Song Lyric Sunday. Ohio by Crosby, Stills and Nash.
This week Helen Espinosa of This Life one step at a time said:So, thanks to Kerry of herheadache, our theme for Song Lyric Sunday is to post a song that helped teach you something new (something you weren’t aware of before you heard it). I hope I captured what Kerry wanted with her suggestion, but I think it’s a good one and am forever grateful that I have followers willing to help me out.
I have picked Ohio by Crosby Stills and Nash. Now I was not sure what the song was about at first until I researched it, no quick google fix in those days. What I found out shocked me.
The Kent State Massacre 1970 please read here
After the Kent State massacre, Neil Young saw a photo of 14-year-old Mary Ann Vecchio kneeling over the dead body of college student Jeffrey Miller. He poured his rage and sorrow into the lyrics to “Ohio” and called his Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young bandmates into the studio the following day to record the new song. Even though “Teach Your Children” was all over the radio, the label rushed the finished product out, and it was playing over the air before week’s end. CSNY broke up just a few months later, making “Ohio” their furious final statement – at least until the many reunion tours.
Source Rolling Stone magazine.
LYRICS
Ohio”
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, 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. What if you knew her 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 coming, We’re finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, Four dead in Ohio.
Female, wife, full time mother and Grandmother. I am not as happy go lucky as I used to be but I am still bubbling along on simmer! I have three handsome sons all grown and flown.The youngest married with a beautiful wife and two sons of his own. Eleven years ago I was working, running a home, driving and socializing then bang in a split second all that was gone. I had an accident at home. I broke my back, not for the first time, I had broken it 10 years previously as well. Unfortunately this time I had broken it really badly and it was truly messed up so I had to have two operations. I was told before each operation that the outcome could mean I spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. Still as some guy once wrote "I am still standing " yes "better than I ever was " not quite but with the help of a walking stick and as long as I do not stand or sit in one position for too long, I am still standing! Update I no longer use the walking stick . I had lots of friends before the accident but when things like this happen, you loose most of them. Their lives move on and mine stood still and so they left me behind ...I know that is just the way life is but it hurt and always will. Then I looked around and saw those who were still there for me, these friends are the roses in my garden they need to be tended well. They are the diamonds in the dust, I will of been married 50yrs plus this year . Pain and boredom are my enemies now, I have to find different ways to approach life, use my pain befriend it almost...yer right , well that is what they tell me at the pain clinic ROFLMAO ...... if only I could! I have found an outlet for my fears, frustrations and night terrors . I have started writing poetry if that name can be applied to my writing. I hope I do not come over as a moaning winger. I hope I am past all that. I also hope that you might see how the poetry is moving from very dark through the grey and
hopefully in to light ??
I need to update this a little here. I have worked very hard over the years since my accident, I go to the gym regularly, I have a Pilates class and a core class once a week . The guys at the gym and my Pilates teacher cajoled, teased, bullied and encouraged me to abandon my walking stick! :) My back is no longer straight it is C shaped because of the injury and I have lost two and a half inches in height but my Pilates and Core teachers have helped me to stand up as straight and as strongly as possible. Pain and depression are still hanging on my arm but I have weapons to use against them and if I say so myself I cope well.
I have made lots of new friends, real diamonds. I am also very grateful for all the support and help I have encountered here on Wordpress. Hugs and welcome to everyone who visits.
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14 thoughts on “Song Lyric Sunday. Ohio by Crosby, Stills and Nash.”
I remember when that happened. It was insane. I’m worried we might be going back to those days.
As I said to Kerry life is a circle let’s hope we have grown as a world to learn from our mistakes….. Fingers crossed but I fear we live in unsettled times . xx
I have heard this song many many times, but never listened very closely to the lyrics. Thanks for bringing attention to this. I’m glad you chose this song and I hope my prompt idea wasn’t too vague. Learning something is possible from most lyrics I believe, but this is exactly the sort of thing I was getting at. I knew about some of this history, of this time in the US, but I hadn’t heard of this incident specifically. I love Chrissie Hyndes and didn’t know she was involved in any way to something like this. I do worry about these times being a repeat, in any way, of a time so tense in US history. Protests. Rallies. Riots. These things are all about anger and frustration with governments and yet I do believe it all stems from people loving their country. Certain groups just disagree on what that means or what it should look like. Anger and frustration are often justified, the authorities serving a useful purpose, until it all goes a step too far. I don’t want to continue to see that happening.
We need songs to remind us and I am glad you highlighted this one.
Sadly life is a circle and what goes around comes around again. I think we are in for unsettled times . Even though the lessons and the evidence of the past are screaming at us for the most it falls upon deaf ears . I am glad I have bought this song to people’s attention on again . I hope things will pan out better and that the world can learn. Thank you for the prompt and thank you for reading. xx
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willowdot21 
I remember when that happened. It was insane. I’m worried we might be going back to those days.
As I said to Kerry life is a circle let’s hope we have grown as a world to learn from our mistakes….. Fingers crossed but I fear we live in unsettled times . xx
I have heard this song many many times, but never listened very closely to the lyrics. Thanks for bringing attention to this. I’m glad you chose this song and I hope my prompt idea wasn’t too vague. Learning something is possible from most lyrics I believe, but this is exactly the sort of thing I was getting at. I knew about some of this history, of this time in the US, but I hadn’t heard of this incident specifically. I love Chrissie Hyndes and didn’t know she was involved in any way to something like this. I do worry about these times being a repeat, in any way, of a time so tense in US history. Protests. Rallies. Riots. These things are all about anger and frustration with governments and yet I do believe it all stems from people loving their country. Certain groups just disagree on what that means or what it should look like. Anger and frustration are often justified, the authorities serving a useful purpose, until it all goes a step too far. I don’t want to continue to see that happening.
We need songs to remind us and I am glad you highlighted this one.
Sadly life is a circle and what goes around comes around again. I think we are in for unsettled times . Even though the lessons and the evidence of the past are screaming at us for the most it falls upon deaf ears . I am glad I have bought this song to people’s attention on again . I hope things will pan out better and that the world can learn. Thank you for the prompt and thank you for reading. xx
Like you, I first heard the song years ago but never really knew what it was referring to. Researching it later it’s definitely eye-opening.
Very much so. I was stunned
Always a haunting song and moment in American history. Good choice.
Yes it was a seminal moment when I discovered the truth.
Great song.
Yes it was but from a bad time.
This is a surprise.
CNS&Y were so part of growing up but the lyrics not well understood in context. xx
Yes very true Jean and they did more than one protest song. ❤
God, how awful, I had not heard of this before x
It is an eye opener isn’t it!