“A Horse with No Name” is one of the most enduring and, frankly, creepy songs of the 1960s. It’s a psychedelic folk ballad by a group, America, known primarily for its pleasant, sun-drenched melodies. And what does it mean anyway, and why does it have such a hold on us still?
Is there a key to this riddle? Or, is it just psychedelic nonsense that sounds nice sung over simple acoustic guitar chords? Let’s look at the real meaning behind the lyrics of America’s classic, “A Horse with No Name.”
America’s Journey to Releasing “A Horse with No Name”
I can now publicly declare my admiration for America’s music. And, likely, I’m safe to state my opinion. But anything of the sort would’ve made me very unpopular with fellow critics or rock fans in the past.
America was not a cool band, but a very pleasant-sounding one. This was, however, the making of the group’s founders Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek and Gerry Beckley. Sons of American soldiers stationed in the U.K., the trio started the band in 1970.
They had good influences as well. But America could never quite decide whether to be a commercial pop band or an artsy folk unit. They took as much inspiration from Neil Young and CSN as they did from Eagles and, even, bubblegum pop.
The band was very quickly signed by Warner Bros. and rushed into the studio to produce a debut. That 1971 record shows hints of greatness, even while America wrestles with its musical direction. Vocal and melodies are often superb. The lyrics are usually half-baked.
At a time when post-hippie folk-rock was the dominant force on the U.S. charts, “America” became a number one album. Much of that early success was due to the runaway success of the band’s very first single, “A Horse with No Name.”
The Neil Young Comparisons
If the rest of the “America” album is sweet and has the trio harmonising effortlessly, “A Horse with No Name” is eerie-sounding. It feels like a transmission from a shadowy land. And, this is precisely what audiences fell in love with.
Yes, it’s true that America, most likely, wanted to replicate Neil Young’s acoustic sound here. Young was one of the premier songwriters. He had a tremendous influence on many.
And while the sparse acoustic guitar chords and the whimpering vocals bring to mind Young, there’s not one precise song of his that resembles “A Horse with No Name.”
The song only contains a few chords. The production only includes a few instruments, with a particular focus on percussion. There’s not a lot to it, but there’s hardly anything like it.
The Meaning of the Lyrics to “A Horse with No Name”
It’s the mood that song creates which makes it special. Written in the unfamiliar-sounding E Dorian and featuring cryptic lyrics, there have been countless stories that have circulated about the tune.
The song was written by Dewey Bunnell. But the group thought it was too simple and undeveloped. They hesitated showing it to producer Ian Samwell and never meant to include it on their first album, let alone as a single.
Samwell heard potential. Even in its embryonic state, it resembled acoustic-based songs that had been successful during that period. Samwell heard a hit. He convinced the band to work on the song.
The 1960s were a time of exploration. This stretched all the way to the lyrics of pop songs. The likes of Bob Dylan, John Lennon or Syd Barrett had shown young writers that they could move far beyond the confines of songs about love, cars and dancing.
That’s how Bunnell got the confidence to write in a stream of consciousness style. He was inspired by Salvador Dali’s paintings and M.C. Escher drawings. In the back of his mind, he saw objects melting away in the desert and impossible geometric shapes coming together.
Bunnell was also trying to capture a feeling more than he was trying to tell a story. He wanted the words, chords and melodies to make people feel as if they were in a dry desert place. He used his childhood journeys to New Mexico as inspiration.
Myths and Conspiracy Theories
And why did he choose the symbol of the horse? Like the hippies before them, the 1970s generation of folk songwriters was dreaming of an escape from the big cities, conventional living, and unhinged ambition.
The “horse with no name” was the way to reach that place where you could not be judged. The lyric “it felt good to be out of the rain” refers to the conflict being left behind. And the desert was the place far beyond the control of the mean, uncaring city dwellers.
But is this really it? The songwriter keeps changing stories. In 2012, he told one interviewer that he wrote the song while high on weed and didn’t bother considering the meaning of the words. He says the bad grammar, however, was intentional. Many fans don’t believe this either.
Upon its release, some radio stations were hesitant to play the song. Some believed that “horse” was slang for “heroin” and that the song was about drugs (it is!). America’s musicians insist that this was not, exactly, their intention.
And as for Neil Young, “A Horse with No Name” dislodged “Heart of Gold” from the top of the charts. Many radio listeners even assumed, incorrectly, that “Horse” belonged to Young.
Still, Bunnell is honest about his admiration for Young and admits to wanting to tap into some of the Canadian songwriter’s magical ability. He did!
The Legacy of “A Horse with No Name”
Was there anywhere else to go after landing such a hit with your first single? Most bands would crumble underneath that pressure. America didn’t. The band never achieved household status. The trio largely felt like a faceless band.
But the group kept racking up hits throughout the 1970s. “Ventura Highway” or “Sister Golden Hair” are some of the biggest songs of the era. And while critics, for the most part, weren’t convinced, they’re some of the darn prettiest jingles of that period.
America was a kind of bubblegum version of Neil Young or Joni Mitchell’s serious folk. But the songs were lovely.
As for “A Horse with No Name,” its reputation only increased with time. It’s a rock radio staple across the world.
The song was featured in countless movies and series, such as “Friends,” “The Simpsons,” “American Hustle”, and, yes, “BoJack Horseman.” It was also used very effectively in Grand Theft Auto. Licensing has made Bunnell, I presume, a very rich man.
Finally, and perhaps most poignantly, the song provided the sample and inspiration for what might well have been Michael Jackson’s final song, “A Place with No Name.” This was released posthumously in 2014.
Bunnell is likely to change his story a few more times. But it matters little. Meaningful or meaningless, “A Horse with No Name” is one of the greatest songs of all time.
