On the Beach es un álbum de Neil Young, publicado en 1974 por Reprise Records. El disco incluye 8 canciones, entre ellas «Walk On», «See The Sky About To Rain», «Revolution Blues» y «For The Turnstiles».
Sobre el álbum
El quinto álbum del canadiense Neil Young marcaba una línea deprimente en sus composiciones, con grabaciones rudas y poco pulidas que aumentaban aún más el sentimiento melancólico de las canciones.Las letras, cargadas de críticas amargas a la decadencia en la costa oeste estadounidense, apuntan en diferentes direcciones. Desde las estrellas apagadas del rock ("Revolution Blues"), los críticos musicales complacientes con el estatus ("Ambulance Blues") hasta los oportunistas ("Vampire Blues"). También su propio matrimonio con Carrie Snodgress sufrió un duro análisis en el tema "Motion Pictures".
La mezcla entre una música un tanto relajada y unas letras explosivas se consiguió con el consumo de una droga denominada honey slides, una variedad de la marihuana mezclada con miel que resultaba mucho más potente y que los músicos, incluido Young, consumían durante las sesiones de grabación.
Pese a que "On the Beach" no es uno de los trabajos más conocidos en la discografía de Neil Young, fue reconocido por la web Rate Your Music como uno de los mejores álbumes de la década de los setenta. Igual valoración de otorgaron en la revista Rolling Stones, donde también se afirmaba que este era el mejor disco de Neil Young.
Listado de Canciones
- Walk On2:42
Letra
I hear some people been talkin' me down, Bring up my name, pass it 'round. They don't mention happy times They do their thing, I'll do mine. Ooh baby, that's hard to change I can't tell them how to feel. Some get stoned, some get strange, But sooner or later it all gets real. Walk on, walk on, Walk on, walk on. I remember the good old days, Stayed up all night gettin' crazed. Then the money was not so good, But we still did the best we could. Ooh baby, that's hard to change I can't tell them how to feel. Some get stoned, some get strange, But sooner or later it all gets real. Walk on, walk on, Walk on, walk on. - See The Sky About To Rain5:02
Letra
See the sky about to rain, broken clouds and rain. Locomotive, pull the train, whistle blowing through my brain. Signals curling on an open plain, rolling down the track again. See the sky about to rain. Some are bound for happiness, some are bound to glory Some are bound to live with less, who can tell your story? See the sky about to rain, broken clouds and rain. Locomotive, pull the train, whistle blowin' through my brain. Signals curlin' on an open plain, rollin' down the track again. See the sky about to rain. I was down in Dixie Land, played a silver fiddle Played it loud and then the man broke it down the middle. See the sky about to rain. - Revolution Blues4:03
Letra
Well, we live in a trailer at the edge of town You never see us 'cause we don't come around. We got twenty five rifles just to keep the population down. But we need you now, and that's why I'm hangin' 'round. So you be good to me and I'll be good to you, And in this land of conditions I'm not above suspicion I won't attack you, but I won't back you. Well, it's so good to be here, asleep on your lawn. Remember your guard dog? Well, I'm afraid that he's gone. It was such a drag to hear him whining all night long. Yes, that was me with the doves, setting them free near the factory Where you built your computer, love. I hope you get the connection, 'cause I can't take the rejection I won't deceive you, I just don't believe you. Well, I'm a barrel of laughs, with my carbine on I keep 'em hoppin', till my ammunition's gone. But I'm still not happy, I feel like there's something wrong. I got the revolution blues, I see bloody fountains, And ten million dune buggies comin' down the mountains. Well, I hear that Laurel Canyon is full of famous stars, But I hate them worse than lepers and I'll kill them in their cars. - For The Turnstiles3:15
Letra
All the sailors with their seasick mamas Hear the sirens on the shore, Singin' songs for pimps with tailors Who charge ten dollars at the door. You can really learn a lot that way It will change you in the middle of the day. Though your confidence may be shattered, It doesn't matter. All the great explorers Are now in granite laid, Under white sheets for the great unveiling At the big parade. You can really learn a lot that way It will change you in the middle of the day. Though your confidence may be shattered, It doesn't matter. All the bushleague batters Are left to die on the diamond. In the stands the home crowd scatters For the turnstiles, For the turnstiles, For the turnstiles. - Vampire Blues4:14
Letra
I'm a vampire, babe, suckin' blood from the earth I'm a vampire, baby, suckin' blood from the earth. Well, I'm a vampire, babe, sell you twenty barrels worth. I'm a black bat, babe, bangin' on your window pane I'm a black bat, baby, bangin' on your window pane. Well, I'm a black bat, babe, I need my high octane. Good times are comin', I hear it everywhere I go Good times are comin', I hear it everywhere I go. Good times are comin', but they sure comin' slow. I'm a vampire, babe, suckin' blood from the earth I'm a vampire, baby, suckin' blood from the earth. Well, I'm a vampire, babe, sell you twenty barrels worth. Good times are comin'. - On The Beach6:59
The world is turnin', I hope it don't turn away, The world is turnin', I hope it don't turn away. All my pictures are fallin' from the wall where I placed them yesterday. The world is turnin', I hope it don't turn away. I need a crowd of people, but I can't face them day to day, I need a crowd of people, but I can't face them day to day. Though my problems are meaningless, that don't make them go away. I need a crowd of people, but I can't face them day to day. I went to the radio interview, but I ended up alone at the microphone, I went to the radio interview, but I ended up alone at the microphone. Now I'm livin' out here on the beach, but those seagulls are still out of reach. I went to the radio interview, but I ended up alone at the microphone. Get out of town, think I'll get out of town, Get out of town, think I'll get out of town. I head for the sticks with my bus and friends, I follow the road, though I don't know where it ends. Get out of town, get out of town, think I'll get out of town. 'Cause the world is turnin', I don't want to see it turn away. - Motion Pictures4:23
- Ambulance Blues8:56
Letra
Back in the old folky days The air was magic when we played The riverboat was rockin' In the rain Midnight was the time For the raid Oh, Isabella, proud Isabella They tore you down and Plowed you under You're only real With your make-up on How could I see you And stay too long? All along the Navajo Trail Burn-outs stub their toes On garbage pails Waitresses are cryin' In the rain Will their boyfriends Pass this way again? Old Mother Goose She's on the skids The shoe ain't happy Neither are the kids She needs someone That she can scream at And I'm such a heel For makin' her feel so bad I guess I'll call it Sickness gone It's hard to say The meaning of this song An ambulance can only Go so fast It's easy to get buried In the past When you try to make A good thing last I saw today In the entertainment section There's room at the top For private detection To Mom and Dad This just doesn't matter But it's either that Or pay off the kidnapper So all you critics sit alone You're no better than me For what you've shown With your stomach pump and Your hook and ladder dreams We could get together For some scenes Well, I'm up in T.O. Keepin' jive alive And out on the corner It's half past five But the subways are empty And so are the cafes Except for the Farmer's Market And I still can hear him sayin' You're all just pissin' In the wind You don't know it but you are And there ain't nothin' Like a friend Who can tell you You're just pissin' In the wind I never knew a man Could tell so many lies He had a different story For every set of eyes How can he remember Who he's talkin' to? Cause I know it ain't me And hope it isn't you