Riverside
Livin’ on the riverside
Takin’ it all in my stri-ide
Livin’ on the riverside
I’m takin’ life like a big long ri-ide
You stay on your side and I’ll stay on mine
You take what you want and I’ll take the sunshine
Di-di-di-dit-doo
Di-di-di-dit-doo
Di-di-di-dit-di-doo (di-di-di-dit-di-doo)
Dit-dit-dit-dit-di-doo (di-di-di-dit-di-doo)
Di-di-di-dit-doo
Di-di-di-dit-doo
Di-di-di-dit-di-doo (di-di-di-dit-di-doo)
Dit-dit-dit-dit-di-doo (di-di-di-dit-di-doo)
Ah, ah ah ah
Ah, ah ah ah
I said the world don’t owe me no livin’
I said the world don’t owe me no livin’
I said the world don’t owe me no livin’
I said the world don’t owe me no livin’
I said the world don’t owe me no livin’
Sandman
Ain’t it foggy outside
All the planes have been grounded
Ain’t the fire inside?
Let’s all go stand around it
Funny, I’ve been there
And you’ve been here
And we ain’t had no time to drink that beer
Cause I understand you’ve been running from the man
That goes by the name of the Sandman
He flies the sky like an eagle in the eye
Of a hurricane that’s abandoned
[Instrumental Verse]
1:03 – 2:02
Ain’t the years gone by fast
I suppose you have missed them
Oh, I almost forgot to ask
Did you hear of my enlistment?
Three Roses
Sitting by the fireside with a book in your hand
Two lazy dogs sittin’ watchin’ your man
Three roses were bought with you in mind
Three roses were bought with you in mind
I’ve gotta stop and see what I’m on about
Stop and feel what I want I’ve gotta
Stop and see what I’m on about
Stop and feel what I want with you
Ahh-ahh-ahh
Walking through a wonderland I got you by the hand
Every move we made just as if it were planned
Three roses were bought with you in mind
Three roses were bought with you in mind
I’ve gotta stop and see what I’m on about
Stop and feel what I want I’ve gotta
Stop and see what I’m on about
Stop and feel what I want with you-oo
Ahh-ahh-ahh
Children
The boy cried out
Gaily on the ground
At the joy
Of something he had found
Aw, come on children, get your heads back together
Aw, come on children, get your heads back together
Aw, come on children, get your heads back together
The days are getting warmer now
The nights are getting shorter now
And you know we can make it ’cause you know we’re alive
But we don’t have to take it, any way we’ll survive
If I were you
I’d throw it far away-ay
But if you were me
You’d tell me I should stay-ay-ay
Aw, come on children, get your heads back together
Aw, come on children, get your heads back together
Aw, come on children, get your heads back together again
Horse with no Name
On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound
I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can’t remember your name
‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told was of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead
You see, I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can’t remember your name
Because there ain’t no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
[Instrumental Break]
After nine days, I let the horse run free
‘Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with its life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
But the humans will give no love
You see, I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert, you can remember your name
‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
La, la, la, la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la, la, la
Here
I am thinkin’ ’bout the days
We led ourselves astray
In more than many ways
Here, within the time we’ve spent (here)
Wonderin’ what we meant (here)
By livin’ all those years (here)
By livin’ all those years
We are here with nothing to do today
It’s something we can’t explain
And tomorrow, where will we be tomorrow?
What will we see today?
