Lyr Req: A Horse with No Name (from America)

Subject: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Marcel
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 10:08 AM

For months now, my girlfriend has been singing a tune of which she knows one line: "I went to the desert on a horse with no name". She is not even sure if this is correct. Does anyone have any idea where this may be from?? Please...I am in pain! Cheers, M.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: AlistairUK
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 10:18 AM

I'm going through the desert on a horse with no name

just trying to get out of the rain...

I remember that one but couldn't tell you who sang it..oh and the chorus goes...

la laaaaaaaaaa lalalalaaaaaaaaa lala laaa laaaa (repeat)

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Marcel
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 10:21 AM

That's it AlistairUK...hopefully someone will be able to remember!!!

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 10:24 AM

"A Horse With No Name" was an early or mid seventies hit for the group "America". The line is "I've been through the desert on a horse with no name"

Don't know what album it was originally on, but it is certainly on "America's Greatest Hits".

Subject: Lyr Add: A HORSE WITH NO NAME (Dewey Bunnell)
From: SteveF (inactive)
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 10:40 AM

This was a pop hit about 1971. If anyone can explain to me what it means I would appreciate it.


A HORSE WITH NO NAME
(Dewey Bunnell)
As recorded by America on "America" (1972)

1. 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 remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la ...

2. 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 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 remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la ...

3. 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 ...

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: catspaw49
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 10:43 AM

Funny this thread should come up. The other day I kept singing this tune to "A Pub With No Beer."

catspaw

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 10:46 AM

There was a spoof band called the Heebie-Jeebies (Phillip Pope et al.) who used to do a spot on a BBC radio show called Radio-Active about fifteen years ago, sending up the Bee Gees with such gems as Meaningless words in very high voices (example: "The world is very big/And bacon comes from a pig/The world is very large/And butter is better than marge"). Their version went, as best I can remember:

On the first part of the journey
I was lookin' at all the life.
There were rocks and plants and birds and things
And [?]

On the second part of the journey

I was lookin' at all the life.
There were rocks and plants [etc.]
On the third part of the journey
I was lookin' at all the life.
There were rocks and plants [etc.]

Chorus: I've been through the desert on a horse with no legs ...

Happy days!
Steve

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Night Owl
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 12:12 PM

I remember the song but not who recorded the popular version from the early seventies. Thought the song was about kicking a cocaine addiction.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Night Owl
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 12:13 PM

Correction....Heroin, I meant, not cocaine.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Philippa
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 01:22 PM

Didn't Neil Young sing this song? If I'm correct, I'm surprised no-one mentioned him.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 02:28 PM

To my knowledge Neil did not sing (record) this song. One of the knocks against the group America is that they were trying to copy Neil and his sound, this being the era that Neil was really hot having recorded with Buffalo Springfield, CSNY and as a solo artist all within the space of a few years. I didn't think of it at the time, but having heard the criticism I listened to America differently. If they weren't trying to copy him they were certainly heavily influenced by him. I believe the song "Sandman" (I Understand You've been runnin' from a man who goes by the name of the Sandman) to be the most graphic illustration of this.

Imagine trying to copy Neil.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: catspaw49
Date: 16 Mar 99 - 07:16 PM

Excellent analysis Steve...seriously!!!

And now...........

Neil's recording was quite similar but was called "Brain that's Gone Lame".....a big request at every rustfest. Neil has of course forgotten it. Not surprising as just the other day he was listening to an album of his Greatest Hits at the Neil Young Center for the Terminally Screwed, and was heard to remark, "Who the hell is that? Pissass songs too!!!"

catspaw

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Mar 99 - 02:44 AM

They also did Sister Golden Hair and Muskrat Love. Any comments Catspaw?!

katlaughing

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 17 Mar 99 - 03:08 AM

Boy this is a touchy subject for me. I mean, Neil Young wrote some lame-ass songs, but "Horse with No Name" is a lame-ass imitation of a lame-ass Neil Young song. America, in my opinion, had a hell of a nerve naming their lame-ass band after our Great Country. They were the kind of band that, if you found out your new girlfriend had a bunch of America albums, you would re-evaluate your relationship. They were like de-cannabinized marijuana. I hope they are on tour with the Strawberry Alarm Clock and Gino Vannelli now. On second thought they make the Strawberry Alarm Clock look like the Beatles.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: dwditty
Date: 17 Mar 99 - 05:44 AM

Lonesome EJ-You can add The Cyrkle of Red Rubber Ball fame to the list of bands that America made to look great.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: AlistairUK
Date: 17 Mar 99 - 05:51 AM

Wasn'r Red Rubber ball written by Paul Simon?

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 17 Mar 99 - 07:18 AM

I think we can blame Bobby Dylan for some of this. His penchant for obscure lyrics led others to believe that lyrics did not have to "mean" anything. So young songwriters began to write songs where the lines had meter and rhyme, but no meaning. Often they were portentious enough to appear to have meaning.

