him whenever I listen to Neil now

@izasana47

I'd go right now

@marthawerbiansky3353

Tim Slade right on man!..I’m close to as many shows but I’m 54....to all the kids especially in these times ..keep the peace ✌️ and keep rocking in the somewhat....FREE WORLD!

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@markkennedy4854

In my humble opinion, this has to Neil Young's best performance. I am 67 yrs old & have been listening to NY for well over 50 yrs now. I have probably listened to this song over 1000 times & will never ever get tired of it. You rock NY 👍🏻

@dave-d-grunt

I’m the same age. I think the same

@donkeydonk127

​@@dave-d-gruntdef his best and he's still rocking today

@MrCaspar24

Im 71 and totally agree

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