I am thinkin’ ’bout the days
We led ourselves astray
In more than many ways
(Here) Here, within the time we’ve spent
Wonderin’ what we meant
(Here) By livin’ all those years
(Here) By livin’ all those years
(Here) By livin’ all those years
(Here) By livin’ all those years
(Here) By livin’ all those years
(Here)
(Here)
(Here)
(Here)
I Need You
We used to laugh
We used to cry
We used to bow our heads then
Wonder why
But now you’re gone
I guess I’ll carry on
And make the best of what you left to me
Left to me, left to me
I need you
Like the flower needs the rain
You know, I need you
Guess I’ll start it all again
You know, I need you
Like the winter needs the spring
You know, I need you
I need you
And every day
I’d laugh the hours away
Just knowin’ you were thinkin’ of me
Then it came
That I was put to blame
For every story told about me
Rainy Day
Whenever it’s a rainy day
I pack my troubles up in my room
I chase all the clouds away
I get myself back to the womb
But I know that you’re gonna cry
Tears are runnin’ from your eyes
The piece of my life you take
Is one that so often breaks
Whenever you are miles away
I think of you the way you are
Your shining lips, your auburn hair
And then it don’t seem quite so far
Well I know that you’re gonna cry
Tears are runnin’ from your eyes
The piece of my life you take
Is one that so often breaks
Well I know that you’re gonna cry
Tears are runnin’ from your eyes
The piece of my life you take
Is one that so often breaks
Never Found The Time
I never found the time
To see things quite through
I never found the time
To give them to you
If living don’t come easy
Don’t stop your own voice
‘Cause the worst part of living
Is havin’ no choice
Tell me a story
Tell it with your eyes
I’m gonna stop believin’
If I hear another lie
Drink some cold water
Your mouth’s getting dry
If I only had the time
To see things right through
I’d give up all my treasures
And send them to you
Then livin’ would seem easy
No lights and no noise
Just me and my lady
And the echo of her voice
Clarice
Clarice lay down your mind, it’s there just hard to find
Follow me as we wind our way, away
Behind an open door there lies a million more
Follow me as we wind our way, away
Time is coming soon I’ll find you (Time is coming soon I’ll find you)
Time is coming soon I’ll find you (Time is coming soon I’ll find you)
Time is coming soon, time is coming soon
Behind an open door there lies a million more
Follow me as we wind our way, away
Time is coming soon I’ll find you (Time is coming soon I’ll find you)
Time is coming soon I’ll find you (Time is coming soon I’ll find you)
Time is coming soon, time is coming soon
Donkey Jaw
Ah, get behind me Satan
Quit ravishing the land
Does it take the children
To make you understand?
Ah, all across the nation
People don’t understand
Does it take the children
To make a better land?
Then, get behind me Satan
Quit ravishing the land
Does it take the children
To make you understand?
Does it take the children
To make a better land?
Pigeon Song
Well, I had me a pigeon
By the name of Fred
But I done shot him
In the head
Had me a railroad
Down on the ridge
But I done blowed up
The bridge
Had me a dog
He was my best friend
But to him
I done put an end
Had me a farm
Sittin’ pretty on the hill
But if you look
You’ll see it ain’t there still
I don’t know why I done it
Honest, it ain’t like me
But I ain’t sad now I done it
‘Cause a baby boy has got to be free
America’s eponymous debut album, released December 29th, 1971, around a month after their debut single “A Horse With No Name”, which was released on November 12th.
Initial copies also did not feature “A Horse With No Name”, as it was originally a non-album-single, however, following the single’s overwhelming success, it was soon after added to the track listing of side A, with the text “Includes A Horse With No Name” also being added to the cover artwork, under the band’s logo.
Review by David Cleary – Allmusic.com
America’s debut album is a folk-pop classic, a stellar collection of memorable songs that would prove influential on such acts as the Eagles and Dan Fogelberg. Crosby, Stills & Nash are the group’s obvious stylistic touchstone here, especially in the vocal harmonies used (compare the thick chordal singing of “Sandman” and “Children” to CS&N‘s “You Don’t Have to Cry” and “Guinevere”) and the prominent use of active strummed acoustic guitar arrangements (contrast “Riverside” to CS&N‘s “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”). America’s intricate interplay of acoustic guitar textures is more ambitious than that of their influences, however. Performance quality is usually good, though on occasion sloppily executed or out of tune (especially on the openings to “Donkey Jaw” and “I Never Found the Time”). Lengthy instrumental introductions (“Donkey Jaw”), middle improvisatory interludes (“Here”), and closings (“Clarice”) are frequently encountered. Most of these selections boast highly unusual and inventive chord progressions that work well without drawing undue attention to themselves. Lyrics are sometimes trite (“I need you/Like the flower needs the rain”) or obscure (“He flies the sky/Like an eagle in the eye/Of a hurricane that’s abandoned”), but the music more than makes up for any verse problems; only the odd “Pigeon Song” seems an unsalvageable misstep. Sound quality here has a covered, intimate feel that lends a ghostly aura to this release. Chart hits from this album include the spectrally loping “A Horse with No Name,” the squarishly tuneful “I Need You,” and the nervously dour “Sandman.” Other highlights include the buoyantly charming “Three Roses,” the yearningly lovely “Rainy Day,” and the quietly ringing “Clarice.” In spite of its flaws, this platter is very highly recommended.