And the drugs didn't help. Too many hallucinogens and you can't separate fantasy from reality in your writings.

America, the group, epitomized the worst of popular music of their time. Three guys sitting cross-legged on a rug strumming their guitars and singing drivel!!!

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 17 Mar 99 - 08:48 AM

I always thought that the Dylan hallmark was that the lyrics did mean something (if we could only figure it out), but they didn't scan or rhyme?

Steve

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 17 Mar 99 - 03:28 PM

I agree with Steve. Some of Dylans lyrics pushed the envelope and bordered on self-parody, but their were always a lot of gems sparkling through the dirt. Take "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall." Many verses were obscure and outlandish, like a psychedelic view of the apocalypse."I saw a young child beside a dead ocean...I saw a white man who walked a black dog...I saw 10 people talking, and nobody listening." But didn't we know what he meant? And didn't the power come through?

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: GUEST,Alex Roan
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 04:47 AM

where can I find printed music, chords for Horse with no name?

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 06:06 AM

Well! We do seem to find this song drivel. Funny that - I found it banal drivel (am I being too complimenatary?) at the time.
May I, with respect, suggest we shoot this lame ass by giving it a name?
We can't bury it without an appelation on its headstone can we?

discuss................

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 08:04 AM

Almost a three year old thread here, but it holds up well. This ranks right there with "Honey" and "MacArthur Park" for dumbest shit ever sung by anyone. I guess this guy is happy to be in a desert as it's hot and dry there and he's trying to salvage the soggyass cake from MacArthur Park.........beats me. Why the horse has no name is beyond me too, but I'd vote for "Air Biscuit" which signifies the exact worth of this alleged song.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 09:57 AM

That was "The Captain and Tenille" who did "Muskrat Love." I'm sorry I know this.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: SharonA
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 10:20 AM

"dumbest shit ever sung by anyone": (lest we forget) "The Night Chicago Died" and "Kung Fu Fighting".

To Alex Roan: Lyrics are listed above. For chords, strum an A-minor (Am), and then move your fingers up two frets and strum. That's pretty much it. If you really want printed sheet music (and I do mean sheet, mon!), it can be ordered from a music store.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: SharonA
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 10:22 AM

BigDaddy: America was responsible for "Muskrat Love". The Captain and Tenille covered it (God knows why) and added the electronic muskrat noises.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: LR Mole
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 11:36 AM

Amurca also did "Ventura Highway" (I think it was called) which featured the line "Alligator lizards in the air", which was so fascinating it needed repeating and a number of quasi-melodic "doo-doo-doo-doot-doo's" right after it. As I recall, incidentally, they were not from America, not all of them anyway. For what that's worth.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: rangeroger
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 12:52 PM

BigDaddy and SharonA, Muskrat Love was a cover of a Willis Alan Ramsey song.America took it to 67 on the charts, The Capt. and Tennille took it to #4.

Wilis Alan Ramsey bought a ranch in Texas with the royalties.

rr

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: TonyK
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:17 PM

Muskrat(not Mudcat)Love was written by none other than 24 yr old Texas singer-songwriter Willis Alan Ramsay, an unlikely person to have done such a song since his one and only album featured stuff like 'The Ballad of Spider John'.

I loved the band America when they first came out with those songs. I was 15 and just learning to play the guitar and felt sure those lyrics were very deep, just as I felt Neil Young was very deep. All my peers knew all the words and it was great material to get attention with if I took my guitar to any of those awkward adolescent parties.

I played the verses for 'Horse' with an Eminor and then a variation of a B7 (2nd fret)with the D and the high E strings open and the bass E at fret 2. The chorus went from a Cmaj7 at the 7th fret (E-7,B-8,G-9,D-10) to Gmaj7(same fingering slid down to the 2nd fret). One of those songs that looked and sounded much harder than it was and therefore to a fledgling strummer it was gold.

I work in the field of addictions now and looking quickly through the lyrics I can see a possible drug metaphor. That may be giving the lyricist more than his Dewey. I do remember heroin was sometimes referred to as horse.

TonyK

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: mousethief
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:24 PM

The chief difference between America and Neil Young, then, is that America could sing. It's not painful to listen to "Ventura Highway" 30 years later, whereas just being in the same room with a copy of "I Don't Want to Fade Away" has been known to cause sane people to chew their own feet off at the ankle if by so doing they can prevent the song from being put on the phonograph and played.

I say what the hell is wrong with nonsense? Gawd, people worship Dylan who writes 99% nonsense, but let some soft-rock trio try to do the same (and they did it very successfully, too) and all of a sudden the heavy guns come out. Whatta buncha whingers.

