Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – Ohio

About the song

“Ohio” is a powerful and urgent protest song by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, written by Neil Young in response to the Kent State shootings. It was recorded and released as a single remarkably quickly in May 1970, just weeks after the tragic events of May 4, 1970, when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on unarmed college students protesting the Vietnam War, killing four and wounding nine. The song became an immediate anthem for the anti-war movement and a stark commentary on the escalating tensions between the government and its youth. Its raw emotion and swift release made it an unprecedented and impactful piece of musical journalism.

The sound and style: “Ohio” is a raw, electric folk-rock/hard rock protest song. It’s characterized by its driving, almost frantic rhythm, Neil Young’s distinctive, often piercing electric guitar work, and the band’s signature tight vocal harmonies. The sound is urgent, angry, and melancholic, conveying a profound sense of outrage and sorrow. It captures the raw emotion and disillusionment of the counter-culture movement in the face of state violence.

Musical features:

• Neil Young’s Distorted Guitar: Young’s electric guitar playing is central to the song’s sound, providing a raw, cutting, and often dissonant counterpoint to the vocals. His solo is concise but incredibly emotive, full of feedback and intensity.
• Urgent Vocal Harmonies: Despite the raw instrumentation, the powerful vocal harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young are instantly recognizable. They sing with a unified, almost mournful urgency, giving the protest message a profound emotional weight.
• Driving Rhythm Section: Dallas Taylor’s drums and Greg Reeves’ bass provide a relentless, propulsive rhythm that underscores the song’s tension and anger. The beat is straightforward but insistent.
• Direct and Unfiltered Energy: The production is relatively raw and immediate, reflecting the urgency of its creation. It sounds like a band reacting spontaneously to a shocking event.
• Somber yet Powerful Mood: While the lyrics convey sorrow and anger, the overall musical delivery is powerful and defiant.
• Contrast of Voices: The distinctive blend of the four voices creates a rich tapestry, even as they deliver a unified, direct message.

It’s urgent, mournful, and defiantly powerful, a visceral response to a national tragedy.

Lyrical themes and atmosphere:

“Tin soldiers and Nixon coming / We’re finally on our own / This summer I hear the drumming / Four dead in Ohio”

The lyrics are a direct and visceral commentary on the Kent State shootings. Neil Young vividly paints a picture of the confrontation, using stark imagery like “tin soldiers” to refer to the National Guard and directly naming the location (“Four dead in Ohio”). The lines “Gotta get down to it / Soldiers are cutting us down” express a desperate plea and the horrifying reality of the event. The atmosphere is one of shock, anger, grief, and profound disillusionment with authority. It also conveys a sense of betrayal and the realization that the relationship between the government and its youth had reached a dangerous breaking point.

Themes:

• Anti-War and Anti-Government Protest: A direct condemnation of the Vietnam War and the government’s actions against its own citizens.
• Loss of Innocence/Betrayal: The shattering of trust between the youth and authority figures.
• Tragedy and Grief: A raw expression of sorrow for the students who were killed.
• Call to Action/Awareness: Urging listeners to recognize and respond to injustice.
• Escalating Conflict: Reflecting the heightened tensions and violence of the era.

“Ohio” is a stark and unyielding political statement, a musical memorial that resonated immediately with a generation.

Legacy and impact:

• Immediate Protest Anthem: Became one of the most powerful and widely recognized protest songs of the Vietnam War era, adopted by the anti-war movement.
• Unprecedented Release Speed: Its rapid recording and release made it a powerful example of music as immediate social commentary.
• Cultural Significance: Remains a poignant reminder of the Kent State tragedy and the deep divisions within American society in the early 1970s.
• CSNY’s Reaffirmation: Reaffirmed CSNY’s role as a voice for their generation and demonstrated their willingness to take a strong political stance.
• Neil Young’s Songwriting Prowess: Highlighted Young’s ability to craft immediate, impactful songs in response to current events.
• Enduring Relevance: Continues to be studied and referenced in discussions about protest music, civil liberties, and government overreach.

“Ohio” is more than just a song; it’s a raw scream of pain and defiance, a living historical document that cemented its place as a crucial piece of musical and cultural commentary.

Final thoughts: “Ohio” is a chilling and incredibly potent song. The sheer speed of its creation and release after the Kent State shootings speaks volumes about the raw emotion and urgency that drove its existence. Neil Young’s jagged guitar, coupled with the heartbreakingly beautiful and mournful harmonies of Crosby, Stills, and Nash, creates an unforgettable sonic landscape of outrage and grief. It’s a song that pulls no punches, a direct and devastating commentary on a national tragedy, and it remains as powerful and relevant today as a testament to the cost of unchecked power and the enduring human spirit’s cry for justice.

Video

Lyrics

 

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming
We’re finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio

Gotta get down to it, soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been gone long ago
What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la, la-la-la

Gotta get down to it, soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been gone long ago
What if you knew her and found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming
We’re finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio

Four dead in Ohio (four)
Four dead in Ohio (I said four, I said four)
Four dead in Ohio (how many more?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (I wanna know why)
Four dead in Ohio (you better tell me why)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why did they die?)

Four dead in Ohio (you tell me why)
Four dead in Ohio (I said why)
Four dead in Ohio (I wanna know why)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (I said why)
Four dead in Ohio (why, Lord?)
Four dead in Ohio (why did they die?)
Four dead in Ohio (I said why)

Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (yeah, why?)
Four dead in Ohio (please tell me why)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (I wanna know)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why did they died)
Four dead in Ohio (you tell me why)

Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio