Song Analysis Of 'For What It's Worth'

Peace, love, and music was all you needed to have a happy life during the 60's. Many believed the 60's was the rise of the hippie, others may say it was the beginning of change within the culture. Music was a enormous cornerstone for the people to their right to speak freely about social issues. Whether it was with peace and love or anger and violence, music was the canvas for it all, the 60's was the place to be. The era of freedom and change, a music rock group,Buffalo Springfield, consisting of five members changed the world's perspective by composing a melody called "For What It's Worth". Lyricist, Stephen Stills receives his inspiration from the Sunset Strips Riots. Dealing with riots and forced participation with a curfew that residents and business owners have
forcefully put on the young teens and adults. Stills begins with the first verse, "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 its time we stop, children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down". Notice how the singer says “There is something happening here” yet nothing is revealed, the next sentences creates a hostile image by saying “[T]here’s a man with a gun over there, telling me I got to beware.” Since the man with the gun identity is concealed or what he is planning to do with the gun is not revealed it creates a cliff hanger of tension within the song, while revealing that the singers community is being threatened by some kind of immoral force. The song also uses the word “children”, it theorize that the audience is the youth of the world who needs some kind of guardianship from danger. As the first verse comes to an end it reveals that the drama that is happening is conflicting with the singers community, the singer also acknowledges the potential harm by warning the “children” of the world. As the song continues to the second verse, it reveals a vivid image of what the first verse was referring to. “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”. The conflict is yet to be revealed as the singer seems to be more worried about the people in his community. What’s bothering the singer is the continually growing anxiety, rage and despair that the conflict is creating among the people.The singer states “Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong” meaning that the conflict will never be resolved while hate and violence are clouding the mind, which leads to having opposing sides never agreeing on a compromise. The singer goes on to say to “stop childern” and to “look what's going down” revealing that the singer wants the young people to solve the conflict with peaceful march rather than a hateful charge. The third verse brings us back to the man with the gun, “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”. The word “heat” falls under many categorizes, it may refer to the temperature, a feeling of intense anger or even the slang term for a gun which brings us back to the first verse of the “man with the gun”. The Word “heat” was also used as a slang term for the police, unveiling a possible identity for the “man with the gun”. The singer still doesn't reveal the main conflict but shows the split between the two sides by saying “Hooray for our side”. The final verse becomes the singers warning to the children of the world.
“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”. In the final verse states the singers phobia that his community's purity will become corrupt by violence and fear due to the different point of views colliding with one another in a hateful charge towards social destruction. As the lyrics intensify so does the music, soft voice singer,Stills, is the narrator or main protagonist within the song. He also seems to be the only person to be aware of the side affects that the conflict is creating, making him the more clear headed character throughout the song. Neil Young's guitars intensify as the lyrics become more vivid, during the first verse Young’s plays smoothly as Stills is first recognizing the problem. Throught the second and third verse Stills speaks about his surroundings and how they have changed due to the conflict. Young helps make the image more colorful by playing a almost distorted meloney that sounds chaotic and troublesome. The final verse Stills reveals the side effects that the conflict has caused among the people in the community, Young
lets it rip by playing a rock and roll type of sound. The major guitar rips represents the rising of the people that oppose the conflict that is creating fear and anger among the community. Once Young strung his final chord he lets it fade away, representing two theories. One, that the people's voices have not been answered fully and issues still stand that might rise up once again and create another social disaster. Or two, the people's voices have still not been heard but the anger and violence approach towards the conflict shifts to a more peaceful, clear minded and a non belligerent manner. Whether it was a time filled with peace and love or anger and violence, the 60's was the place to be.