To me, it's about a man who struggled with a relationship that finally ended. His passion is sailing, so he seeks solace in a long sailing journey. In a moment of weakness, he tries to call her from an island. But later in the journey he realizes why they weren't meant for each other and why the end is best for both. Sailing is also a metaphor for his other love, music.
Thank you. I remember a TH-camr going by Fish Out of Water who was trying to make a racial issue of the song. I was like, one part of the globe uses the Big Dipper to navigate, and the other part uses the Southern Cross.
I'd say in general. Poet are going to poet, and we aren't necessarily going to get it, so don't let trying to figure out the meaning of the words get in the way of enjoying the pretty sounds.
This band is essentially a musical supergroup. David Crosby was a member of the Byrds, Stephen Stills was a member of Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash was a member of the Hollies. They occasionally became a foursome whenever they were joined by Stills’ Buffalo Springfield bandmate Neil Young, becoming Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
That was a supergroup in 1969 and why everyone was anticipating them at Woodstock. Unfortunately all three of those bands are largely forgotten now and you'll hear maybe a total of 6 songs by them on oldies radio today. Which is a shame because they were great; even the Hollies had quite a few great songs if no great albums.
Crosby was a member of The Byrds inasmuch as he stood there with a guitar, they all hated him. Young and Stills deleted his vocals from their "Long May You Run" album because they couldn't stand him either. He had that effect on people and he was never really a creative contributor in any meaningful way, everybody he worked with grew to hate him because he was such a gigantic lazy droning douche.
Ships and boats are always referred to as "she." Southern Cross is the name of a constellation that can only be seen from the southern hemisphere and has been used in navigation for centuries. The song is about a failed love that could not survive frequent long-distance separation, such as a sailor experiences. I'm a ship's captain that has experienced this first hand, so the song is meaningful to me.
The inspiration for the track, according to Stills: “The Curtis Brothers brought a wonderful song called ‘Seven League Boots,’ but it drifted around too much. I rewrote a new set of words and added a different chorus, a story about a long boat trip I took after my divorce.” The meaning of Southern Cross, according to Stills: “It’s about using the power of the universe to heal your wounds,” he adds to the song’s meaning. “Once again, I was given somebody’s gem and cut and polished it.” In the end, the track is all about Stills sailing away from his heartbreak and finding hope again. Looking out at the vastness of the world, he feels sure that a new adventure is about to begin, even if it’s still beyond the horizon. Southern Cross reflects all of the pain that Stills was dealing with at the time, but it also contains the realization that he and his ex-wife just weren’t right for each other. This sentiment, and the hope he has for his own future, are very evident in the closing verse of the song. So we cheated and we lied and we tested And we never failed to fail It was the easiest thing to do You will survive being bested Somebody fine Will come along, make me forget about loving you In the Southern Cross
In nautical terms, a ship or any boat is generally referred to in a female way because it requires a lot of love, respect and care to carry you across the sea. It is why most boats are named with female names. The song is about sailing from North America to the South Pacific (Papeete, Tahiti and the Marquises Islands) following the Southern Cross constellation in the night sky which is the southern hemisphere's major navigating tool as is the North Star is for the northern hemisphere. It can also be interpreted as in a relationship, but the lyrics are heavily nautical in nature.
LOL, poor thing. Just trust us. It is an Amazing song. So much so that it is an undying classic and will be for years to come. All three of these guys have amazing talent even in their solo careers. I have a story for you. David Crosby was in prison for a few years on drug charges and was incarcerated in my hometown of Huntsville, TX. My sister in law worked for a law firm there and when he was released from prison, he needed a ride to the Airport in Houston. Guess who they asked to give him that ride. Yes, Me. 😀
They are sailing across the equator. He is struggling with a lost relationship. The equator marks a transition from left to right and right to left (earth rotation affects this). So it is all symbolic of letting go. You only see the Southern Cross after you "cross" the equator.There is a lot of sailing language at the beginning. It is funny that you were a flight attendant and are confused. Aircraft borrow nautical language. Fir example, "Nicely making way..." means means sailing smoothly. He is talking about his "night watch" (time at the wheel; when sailing, someone is always at the wheel (called a watch which is traditional marked by the sound of bells rung). In the wee hours, he sees the Southern Cross after sailing into the Southern Hemisphere and he "crosses over" into the acceptance that his love is lost to him. Relationship failed twice (twice you ran away). Being dwarfed by a night sky filled with stars helps him let go. There is no night sky like a clear night in the Pacific Ocean (we know where he is because he mentions the Marquessa Islands in Polynesia; a traditional sailing passage). On a calm night in the Pacific you see only the sea to all horizons with stars blanketing the entire sky. For him the vast quiet emptiness is reassuring and he comes to peace of mind. Accepting the inevitable and drawing solace from the Southern Cross, expressed in his music (this song). Any man who has felt abandoned feels this song deeply (abandoned is not judgmental; just a reflection of who left who). For example, l had a girlfriend who ran away (left the relationship) twice and there was no fault to assign. Just didn't work out. The pain you feel can be reduced by seeking solace in the natural world. I suspect in this case sailing is a way to come to grips with "leaving the past behind. " A real thing or a metaphor? Doesn't matter.
