Sugar Mountain
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics


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Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon
You're leaving there too soon

It's so noisy at the fair
But all your friends are there
And the candy floss you had
And your mother and your dad

Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon
You're leaving there too soon

There's a girl just down the aisle
Oh to turn and see her smile
You can hear the words she wrote
As you read the hidden note

Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon
You're leaving there too soon

Now you're underneath the stairs
And you're giving back some glares
To the people who you met
And it's your first cigarette

Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon
You're leaving there too soon

Now you say you're leaving home
'Cause you want to be alone

Ain't it funny how you feel
When you're finding out it's real

Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons
You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon
You're leaving there too soon

Oh, to live on sugar mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons




You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon

Overall Meaning

Neil Young's "Sugar Mountain" is a nostalgic reflection on the fleeting nature of youth and coming of age. The song sets the stage with imagery of a fair, where the singer longs to live on Sugar Mountain- a symbol of a carefree world full of candy, balloons, and childhood wonder. But the song reminds us that life moves quickly, as the singer realizes you can't be twenty on Sugar Mountain, even though he's thinking he's leaving too soon. Young describes the excitement of a fair, where friends, family, and unexpected love interests can be found- something you hold onto in childhood memories.


The song's contemplative mood is emphasized by the lyrics "Now you say you're leaving home, 'Cause you want to be alone, Ain't it funny how you feel, When you're finding out it's real." The singer is growing up and leaving the innocent world of Sugar Mountain, but is met with mixed emotions. On the one hand, there's excitement and freedom that comes with independence, but on the other hand, there's a sense of loss and fear that comes with making the transition to adulthood.


In summary, "Sugar Mountain" is a bittersweet coming-of-age song that romanticizes childhood innocence whilst harboring an awareness of the inevitability of growing up.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh, to live on sugar mountain
I wish I could go back to the sweet, carefree days of childhood


With the barkers and the colored balloons
Where everything was bright, colorful and exciting at the fairground


You can't be twenty on sugar mountain
You can't go back to being a child, no matter how much you may want to


Though you're thinking that you're leaving there too soon
Even though you feel like you're getting older and growing up, you're probably not ready to leave childhood behind


You're leaving there too soon
Life moves on too quickly and you can never get those innocent days back


It's so noisy at the fair,
The fairground can be overwhelming and chaotic


But all your friends are there
But you're with your friends, so it's still a fun place to be


And the candy floss you had
You remember the sweet treats, like cotton candy, that made the fair even more enjoyable


And your mother and your dad.
And the presence of your parents who made everything feel safe and comforting


There's a girl just down the aisle,
You see someone you have a crush on


Oh to turn and see her smile
You wish she would notice you and smile back


You can hear the words she wrote
You imagine what she might have written in a note just for you


As you read the hidden note.
As you read and re-read the message, trying to decipher its meaning


Now you're underneath the stairs,
You've wandered away from the fairground crowds and are hiding away in a quiet spot


And you're giving back some glares
You feel defensive and don't want to be bothered


To the people who you met,
To others who try to engage with you, but who you don't really want to talk to


And it's your first cigarette.
You're trying something new and maybe even dangerous - smoking cigarettes


Now you say you're leaving home,
You think you're grown up enough to leave your childhood home behind and start your own journey


'Cause you want to be alone
You feel like you need to strike out on your own and find your own path, separate from family and friends


Ain't it funny how you feel
It's strange how your perspective can shift so dramatically as you grow up


When you're finding out it's real.
When you start to realize that life isn't just fun and games, and that there are consequences to your actions




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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