Versions
| Title | Performer | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| A Horse with No Name | America | November 12, 1971 |
| Horse with No Name | Top of the Pops | February 1972 |
| A Horse with No Name | Ray Conniff and The Singers | 1972 |
| A Horse with No Name | Terry Baxter His Orchestra and Chorus | 1972 |
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Who originally sang a horse with no name?
In January 1972, the folk-rock band America released “A Horse With No Name,” a loping ballad that many people mistakenly attributed to Neil Young. The mellow introspective song, by lead singer and guitarist Dewey Bunnell, reached No. 1 on Billboard’s pop chart, and sent the band’s eponymous album to No.
Is the song Horse With No Name about drugs?
Despite the song being banned by some U.S. radio stations, in Kansas City and elsewhere, because of supposed drug references to heroin use (“horse” is a common slang term for heroin), the song ascended to number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and the album quickly reached platinum status.
When was A Horse with No Name released?
America’s A Horse With No Name was banned on some U.S. radio stations because “horse” was common street slang for heroin at the time. If you were, like me, a child of the 1960s who hit adolescence in the early ’70s, America was a band that made immediate and perfect sense.
What was the band America’s biggest hit?
The band’s best-known songs during his tenure include its two biggest hits, “ A Horse with No Name” and “Ventura Highway,” both written by Mr. Bunnell; “Sister Golden Hair,” by Mr.
What is a D6 chord?
Explanation: The D major sixth is a four-note chord. The chord is abbreviated D6. Theory: The D6 chord is constructed with a root, a major third, a perfect fifth and a major sixth. Fingerings: Little finger, middle finger, index finger, thumb (left hand); thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger (right hand).
Who played bass on horse with no name?
Dewey Bunnell played 6-string acoustic guitar on this track; his bandmate Gerry Beckley played 12-string acoustic, and the third member of the group, Dan Peek, played bass.
A Horse with No Name – Wikipedia
| “A Horse with No Name” | |
|---|---|
| SinglebyAmerica | |
| from the albumAmerica | |
| B-side |
| Recorded | 1971 |
|---|---|
| Studio | Morgan Studios, London |
| Genre |
| Length | 4: 08 |
|---|---|
| Label | Warner Bros. |
| Songwriter(s) | Dewey Bunnell |
| Producer(s) | Ian Samwell |
| Americasingles chronology | |
| ” A Horse with No Name “(1971) | ” I Need You “(1972) |
” A Horse with No Name ” is a song written by Dewey Bunnell and performed by the folk rock band America. In late 1971 in Europe and early 1972 in the United States, it became the band’s first and most successful song. It peaked at No. 1 in Canada, Finland, and the United States, and reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom. The Recording Industry Association of America awarded it the coveted gold certification.
Development
America’s self-titled first album was initially released in Europe without the song “A Horse with No Name,” and it was only a moderate commercial success. “Horse,” which was originally titled “Desert Song,” was composed while the band was staying at the home studio of musician Arthur Brown, in Puddletown, Dorset, England, when the song was created. There, Jeff Dexter and Dennis Elliott recorded the first two recordings, which were meant to convey the feeling of a scorching desert that had been represented in the studio from a Salvador Dali image, and the weird horse that had rode out of an M.
Escher artwork, respectively.
Bunnellhas claimed that “A Horse with No Name” was “a metaphor for a vehicle to go away from life’s chaos into a calm, tranquil place,” and that it was “a metaphor for a vehicle to get away from life’s complexity into a quiet, serene place.” In an effort to select a song that would be successful in both the United States and Europe, Warner Brothers was hesitant to release Gerry Beckley’s ballad ” I Need You ” as the first single from America since it was not popular in any country.
The label inquired as to whether the band had any other material, and then arranged for America to record four additional songs at Morgan Studios in Willesden, London.
On the release, “A Horse with No Name” appeared on the A-side of the single alongside “Everyone I Meet Is from California,” with “Sandman” appearing on the B-side of the single.
Composition
“A Horse with No Name” was recorded in the key of E minor with acoustic guitars, bass guitar, drum set, and bongo drums as the primary instruments. The only other chord is a D chord, which is played on the low E and G strings at the second fret of the instrument. On the back beat of the Em, an additional F (second fret, high E string) is played on an A12-string guitar. The pounding bass line, which includes a hammer-hook in each chorus, is a standout component of the song. The arrangement is completed with a solo in the style of a “waterfall.” It was written and produced by Ian Samwellon the day of the last recording session at Morgan Studios, when the group initially thought it was too corny and had to be persuaded to actually perform it.
In this song, the chord pattern that repeats throughout the entire song is 202002 (Em), followed by 020202 and 000202. The tuning is exclusive to this song; it has not been used on any other America song before it.
Reception
Despite the song being banned by some U.S. radio stations, inKansas Cityand elsewhere, because of supposed drug references toheroinuse (“horse” is a common slang term for heroin),the song ascended to number one on the U.S.BillboardHot 100, and the album quickly reachedplatinumstatus. The song charted earlier in Ireland (reaching number 4), the Netherlands (reaching number 11) and the UK (reaching number 3, the band’s only Top 40 hit in the country) than it did in the United States. The song’s resemblance to some ofNeil Young ‘s work aroused some controversy.
“I never fully shied away from the fact that I was inspired by him.
It did hurt a little, because we got some pretty bad backlash.
pop chart.
The song has received criticism for its lyrics, including “The heat was hot”; “There were plants, and birds, and rocks, and things”; and “‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain.” According to singer-songwriter Randy Newman, “A Horse With No Name” sounds like it is “about a kid who thinks she’s taken acid,” and thus should be avoided.
According to Jillette, their explanation for the lyrics was that they were intoxicated withcannabiswhile writing it.
Personnel
(According to the back cover of the 1972 vinyl release of America.) America
- Lead vocals and acoustic guitar by Dewey Bunnell, 12-string acoustic guitars by Gerry Beckley, backing vocals by Dan Peek, bass by Dan Peek, and backing vocals by Gerry Beckley
Session musicians are musicians who perform on a regular basis.
In popular culture
Joey goes to a desert in Nevada to star in a movie in the season 5 episode “The One with Joey’s Big Break,” and part of the song plays at the opening and finish of the scene where Joey drives to a desert in Nevada to star in a film. The song would subsequently be included on the Friends: The Ultimate Soundtrack compilation album, which was released in 2005. “The Old Sugarman Place,” a season 4 episode of BoJack Horseman, features the title character driving through the desert to Patrick Carney and Michelle Branch’s rendition of the song.
The song can be found on both the fictitious in-game radio station “K-DST” and the official CD soundtrack boxset for the open-world video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which was released in 2004 by Rockstar Games.
It also appears in the fourth season episode “Lochdown” of The Grand Tour.
Musical references
On July 16, 2009, TMZ posted a 25-second clip of Michael Jackson’s song ” A Place with No Name,” which was released posthumously by the entertainment news website. The fragment has a strong resemblance to “A Horse with No Name.” According to Jim Morey, the former manager of both Michael Jackson and America, “America was honored that Michael decided to record their song, and they hope that it becomes available for all of Michael’s fans to hear.” Jackson’s 2014 album, Xscape, featured a remastered version of the song, which was published in its entirety with the original Michael Jackson recording.
America’s “Geometry and Theology” was sampled by Milo in his song “Geometry and Theology” from his albumCavalcade, which features a sampling of a different song by America in each tune.
Charts
- Thomas Micchelli is the author of this work (March 9, 2019). “Painting Paradoxes of Family, Race, and Prison” is the title of the exhibition. Hyperallergic. It was retrieved on the 16th of June, 2019. The words beckon toward freedom (both obvious allusions to the 1972 folk-rock song “A Horse with No Name” by a band named, tellingly, America) and the letter ab Ursula Dawn Melissa Goldsmith is a writer and poet (2019). Classic Rock should be played! Investigating a musical genre is a good thing. ABC-CLIO, p. 88, ISBN 978-1440865787
- “200 Greatest Soft Rock Songs,” ABC-CLIO, p. 88, ISBN 978-1440865787. Entertainment.expertscolumn.com. “VH1’s 40 Most Softsational Soft-Rock Songs,” which was published on January 13, 2020, was retrieved. May 31, 2007 – Stereogum.SpinMedia (Spin Media). Retrieved on July 31, 2016
- “A Horse with No Name” chart history in the United States, Billboard.com. I was able to get this information on September 6, 2011
- “RIAA GoldPlatinum Database,” according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Association of the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). On September 24, 2015, the original version of this article was archived. It was retrieved on September 25, 2008
- Decadence and depravity.with a sprinkling of cheese – Dorset Life – The Dorset Magazine, writes Nick Churchill. Dorsetlife.co.uk. “Highway Highlight (from the box set brochure)”, which was retrieved on January 13, 2020. The original version of this article was published on June 2, 2008. Rosen, Craig (June 20, 2008)
- RetrievedJune 20, 2008
- (September 30, 1996). Book of Number One Albums by Billboard Magazine: the inner story behind pop music’s most successful albums ever published. Books on the Billboard Charts
- David Hodge is the author of this work (January 13, 2012). A Horse With No Name by America – Personalizing It with a Name of Your Own. Guitarnoise.com, retrieved on January 13, 2020
- “Horse With No Name Guitar Lesson | Strumming PatternChords,” Guitarnoise.com, retrieved on January 13, 2020
- Guitarcoachmag.com. The 16th of September, 2013. “Liner notes,Highway Highlight,” which was retrieved on January 13, 2020. On June 15, 2006, the original version of this article was archived. Retrieved on June 11, 2006
- “History of the America singles charts”. Charts published by the official sources. The Official Charts Company is a company that publishes official charts. “CashBox Record Reviews,” which was published on February 18, 2015, was retrieved (PDF). Cash Box, February 5, 1971, p. 22 (in English). Retrieved2021-12-11
- s^ “America – A Biography | Billboard Magazine.” Billboard.com. Retrieved on January 13, 2020
- Billboard.com. a book and a chart (6 April 2018). This book is titled “The Go Set Chart Book, Australia’s First National Charts,” and it is published by the University of Queensland Press. ISBN 978-1-387-71246-5
- “Rolling Stone Review,” by John Mendelsohn, published in Rolling Stone in 1972. The original version of this article was published on October 2, 2007. Obtainable on March 12, 2006
- Jillette, Pennsylvania (2012). Gilbert Gottfried is a composer and actor from New York City. Once more into the breach! (Episode 14, 2012/05/21). It was Penn’s Sunday School that day. Ace Broadcasting Network’s “Q & A With America Singer Gerry Beckley” is shown on the network. On December 19, 2012, Patch.com published the article “Hear Patrick Carney and Michelle Branch’s New Song for ‘BoJack Horseman’.” Rolling Stone, 28 August 2017
- “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas- Original Game Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic”
- “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas- Original Game Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic”. Allmusic.com. Retrieved on November 17, 2021
- “Place with No Name sounds like Horse with No Name,” according to the author. The 17th of July, 2009, according to news.com.au Breihan, Tom (March 5, 2010)
- Retrieved March 5, 2010
- (February 22, 2019). “The Number Ones: America’s “A Horse With No Name”” is the title of this article. Stereogum. The document “America – A Horse With No Name” was retrieved on March 25, 2020. (in Dutch). A list of the top 50 ultramarathoners in the world
- “RPM100 Singles” is an abbreviation for “RPM100 Singles” (PDF). The 6th of May, 1972, was an RPM day. “Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada,” which was retrieved on April 12, 2020. CollectionsCanada.gc.ca, accessed 2012-02-20
- “America – A Horse With No Name,” CollectionsCanada.gc.ca, accessed 2012-02-20
- (in French). Les classements singles
- “none.” Billboard, October 7, 1972, p. 53
- “The Irish Charts – Everything You Need to Know.” “America – A Horse With No Name,” according to Irishcharts.ie (in Dutch). Top 100 most popular singles
- “America – A Horse With No Name,” Flavour of New Zealand, 27 March 1972
- “America – A Horse With No Name” Canciones Top 50
- “America: Artist Chart History”.Official Charts Company
- “America Chart History (Hot 100)”.Billboard
- “America Chart History (Easy Listening)”.Billboard
- AbWhitburn, Joel. “America: Artist Chart History”.Official Charts Company
- AbWhitburn, Joel (2015). The Comparison Book is a book that compares two or more things. From 1954 through 1982, Billboard/Cash Box/Record World was published weekly. p. 15, ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7
- Sheridan Books
- P. 15, ISBN 978-0-89820-213-7
- Musicoutfitters.com
- “Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart”.Billboard. Retrieved10 December2018
- “Italian singlecertifications – America – A Horse with No Name”
- “Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart”.Billboard (in Italian). The Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana is a trade association representing the Italian musical industry. The date is January 21, 2020. In the “Anno” drop-down box, select the year “2019.” In the “Filtra” section, choose “A Horse with No Name” as the filter. Select “Singoli” from the “Sezione” drop-down menu
- “British singlecertifications – America – A Horse with No Name” is the title of this article. The British Phonographic Industry was founded in 1895. American singlecertifications – America – A Horse with No Name” was found on January 21, 2020, and was retrieved on January 21, 2020. Association of the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). The date is January 21, 2020.
External links
Dewey Bunnell’s novel A Horse with No Name is set in England.
| Title | Performer | Release date | Info | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Horse with No Name | America | November 12, 1971 | First release | ||
| Horse with No Name | Top of the Pops | February 1972 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Ray Conniff and The Singers | 1972 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Terry Baxter His Orchestra and Chorus | 1972 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Kings Road | 1972 | |||
| Horse with No Name | Springbok | 1972 | |||
| The Horse with No Name | Ken Henderson | 1972 | Live | ||
| A Horse with No Name | The Sound Effects | 1972 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | The King’s Singers | 1975 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Eon | 1978 | |||
| Stars on 45 / Papa Was a Rolling Stone … | Stars on 45 | 1981 | Medley | ||
| A Horse with No Name | First Light | May 21, 1982 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | The Jack Rubies | October 1987 | |||
| Horse with No Name | D.A.D. | 1987 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Gruppo Sportivo | 1990 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | David Essex | March 1993 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | John Gotting | 1994 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | The Loud Family | January 1995 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Colors in Motion | 1995 | |||
| Horse with No Name | Streetnoise | 1996 | |||
| Horse with No Name | University of Rochester Yellowjackets | 1997 | |||
| Horse with no Name | Horace Andy | November 20, 2002 | |||
| Horse with no Name | Emmerson Nogueira | 2002 | Acoustic | ||
| A Horse with No Name | Luzer | 2003 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Nashville | March 15, 2005 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Eduardo Braga | 2005 | |||
| Horse with No Name | Arcoiris | May 2006 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Larrikin Love | September 2006 | |||
| Horse with No Name | Antena | 2006 | |||
| Horse with No Name | Rick Devin | April 30, 2007 | |||
| Horse with No Name | Seelenluft feat. Florian Horwath | June 25, 2007 | |||
| Horse with No Name | A.Human | November 26, 2007 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Franky B. | September 5, 2008 | |||
| Jukebox | Laurent Voulzy | 2008 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Djelem Project | 2008 | Unverified | ||
| A Horse with No Name | Bobby Bare Jr. | August 2009 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Peter Jöback | 2009 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Roch Voisine | June 21, 2010 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Sylvain Cossette | October 25, 2010 | |||
| Road to Lisdoonvarna / Horse with No Na… | Pat Surface with The Boundary Water Boys | January 2011 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Midday Sun | July 2011 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | The Soul Session | December 2011 | Unverified | ||
| Horse with No Name | Dennis and Christy Soares | 2011 | |||
| Horse with No Name | Small Is Beautiful | 2011 | Unverified | ||
| Horse with No Name | Butch Williams | September 11, 2012 | Unverified | ||
| Horse with No Name | The Piddletown Brothers | April 2013 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Pub Dog | 2013 | Unverified | ||
| A Horse with No Name | Night Bird | February 2014 | |||
| Horse with No Name | Fletan Power | 2014 | Unverified | ||
| Horse with No Name | Loretta Heywood | 2014 | Unverified | ||
| A Horse with No Name | Fragile | 2015 | Unverified | ||
| Horse with No Name | 6-Zylinder | June 2016 | A cappella | ||
| A Horse with No Name | Patrick Carney | 2017 | Unverified | ||
| A Horse with No Name | The LSB Experience | March 15, 2018 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Paul Hardcastle | September 2018 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Renaud Hantson’s Furious Zoo | October 19, 2018 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | The Tommy Marz Band | 2018 | Unverified | ||
| Horse with No Name | The Moon Loungers | February 2019 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Chris Commisso | May 2019 | |||
| A Horse with No Name | Drew Monson | 2019 | Unverified |
The Story Behind The Song: A Horse With No Name by America
What would a rational bookmaker put on three American teenagers meeting together in the United Kingdom, scoring a hit with a track that wasn’t even included on their first album’s initial pressing, and going on to become one of the most successful groups of the 1970s? It’s likely that the odds are really long. Dewey Bunnell, pianist/singer Gerry Beckley, and guitarist/singer Dan Peek – all sons of US military – happened to meet when they all happened to be in the same place at the same time in the late 1960s.
- It’s likely that the odds are really long.
- According to Bunnell, the composer of the song that would transform their life, “Our dads were stationed at an Air Force installation in West Ruislip, just outside of London” when the song was written.
- We were lucky to be in England at such a key period in the history of music, but our debut record was also influenced by the greatest of the American bands – that whole amazing, multi-layered vocal harmony thing,” he explains.
- Enlisting the services of hot session males They recorded their debut album in London’s Trident Studios, with Joe Osbourne on bass and drums and Hal Blaine on drums and percussion.
- In order to tap into the slumbering West Coast zeitgeist of bands like The Eagles, Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young, and Linda Ronstadt, most of the material that featured on America was composed on rented acoustic guitars.
Yet their management felt even greater things were possible for them and sent them to Morgan Studios for the purpose of adding a few additional tracks.
- The Story Behind the Song: I Want You To Want Me by Cheap Trick
- I Want You To Want Me by Cheap Trick
- The Background to the Songs: Feel Like Makin’ Love by Bad Company
- Feel Like Makin’ Love by Bad Company
- The Story Behind the Song: Roll Away The Stone by Mott The Hoople is about a stone that has been rolled away. The Story Behind the Song: Supertramp’s The Logical Song is based on a true story.
Among them was a Bunnell song calledDesert Song, which they had dismissed as having little commercial potential. A Horse With No Name was later re-titled and went on to top the American singles chart for three weeks in early 1972, as well as reaching No. 3 in the United Kingdom. When it came time to choose a single, “Everyone had a song called I Need You in mind,” Bunnell laughed. In the beginning, it was thought that A Horse With No Namewas nice but possibly a touch too eccentric. At first, it sounded a little like a throwback tune from the past.
- “I never shied away from the fact that I was influenced by Neil, who was and continues to be a fantastic hero,” Bunnell says.
- After returning to the United States, America scored numerous more chart-topping successes, and in 1975 they accomplished the remarkable achievement of outselling every other Warner Bros artist in their native country.
- “In Britain, we’ve allowed things to slip,” Bunnell laments.
- Although they attempted to remove A Horse With No Name from their live performance at one point, after promoters intervened, the song was reinstalled and remains in the set today.
- The band received assistance from famous fans Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha and Fountains Of Wayne bassist Adam Schlesinger, who stepped in to co-produce their albumHereNowin 2007, which included a number of special guests, including Ryan Adams, in 2007.
- It used to make him feel uncomfortable to be referred to as “middle of the road,” he says, “but I’d like to believe that we’ve carved ourselves our own niche in musical history.” Classic Rock magazine was founded by Dave Ling, who was also a co-founder.
- Among the influences on Dave’s early life were the acquisition of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’ in 1974, as well as early concert experiences with bands like as Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen.
As a longtime season ticket fan of Crystal Palace Football Club, he is unable to use the term ‘Br***ton’ without becoming utterly speechless.
America’s Most Successful Single, “A Horse With No Name”
American legend “A Horse with No Name” is shown in this painting (Photo by guitarnoise.com)
Originally called “Desert Song”
” A Horse with No Name,” written by lead vocalist Dewey Bunnell, was the first song ever recorded by folk rock band America. Early in 1971, it was released in Europe, and it was released a year later in the United States, both in 1972. The record was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) after topping the charts not only in the United States but also in numerous other nations. America (Image courtesy of guitarnoise.com) However, “A Horse with No Name” is the band’s most notable hit, as it was both their debut and most successful single.
Furthermore, he composed this when he was 19 years old.
While some have read it as a reference to drugs, Bunnell insists that this has nothing to do with drugs at all.
More About the Song: Its Meaning and the Truth
Following the release of this song, several speculations began to circulate. In slang, the phrase “horse” refers to heroin, which is a prohibited substance under federal law. As a result, many people believe the song is about drugs when it is not. The band America, on the other hand, categorically refuted all of these charges. A horse, according to Dewey Bunnell, is a symbol of the ability to enter and remain in a peaceful and quiet environment. The desert was the finest representation of this quiet region, which sounded very nice to him when he was stranded in the wet English countryside.
- It conveys the impression that, despite the fact that the environment and terrain are harsh, one may nevertheless find comfort in that situation.
- Bunnell is baffled as to why the horse had no name and why it was allowed to go free after nine days; he has no explanation.
- Watch America’s performance of “A Horse with No Name” in the video below.
- Please let us know what you think.
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A Horse With No Name by America – Songfacts
- The United States of America was founded in England by the sons of United States military personnel stationed there. Dewey Bunnell, the lead vocalist, composed “A Horse With No Name” when he was 19 years old. Despite the fact that the song is sometimes misconstrued as being about drug use, this is not the case: It was originally titled “Desert Song” because Bunnell wrote it based on desert scenery he encountered while his father was stationed at an Air Force base in Santa Barbara County, California
- The song tells a rather abstruse tale about a trip through the desert that was inspired by things he saw while visiting the United States
- Despite the fact that the scenery is cruel, the singer finds solace in the circumstances. According to Dewey Bunnell, the “horse” indicates a method of approaching a place of serenity, and the desert was the most serene location he could think of when stranded in wet England. Regarding the horses’ lack of a name and why it was allowed to roam free after nine days, Bunnell has no answers – it appears that the various listener interpretations are far more colorful than any meaning he assigned to it
- The group’s self-titled debut album was released in the United Kingdom in late 1971, but it did not include this song. When they were thinking about a single, they contemplated ” I Need You,” but ultimately chose to write a new song instead of using an existing one. The group returned to the studio to record “A Horse With No Name,” which was penned by Bunnell and produced by Bunnell. Released as a single in the United Kingdom, it reached number three in January 1972, forcing the group’s label, Warner Bros., to release the single in the United States as well as the album, which contained the song. On March 25, both the single and the album reached No. 1 in the United States
- The song remained at No. 1 for three weeks, and the album remained at No. 1 for five. The band was based in London at the time of recording, therefore the album was recorded there. During the month of February, the trio proceeded on a tour of the United States, performing club gigs before serving as the opening act for the Everly Brothers on their North American tour the following month. “I Need You” was released as the follow-up single and peaked at #9 in the United States. The trio would go on to become one of the most popular groups of the 1970s, scoring another number one hit in the United States with ” Sister Golden Hair.” When many people first heard the song, they assumed it was a Neil Young song, and many rock reviewers noted the similarities. In an unexpected turn of events, “A Horse With No Name” dethroned Young’s ” Heart of Gold ” as the number one film in the United States. While Dewey Bunnell acknowledged that he sounded similar to Neil Young on this song, he asserted that he was not attempting to impersonate the artist. In 1973, he stated to Rolling Stone: “I make an effort to speak in a distinct tone so that I don’t come off as a rip-off. It’s a pain, though, to have to pretend not to sound like someone when you can’t help but sound like them in the first instance.”
