Ohio
cosby stills nash & young Lyrics
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We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
And found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Four dead in Ohio (four dead)
Four dead in Ohio (four)
Four dead in Ohio
Four dead in Ohio (how many more?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio
The above lyrics are from Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young's song "Ohio", which was a reflection on the shooting that occurred on the Kent State University campus on May 4th, 1970. The song was released very soon after the event occurred, on June 13th of the same year. The lyrics were written by Neil Young in response to the massacre, and the other band members helped to compose and record the song.
The first line of the song, "Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming," refers to the National Guard soldiers who were present on the Kent State campus, as well as President Nixon's approval of their use in the situation. The line "We're finally on our own" represents the disillusionment felt by the younger generation with the government and the military, and the sense that they could no longer rely on adults to protect them. The line "This summer I hear the drumming" signifies the sense of urgency and momentum that was present in the anti-war movement at the time. The repeated refrain "Four dead in Ohio" drives home the tragedy and senselessness of the Kent State shootings.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of personal responsibility and the need to take action. The lines "Gotta get down to it / Soldiers are cutting us down / Should have been done long ago / What if you knew her / And found her dead on the ground? / How can you run when you know?" implore listeners to take action and fight against the injustices they see around them, rather than turning a blind eye.
Overall, "Ohio" is a powerful and emotional response to a tragic event. The song has remained a relevant and poignant commentary on the struggle for social justice, and serves as a reminder of the need to continually fight against oppressive forces.
Line by Line Meaning
Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming
The government is sending soldiers to suppress us, just like toys being manipulated by a politician.
We're finally on our own
The government has failed to protect us, so we're left to fend for ourselves.
This summer I hear the drumming
The impending war and unrest is approaching, and it's becoming impossible to ignore.
Four dead in Ohio
The tragic deaths of four people have occurred in Ohio, which is a tragedy that cannot be forgotten.
Gotta get down to it
We need to take action to stand up for what we believe in.
Soldiers are cutting us down
The government is using force to suppress and silence us.
Should have been done long ago
The problems and injustices we are facing should have been addressed and solved much earlier.
What if you knew her
Imagine knowing someone who was killed in this conflict.
And found her dead on the ground?
And then seeing the devastating aftermath of their death.
How can you run when you know?
It's impossible to turn a blind eye to what's happening and pretend everything is okay.
Four dead in Ohio (four dead)
The tragic deaths of these four people cannot be forgotten.
How many more?
How many more people will have to die before something changes?
Why?
Why is the government failing to protect its citizens?
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
The tragedy of these deaths is felt deeply.
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
The devastating impact of these deaths cannot be ignored.
Why?
Why is the government not doing more to prevent these tragedies?
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
The pain and frustration of these deaths is overwhelming.
Four dead
The loss of each of these four lives is a tragedy.
Four dead
The repetition of 'four dead' serves as a haunting reminder of the loss and pain caused by this conflict.
Four dead
The impact of these four deaths cannot be ignored.
Four dead in Ohio
The heartbreak and sadness of these deaths will never be forgotten.
Lyrics © Broken Arrow Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
jim northrop
Almost fifty years after this era, i continue to feel such anger at this vain and futile sacrifice of a country’s most precious asset - it’s young. We lost 50,000 of my brothers and sisters on the battlefields of VietNam.
We were drafted for two years to fight a pointless war. We were barely in our 20’s, but we were children taught to become killers.
After a tour of duty in Nam, we were rotated to Germany,etc. I heard so many stories of those who chose to shoot themselves in their own leg or feet, so they could be taken home, away from all that madness.
This tribute for those students who were murdered by our own troops on that Ohio university field expresses my feelings exactly. Four more who died at the hands of madmen who ran a supposedly democratic country.
Yet, all these sacrifices - all these lessons - have been lost on America’s current leaders.
Jeannine Murray
I was at a holiday party (2023) a few weeks ago and conversation turned to how old some of us are and things we had in common. A friend who is 75, like me, went to Kent in the 60's, graduated in 1969. I also had gone to Kent for a couple of summer classes, but didn't graduate, eventually getting my degree from a different school.
