Stephen Stills was born in Dallas, Texas on January 3, 1945 to a military family. Moving around as a child, he developed an interest in blues and folk music. He was also influenced by Latin music after spending his teenage years in Costa Rica and the Panama Canal Zone, where he graduated from high school.
Stills dropped out of the University of Florida to pursue a music career in the early 1960s. He played in a series of unsuccessful bands including the Continentals, which featured future The Eagles guitarist Don Felder. Stills eventually ended up in a nine-member vocal harmony group, the house act at the famous Cafe Au Go Go in NYC, called the Au Go Go Singers (Rick Geiger, Roy Michaels, Michael Scott, Jean Gurney, Kathy King, Nels Gustafson, Bob Harmelink, Richie Furay & Stills) where and when he met Richie Furay. This group also did some touring in the Catskills, and in the South, released one album in 1964, then broke up in 1965. Afterwards, Stills, along with four other former members of the Au Go Go Singers: Geiger, Michaels, Gurney & Scott, formed The Company, a folk/rock group. Immediately prior to performing in the Au Go Go Singers, Stills could be seen singing solo in Gerde's Folk City, a well-known coffee house in Greenwich Village. The Company embarked on a 6-week tour of Canada where Stills met a young guitarist named Neil Young. On the VH1 CSNY Legends special, Stills would say that at that time, Young was doing what he always wanted to do, "play folk music in a rock band." The Company broke up in New York within four months, opening up the way for Geiger to join a light opera company in Los Angeles; Michaels to link up with Jimi Hendrix, Gurney to go on to college while doing TV commercials, and Scott to tour with a retro-Highwaymen. Stills did session work and went to various auditions (including an unsuccessful one for The Monkees). In 1966 he convinced a reluctant former Au Go Go Singers, Richie Furay, then living in Massachusetts, to move with him to California.
Solo years
In the wake of CSNY's success, all four members recorded solo albums. In 1970, Stills released his self-titled debut, which featured guests Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, "Mama" Cass Elliot, and Ringo Starr (credited only as "Richie") as well as contributions from various members of the CSNY band. It provided Stills with the hit single "Love The One You're With" as well as the concert favorite "Black Queen." Stills followed this with Stephen Stills 2, which featured "Change Partners." Nash saw this song as a metaphor for the many relationships in CSNY, while Stills viewed the band as something much less bland and repetitive.
The next year, Stills teamed up with ex-Byrd Chris Hillman and several CSNY sidemen to form the band Manassas. During a Manassas tour in France, Stills met and married French singer-songwriter Veronique Sanson. Then he switched to Columbia Records, where he recorded two albums: Stills in 1975 and the punningly titled Illegal Stills in 1976. The former record found Stills in an uncharacteristically joyful mood; his marriage was going great, his son Chris had just been born, and he was happy living in Colorado. "To Mama From Christopher and the Old Man" was an exceptionally optimistic view of his new family.
In 1976, Stills attempted a reunion with Neil Young. At one point, Long May You Run was slated to be a CSNY record, but when Crosby and Nash left to fufill recording and touring obligations, according to both David and Graham the other pair wiped their vocals from the recordings, as Stills and Young decided to go on without their erstwhile partners as The Stills-Young Band. However, Young would leave midway through the resulting tour due to an apparent throat infection. Stills was contractually bound to finish the tour, which he did, but upon returning home, his wife announced she wanted a divorce and wished to move back to France. Stills reunited with Crosby and Nash shortly afterwards, thanks to the efforts of Nash's future wife Susan, who got Nash to forgive Stills for wiping the Crosby and Nash vocals from Long May You Run. This led to the semi-permanent CSN reunion of 1977, which has persisted even though all three have released solo records since then.
In 1997, Stills became the first person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice in the same night for his work with CSN and the Buffalo Springfield.
2005 saw Stills release 'Man Alive'; his first solo offering in 14 years. Although not troubling the chart compilers, the record was critically well received and is regarded by many fans as his best since the mid seventies.
Stills was the inspiring influence for Ray LaMontagne who, after hearing one of his songs, decided to quit his job and focus on music.
Everybody
Stephen Stills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can't hear a word they're sayin'
Only the echoes of my mind
People stoppin', starin'
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
Goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
In the pouring rain
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off a northeast wind
Sailin' on a summer's breeze
Skipping over the ocean
Like a stone
Everybody's talkin' at me
Can't hear a word they're sayin'
Only the echoes of my mind
People stoppin', starin'
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
Goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
In the pouring rain
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off a northeast wind
Sailin' on a summer's breeze
Skipping over the ocean
Like a stone
And you know I'll never leave my love behind
The lyrics to the song "Everybody's Talkin'" by Stephen Stills are reflective of the singer's attempt to escape the chaos of the world around him. The opening lines of "Everybody's talkin' at me, can't hear a word they're sayin', only the echoes of my mind" suggest a sense of disillusionment and detachment from society. The singer is consumed by his own thoughts and can only hear the echoes of his mind, thus unable to properly engage with those around him. The following lines further emphasize his detachment from society as he notes that he "can't see their faces, only the shadows of their eyes."
The chorus of the song, "Goin' where the sun keeps shinin', in the pouring rain, goin' where the weather suits my clothes, banking off a northeast wind, sailin' on a summer's breeze, skipping over the ocean like a stone" captures the essence of the singer's desire for escape. He seeks a place where the sun keeps shining in times of rain, a place where he can align his external surroundings to what he is wearing, and a place where he can physically move without substantial effort. The metaphor of skipping over the ocean like a stone highlights the singer's desire for a carefree existence, without the burden of external noise and chaos.
The closing line, "And you know I'll never leave my love behind" suggests that amidst the chaos and desire for escape, the singer has someone or something that remains essential to his being. This line provides a sense of comfort, indicating that even when one is consumed by their individualistic desires, there remains something that is not negotiable in importance.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talkin' at me
Everyone is talking to me
Can't hear a word they're sayin'
I am not listening to them
Only the echoes of my mind
I am only hearing my own thoughts
People stoppin', starin'
People are looking at me
I can't see their faces
I can't see their expressions
Only the shadows of their eyes
Only the dark outlines of their eyes
Goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
I am going to a place where the sun is always shining
In the pouring rain
Even though it's raining
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
I am going where the weather is good for me
Banking off a northeast wind
I am using the wind to move forward
Sailin' on a summer's breeze
I am enjoying my journey
Skipping over the ocean
I am crossing the ocean easily
Like a stone
Quickly and effortlessly
And you know I'll never leave my love behind
My love will always be with me
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: FRED NEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@chachmusic8330
Lyrics and chords :
HARRY NILSSON VERSION
C Cmaj7 C Cmaj7
Everybody's talkiní at me
C7 Am C7 Am
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
F G7 F G7 C6 C C6 C
Only the echoes of my mind
C Cmaj7 C Cmaj7
People stop and starin'
C7 Am C7 Am
I can't see their faces
F G7 F G7 C6 C C6 C
Only the shadows of their eyes
CHORUS
Dm Dm7M Dm7 G7
I'm goin' where the sun keeps shininí
C C C7 C7
Through the pourin' rain
Dm Dm7M Dm7 G7
Going where the weather
C C7M C7 C7
Suits my clothes
Dm Dm7M Dm7 G7
Banking off of the northeast winds
C C C7 C7
Sailin' on summer breeze
Dm Dm7M Dm7 G7
And skippin' over the ocean
C Cmaj7 C7 C6
Like a stone
C Cmaj7 C7 C6
----------
BILL WITHERS VERSION
C7
Everybody's talkin' at me
C7
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
G7 C7
Only the echoes of my mind
C7
People stop and starin' at me
C7 Am C7 Am
I don't even see their faces
G7 C7
Only the shadows of their eyes
G G7
I'm goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
C C7
Through the pourin' rain
G G7
Going where the weather
C C7
Suits my clothes
G G7
Banking off of the northeast winds
C C7
Sailin' on summer breeze
G G7
And skippin' over the ocean
C
Like a stone
@NancyR3454
I have loved this version for years and years. I was a huge Steve Stills fan (still am) and this was on his live album.
@ianbartle6575
This beautiful soulful song really suits Stills' bluesy voice especially when he uses his confessional style where he dips and drops to let out a wide range of timbre. He has one of the most 'coloured' vocal tones I've ever heard. He was possibly the weakest singer technically CSN&Y but he sure made up for it with that colour - and POWER.
Such a shame he rotted out his voice with drugs. BAD move - he might have been able to sing well as long as Garfunkel and McCartney. All have had it now, sadly, but they've left some great vocals (and tunes) - an amazing legacy.
@johnnygeejr500
Stills is the man ! one of the best of all time !! BRAVO !
@TheDparham
Been waiting for years for this to be up on YouTube...Thanks for posting it! This version is my favorite version of this song. Fred Neil's is great too and heck, he wrote it but Stephen does a very tasteful version on this one. Loved that acoustic one side/electric the other deal on that album...great stuff.
@mariomariamario4949
Yeah, and Word Game is a great song too. Should be posting Stephen Stills Live in Texas 1976 in a few weeks.
@Woz1955
Agree - better than Fred's. And I think the outtake with Crosby & Nash is even better with their harmonies.
@rtflone
@Stephen A. Wozny Fred Neil was a great songwriter a decent guitarist and an ok singer..
@trfesok
In my Stills playlist with the Neil original, a Stills/Crosby demo and a CSN live-in-the studio version. Thanks for the upload!
@countrygal0831
Thank you for sharing this - it's quite lovely.
@adampapadam7764
What an excellent arangement and cover of the original!!!!Almost unique!!!!!!!!