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Buffalo Springfield — Broken Arrow
Album: Buffalo Springfield Again
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 910









Released: 1967
Length: 6:09
Plays (last 30 days): 0
The lights turned on and the curtain fell down
And when it was over, it felt like a dream
They stood at the stage door and begged for a scream
The agents had paid for the black limousine
That waited outside in the rain
Did you see them, did you see them?
Did you see them in the river?
They were there to wave to you
Could you tell that the empty-quivered
Brown-skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow
Held a broken arrow?

Eighteen years of American dream
He saw that his brother had sworn on the wall
He hung up his eyelids and ran down the hall
His mother had told him a trip was a fall
And don't mention babies at all
Did you see him, did you see him?
Did you see him in the river?
He was there to wave to you
Could you tell that the empty-quivered
Brown-skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow
Held a broken arrow?

The streets were lined for the wedding parade
The queen wore the white gloves, the county of song
The black-covered caisson her horses had drawn
Protected her king from the sun rays of dawn
They married for peace and were gone
Did you see them, did you see them?
Did you see them in the river?
They were there to wave to you
Could you tell that the empty-quivered
Brown-skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow
Held a broken arrow?
Comments (128)add comment
Could you tell that the empty-quivered brown-skinned Indian on the banks that were crowded and narrow, held a broken arrow?
I always have and always will love this song. But I haven't got the foggiest what it's about.
STRONG drugs working overtime here.
I always thought Buffalo Springfield was a place that this group named themselves after.

Wikipedia says that the group named themselves after a steam roller made by the Buffalo Springfield Steam Roller Company. 

Sure enough, they did exist and for lovers of all things steam-driven and old-timer American memorabilia here is a picture of one of the beasts...

Steam Roller

 






Nope. For those with memories of a time when this came out, I get it. But Young's whining voice does the "chalk board squeal" for me.
Interesting song nevertheless. But a 5. 
I love this quintessentially trippy jamming masterpiece about The River of Life, the Endless Parade of Birth, Brightness, Fade, Return...
 kurtster wrote:
This is one hell of a song and reading the comments made me reflect on it and the time and place.  So I went digging.  LA in 1967 was like no other.  Remembering events of the day back then, it made me think about the song Blue Jay Way.  Seems a confluence of events happened.  Broken Arrow was written the same time as BJW.  

My feeling is that both songs offer similar perspectives of the same awareness that happened that August in LA.  It was early in of what was becoming the observation that the lid had been lifted off of Pandora's Box and there was no going back.  We had lost our innocence forever and undeniably.  How it plays to listeners from other places and born later, I do not really know,  The comments offer some insight.

These are my thoughts from someone who was there then and what it means to me.  The Summer of Love was a short time when so much happened all at once.  1967 was imho, the greatest year of music we have ever seen.  These two songs are linked and until now, I never really gave it much thought.  

Ramblings from an old man who is grateful to have been lucky enough to have been in the eye of this hurricane, with all the joy and pain it brought.

 
wonderful. thank you.
 On_The_Beach wrote:
Thank you kurtster, for your insightful post below.

 
I'll second that.
Dirtbags always ruin a good thing. 
What came first: this song or the Beatle's Sgt. Pepper?

This song reaches me in a way I can't really put into words.
It did the first time I heard it, and it does right now.
I don't know why.
I'm going to try and keep it that way as long as I can.



 kurtster wrote:
This is one hell of a song and reading the comments made me reflect on it and the time and place.  So I went digging.  LA in 1967 was like no other.  Remembering events of the day back then, it made me think about the song Blue Jay Way.  Seems a confluence of events happened.  Broken Arrow was written the same time as BJW.  

My feeling is that both songs offer similar perspectives of the same awareness that happened that August in LA.  It was early in of what was becoming the observation that the lid had been lifted off of Pandora's Box and there was no going back.  We had lost our innocence forever and undeniably.  How it plays to listeners from other places and born later, I do not really know,  The comments offer some insight.

These are my thoughts from someone who was there then and what it means to me.  The Summer of Love was a short time when so much happened all at once.  1967 was imho, the greatest year of music we have ever seen.  These two songs are linked and until now, I never really gave it much thought.  

