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.
Panama
Stephen Stills Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I first fell in love
It will forever be an emerald necklace
Set between the seas
Beside a crystal stream
In the mountains of Chiriqui
I saw a girl astride a horse she waved at me
I was fifteen
I was trying very hard to understand
Indifferent to the dangers of living in a foreign land
Was I falling in love or under the spell Of Panama?
Went riding off alone
Much further than I should have gone
I wandered deep into the dark
Now which way gets me home
Then suddenly there she was
All covered with leaves and dust
I couldn't believe it but she followed me
Now both of us were lost
I was not a child I was not yet a man
I was trying very hard to understand
Indifferent to the dangers of living in a foreign land
Was I falling in love or under the spell Of Panama?
The clouds began to rumble
We found a dry piece of jungle
I don't remember if It rained
But I remember making love
So clearly I recall
The magic of Panama
And surely never will it let me go
Yo Soy Panameno
I was not a child I was not yet a man
I was trying very hard to understand
Indifferent to the dangers of living in a foreign land
Was I falling in love or under the spell Of Panama?
In Stephen Stills's song "Panama," the lyrics describe his first experience falling in love in Panama. The lyrics speak to the beauty of the country and how it will always hold a special place in his heart as a cherished memory. The song describes how he came across a girl riding a horse and fell for her immediately. He was unsure if he was falling in love or simply under the spell of Panama. The lyrics then go on to describe how he wandered too far off and got lost in the jungle until he stumbled upon the girl once more, and they found shelter in the dry piece of jungle. It was here where they fell in love, and this memory will forever be etched in his mind. The song ends with the famous phrase "Yo Soy Panameno," which means "I am Panamanian."
The lyrics to "Panama" are quite simple and to the point, using imagery to describe the beauty of Panama and the experience of falling in love for the first time. The song captures the feeling of being young and innocent, trying to understand the complexities of life by experiencing it firsthand. Stills's smooth and soothing voice adds to the romantic and sentimental essence of the song. This song is a nostalgic trip down memory lane for Stills, reminding him of a magical time where he fell in love and explored the unknown, foreign land of Panama.
Line by Line Meaning
Have you seen Panama
Have you had the privilege of visiting the region of Panama?
Where I first fell in love
The place where I first experienced a deep connection with another human being.
It will forever be an emerald necklace
The region and its beauty will always hold a special place in my heart and mind.
Set between the seas
The region is situated between two bodies of water, adding to its natural allure.
Beside a crystal stream
The area is adorned with picturesque water channels, enhancing its idyllic beauty.
In the mountains of Chiriqui
The location is amongst the mountain ranges of Chiriqui, Panama.
I saw a girl astride a horse she waved at me
I recall my first encounter with my love interest, who was riding a horse and acknowledged my presence with a wave.
I was fifteen
I was young and inexperienced, full of youthful vigor and curiosity.
I was not a child I was not yet a man
I was in a confusing stage of life, feeling like I was not a child anymore, but also not fully grown into my manhood.
I was trying very hard to understand
I was grappling with the complexities of life and aiming to comprehend my true purpose and direction.
Indifferent to the dangers of living in a foreign land
I was oblivious to the potential hazards that come with being in a new place that is unfamiliar to me.
Was I falling in love or under the spell Of Panama?
I was questioning whether my feelings for the girl were genuine or simply a result of being enchanted by the magically alluring region of Panama.
Went riding off alone
I went off on a solo adventure.
Much further than I should have gone
I traversed into areas beyond my comfort zone.
I wandered deep into the dark
I ventured into the unknown, beyond my ordinary sphere of familiarity.
Now which way gets me home
I was lost and unsure about how to return to my starting point.
Then suddenly there she was
Unexpectedly, I encountered my love interest.
All covered with leaves and dust
Covered in leaves and dirt, she looked like a product of nature and its beauty.
I couldn't believe it but she followed me
I was surprised that she showed interest in me and followed me on my journey.
Now both of us were lost
We were both disoriented and unsure of how to find our way back.
The clouds began to rumble
The weather conditions began to shift, and the skies showed signs of a storm.
We found a dry piece of jungle
We stumbled upon a patch of terrain that provided shelter from the rain and other hazards.
I don't remember if It rained
I am uncertain whether it began to rain or not.
But I remember making love
I vividly recall the intimate moment that I shared with my love interest.
So clearly I recall
The memory is still sharp and alive in my mind.
The magic of Panama
The extraordinary charm and enchantment of the region.
And surely never will it let me go
I will always be captivated by my experience in Panama, and its spell will remain in my heart and soul.
Yo Soy Panameno
I am Panamanian in spirit due to the powerful impact the region left on me.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Stephen A Stills
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind