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)
Shots
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics
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Ringing all along the borders can be heard
Striking out like a venom in the sky
Cutting through the air faster than a bird
In the night
Children
Are lost in the sand, building roads with little hands
Will they make it? Who knows where or when
Old wounds will mend?
Machines
Are winding their way along, looking strong
Building roads and bringing back loads and loads
Of building materials
In the night
Men
Are trying to move the borders on the ground
Lines between the different spots that each has found
But back home another scene was going down
In the night
Lust
Comes creepin' through the night to feed on hearts
Of suburban wives who learned to pretend
When they met their dream's end
In the night
Shots
I hear shots, I keep hearing shots
I keep hearing shots
I hear shots
Shots
I hear shots, I keep hearing shots
I keep hearing shots
I hear shots
But I'll never use your love
You know I'm not that kind
And so if you give your heart away
I promise to you
Whatever we do
That I will always be true
The song "Shots" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse is an intense and powerful portrayal of the violence and chaos of war. The sound of shots rang along the borders signifies the outbreak of the war that has torn different parts of the world. With "venom in the sky," these shots cut through the air, faster than a bird, indicating the speed and suddenness of the destruction they cause. Then, Young uses the metaphor of children building roads and castles in the sand to express the innocence and helplessness of civilians caught up in the conflict, and their efforts to rebuild their lives and reunite with their loved ones.
As the song progresses, the focus shifts to the machines that are "winding their way along, looking strong," and bringing back loads of building materials. This might represent the military operations that seek to conquer territory and control resources. Men try to move the borders and expand their spots, hinting at the territorial nature of war. While all this is happening, another scene, indicating the turmoil in the hearts of soldiers and civilians alike, plays out back home.
Young then juxtaposes the chaos of war with the creeping lust that comes to feed on suburban wives in the night. This could point to the psychological effects of war, where people learn to pretend and put on a brave face, but their hearts are damaged in the process. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, where the shots, still ringing in the singer's ears, serve as a reminder of the tragedy and, perhaps, a plea for peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Ringing all along the borders can be heard
There are sounds of gunshots that can be heard along the borders.
Striking out like a venom in the sky
The gunshots feel like a venom in the atmosphere.
Cutting through the air faster than a bird
The bullets move through the air with great speed.
In the night
The events are taking place during the nighttime.
Children are lost in the sand, building roads with little hands
Children who are playing in the sand are trying to construct roads using their hands.
Trying to join their father's castles together again
These children are attempting to put their father's sand castles together once again.
Will they make it? Who knows where or when
It is uncertain whether these children will be successful or not, and when that might happen.
Old wounds will mend?
The phrase could be a question about whether or not old disagreements will be resolved.
Machines are winding their way along, looking strong
Heavy machinery is being used to build roads and houses.
Building roads and bringing back loads and loads
The machines are being used to transport copious amounts of building materials to the work site.
Of building materials
The machines are being used to transport building materials.
In the night
All of this activity is happening during the night.
Men are trying to move the borders on the ground
People are trying to redraw or move the physical borders between different areas.
Lines between the different spots that each has found
There are lines and boundaries that separate different regions.
But back home another scene was going down
Meanwhile, something else was happening somewhere else.
In the night
This other event was also happening during the night.
Lust comes creepin' through the night to feed on hearts
People are indulging in lustful affairs under the cover of darkness.
Of suburban wives who learned to pretend
These women have learned how to pretend, or put up facade, when it comes to their personal lives.
When they met their dream's end
Their expectations fell short of their reality.
In the night
All of this activity is happening during the night.
I hear shots, I keep hearing shots
The gunshots continue, and the artist is listening to them.
But I'll never use your love
The artist will never use the love given by someone else for their own benefit.
You know I'm not that kind
The singer is telling someone that they are not the kind of person who would take advantage of another's love.
And so if you give your heart away
If someone decides to give their heart to the artist, then the artist promises something in return.
I promise to you
The singer swears that they will do something.
Whatever we do
Whatever happens between them.
That I will always be true
The singer promises to be honest between them.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Beth
on We Never Danced
i desperately want to know who painted aunt lisa's paintings in the movie