Lyr Req: After the Gold Rush (Neil Young)

Subject: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Mary K
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 07:00 AM

I want the words to this song. I heard it sung by Dolly Parton, but I believe it was first recorded by somebody like Neil Young. But I don't know. The only words I remember are: " I was laying in a burned-out basement and I felt like getting high..." It's probably about a kid in the Vietnam war, but I don't know. Can anyone help me? Thanks a million.

Subject: Lyr Add: AFTER THE GOLD RUSH (Neil Young)
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 07:25 AM

Mary you are right that it is indeed by Neil Young and is called After the Goldrush.. the lyrics are as follows:-

Well I dreamed I saw the knights in armour come, saying something about a queen
There were peasants singing 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.

I was lying in a burnout basement, with the full moon in my eyes
I was looking for a replacement, when the sun burst through the sky
There was a band playing in my head and I felt like getting high
Thinking about what a friend had said, I was hoping it was a lie.

Well I dreamed I saw the silver spaceship flying, in the yellow haze of the sun
There were children cryin' and banners flyin' all around the chosen one.
All in a dream, all in a dream, the loading had begun. Flying Mother Nature's silver seed to a new home in the sun
Flying Mother Nature's silver seed to a new home in the sun.

Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 07:29 AM

Typo corrections (must get this sticky keyboard fixed)
First line, second verse "burnt out basement"
Third verse, third line - new line after "loading had begun"
Cheers
Mick

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: To Mick: from Mary K
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 07:39 AM

Thanks Mick, I always wondered about that song. I love the melody of it. I seem to always like Neil Young's style ( I was just guessing about him being the writer because of the style of the song) Do you know what LP,uh, I mean CD it's on? (guess I'm getting old)

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Neil Lowe (inactive)
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 07:45 AM

"After The Goldrush" is the title song.

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Willie-O
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 08:47 AM

That's lying not laying...this song hearkens way back to the good old days c 1970 when Neil actually had a sense of melody.

Heard the Trio (Parton, Ronstadt & Emmylou) version yesterday and sure enough they censored the drug reference--changed "like getting high" to "like I could cry".

Fits into the context o.k. though.

Bill

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: To: Bill
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 09:59 AM

Bill, I looked up "lying" and "laying" in websters before I posted...."lying" is to tell a lie. "laying" is to be horizontal, but I do remember the song saying a word that sounds like "lying" not "laying". Anyway, I tried to be accurate. I'm not usually too picky about these things but since we're writing and not speaking, I try to be alittle more correct. So, am I wrong here, or is the song's use of the word "lying" incorrect? (I can't believe I'm actually posting this)

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Barbara
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 10:29 AM

Good morning class. Our lesson for today is distinguishing between 'lie' and 'lay', one of the odder bits of an already really confusing language.
'Lie' is what human beings do (no shit, sherlock), and 'lay' is what obkects do. No, no, I mean ' to set upon a surface'. (or is that 'sit'?)
Are you still with me? Because the next bit is where everyone wipes out. The tenses of the verb 'lie' (the human one, remember?) are present: "I lie down"; past: "Yesterday I lay down"; and past perfect"I was lying down."
The tenses of 'lay' (the object one) are present: "I lay the book on the table"; past: "Yesterday I laid the book on the table"; and past perfect"I was laying the book on the table."
See why nobody speaks this silly language?
There will be a short quiz at the end of the hour.
SO Neil Young was probably saying "lying"
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From:
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 10:41 AM

Barbara, you are SOOO smart! thank you teacher.

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Neil Lowe (inactive)
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 10:52 AM

....and yet, to confuse matters even more, against my better judgement but in a frivolous tongue-in cheek spirit, I opine that we as listeners, in the absence of the artist's reluctance to clarify an ambiguous phrase, are free to interpret or misinterpret as we see fit that selfsame artist's intent. He may have, in fact (but admittedly clumsily in terms of syntactic structure), been "lying," as in deceiving another unspecified entity: oneself; the "full moon" in his eyes; or insert entity of your choice here. To wit: "I was lying (to something)" comma "in a burned out basement...." Okay, so I'm reaching.

"...I find it hard, it's hard to find, Oh well, whatever, nevermind." (Kurt Cobain, "Smells Like Teen Spirit")

Regards,

Neil

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Dubious Lubious
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 12:15 PM

Don't mean to be crude but ...

to say that 'I was laying' could also imply action of a sexual nature ...

DL.

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 11 Mar 99 - 07:20 PM

I was just going by Neil Young's lyrics as per the music..
to whit.. "I was lying in a burnt out basement"...
So as the great Homer Simpson would say... Doh!!!
Cheers
Mick
p.s. If the person who borrowed the said sheet music from me is reading this... then shame on you for not returning it..

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 12:21 AM

I seriously doubt if Neil Young could be of any help at this time as he probably can't remember who wrote it. Seriously people, his bridge has popped, his nut is cracked, his neck is warped, and he's at least 17 or so frets shy of a fingerboard.

catspaw

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Ritchie
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 10:20 AM

Prelude had a 'hit' with a great accapella version which did n't have any instruments on it...(hee hee hee ). Well worth checking out.

Ritchie the fat boy.

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 10:40 AM

Anybody considered the possibility that he sang "laying" but meant "lying" (down)? This kind of linguistic abuse is common among a certain vulgar and ill-educated element; although it's a rather endearing habit of some Mudcatters, too.

Steve

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Jon W.
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 11:19 AM

My very clear memory, having heard this song at least several times 25 years or more ago, is that he sang "lying" as in lying down. Barbara is right about the verbs and their tenses. "After the Gold Rush" as I recall contained all the lyrics on the album liner. But they were hand-written by Neil Young so maybe they were just as unintelligible. My copy of the album disappeared somewhere between 1975 and 1977, along with "Everybody Knows this is Nowhere". I still consider Mr. Young to be the best lyricist of all rock music - but he is an individual who does precisely what he wants, not necessarily what we want him to do. As to the current state of his health, both mental and physical, I can't comment. I last saw him on Jay Leno a few years back where he performed "Unknown Legend" and "Harvest Moon" (both good songs IMHO) but was more interested in playing with Jay's electric train than being interviewed. I don't consider that to be abnormal, though. And now, the burning question that everyone wishes someone would ask: Is this about folk music? -)

Subject: RE: I was laying in a burned out basement....
From: Bert
Date: 12 Mar 99 - 04:57 PM

I think so Jon.