- America remained busy throughout the ’10s, performing around 100 gigs each year on average. When Songfacts talked with Gerry Beckley in 2016, he shared the following insight: “‘What’s your favorite song?’ is a question I’m frequently asked. And because the music itself marks the beginning of the adventure, I normally choose ‘Horse’ as my default tune. You’re familiar with the phrase: ‘On the first leg of the voyage.’ Throughout fact, it is stated explicitly in the song. It’s been an incredible ride, but that’s exactly what it’s been.”
- “Horse” “is slang for heroin, leading to a slew of accusations (which the band categorically refuted) that the song was about drugs
- Dan Peek performed bass on this tune, and Dewey Bunnell played 6-string acoustic guitar, while his bandmate Gerry Beckley played 12-string acoustic guitar, and the third member of the trio, Dan Peek, played drums. Kim Haworth on drums and Ray Cooper on percussion completed the band’s instrumentation with the help of session musicians. This is featured in an episode of Friends from the fifth season titled “The One With Joey’s Big Break.” Joey and Chandler embark on a road trip to Las Vegas in this episode (hence, “through the desert”). Other television shows that have made use of the song include: Parks and Recreation is an umbrella term that refers to a variety of activities that take place in parks and on recreation grounds. Television shows like The Simpsons and Six Feet Under are available, as are films like Air America (1990) Embarrassing Kinky (1998) Itinerary for the Journey (2002) American Hustle is a movie about a man who works as a hustler in the United States (2013) Brett from Edmonton, Canada, is to be credited with the suggestion. Breaking Bad’s 2010 episode “Caballo sin Nombre,” which translates as “Horse Without a Name,” is named “Horse Without a Name.” The main character, Walter White, sings along to the song on his vehicle radio at the beginning of this episode, and then he sings it again at the end of the episode. Because of a phrase in this song, the San Francisco band The Loud Family called their debut albumPlants and Birds and Rocks and Things
- This song gained a new audience when it was used in the video game Grand Theft Auto. Even though the band had some misgivings about allowing their music to be used in the violent video game, Gerry Beckley’s son Joe was instrumental in convincing them to agree.” As a result, we now get approached practically weekly by a young person who informs us that they discovered our music while playing Grand Theft Auto.” Beckley informed us in 2016 that the song was used on the 1990s comedy NewsRadio, when Dave Nelson (Dave Foley) recorded himself singing the tune, which was then found by Bill McNeal (Phil Hartman). While his brother John was the band’s manager, Hartman designed three album covers for America in his spare time in the real world. Aside from designing for other bands such as Poco and Crosby Stills & Nash, his graphic arts business allowed him to record “A Horse With No Name” for the Netflix series BoJack Horseman in 2017. Michelle Branch and Patrick Carney, who were married two years later, recorded the song for the Netflix series BoJack Horseman in 2017. “It had been a lifetime ambition of mine to compose a theme song for an animated horse that drinks too much and is continuously suffering with sadness,” said Carney, who also wrote and sang the opening theme for the program.
Five Good Covers: Horse With No Name (America)
Five Excellent Covers showcases five cross-genre reinterpretations of a song that has been covered several times. A song about a little boy who believes he has taken acid. Randy Newman is an American singer-songwriter and musician. You’re in the middle of nowhere. You don’t have anything else to do. SPECIFY THE NAME OF THE HORSE. — Richard Jeni, Ph.D. If an 8-track recorder and a shag-carpeted Frisbee could sing, that would be the United States of America. Cracked.com is a website dedicated to breaking news and information.
Take a look at these five illustrations.
Seelenluft – Horse With No Name (America cover)
The popular French television showParis Dernièreexplores Parisian nightlife; its soundtracks, compiled by Beatrice Ardisson, are entirely composed of cover songs that have been substantially modified to make the songs suitable for all aspects of after-dark research and investigation of the city. In their performance of “Horse With No Name,” Seelenluft create an electro-chilling atmosphere; you can tell they’ve never been to a desert in their lives, but the song’s evocative force is still there.
Arcoiris – Horse With No Name (America cover)
A music like Arcoiris’s cover of “Horse With No Name” sounds like the soundtrack to one of those Geoffrey Holder”7-Up – the Uncola” advertisements. Seelenluft’s exotic is a different type of exotic – and it’s approximately seventy degrees warmer, as well.
Bobby Bare Jr. – Horse With No Name (America cover)
A collection of covers of two of the primary pathfinders of soft-rock (no prizes for guessing who the second one was) was compiled on Bobby Bare Jr.’s 2009 EP, American Bread. The songs were done in such a way that they made those bands seem – gasp! – hip. When it comes to the music, “Horse With No Name” is more sparse and low-key, and it has a mesmerizing buzz to it that makes you question whether the narrator’s skin actually began to turn red or whether it was all in his head.
Djelem Project – Horse With No Name (America cover)
Rather of coming from the music, the Djelem Project transforms “Horse With No Name” into a fever dream, with the instruments appearing to come to it rather than from it. A listener who is unfamiliar with the song’s background would have a difficult time comprehending how someone could make jokes about it — in these musicians’ hands, this is no laughing matter.
The Loud Family – Horse With No Name (America cover)
The Loud Family was so taken by “Horse With No Name” that they decided to name their debut album Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things in honor of the song. This cover is from Star Power!, which is one of a series of K-Tel tribute albums issued by Pravda Records in honor of the late singer. Three albums’ worth of ’70s AM radio favorites as interpreted by ’90s college radio favorites provided plenty of opportunity for irony, but they also provided the Loud Family with the opportunity to turn “Horse With No Name” into a raucous guitar workout that ensured the air was filled with sound throughout the show.
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Single Stories: America, A HORSE WITH NO NAME
THIS IS THE COMPLETE TEMPLATE FOR THE ARTICLE. Thursday, March 25, 2021 (Thursday, March 25, 2021 THIS IS THE TEMPLATED IMAGE ARTICLE FOR THE FIELD NODE. He was merely a 19-year-old British lad when he came up with the idea for what would become America’s iconic song, “A Horse with No Name.” It was originally named “Desert Song,” and it was inspired by his early memories growing up in Southwestern America as the kid of an American service member. According to Bunnell, who spoke to American Songwriterin 2020, “the song was formed out of plain boredom.” “My family and I had just relocated from London, where I had graduated from high school, to Yorkshire, where my mother was from.
- America had got a record deal with Warner Brothers and had a single on the market.
- I created the song by myself in the bedroom of a friend with whom I shared a room.
- It was written in a matter of hours.” When nothing on America’s debut album seemed good enough to label executives to be released as a single, Bunnell pulled out “A Horse with No Name” from a last-minute recording session: “A Horse with No Name” is a song about a horse with no name.
- We hadn’t decided on a single yet, but we were leaning toward ‘I Need You’ as the first single, according to the band “He had a recollection.
- ‘I Need You’ was unquestionably going to be one of them.
- Itstillis.
- “Hey, werereallylike that,” they said as they heard the word “Horse.” Let’s get that down on paper.'” The single “A Horse with No Name” was released in the United Kingdom on November 12, 1971, and became an instant hit, reaching number 3 on the UK charts.
- ‘I really enjoy the horse thing,’ she said.
- The song rocketed to the top of the Hot 100 charts, reaching number one for the week ending March 25, 1972.
- “There have been many things said and written about it over the years, and it’s always exciting to think that it began as a small seed planted in that bedroom, alone, with the desire to be able to express things with others that they could understand and connect to.
“It’s a terrific feeling to have composed music that people all across the world recognize. It’s something over which you have absolutely no control. It’s one of those bizarre situations that happen from time to time in my life. It’s something that will always be with you.”
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The story behind ‘A Horse With No Name,” straight from the horse’s mouth
Dewey Bunnell of the band America penned the song “A Horse With No Name,” and he also recorded the lead vocals on it. (Photo courtesy of Mike Morsch) There’s a sign that goes around on Facebook that gets shared a lot, and it constantly appears on my newsfeed. “All I’m saying is that at any time during that trip over the desert, he might have given the horse a name,” the letter says in part. The song “A Horse With No Name” by the band America is, of course, the inspiration for this allusion. I have long been a fan of the band, and my friends are aware of this, which is why this sign is regularly displayed on my Facebook page.
In 1970, Dewey Bunnell formed the band America with Gerry Beckley and Dan Peek, and the song was composed by Dewey Bunnell for the band.
“A Horse With No Name,” which featured Bunnell on lead vocals and reached No.
Although the horse in the song did not have a name, the issue surrounding the song stemmed from the fact that some radio stations refused to broadcast it because of alleged references to heroin usage in the song.
It was in 2006 that I first spoke with Bunnell, and since then I’ve spoken with him twice more: once about the 1974 album “Holiday,” which is featured in “The Vinyl Dialogues,” and again recently about the making of the 1975 album “Hearts,” which will be detailed in “The Vinyl Dialogues Volume II: Dropping the Needle,” which will be released in August 2015.
- “Not in the least.
- As a child, I had a strong attraction to the desert.
- “It was basically a travelogue with an environmental message about protecting the earth thrown in there,” Bunnell explained.
- “We had a good time, although I don’t remember the name of the horse I rode while I was out there,” Bunnell recalled of his outing.
Even when Dewey Bunnell got the opportunity to ride a horse in the desert, he refused to give the animal a name. During our next conversation, I’ll ask Dewey directly if, in the intervening years, he’s ever considered whether the horse he described in his book may have a name.
“A Horse With No Name” -What Does That Mean?