Ramblings from an old man who is grateful to have been lucky enough to have been in the eye of this hurricane, with all the joy and pain it brought.

 
Post of the year, IMO. Worth another reply, I thought. Thanks Kurster.
This band does not get enough credit for creating "trippy RnR". My goodness...they were creating this genre at the same time as the Beatles!  
Please play this path-breaking piece more often.
thank you justin, this is so much more than music given the historic time frame of its creation, and still it's a great listening (imo :)
Wikipedia on Broken Arrow:

"Broken Arrow" was confessional folk rock. It consists of three verses interspersed with snippets of sounds, featuring organ, a jazz combo with piano, bass, drums, and a clarinet. The song begins with audience applause (taken not from a Buffalo Springfield show, as some expect, but rather from a concert by the Beatles) and the opening of "Mr. Soul" (which opens the album) recorded live in the studio. The second verse begins with the sound of an audience booing, while the Calliope plays a strange version of the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", before some weird sound effects bring on the verse. There is also the sound of a military snare drum, that plays drum rolls, first quietly, and getting louder and louder, until the fifth time, an unusual sound effect brings the song to the third verse. The Jazz combo plays an improvisation, first taken up by the clarinet, and followed by the piano, until it fades out, whereas, we only hear the beating of a heart, until that fades out, too.
Thank you kurtster, for your insightful post below.
This is one hell of a song and reading the comments made me reflect on it and the time and place.  So I went digging.  LA in 1967 was like no other.  Remembering events of the day back then, it made me think about the song Blue Jay Way.  Seems a confluence of events happened.  Broken Arrow was written the same time as BJW.  

My feeling is that both songs offer similar perspectives of the same awareness that happened that August in LA.  It was early in of what was becoming the observation that the lid had been lifted off of Pandora's Box and there was no going back.  We had lost our innocence forever and undeniably.  How it plays to listeners from other places and born later, I do not really know,  The comments offer some insight.

These are my thoughts from someone who was there then and what it means to me.  The Summer of Love was a short time when so much happened all at once.  1967 was imho, the greatest year of music we have ever seen.  These two songs are linked and until now, I never really gave it much thought.  

Ramblings from an old man who is grateful to have been lucky enough to have been in the eye of this hurricane, with all the joy and pain it brought.
 pinem wrote:
Song is about 3 decades ahead of its time. Early Neil Young is so good; he made Buffalo Springfield and CSNY.

 
Agreed, agreed, agreed, .... 
I agree 100% that this song is in another league from the typical tunes that were being written back then (not knocking them, certainly). They may have accidentally stumbled upon it, but it's certainly a novel in a song.

{#Cheers} 
God, this is so EPIC! At the time, it went right over everyones' heads, but that's okay, 'cause it's a pretty freakin' TIMELESS ENIGMA...
Song is about 3 decades ahead of its time. Early Neil Young is so good; he made Buffalo Springfield and CSNY.
I just love this album and play it frequently.  I never get tired of it. Pure genius. {#Sunny}
I once read a comment about the aura of the sixties as 'the era where all seemed perfectible'. I miss that sentiment of examination, reflection and the optimistic view that one was on a bright (and groovy) new path...naive as it might have been.
Far out, man...
awesome. listened to this endlessly as a kid.
 gjr wrote:
they play this and rejected out of hand "kind woman" - the best song on that album (imoho)

 
ooh. love that one
Oh, dear.  I wasn't there, so I don't get it.  Sorry.
 johnjconn wrote:


 
Nice.
love this
Is this Cowpie?
 helgigermany wrote:
One of the weakest songs of neil!

 
Even if you would still give it a 10, I wouldn't agree with you.
they play this and rejected out of hand "kind woman" - the best song on that album (imoho)
 Colandrio wrote:
I appreciate hearing this again. This song was a progressive rock icon before there was progressive rock. Young's sensibility is firmly etched and the arrangement is transcendental.

 
Good point - I can remember hearing this in high school on the local "underground" FM station and thinking "Whoa, what's that?"

 
 Nuance wrote:
I'm sure the record label freaked on the addition of clarinet... what a schlock mix.
 