Hello Biss ❤️. Stephen Stills, one of the singers, wrote that the song is a story about a long boat trip he took after his divorce. It's about using the power of the universe to heal your wounds. The song came out when I was 20 years old in 1982 and remains a favorite of mine today. Thank you so much for reacting to it.
To sailors, ships are referred to has "she". The Southern Cross is a constellation in the southern hemisphere. The song is about a lost love and he takes to his ship. This is the one time you should google the song and its meaning before listening.
Good morning Bisscutie! Dig the glasses! This is my favorite CSN song. So mellow and rhythmic. A lot of nautical terms and symbolism. It came somewhat later in their hit making.
If you don't understand the lyrics, just enjoy and comment on the music. That's the whole point of the exercise anyway, how does it make you feel? Crosby, Stills and Nash harmonies are truly outstanding, no matter what they are trying to say.
Yay! You finally got to some CSN! So, this song isn't exactly about a ship specifically, but it does involve a lot of sailing jargon that you wouldn't understand if you're not into sailing, and it does get kind of abstract about it's meaning at times. Boats definitely are called "she" in English too, but not really for the same reasons. With boats, cars, guitars, guns, or whatever, it's basically more of an affectionate, albeit misogynistic, way of showing love to an object, by personifying it as if it was human, and maybe more specifically, a lover. After all, a thing is just a thing, but a ship, or the ocean herself, well, you have to treat her like a lady! And, yes! You generally have to be rich to own a yacht, but there's also a saying that a boat never really dies, because once it gets too old for one person, there's still someone else that would love to have it, and then when it's too old for them... then eventually you get all the way down to like Florida white trash that would use garbage as a boat as long as it floats and they can strap a motor on it. Stephen Stills was a rock star when rock stars still would sometimes make a lot of money, so you could probably say that he was rich, but generally, they'd get signed to bad deals and cheated out of their money early in their careers before they knew any better, and were desperate to play. So, in those days, it wasn't uncommon that after years of starving, once you finally got a chunky paycheck, you'd take that money and blow it all on buying a boat, but at least a boat goes places, and if all else fails, you can live on it. In this case, I think "she" is referring to a woman, though. Stephen Stills wrote this song after he got divorced, and then took off sailing in the South Pacific. The "Southern Cross" is a constellation of stars that can only really be seen once you get South of a certain point. Mainly it's seen in the Southern hemisphere, but also al little bit above the equator to a point. You can't see it in Europe, and not really in the US either, except maybe some parts of Texas or Florida if it's clear enough? It's on the flags of Australia, New Zealand, and I think a few other countries in the Southern hemisphere, and has long been used to help navigate by the stars when sailing down there, and therefore heavily associated as a symbol of those types of places, or if you're from the Northern hemisphere, it's also symbolic of the journey of getting there, and being able to see it for yourself. Anyway, I think the point of the song is related to just being out there in the ocean, at night, and completely alone in nature, and trapped with your own thoughts. There's a sense of calm and isolation in moments like that where you're free from any distraction other than the monotonous tasks of handling the boat, and your mind starts to wander, and it has been known to allow people a certain level of reflection and contemplation. In this case, Stephen Stills is running away from the heartbreak of his failed marriage, with "80 feet of waterline, nicely making way", and he feels a peace and connection with the universe, or whatever, and ultimately it helps put things in a different perspective for him, so he can see the mistakes he made in the marriage, and how that affected his wife, etc., and it helped him put some context to what happened, that maybe allowed him some closure and to be able to move on? I don't know. Something like that.
