CAFFE` LATTE` PRESENTS
200 SONGS
WITH THE
BEST LYRICS
of all-time.
#20
OHIO
“…Tin soldiers &
Nixon coming,
we’re
finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
4 dead in Ohio...”
On May 4, 1970, students at Kent State University were shot at by the National Guard. The concept was horrific. A peaceful protest against the war in Vietnam and President Richard Nixon's announcement that US troops would next invade Cambodia ended in tragedy. In just 13 seconds, 4 students were dead and 9 others injured. Of the 4 fatalities, 2 were not involved in the protest, they were merely walking to their class at the wrong time.
David Crosby was outraged. At the time, he was a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. He urged the latter to pen a song about the shootings.
Young aims the blame squarely at Nixon in the lyrics. He summed up the outrage felt by many Americans after the horrific event.
Once Young presented his composition to the other 3 members, the band wasted little time in recording it. Crosby wept after the session.
The single was rush-released only weeks after the tragedy. In America, the protest song peaked at #14. It also made the Top 20 on the Canadian chart.
Young's song reminds us of the innocent lives lost on that day: Jeffrey Miller, Alison Krause, William Schroeder and Sandra Scheuer.
As new songs are covered on this blog, a definitive version will be
added to a spotify playlist. Find it and the other Caffé Latté playlists at:
spotify:user:alanrosscaffelatte:playlist:7FJhffENQ1Siz0aLBE9ilv
https://open.spotify.com/user/alanrosscaffelatte/playlist/7FJhffENQ1Siz0aLBE9ilv
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