In the sixties, many popular musicians expressed their socio-political views in their work. Then dozens of works were written that are commonly called protest songs: The Times They Are A’Changing by Bob Dylan, A Change Is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke, Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival and others.
Canadian-American rock band Buffalo Springfield also joined the movement with the release of the track For What It’s Worth. The line in the title does not sound in the words of the composition, so many people know it from the phrase from the chorus: “Stop, children, what’s that sound?”.
The story of creation and the meaning of For What It’s Worth
The lyrics and music were composed by guitarist Stephen Stills. He wanted to compose an anti-war song, but events happened that forced him to change the subject.
Let’s listen to the author’s memoirs:
Something was spinning in my head. I was going to write about the guys who were on the front line in Southeast Asia, but I wanted it to have nothing to do with the methods of this mission, which was crumbling before our eyes.
Then we went back with a guy – I don’t remember his name – to Sunset from my house in Topanga, and there’s a bar funeral going on. [речь о клубе Pandora’s Box]where high school students and guys from the University of California loved to dance and listen to music.
[Goverment] decided to call the police special forces, because there were three thousand guys gathered on the street, although there was no looting or anything like that. Everyone was just hanging out in honor of the closing of the bar. A whole black-and-white company of the Los Angeles Police Department in Macedonian combat formation, with shields, helmets and so on, blocked the street, and I thought, “Wow! Why all this?” There was not the slightest reason.
I went back to Topanga and that other song turned into For What It’s Worth. To write it, it took no more time than it took to fit all the chord changes and write down the words. She showed up ready, fifteen minutes later.
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Merchants trading on some section of Sunset Boulevard decided that the young elements that appear on the street every day are not good for commercial enterprises. A group of guys gathered on the corner and said, “We won’t budge.” There were about three full buses of LA cops that looked like stormtroopers… I looked at it and said, “God, America is in great danger.”
1971
In fact, it intertwined four different things, including the war and the absurdity of what was happening on the Strip. But I knew that I had to get out of there, and returned to Topanga, where I wrote a song in fifteen minutes.
Los Angeles Times
The song’s title comes from a line that Stills introduced the song to the band’s managers. The musician said something like: “I have this song here, for what it’s worth” (“I have such a song, for that matter”).
Song recording
Rock band Buffalo Springfield recorded For What It’s Worth on December 5, 1966 at Hollywood’s Columbia Studios. According to Tom Dowd, the track was mixed at Atlantic Studios in New York.
Release and achievements
The track was released as a single on Atco Records in January 1967. It peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song was not included in the band’s first album, Buffalo Springfield. Later, when it became a hit, it was included in all reissues of the record.
For What It’s Worth is in several rankings, including:
- Best Compositions of 1967 – Acclaimed Music
- “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time” – Rolling Stone
- “The Greatest Protest Songs of All Time” – Rolling Stone
Cover versions
For What It’s Worth became one of the most famous protest songs of the sixties. She is often compared to the legendary We Shall Overcome. Dozens of covers are known, including versions by cult musicians.
One of the first For What It’s Worth recorded The Staple Singers. Also, the composition was performed by Kid Rock (Kid Rock), Robert Plant (Robert Plant) with Band of Joy, Cher (Cher) and many others.
Listen to rock stars sing For What It’s Worth at Buffalo Springfield’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Interesting Facts
- Young Jack Nicholson and Peter Fonda took part in the Pandora’s Box Closing Demonstration.
- According to BMI, the song has been played on radio and television over eight million times since its release.
- Many believe that the song is dedicated to the shooting at the University of Kent, but that tragedy happened in 1970, three years after the track’s release.
- The song was featured on the soundtracks of the films Lord of War and Forrest Gump.
For What It’s Worth Lyrics
There’s something happening here
What it is ain’t exactly clear
There’s a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware
I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound
Everybody look – what’s going down?
There’s battle lines being drawn
Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind
It’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
What a field-day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, hooray for our side
It’s time we stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away
We better stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, hey, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, now, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
Stop, children, what’s that sound
Everybody look what’s going down
For What It’s Worth Lyrics Alternative
There’s something going on here
Which is not entirely clear.
There stands a man with a gun
And says I have to be careful.
I think it’s time for us to stop, kids, what’s that sound?
Look what’s happening?
There are front lines.
No one is right if everyone is wrong.
Young people speak their minds
Facing stiff resistance from the back.
Time for us to stop, hey, what’s that sound?
Look what’s happening?
What a day for the maneuvers of the pharaohs:
There are a thousand people on the street
Singing songs and carrying banners
On which, basically, it says: “Victory is ours”
Time for us to stop, hey, what’s that sound?
Look what’s happening?
Paranoia runs deep
She will crawl into your life
It starts when you are afraid of everything.
You’re out of step – a man comes and takes you away
We better stop, hey, what’s that sound?
Look what’s happening?
Wait, hey, what’s that sound?
Look what’s happening?
Wait, what’s that sound?
Look what’s happening?
Wait, kids, what’s that sound?
Look what’s happening?
Quote about the song For What It’s Worth
We didn’t want to record another song like For What It’s Worth. We didn’t want to be a protest group. It’s a pathetic excuse, and I can’t stand it. It’s just stupid to sit and say, “I don’t like this, I don’t like that.”
Stephen Stills