Boats and ships are always she. The southern cross is your unmoving constellation to navigate by. This was called "Yacht Rock". I never listened to it to figure it out. I just like the sound. Good reaction.
@@coreydean6540 I agree. I didn't say I called it that. I generally don't care what label they put on it. I just bought all their albums at least twice because I wore them out listening.
😁 Love ya Bis. I actually love this song. It's about lots of things, sailing being one of them. Relationships. Life. But as soon as I saw this on your channel I laughed. I knew it would be lyrically lost on you because you almost need to be familiar with sailing especially at the beginning of the song. But you did great! ❤
It’s a reflection on love, loss, and self-discovery. The journey symbolizes finding freedom and direction in life after pain. “She" alternates between referencing the lost love (a woman) and the sailing boat. This dual meaning reflects both the heartbreak of the failed relationship and the solace found in the freedom of the sea. The boat becomes a metaphor for escape and healing, serving as the singer’s companion on a journey of self-discovery.
As a English speaking American, believe me when I say that the English language is on of the harder languages especially with our slangs,and double meanings, and of course the dreaded metaphors, life is journey so enjoy the things you can.
Since English doesn’t have the masculine and feminine built into it’s structure, something like a boat can be referenced as both an it or a she. One simply tends to impart more emotional connection than the other. In “Southern Cross,” there’s a great deal of analogy. They’re referencing the ending of a romance, but also sailing as an escape, and then also music, since it’s the way they express these feelings. When they say “My love is an anchor tied to you…tied with a silver chain.” they’re using a nautical metaphor to reference a failing relationship and perhaps even marriage (silver chain as akin to a silver ring). And when they say “She is all that I have left, and music is her name” it could be in reference to a boat named music, or that entire line could be read as analogous to music, in the sense that both the boat and music are the only thing he has left after his marriage fell apart.
Biss, as far as I've always been able to tell the singer switches between his boat, his love and his music. It's a hard song for a native English speaker to ex plain. You did a pretty good job.
English comes from the Germanic group of languages, and used to have broader grammatical genders, like many other Continental European language groups. Like any living language, it has also absorbed a lot from other languages. There are still some cultural hangovers from the past too, such as naming or referring to things like ships, aircraft, cars, and others, in the masculine or feminine.
Ships and boats are also traditionally feminine in English. This song isn't really about a boat, though, it is about having your heart broken so badly that all you can do is sail halfway around the world alone.
The first verse mentions several islands in the souther pacific ocean. The southern cross is a constellation seen south of the equator. Always thought this was about how you have to think about things when asking and take the time to get inside your own head.
The song is about a man who is heartbroken over a relationship with a woman that has ended and he goes on a sailboat alone to forget. I noticed the closed captions got some of the lyrics wrong Papeete is the capital of French Polynisia "Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas." Marquesas are a group of island in French Polynisia, "In a noisy bar in Avalon, I tried to call you," Avalon is a small harbor town on Santa Cantilina Island off the coast of Los Angeles. Probably the start of the man's journey and the last place he tried to call his ex wife/girlfriend cause the only inhabited islands that I know of between Santa Cantilina and the other places mentioned would be Hawaii(all be it a little bit of a deversion) The Southern Cross or Crux is a constilation that is used in navigation in the southern hemisphere it is used to point south like the North Star(Polaris) is used to point north.
One of my favorite CSN tunes, which makes sense since I've been sailing since I was 12 and live in a sailing town. And Bisscute, ships are 'she' historically in nearly every language, that's not about English. But this song is all about the relationship, "I have been around the world, looking for that woman-girl ..." Keep picking good ones, Bisscute.
For historical reasons having to do with the maritime trades ships and boats in English are usually referred to as “she” even though English does not have gendered nouns.
They are sailing on a boat which is always a “she”, and the “Southern Cross is a group of stars to navigate by. They are using it as a metafor for life experiences.
In a big storm; in a sail boat, you say "Come on baby ... Hold together and stay up!" Rock Lesson No. 2. = Write a song about anything, but add a line or two about love!
the song is based on song seven league boots ,,,, stills reworked lyrics around his experience following his divorce from french singer veronique sanson
Using a sailing/boat analogy to talk about relationships with women is a time tested practice for songwriters. So it’s often not about one or the other, it’s about both! 👍
I think the song is about going for a long sail after a bad breakup to try to recover. The Southern Cross is a constellation. Ships are referred to as "she" in English.
This is the short version. The very last verse explains the song more. Other commenters have already explained it so I won't repeat the same context and details.
Stephen Stills wrote this song about a horrible relationship it was in and the breakup. He found comfort in sailing, and that is what he did to help him with his breakup. The Southern Cross is a star cluster that sailors use for navigation. There is a lyric video on TH-cam that you can watch that shows all of the lyrics so you can understand. th-cam.com/video/NuB31BfVx3A/w-d-xo.htmlsi=eI6X47hWck9GKSU9
Got out of town on a boat goin' to Southern islands Sailing a reach before a followin' sea She was makin' for the trades on the outside And the downhill run to Papeete Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas We got eighty feet of the waterline nicely making way In a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you But on a midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away Think about how many times I have fallen Spirits are using me larger voices callin' What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten (Been around the world) I have been around the world (Lookin') Lookin' for that woman girl (Who knows she knows) Who knows love can endure And you know it will When you see the Southern Cross for the first time You understand now why you came this way 'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from is so small But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a comin' day So I'm sailing for tomorrow my dreams are a dyin' And my love is an anchor tied to you tied with a silver chain I have my ship and all her flags are a' flyin' She is all that I have left and music is her name Think about how many times I have fallen Spirits are using me larger voices callin' What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten (I've been around the world) I have been around the world (Lookin') Lookin' for that woman girl Who knows love can endure And you know it will, and you know it will So we cheated and we lied and we tested And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do You will survive being bested Somebody fine will come along, make me forget about loving you At the Southern Cross
Yes, Ships, Boats are typically given feminized names (definitely historically), like when a Ship for example is launched, the vessel is typically set off with the words, 'God bless her (or name of the vessel) and all who sail in her'.
"Music" really is the name of her (the boat). It's all he has left. He called his girl and struggled with that relationship. "Music" is a double meaning (boat and art) and that relationship (both of THEM) will endure.
Your impression is as good as any I've heard. I'm not an expert on this song, so I don't know for sure, but I don't think you're wrong. I've always loved the harmonies in this song. A love of travel and of the sea. All boats are referred to as "she" and they can be a captain's 1st love. The Southern Cross is a constellation in the southern sky that sailors have used to navigate ever since sailing began. Well done! For more harmonies, check out Simon and Garfunkel, if you haven't already. Bridge Over Troubled Water is a good place to start.
Bisscute, please, if there are any terms you need help with, just ask me. I'm 62 and i have sailed around the world. It's about a sailor who has lost his girl while sailing. For example, "80 feet of waterline." its a 40' sailboat. I'll help all in can.
In English, at least, boats and ships are referred to as “she”. I think that you did a good job figuring out that the song is about life, and travel. There is one significant line in the second verse that I wanted to point out: “I have my ship and all her flags are a' flyin'. She is all that I have left and music is her name.” So, music is the thing that carries them around the world and gives them the experiences they sing about. I love your reactions!
The video probably didn't help you understand the lyrics. It looks like it was videotaped off of a TV back in the 80s, because the sound and ;picture aren't the best quality, plus the video fades out the song before the last verse - the album version of the song lacks the video, but it's longer and has much clearer sound. David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash (plus their on-and-off partner Neil Young) were/are all avid sailors, and they all wrote about their sailing experiences. They were also longtime music business veterans going back to the 60s, when they were in other famous bands: Crosby (RIP) was in The Byrds, Nash was in The Hollies, and Stills and Young were in Buffalo Springfield.
Dear, sweet, lovely Bisscute: English is a bastard's delight of a language. It's a mishmash of German, French, Latin, Greek, and God-knows-what-else. Even the Russians and Chinese, who speak two of the most difficult languages in the world, are afraid of English. Ha. Don't worry. Please don't worry about getting upset. Take heart. You're doing great!
It was two years ago today (as I type this) that we lost the voice of David Crosby. He'll be forever missed. In the English language, ships and boats are often referred to as "she", even if the vessel bears a man's name (Edmund Fitzgerald as an example). It's more of a maritime tradition than it is a rule of the language. The subtitles on that video are very wrong in several places. And the video leaves off the final verse. Look up the lyrics and then listen again.
A lot of times Sports cars are given a female gender... because of how they sort of resemble the Curves and Beauty of the Female body. Boats are not really all that "Sexy", but people still often name them as a female gender, and or name the boat after a female that they love (such as a family member). Its likely not in any Rule Book for speaking English. Its just something that people started doing, for the fun of it. I wouldnt be surprised to discover other countries peoples... that do the same.
Yeah, English has a lot of unique vocabulary around sailing that is not heard in other contexts. In this case, it's even more difficult to understand, because they're being poetic, and deliberately confusing which "she" they're singing about. Sailors have referred to boats as "she" and "her" for centuries, which breaks the pattern of the rest of the language in a way that could be considered awful to someone learning the language. To non-nautical native English speakers it can sound poetic, but is frequently just as confusing, to be honest. I think you're right about what the song's about.
It seems that different languages place the emphasis or important part of a sentence on different things. As in...Please pass me the salt. or, The salt, pass me please. Nuances are different. For me to say: " I love you" to someone is impactful in english but, for me to say: "You, I love" gives it a different feel. In other languages it may be fine. Translation is great but the feelings it conveys are the key.
It must be difficult or impossible to detect metaphor and symbolism in English words if that is not one's native language. Bisscute, you still do a great job! Just do your best, and we will all help you with the meaning of things in English. 🙂
+Hey, Bisscute, in English, ships are referred to as she. While as you said that in Romanian, the word infers a gender, English generally doesn't. Question about languages in general. As Romanian is considered the root of the Romance languages, can you comprehend somewhat when folks in Spain are talking?
You can google the rules in English for male and female objects. Yes, they are different from other languages. Ships are considered female because sailors sometimes feel "married" to their boats and ships. Southern Cross is BOTH a metaphor and a real trip on a boat. The protagonist takes an actual trip. During that trip he realizes that his lost love affair was for the best. Your interpretation was pretty close.
To me, it's about a man who struggled with a relationship that finally ended. His passion is sailing, so he seeks solace in a long sailing journey. In a moment of weakness, he tries to call her from an island. But later in the journey he realizes why they weren't meant for each other and why the end is best for both. Sailing is also a metaphor for his other love, music.
And he's looking for that Southern Cross to lead him.
Well said, also by experiencing the reality of the wide world, his problems are quite small.
The Southern Cross is a constellation that sailors used to guide themselves
Thank you. I remember a TH-camr going by Fish Out of Water who was trying to make a racial issue of the song.
I was like, one part of the globe uses the Big Dipper to navigate, and the other part uses the Southern Cross.
@thisisscorpio6024 Leftists are without exception ignorant
I thought it was the Confederates response to losing the Cvil War.
"In my Romanian head..." LOL! You're so cute!
Biss, do not overthink CSN. Just enjoy their harmonizing greatness.
I'd say in general. Poet are going to poet, and we aren't necessarily going to get it, so don't let trying to figure out the meaning of the words get in the way of enjoying the pretty sounds.
This band is essentially a musical supergroup. David Crosby was a member of the Byrds, Stephen Stills was a member of Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash was a member of the Hollies. They occasionally became a foursome whenever they were joined by Stills’ Buffalo Springfield bandmate Neil Young, becoming Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
That was a supergroup in 1969 and why everyone was anticipating them at Woodstock. Unfortunately all three of those bands are largely forgotten now and you'll hear maybe a total of 6 songs by them on oldies radio today. Which is a shame because they were great; even the Hollies had quite a few great songs if no great albums.
Crosby was a member of The Byrds inasmuch as he stood there with a guitar, they all hated him. Young and Stills deleted his vocals from their "Long May You Run" album because they couldn't stand him either. He had that effect on people and he was never really a creative contributor in any meaningful way, everybody he worked with grew to hate him because he was such a gigantic lazy droning douche.
Ships and boats are always referred to as "she." Southern Cross is the name of a constellation that can only be seen from the southern hemisphere and has been used in navigation for centuries. The song is about a failed love that could not survive frequent long-distance separation, such as a sailor experiences. I'm a ship's captain that has experienced this first hand, so the song is meaningful to me.
Biss, this is the best explanation.
The inspiration for the track, according to Stills:
“The Curtis Brothers brought a wonderful song called ‘Seven League Boots,’ but it drifted around too much. I rewrote a new set of words and added a different chorus, a story about a long boat trip I took after my divorce.”
