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)
Throw Your Hatred Down
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We place our theories down
Why man must bring us to our knees
Before he sees the weakness of his sinful plan
The power in his hand
Will never touch a friend
Throw your hatred down
Meanwhile in the underworld
The weaknesses are seen
By peasants and presidents
Who plan the counter-scheme
Children in the schoolyard
Finish choosing teams
Divided by their dreams
While a TV screams
Throw your weapons down
Throw your weapons down
The wheel of fortune
Keeps on rollin' down
The street that's paved with sinful plans
There but for circumstance
May go you or I
Dressed in gold lame
Find a place to stay
Throw your hatred down
Throw your hatred down
Throw your hatred down
Throw your weapons down
In this song, Neil Young is reflecting on the flaws of humanity and how we are our own worst enemy. The conscious world he speaks of is the world of adults, where we create theories and ideas about how the world should work. But despite all our intellectualizing, we still can't seem to get along, and resort to violence and anger to get our way, even if it means bringing others down with us. Young believes that if we could just throw our hatred down and work together, we could achieve so much more.
Meanwhile, in the underworld, or the world of children and those who are marginalized, the weaknesses of those in power are exposed. The children in the schoolyard are still divided by their dreams and aspirations, but are able to be more accepting of each other than adults. This is in contrast to the TV, which is constantly screaming messages of hate and division. Young implores us to throw our weapons down, to stop the cycle of violence and anger that holds us all back.
The song ends with a reference to the wheel of fortune, which keeps on rolling no matter what we do. We never know when circumstances might change, and we may find ourselves on the other side of the equation. Young emphasizes the need to throw our hatred down and to find common ground, otherwise, we are all just dressed in gold lame, looking for a place to stay.
Line by Line Meaning
Here in the conscious world
In the world where people are aware of their surroundings and understand the real situation
We place our theories down
We construct our thoughts and ideas based on our perception and understanding of the world
Why man must bring us to our knees
Questioning why humans bring others to the depths of sorrow and despair
Before he sees the weakness of his sinful plan
Without realizing the negative consequences and flaws of their wicked intentions
The power in his hand
The ability to control and influence others through one's authority and supremacy
Will never touch a friend
The dominion over others is never used to harm or betray a friend, only enemies.
Throw your hatred down
Getting rid of animosity and ill feelings towards others, especially those who differ in views and beliefs
Meanwhile in the underworld
In the world of the unknown and the hidden that only a few can see and comprehend
The weaknesses are seen
The vulnerabilities and defects are observed and acknowledged by the wise few
By peasants and presidents
By both the common people and those in positions of authority
Who plan the counter-scheme
Those who devise a strategy to counteract the sinister plot of others
Children in the schoolyard
Innocent children at play and learning in school
Finish choosing teams
The process of selecting sides and forming alliances based on their goals and aspirations
Divided by their dreams
Inconsistent dreams that frustrate their unity and connection as a team
While a TV screams
In the background, the television wails and screeches with news and life's events
Throw your weapons down
Let go of the means to destroy others, eliminate the cause for chaos, and promote peace
The wheel of fortune
The fickle nature of life, where luck and chance play a big part in one's fate
Keeps on rollin' down
The cycle of life continues to move and change with the unrelenting passage of time
The street that's paved with sinful plans
The world filled with wickedness and deceit that many have chosen to take and follow
There but for circumstance
Physically or situationally, one's position and situation could have been the opposite.
May go you or I
It's uncertain who will change and who won't
Dressed in gold lame
In material goods and riches, that may be of little importance in the grand scheme of life
Find a place to stay
Securing a spot in life, symbolizing stability and comfort in life's journey
Throw your hatred down
Let go of hate and negativity
Throw your weapons down
Giving up violence and aggression
Throw your hatred down
Abandon all animosity and grudges
Throw your weapons down
Throw down all instruments used to harm others.
Contributed by Connor V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Beth
on We Never Danced
i desperately want to know who painted aunt lisa's paintings in the movie