Neatorama presents a guest post from actor, comedian, and voiceover artistEddie Deezen. Visit Eddie athis websiteor atFacebook. Rock music is one of the great art forms of the twentieth century. But a sideline for those of us who love rock music, like the many movie fans who try to figure out or “interpret’ what the filmmakers were trying to say in their movies, is trying to figure out what the songwriters were trying to say in their songs. In this activity, no greater challenge comes than America’s classic tune “A Horse With No Name.” A pleasant, catchy, albeit haunting song, it was America’s very first single and was also to be America’s biggest hit.
- It remains America’s most identified song, almost the group’s “theme song.” But what the heck is “A Horse With No Name” about, exactly?
- The folk/rock group America originally consisted of three members: Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek.
- servicemen.
- America’s first album, redundantly titledAmerica, was released initially in Europe in 1971 with only moderate success.
- “A Horse With No Name” was originally titled just that: “Desert Song.” The song was written while the band was staying at the home studio ofArthur Brown in Puddletown, Dorset.
- According to the song’s writer, Dewey Bunnell, the song was composed to capture the hot, dry feeling of the desert (he was just 19 when he wrote it) (he was just 19 when he wrote it).
- He said he was trying to capture the dry feeling of the desert that had been pictured in a Salvador Dali painting in Arthur Brown’s studio/home.
Escher picture.
We were part of the hippie era to save the earth, and I’ve always been attracted to nature and the outdoors.” Originally, the band thought “A Horse With No Name” was too corny and it actually took some convincing to get them to play it.
After several performances and a TV show, “Desert Song” was officially retitled “A Horse With No Name.” It was released in March of 1972, became a1 hit, and stayed at the top of the charts for three weeks.
The song was actually banned on some U.S.
“Horse” is a common street term for heroin.
The popular song was also ridiculed by several critics for its banal, oddly-phrased lyrics, i.e.
The song was also knocked for being a Neil Young ripoff.
Bunnell understood this criticism and never tried to hide the fact that he greatly admired Neil Young.
Ironically, “A Horse With No Name” replaced Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” at1 on the charts.
Name the freakin’ horse!” Like it or not, “A Horse With No Name” remains a rock classic around the world. Tune in to any “’70s weekend” on an oldies radio station and you will most certainly hear its strange, haunting lyrics. (YouTube link)
How America’s ‘A Horse With No Name’ Escaped ‘Novelty’ Status
After an artist has already delivered their album, it is fairly unusual for record labels to request that they produce a more commercial, single-worthy song. This may be a big source of disagreement, but it worked in the favor of soft-rock troubadours. America, who achieved the biggest success of their career with their chart-topping first single, “A Horse With No Name” — which, if it were up to its composer, would have languished in the novelty bin. While the members of America — Dewey Bunnell, Gerry Beckley, and Dan Peek — were all born in the United States, they came together in the late 1960s on a U.S.
- The group began performing in and around London, and shortly after, they acquired a recording contract with Warner Bros.
- When America was released, it was a reasonably popular album, but it lacked a smash song.
- ordered the group to compose another song that would perform better on the radio instead of the delicate ballad “I Need You,” which the group had planned to release as the first single.
- As the song progresses, Bunnell sings about a guy trekking across the desert on “a horse with no name,” taking in the scarce wildlife and turning scarlet in the scorching heat.
- I felt it was almost a novelty tune when I originally took it to Gerry and Dan and we were performing it, but it turned out to be more than that “he said to American Songwriter.
- Let’s get that down on paper.'” With the help of Ian Samwell, who previously produced America, the band recorded a good rendition of “Desert Song.” Ian instantly responded, ‘Well, guy, you gotta title this ‘Horse With No Name,'” Bunnell recounted while the band was working on the song.
- America released “A Horse With No Name” as a single on January 12, 1972, and the song was featured on the band’s 1972 reissue of their first album, as well as all later reissues of the record.
“It’s true that the song was once prohibited from radio stations because some said it was about heroin, which was commonly referred to as ‘horse,'” Bunnell told American Songwriter in an interview.
Because I live in England, I’m not familiar with the phrase.
It may have been smack, dope, or even heroin.” “A Horse With No Name,” according to Bunnell, was not intended to be a thinly veiled allusion to hard drugs, but rather expressed his yearning for a change of scenery at the time of its composition.
A Horse With No Name replaced Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold” as the number one song on the Hot 100, which was a fitting usurpation given that many people, including Young’s own father, had incorrectly credited “A Horse With No Name” to him.
According to Bunnell, who spoke to The Wall Street Journal in 2018, “There’s no doubt that when I recorded my vocal, I was imbued by Neil Young and his music.” “Neil Young’s debut solo album, ‘The Loner,’ was one of my favorites.
9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Nonetheless, the band’s most popular song is still its so-called novelty first single, which has baffled and moved fans for decades.
“It truly makes them feel emotional,” says the author. That group of admirers will be glad to know that, maybe as an act of penance, Bunnell purchased his own horse and gave it the name Noname, which means “no name.”
Top 100 ’70s Rock Albums
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