The meaning of Southern Cross, according to Stills:
“It’s about using the power of the universe to heal your wounds,” he adds to the song’s meaning. “Once again, I was given somebody’s gem and cut and polished it.”
In the end, the track is all about Stills sailing away from his heartbreak and finding hope again. Looking out at the vastness of the world, he feels sure that a new adventure is about to begin, even if it’s still beyond the horizon.
Southern Cross reflects all of the pain that Stills was dealing with at the time, but it also contains the realization that he and his ex-wife just weren’t right for each other. This sentiment, and the hope he has for his own future, are very evident in the closing verse of the song.
So we cheated and we lied and we tested
And we never failed to fail
It was the easiest thing to do
You will survive being bested
Somebody fine
Will come along, make me forget about loving you
In the Southern Cross
Boats are always named after women. The Crux constellation used in navigation is also called the Southern Cross.
In nautical terms, a ship or any boat is generally referred to in a female way because it requires a lot of love, respect and care to carry you across the sea. It is why most boats are named with female names.
The song is about sailing from North America to the South Pacific (Papeete, Tahiti and the Marquises Islands) following the Southern Cross constellation in the night sky which is the southern hemisphere's major navigating tool as is the North Star is for the northern hemisphere. It can also be interpreted as in a relationship, but the lyrics are heavily nautical in nature.
LOL, poor thing. Just trust us. It is an Amazing song. So much so that it is an undying classic and will be for years to come. All three of these guys have amazing talent even in their solo careers.
I have a story for you. David Crosby was in prison for a few years on drug charges and was incarcerated in my hometown of Huntsville, TX. My sister in law worked for a law firm there and when he was released from prison, he needed a ride to the Airport in Houston. Guess who they asked to give him that ride. Yes, Me. 😀
They are sailing across the equator. He is struggling with a lost relationship. The equator marks a transition from left to right and right to left (earth rotation affects this). So it is all symbolic of letting go. You only see the Southern Cross after you "cross" the equator.There is a lot of sailing language at the beginning. It is funny that you were a flight attendant and are confused. Aircraft borrow nautical language. Fir example, "Nicely making way..." means means sailing smoothly. He is talking about his "night watch" (time at the wheel; when sailing, someone is always at the wheel (called a watch which is traditional marked by the sound of bells rung). In the wee hours, he sees the Southern Cross after sailing into the Southern Hemisphere and he "crosses over" into the acceptance that his love is lost to him. Relationship failed twice (twice you ran away). Being dwarfed by a night sky filled with stars helps him let go. There is no night sky like a clear night in the Pacific Ocean (we know where he is because he mentions the Marquessa Islands in Polynesia; a traditional sailing passage). On a calm night in the Pacific you see only the sea to all horizons with stars blanketing the entire sky. For him the vast quiet emptiness is reassuring and he comes to peace of mind. Accepting the inevitable and drawing solace from the Southern Cross, expressed in his music (this song). Any man who has felt abandoned feels this song deeply (abandoned is not judgmental; just a reflection of who left who). For example, l had a girlfriend who ran away (left the relationship) twice and there was no fault to assign. Just didn't work out. The pain you feel can be reduced by seeking solace in the natural world. I suspect in this case sailing is a way to come to grips with "leaving the past behind. " A real thing or a metaphor? Doesn't matter.
This song is a metaphor for lost love and healing. Your reactions are always entertaining, thanks Bisscute. 🙌🤙✌️
Hello Biss ❤️. Stephen Stills, one of the singers, wrote that the song is a story about a long boat trip he took after his divorce. It's about using the power of the universe to heal your wounds. The song came out when I was 20 years old in 1982 and remains a favorite of mine today. Thank you so much for reacting to it.
"One of the singers"? You mean the lead singer? 😆
Sailors also refer to boats as she
To sailors, ships are referred to has "she". The Southern Cross is a constellation in the southern hemisphere. The song is about a lost love and he takes to his ship. This is the one time you should google the song and its meaning before listening.
Classic, clasic folk group, very big in my high school days. Super pick, Biss. "It's about the power of the universe to heal your wounds."
Steven Stills is an avid sailor, and has a big, beautiful sailboat.
Good morning Bisscutie! Dig the glasses! This is my favorite CSN song. So mellow and rhythmic. A lot of nautical terms and symbolism. It came somewhat later in their hit making.