Not opinionated or anything,
Alex

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: GUEST,Swan
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 03:47 PM

I saw America twice in Manchester and I couldn't stick the band. (They were supporting other acts I did like). As I remember they were very young at the time, because I was too and I remember feeling a bit strange that I was watching people on stage that were younger than me (and less talented!) So if it really was about heroin addiction they must have been moving some. I think it comes under the heading of 'high-flown crap'

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 04:04 PM

Chords and words for horse with no name can be found here

http://www.guitarnotes.com/tabs/

"America" originated in England but the bandmates were US citizens, Airforce Brats who met on and airbase where their parents were stationed. I bought their greatest hits album at 16 stopped playing it at 17.

Horse with no Name was their breakout hit and on it they seem to be parodying out of Neil Young. But as someone pointed out it is not a great parody because of the backs lack of vocal infirmities. I imagine a later day Sam Phillips in some studio in England in 1970 thinking "If I only had a Neil Young who could actually sing."

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: SharonA
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 04:55 PM

Thanks, rangeroger and TonyK! Silly me, I should have known America did not write "Muskrat Love"; the song has more than two chords!

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: mousethief
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 05:00 PM

And neither is a major-7.

Alex

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 05:02 PM

Thank you all (since my last post) for telling me more than I wanted to know. And thank you all for (inadvertently) making me laugh out loud for the first time today. I needed that! Maybe we should discuss drivel more often.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 05:51 PM

I think "AirBiscuit" may be one of the funnies lines I have read in here in ages...good thing I was between sips of coffee.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: SharonA
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 06:03 PM

BigDaddy: "Inadvertently"?! Now you're making ME laugh!!!!

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 07 Nov 01 - 11:42 PM

Yes, inadvertently. It was rangeroger and TonyK's serious discussion of the origins of Muskrat Love that got me started.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 01:30 AM

Thanks Bill but I've gotten now about 8 laughs in 14,000 posts so my ratio ain't too hot. Want what I just found to be a really funny line? Try reading this thread and when you come to Dick's post, be sure you're not drinking or eating, and that you have an empty bladder.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 08:11 AM

I've always loved America...I have their boxed set from last year...excellent music, and very close to my heart.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 08:13 AM

Yeah Guest, that's why indigestion is often called "heartburn." (:<))

Spaw

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 08:26 AM

I've never had indigestion or heartburn.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 08:33 AM

Confession time. One of the first concerts I ever attended was America. Third row seats. The opening act? You guessed it. The Captain & Tenille. I was about fifteen and trying to get into the drawers of a young lady who loved America. It didn't work. What a waste of time and money.

Why can I never get seats that good for Dylan or Willie?

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 08:35 AM

Then you haven't played your boxed set huh? Probably wise to keep it in the original unopened condition so it's value will not decrease too badly.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 08:47 AM

You have a rotten way of making people feel welcome on your site by invalidating their personal tastes.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 09:04 AM

Ah,. Guest, You've been 'Spawed. I don't think that any one of us has felt like they truly belong here until that's happened.

The illustrious Catspaw has many opinions and is quite willing to share everyone of them.

My advice, don't take it lying down. Throw a heartfelt "nee" in his direction.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: dwditty
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 09:07 AM

This song has one of the all-time stupid lines - "The heat was hot." Right up there with Neil Diamond's conversation with a freaking chair of all things.

dw

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: RichM
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 09:10 AM

Stay around, Guest.Spaw means no harm.

Just don't stand behind him when he farts...

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Mooh
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 09:14 AM

America is available on cd? Wonders never cease. Pretty expensive beer coasters...

Mooh.

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 09:34 AM

*breaking my rule about responding to 'guests' just once*

" invalidating their personal tastes"...

no one "invalidates" diddly-squat....they are as free to say they don't like MY taste in little old ladies singing, long, quavering, off-key ballads! I listen anyway! And anytime I post my preferences openly, I take the chance that someone will make a remark about it. I don't care for Elvis...YOU may listen anyway. That's how it goes.

some songs strike some people as shallow, banal drivel....so? This is a PUBLIC forum where one can trade views on such things...and if someone has the courage of their convictions, they will like what they like, in spite of silly remarks!

It's the same in art, cooking, choice of automobiles and décor..."you eat WHAT?" "you painted your bathroom WHAT color?".."you really LIKE that abstract non-sense?".."a BUICK?"

People are going to disagree, and some are going to joke about it....we welcome EVERYONE to this site to, among other things, discuss and compare tastes!..If no one did anything but post lists of favorites, it would get mighty dull very fast!

Subject: RE: Desert-Horse-Name
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Nov 01 - 09:34 AM

Sorry Guest....That's what the little smiley face was about. Personal taste can be validated by our receptionist and make sure you have your claim check initialed or the attendant still won't take it.

*smile*grin*chuckle*(:<))

Spaw