Long Walk Home
Neil Young and Crazy Horse Lyrics
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Buy her windows on the hill
Laud her flowers on the sill
Till they grow higher and higher.
If Liberty was a little girl
Watching all the flags unfurl
Standing at the big parade
We balance the power
From hour to hour
Giant guns rage
It's such a long walk home
It's such a long walk home
It's such a long walk home.
From Vietnam to old Beirut
If we are searching for the truth
Why do we feel that double-edged blade
Cutting through our hand.
America, America
Where have we gone?
It's such a long walk home
It's such a long walk home
It's such a long walk home.
We balance the power
From hour to hour
Giant guns rage
It's such a long walk home
It's such a long walk home
It's such a long walk home.
The song Long Walk Home by Neil Young and Crazy Horse is a political commentary on the state of the United States of America. The first verse directs a message to the Statue of Liberty, asking for her attention and offering to buy her windows on the hill and praise her flowers on the sill. The metaphorical nature of the lyrics acknowledges the ongoing struggle for freedom in America. The image of the flowers growing higher and higher symbolizes the hope for a brighter future.
The second verse imagines Liberty as a little girl watching the flags unfurling, eagerly anticipating the big parade. The question posed is how would Liberty feel about America now? This rhetorical question implies disappointment that America has not lived up to its ideals of democracy and freedom. The following lines observe the power struggle and the raging of guns, emphasizing the need for change in America.
The chorus repeats the phrase "it's such a long walk home," which could represent the constant struggle for American ideals, the journey to achieve a better future, or the metaphorical distance between where America is and where it should be. The final verse references Vietnam and old Beirut, reminding us of the past and the present conflicts in which America has been involved. Towards the end, the lyrics express a sense of confusion and loss, asking "Where have we gone?"
Line by Line Meaning
If you see Liberty tell her I will
If someone comes across freedom, let them know that I'm committed to improving it.
Buy her windows on the hill
I'll buy her the best views of her surroundings, so she can appreciate the beauty of her freedom.
Laud her flowers on the sill
I'll praise and appreciate the simple blessings that come with freedom, like growing flowers on a windowsill.
Till they grow higher and higher.
I'll take care of those blessings so that they continue to flourish and reach greater heights.
If Liberty was a little girl
If we consider the concept of freedom from a youthful perspective,
Watching all the flags unfurl
Viewing the sight of the triumphant flags waving in the air.
Standing at the big parade
Observing the spectacle of the grand celebration.
How would she like us now?
How would freedom look at our actions in the present, given what it expects of us.
We balance the power
We strive constantly to maintain equilibrium, the right balance of power between different forces.
From hour to hour
This balance keeps changing, often unpredictably, as events unfold from moment to moment.
Giant guns rage
Men and machines of war threaten, their fury unleashed on the battlefield.
It's such a long walk home
The journey back to peace and sanity seems to last forever.
From Vietnam to old Beirut
Whether it's the killing fields of Vietnam or the unrest in Beirut from days gone by,
If we are searching for the truth
In our quest for knowledge and justice,
Why do we feel that double-edged blade
Why does it seem like every step we take to get closer to our goals only brings us even more problems.
Cutting through our hand.
Hurting us even as we try to move forward.
America, America
Addressing the nation, the songwriter asks America,
Where have we gone?
How did we get here?
It's such a long walk home
The road home is long and exhausting,
It's such a long walk home
We repeat again how hard it will be to make it home.
It's such a long walk home.
We drive deep the sentiment that the way out of this difficulty is far off, serving a reminder that we must be patient.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Geoffrey Snyder
Even though I was a hardcore "Rustie" for many years even after the Neiler went off the deep end with his political comments this album is the anthem of every Gulf War veteran.
kangooroo1
THANKS.. AND FOR THE NICE LYRICS FONT..
Jeff Kirpach
Cmon, it's a good song...