But as talk at the party turned to Kent and the events of May 4th 1970 my 75 yo friend started excusing the national guard and accusing the students "There were a lot of bad outside people there just to make trouble." After all this time, after all the reports and books and evidence! I couldn't believe what I heard her saying!
The day after the shootings, when I went to work at the Cleveland stock brokerage, the Account Managers were laughing and saying that the National Guard was wrong ... because they "should have shot them all".
As the anniversaries and speeches about that day have mounted in number, I expected that kind of rationalization had finally died off. But my friend sadly proved me wrong. I spoke up and tried to add some relevant counterpoint, mostly because everyone in the room was younger by a generation or more than we were.
I still live in Ohio, married my Kent State boyfriend, raised a family here. Even though I wasn't on campus that day, I knew the area where the slaughter took place. My boyfriend and I had rode around that nearby road many times during the summer I attended. And some of our friends were on campus when it happened and told us how it affected them.
Those who were there need to keep telling the story, listening to the families of the dead and the survivors. We need to keep pushing back to anyone who says those kids deserved to die.
bluskies1000
I believe only volunteers had more than one tour in Viet Nam. Draftees served only two years.
Lol. I was skipped by the Draft, and felt like I was shirking civic duty, so I was among the early volunteers of the All Volunteer Military. The ironic part, as a trusted volunteer, with sensitive duties, I was considered to valuable to waste, and was never allowed in a combat zone!
This was during the 5 year transition from draft to all volunteer. Draftees were catatonic, Commonly observed symptoms include:
Stupor - inability to move, speak or respond to stimuli
Lack of verbal response
Agitation
Mutism
Hide's when possible
.... the most useless people, generally speaking, putting all work and danger on your back, it was a relief to see them gone and decent smart people take their place.
Güneş Onur
As a Turkish citizen and thousands of miles far away from Ohio, this song also chills me, whenever I listen to it. And of course the tragic event itself. During my youth as a student, we experienced quite the same massacres in Turkey. I hate the month of May in which I lost many of my friends. It makes me angry, to be still ruled by the same corrupt politicians in my country. What a pitty..!
Michael Scotton
Ah-fucking-men (like amen not gay) ! as long as there are people that keep the spirit like you and see it for what it is then theres hope!
cmarlowe1
gearing up for another showdown!
TzunSu
I'm Swedish, but i've visited Turkey more than any other nation except my own throughout my life, from childhood to adulthood. I hope you will get rid of Erdogan and the rest of your trash politicians so i can feel that i can morally go back. I miss going to Turkey, but i cannot support the regime. I wish you the best of luck.
Mary Steffens
This song still gives me chills. I remember that afternoon like yesterday. Amazing that we survived that era and unfortunately didn't learn much!!!
maf5454
So do I my sister. May 4,1970, one hell of a birthday present huh? I turned 16 that terrible day and was forever changed. I was taught by my folks, teachers and other public officials that the military would never turn their weapons on civilians and murder them. I guess this proves that wasn't true. I saw it on the evening news cast and couldn't believe what had happened. I remember looking over at my Mom and asking, "Mom what did those people do to those soldiers?" She looked back at me and took a big breath and said " baby child (I was her youngest) I don't know" I also asked her the question "what will happen to those soldiers, didn't they just kill people for protesting the war?" One more time a big breath and she said "yes they did, but they are soldiers and someone gave them an order". I ask her "then would the man who gave the order be in trouble?" She looked at me and said "probably not". Then I remember getting real angry and said "why not, all of those soldiers killed those people and that is wrong" There was more conversation but she was right, to this day 52 years later not one person has been held responsible for those murders, not one. Those people were exercising their First Amendment rights " the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances". That day I became and antiwar protester and was forever changed. Thanks Mom you did your best in a really tough situation with a kid that was just starting to become aware, RIP you earned it.
Thanks for reading my ramble. Be well and safe, peace to you and yours.
Angela Lee
Me too
Kevin Dolan
I am 43 I love this song and it's always just a reminder of what is coming
Chuck Becker
I have to disagree. We learned a lot, but a good bit of what we learned was wrong. Our great-great-grandchildren will still be paying the price.
Cheryl Conti
I was 18 and shocked into hell. At 68, I still feel the sadness madness and the frustration. We only wanted to be heard and to stop killing us. Peace and Love.