Not so fast, my friend.  Back in the day, record companies were far more interested in promoting the creativity of their musicians.  If Buffalo Springfield wanted a clarinet, somebody would go find a clarinet player.  While profitability was always important, it sure didn't seem to be anyone's main emphasis.

Today, however, I think you'd be much closer to correct.  I'd bet the record company would wince, and then suggest, "Let's forget about the clarinet; it's a little too schlocky for the sound we're cultivating for you", and then call the attorneys to ensure the 'no clarinet' paragraph is in the contract and enforceable.

Cynically yours,
unclehud

PS:  I voted 9 and the rating remained at 7.5.  The math has moved beyond the tipping point.
Bill why on earth did you choose not to play all of this godlike song?
One of the weakest songs of neil!
Really very poor.  Just doesn't work its like lots of bits of separate songs none of which sound all that great.  I also keep thinking oh no the next song is no good either but actually its just another bit of this that isn't good.

I like a lot of Buffalo Springfield but I'm not a fan of this song.  It seems to be all over the place, maybe overly ambitious.   To my ears there are elements of this song can be found in Young's "Country Girl", which I think is a great song.
 bam23 wrote:
 Two years later, it's up to 7.5. Hang in there. Great composition, as weird as any Neil Young stuff ever is.
 
Amen-what are folks looking for in music anyway?
 gatorade wrote:
7.4 Is all the love this gets? This was so far ahead of most of the other stuff being played at the time, Still IS! Wonderful. 
  Two years later, it's up to 7.5. Hang in there. Great composition, as weird as any Neil Young stuff ever is.


.AHhhhhhhh.......10....
Ahh, taken back to my good ole days - thanks Bill {#Notworthy}  Just checked and my album is a 1968 copy of "Buffalo Springfield again"  Will listen to this amazingly ahead of its time album again tonight and reminisce back to the times when I first heard it - accompanied with something special imported from Amsterdam!
Bah.
Ahh, here it is. The daily Neil Young, swiftly followed by Talking heads, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd and U2. Hopefully next so we can them out of the way and get the 'decent' music going again. Bill probably puts them in there to satisfy a requirement.
 rumblekg wrote:
just learned about this group today on RP and read a wiki article about them. thanks for the education RP.
 
Read The Last Sultan: The Life and Times of Ahmet Ertegun. Many great accounts in this single volume, which you may be able to find at your local library.

 
{#Sick}
Charlie brown piano was in there
It sort of has everything but the kitchen sink—no, strike that, I distinctly heard a kitchen sink playing harmony to the clarinet solo!
huh?
love this.
 Liviamerry wrote:

Jack Nietzche put his mark on this one, too
 

He is responsible for a great deal of my favorite American music from the 60's.
...  oh sigh ... gave this a 9 ... then as I found myself singing along to it ~ way back there 'in my head' ~ I just had to up it to a 10 ...
As ever ~ thanks RP {#Clap} {#Kiss}
As charming as Revolution 9.
Yeah, those were the days... heeeheee.
 Tiggertooth wrote:
Great stuff! I attribute this as a Neil Young solo work more than Buffalo Springfield. Details...
 


Jack Nietzche put his mark on this one, too
Great stuff! I attribute this as a Neil Young solo work more than Buffalo Springfield. Details...
I appreciate hearing this again. This song was a progressive rock icon before there was progressive rock. Young's sensibility is firmly etched and the arrangement is transcendental.
I loooooove Neil Young's work with Buffalo Springfield.  Definitely some of his finest moments. And it's got a clarinet solo!

Broken Arrow ; Song name - Tour name - Ranch name,,,more ? {#Ask}
Gaak. My wife loves them. Whereas.........
Wow.  Thank you.  10.
Thanks Bill.....10 from the memory bank.....
Neil is the King or at least one of them
A big YES.     {#Clap}

Wilco was doing a great cover of this on their most recent tour....  Most of the crowd had no idea what the song was but those who did were blown away..... 
One of my favorite Buffalo Springfield tunes by far {#Music}
7.4 Is all the love this gets? This was so far ahead of most of the other stuff being played at the time, Still IS! Wonderful. 
 gjeeg wrote:
Remarkable the way the songs departs itself, goes into what appear to be an entirely disconnected segues and gracefuill returns to itself, over and over. Bold creativity. Very 60's.

 
...or disorganized noise. Sounded like the latter to me. Or a Frank Zappa gig when someone forgot the vibes back at the hotel.{#Lol}


just learned about this group today on RP and read a wiki article about them. thanks for the education RP.
This incredible mix of music from the last 5 decades is why I listen to RP.  You won't hear this stuff in this mix anywhere else on this planet.
Very nice!!
 bbryan wrote:
Does anyone know who sings the Mr. Soul live intro? Surely that isn't Neil Young (unless he was channeling Otis Redding on that particular night)
 
It was Stills.

Edit: Wiki sez it was Dewey Martin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Martin_(musician)


I have lost count of the number of times that I listened to this back in the day...
wow. i forgot how much i love this. and i do love it.
 bbryan wrote:
Does anyone know who sings the Mr. Soul live intro? Surely that isn't Neil Young (unless he was channeling Otis Redding on that particular night)
 
Pretty sure it was Stills.  He sang the vocal lead in the actual song, Mr. Soul, IIRC.  Those days are really fuzzy, the smog was pretty thick back then.


Neil finding his voice. Follow this with Tonight's the Night.

it sounds so familiar, yet im quite sure i've never heard it before
most excellent

I'm sure the record label freaked on the addition of clarinet... what a schlock mix.
Simply. Awesome.
OMG. I just realized that not only is Neil musically the Godfather of Grunge, but his vocals are the wellspring of emo! Plaintive.

Does anyone know who sings the Mr. Soul live intro? Surely that isn't Neil Young (unless he was channeling Otis Redding on that particular night)
yawn
Terrific song from a terrific album (Again).  An underrated group of talented musicians/singers/writers that went on to form other great groups.  I also liked that this group managed to show their different influences — from country to jazz.
Ben Folds seems to have borrowed a bit from this song for his "The Last Polka" song

Remarkable the way the songs departs itself, goes into what appear to be an entirely disconnected segues and gracefuill returns to itself, over and over. Bold creativity. Very 60's.

this song has... parts
Gee Bill. You know what would a good follow up to this song would be?
"Buffalo Springfield Again" by Neil Young.

And what a coincidence! It's on the LRC!
Hint. Hint.
Neil Young - Buffalo Springfield Again reviewing 8/0 (100%)


I'm, like, old...so I respect the 60's and genius and all that.  Sure, sure.

But I've just spent some time watching those hi-larious "shreds" videos on YouTube where they take a music video and replace the soundtrack with a grab-bag of nonsensical riffs and disconnected melody-fragments on top of what appears to be a coherent act.  The result is side-splittingly funny.  If you haven't seen one, I recommend it.

Nonsensical riffs and disconnected melody-fragments?  Buffalo Springfeild:  Proven ahead of their time once again.  Genius, I tells ya.

Sweet ecstasy.  This level of artistic genius came around again with Sgt. Pepper.  Further evidence of Neil Young as God. 


 Dotman wrote:
I'll pretend this was reveolutionary. I'll pretend that this matters. I'll pretend. dot

