Broken Arrow (Song)
| Broken Arrow | |
|---|---|
| Buffalo Springfield | |
| publication | November 18, 1967 |
| length | 6:13 |
| Genre (s) | Folk rock |
| Author (s) | Neil Young |
| Label | Atco Records |
| album | Buffalo Springfield Again |
Broken Arrow is a Neil Young song that Buffalo Springfield released on their 1967 album Buffalo Springfield Again .
background
The song consists of three parts in three different time signatures, is interspersed with sound snippets and uses the organ, a combo with piano, bass, drums and clarinet. The song begins with the applause from the audience and the opening of Mr. Soul , who opens the album. The second verse begins boos from an audience while a steam organ plays the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game before sound effects kick in. The third verse starts with the sound of a military drum , which first plays soft drum rolls and gets louder and louder. After a sound effect, a jazz combo plays until it fades out, followed by a heartbeat that fades out as well.
Each of the three verses uses surreal imagery to describe with emotion (emptiness of fame, fear of teenagers, hopelessness) and includes self-references to Buffalo Springfield and Young.
An acoustic solo version of the song appeared on the 1968 Neil Young live album Sugar Mountain: Live at Canterbury House, which was released in 2008 on Reprise Records.
Of the band members, only Young was present at the recording. Richie Furay's backing vocals were added later.
Historical reference
The Muskogee Indians held a ceremony after the Civil War to break an arrow to symbolize the end of the war.
Individual evidence
- ^ History of Broken Arrow, OK. August 20, 2008, accessed April 5, 2020 .