On the Way Home
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics


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When the dream came
I held my breath with my eyes closed
I went insane,
Like a smoke ring day
When the wind blows
Now I won't be back till later on
If I do come back at all
But you know me, and I miss you now.

In a strange game
I saw myself as you knew me
When the change came,
And you had a
Chance to see through me
Though the other side is just the same
You can tell my dream is real
Because I love you, can you see me now.

Though we rush ahead to save our time




We are only what we feel
And I love you, can you feel it now.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "On the Way Home" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, talk about a dream that the singer had that drove him insane. The singer is so consumed by this dream that he can't think about anything else but the person he misses dearly. He feels disconnected from the world around him and is lost in his own thoughts. He understands that he won't be able to return home anytime soon, but he lets his loved one know that he misses them greatly.


In the second verse, the singer talks about a "strange game" where he saw himself from someone else's point of view. It's possible that this is the dream that the singer is referring to in the beginning. He realizes that even though he's changed, the person he loves sees him as the same person. The singer reassures the listener that his dream is real because his love for them is real.


The chorus seems to suggest that we are only what we feel, and the singer reaffirms his love for the listener. It's like he's trying to connect with them on a deeper level, and he wants them to know that he feels the love too. The song is powerful in its simplicity, and it showcases Young's ability to connect with his audience on an emotional level.


Line by Line Meaning

When the dream came
The beginning of my journey, a time of new beginnings.


I held my breath with my eyes closed
I was apprehensive about what the future would hold.


I went insane,
I felt as if I was losing my mind due to the situation I found myself in.


Like a smoke ring day
The feeling was ephemeral, like a perfect day that disappears without a trace.


When the wind blows
When things change unexpectedly.


Now I won't be back till later on
I'm on a journey, and I don't know when I will return.


If I do come back at all
There's no guarantee I'll ever return to where I started.


But you know me, and I miss you now.
I may be gone, but I haven't forgotten about you, and I hope you feel the same.


In a strange game
Life sometimes feels like an unpredictable game with uncertain rules.


I saw myself as you knew me
It's amazing how we can sometimes see ourselves through the eyes of others.


When the change came,
When life took an unexpected turn, and everything changed.


And you had a chance to see through me
During a difficult time, you were able to see my true self.


Though the other side is just the same
Even though everything has changed, I'm still fundamentally the same person.


You can tell my dream is real
Despite everything, I'm still chasing my dreams, and they're not just a figment of my imagination.


Because I love you, can you see me now.
I keep going because of love, and I hope that you see that in me.


Though we rush ahead to save our time
We're always in a hurry, trying to get things done as quickly as possible.


We are only what we feel
At the end of the day, our emotions are what define us.


And I love you, can you feel it now.
I may be far away, but my love for you is just as strong as ever.




Contributed by Annabelle N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Tony Lampooza Productions

I've been looking for this version for almost ten years! Thank you!

Simone Devlin

Thank you "Canadian national treasure" for never selling out the cause of Farm Aid.Your songs are timeless and relevant for all audiences. "Happy Birthday" to a divine mentor !☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

James V

I attended this Farm Aid concert and it was actually at the White River Amphitheater in Auburn, WA. Being a Washingtonian, it was wonderful that the Farm Aid concert came to our neck of the woods.

Ronnie

Such a simple but great song from Time Fades Away-- btw a gem of an album. I wore out several vinyl copies and one 8-track, lol.

George plungis

What a great song, to bad it isn’t played anymore. Neil didn’t sing it on the Buffalo Springfield album.

Charlie Young

he played it last year or the year before

Larry Beckham

it was even written then. the title of the video is so wrong.

Dwayne’s bad chemicals

Two verses...tears welling.

Bob Gregory

Neil had a Journey Through the Past album and movie great ties growing up with Neil, Stephen, Graham and David also Jefferson Airpane

paula giancana

Musical God

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