 
I'll pretend I have the neurons to comprehend something other than a three minute verse-verse-refrain-verse-refrain song structure, even though my momma's drinking problem made that impossible.
Nice.
acupunk wrote:
I discovered Neil Young at the age of 13 in 1976 and eagerly sought out every project he had been part of. Buffalo Springfield was magical, so many great songs. Broken Arrow, in particular has a emotional quality brought out by Young's voice that bemoans a loss of innocence in the world... I don't know it just resonates in me.
You might want to checkout the material that predates BS. There's one in circulation called "Neil Young Meets Buffalo Springfield and the Squires (unreleased Demos 1963-1966)" that is a fun peek into even earlier Neil. (click here)
KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:
Actually... it was a name of a steam roller company.
Just south of Mannheim, eh?
Great to hear this on RP...YES!
I discovered Neil Young at the age of 13 in 1976 and eagerly sought out every project he had been part of. Buffalo Springfield was magical, so many great songs. Broken Arrow, in particular has a emotional quality brought out by Young's voice that bemoans a loss of innocence in the world... I don't know it just resonates in me.
Ubaldo wrote:
Classic. Haven't heard this in decades. BS is definatrely not BS!
Actually... it was a name of a steam roller company.
Kurt_from_La_Qui wrote:
what a unique song from a great band. they were unbelievably great together, to bad their egos had to ruin a good thing. please play more from these guys bill or from their splinter groups or solo projects. especially from stephen stills.
A big right-on to that, Kurt!
HazzeSwede wrote:
Totally agree being the big fan I am but one comes to mind and I would like him to invite Mr.Young to fill in one of the empty places in Travelling Wilburys,the other place I leave up to Bob and the band to figure out.
Excellent suggestion: I get the giggles just thinking about Bob, Neil and Tom making merriment for our benefit. Might as well ask Ringo while you're at it eh?
Rustie wrote:
What a great song. WhenI first heard it (35 years ago-yikes) I was blown away and it was at the beginning of my love for Neil Young. What a genius he is. Name one other artist who has remained so vibrant after all this time, and shows no signs of slowing down creatively or artistically. Go ahead-name one-I dare ya.
Totally agree being the big fan I am but one comes to mind and I would like him to invite Mr.Young to fill in one of the empty places in Travelling Wilburys,the other place I leave up to Bob and the band to figure out.
Primordial prog rock.
Lotus_Miata wrote:
I agree that it's disjointed, but think it's representative of the experimentation of the 60's. This reminds me of the Smile cd Brian Wilson finally recorded and realeased a couple of years ago. Both of these works are indicative of the genius of the artists and where they were at the time.
Well put.
This cut was originally on the Bufflo Springfield Again album. One of the greatest records of that era. I was able to see these guys live at a show in El Paso, Tx (of all places) in 1967. First time I ever saw a whole group offreaks" together in one place. Looked like they were having fun so I joinrd up. It's been a groove ever since.
Make it stop.
Spliff wrote:
Saw Buffalo Springfield many times back in the day - Maybe the best California band ever.
You must have been in the right place at the right time. I understand that they were only together for about one to two years.
seancollier wrote:
Just can't get into it. Too disjointed, too all over the place thematically. Apologies.
I agree that it's disjointed, but think it's representative of the experimentation of the 60's. This reminds me of the Smile cd Brian Wilson finally recorded and realeased a couple of years ago. Both of these works are indicative of the genius of the artists and where they were at the time.
squidish wrote:
Back atcha RedTex
Leggo my muppet!
redtex wrote:
hi squiddish
Back atcha RedTex
redtex wrote:
Mebbe you're too busy thinkin' bout muppets!
I just feel like five songs have been crammed into one. The vocals are good but the music and incontinuity throws me off to the song. Just my opinion though.
Classic. Haven't heard this in decades. BS is definatrely not BS!
MutualDisdain wrote:
For some reason I imagine a band of muppets playing this song. I don't know why. Maybe Jim Henson covered this, but when the beat is slow I imagine a monster-muppet banging on the drums. This song seems to not have any continuity to it.
Mebbe you're too busy thinkin' bout muppets!
Mummy, make it stop!
great song!
For some reason I imagine a band of muppets playing this song. I don't know why. Maybe Jim Henson covered this, but when the beat is slow I imagine a monster-muppet banging on the drums. This song seems to not have any continuity to it.
Just can't get into it. Too disjointed, too all over the place thematically. Apologies.
Dotman wrote:
I'll pretend this was reveolutionary. I'll pretend that this matters. I'll pretend. dot
I'll pretend that I'm cynical. I'll pretend that I'm an intellectual. I'll pretend that I'm cool. I'll pretend.......
The lyrics concerning the "wedding parade" with the "black covered caissons" have always reminded me of the funeral procession of JFK. This song is so full of evocative images, and it feels so apropos to today's events.
Recognized Neil's voice from across the room. Had to go to my computer to see who the group was. Guess I was too young to be a big Buffalo Springfield fan. That will change now. THANKS, RP!!