Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming
Sayin' something about a queen
There were peasants singin' and drummers drumming
And the archer split the tree
There was a fanfare blowin' to the sun
That was floating on the breeze
Look at mother nature on the run in the nineteen seventies
Look at mother nature on the run in the nineteen seventies

I was lyin' in a burned-out basement
With a full moon in my eyes
I was hopin' for replacement
When the sun burst through the sky
There was a band playin' in my head
And I felt like getting high
I was thinkin' about what a friend had said
I was hopin' it was a lie
Thinkin' about what a friend had said
I was hopin' it was a lie

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships lying
In the yellow haze of the sun
There were children crying and colors flying
All around the chosen ones
All in a dream, all in a dream
The loading had begun
Flyin' mother nature's silver seed
To a new home in the sun
Flyin' mother nature's silver seed
To a new home


Lyrics submitted by H-bomb

After The Gold Rush Lyrics as written by Neil Young

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Songtrust Ave, Hipgnosis Songs Group

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After the Gold Rush song meanings
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  • +6
    General Comment

    Part of the mythology making the rounds in counterculture back in those days was the Starship story and there are several references to it in music. Counter culture was steeped in naturalism and a yearning to return to the natural world. There was push back to "development" and to the destruction of the natural world and curiosity about ancient and pagan beliefs such as druidism. So what does this have to do with "silver spaceships," and, "what a friend had said?" It had to do with a fatalism about saving the natural world and that rescue would come in the form of spaceships that would take us to a new world. Whether one really believed that or not was not the point. It was an expression of hope against odds. The belief was that, "America hates her crazies." (more on that later) The story really did make the rounds and was openly discussed. Listen to (or read) the lyrics to Wooden Ships which was really a description of another alternative to post apocalyptic vision. However, if you want another Starship reference, I can't think of a better one than, "Have you seen the stars tonight," by The Jefferson Starship. This one gets into greater detail. It is also a good explanation as to the name change from ...Airplane to ...Starship. Then listen to "A Child is Coming," "Home," and "Starship." The alternative to "America hates her crazies..." was the hope of going to the place of "free music, free love, free..." If nothing else, read the lyrics on the internet and I believe you will see a common theme.

    BlueCoyDogon June 27, 2011   Link

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