My Year Of Neil Young, Part 2.5

I Never Shot My Baby (or The Sheriff, Deputy, or Anyone Else) Down by Any Rivers

But I still love “Down By The River” by Neil Young

In preparation for writing a review of Neil Young’s album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, I recently listened to the album several times. I was unfamiliar with all but a few of the songs on it.

One of the songs that I already knew and loved was “Down By The River.” which is a great, rocking song that is over nine minutes long.

It may be lengthy, but it’s nowhere near boring, that’s for sure. If you’re not familiar with it, I highly recommend that you give it a listen.

“Down By The River” (Written by Neil Young)

Be on my side. I’ll be on your side, baby. There is no reason for you to hide. It’s so hard for me staying here all alone, When you could be taking me for a ride.

She could drag me over the rainbow, Send me away.

Down by the river, I shot my baby. Down by the river.

Dead, ooh, ooh, shot her dead, ooh.

You take my hand, I’ll take your hand. Together we may get away. This much madness is too much sorrow. It’s impossible to make it today.

She could drag me over the rainbow, Send me away.

Down by the river, I shot my baby. Down by the river.

Dead, dead, ooh, ooh, shot her dead, shot her dead.

Be on my side. I’ll be on your side. There is no reason for you to hide. It’s so hard for me staying here all alone, When you could be taking me for a ride.

She could drag me over the rainbow, Send me away.

Down by the river, I shot my baby. Down by the river.

Down by the river, I shot my baby. Down by the river.

Down by the river, I shot my baby. Down by the river.

(Lyrics source: AZ Lyrics.com)

Apparently, Neil Young has given varying explanations for the lyrics in the song over the years. At one point, he said that there was no real murder that took place during the story in the song. On another occasion, he said that it was about a man who lost control after finding out that his wife was cheating on him. He shot her and then was arrested a few hours later.

So…who knows, right?

Let it remain a musical mystery. It’s more fun that way.

Despite a possible murder happening within the lyrics, it’s still a very fun song to listen to — especially for the music in it.

Most of the song is filled with Neil Young and his backing band Crazy Horse instrumentally jamming together. They rock very hard on this one and I think they sound fantastic.

And darn it, the lyrics of this song are kind of fun to sing along to.

I try to be careful about it, though. I don’t want to sound like I’m too into the lyrics. The last thing I need is for my wife (who I love very, very much) to walk into a room while I’ve got my headphones on and I’m happily and passionately singing lines like:

I shot my baby! Dead! Ooh, ooh — shot her dead!

Yeah, that wouldn’t be too cool.

Then again, we’ve been married a long time and she’s used to me singing lyrics that sound strange coming out of my mouth — like that time she caught me singing along to Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel Like A Woman.”

But that’s a different story for a different day.

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