If you don't understand the lyrics, just enjoy and comment on the music. That's the whole point of the exercise anyway, how does it make you feel? Crosby, Stills and Nash harmonies are truly outstanding, no matter what they are trying to say.
Yay! You finally got to some CSN! So, this song isn't exactly about a ship specifically, but it does involve a lot of sailing jargon that you wouldn't understand if you're not into sailing, and it does get kind of abstract about it's meaning at times.
Boats definitely are called "she" in English too, but not really for the same reasons. With boats, cars, guitars, guns, or whatever, it's basically more of an affectionate, albeit misogynistic, way of showing love to an object, by personifying it as if it was human, and maybe more specifically, a lover. After all, a thing is just a thing, but a ship, or the ocean herself, well, you have to treat her like a lady!
And, yes! You generally have to be rich to own a yacht, but there's also a saying that a boat never really dies, because once it gets too old for one person, there's still someone else that would love to have it, and then when it's too old for them... then eventually you get all the way down to like Florida white trash that would use garbage as a boat as long as it floats and they can strap a motor on it. Stephen Stills was a rock star when rock stars still would sometimes make a lot of money, so you could probably say that he was rich, but generally, they'd get signed to bad deals and cheated out of their money early in their careers before they knew any better, and were desperate to play. So, in those days, it wasn't uncommon that after years of starving, once you finally got a chunky paycheck, you'd take that money and blow it all on buying a boat, but at least a boat goes places, and if all else fails, you can live on it.
In this case, I think "she" is referring to a woman, though. Stephen Stills wrote this song after he got divorced, and then took off sailing in the South Pacific.
The "Southern Cross" is a constellation of stars that can only really be seen once you get South of a certain point. Mainly it's seen in the Southern hemisphere, but also al little bit above the equator to a point. You can't see it in Europe, and not really in the US either, except maybe some parts of Texas or Florida if it's clear enough? It's on the flags of Australia, New Zealand, and I think a few other countries in the Southern hemisphere, and has long been used to help navigate by the stars when sailing down there, and therefore heavily associated as a symbol of those types of places, or if you're from the Northern hemisphere, it's also symbolic of the journey of getting there, and being able to see it for yourself.
Anyway, I think the point of the song is related to just being out there in the ocean, at night, and completely alone in nature, and trapped with your own thoughts. There's a sense of calm and isolation in moments like that where you're free from any distraction other than the monotonous tasks of handling the boat, and your mind starts to wander, and it has been known to allow people a certain level of reflection and contemplation.
In this case, Stephen Stills is running away from the heartbreak of his failed marriage, with "80 feet of waterline, nicely making way", and he feels a peace and connection with the universe, or whatever, and ultimately it helps put things in a different perspective for him, so he can see the mistakes he made in the marriage, and how that affected his wife, etc., and it helped him put some context to what happened, that maybe allowed him some closure and to be able to move on? I don't know. Something like that.
The key to understanding this song to me is the line Music is her name.
Boats and ships are always she. The southern cross is your unmoving constellation to navigate by. This was called "Yacht Rock". I never listened to it to figure it out. I just like the sound. Good reaction.
Yacht Rock? It was never called Yacht Rock until a few dweebs made the term in the early 2000's. It is music.
@@coreydean6540 I agree. I didn't say I called it that. I generally don't care what label they put on it. I just bought all their albums at least twice because I wore them out listening.
😁 Love ya Bis. I actually love this song. It's about lots of things, sailing being one of them. Relationships. Life. But as soon as I saw this on your channel I laughed. I knew it would be lyrically lost on you because you almost need to be familiar with sailing especially at the beginning of the song. But you did great! ❤
more Biss lets gooo keep up the great work🥰
The Southern Cross is a constellation that appears on the flags of Brazil and Australia.
What's the constellation on New Zealand's flag?
" Subtitles distract the crap out of me !!!! " 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
The subtitles are also inaccurate - they got several lyrics wrong, so that didn't help Bisscute, either!
It’s a reflection on love, loss, and self-discovery. The journey symbolizes finding freedom and direction in life after pain. “She" alternates between referencing the lost love (a woman) and the sailing boat. This dual meaning reflects both the heartbreak of the failed relationship and the solace found in the freedom of the sea. The boat becomes a metaphor for escape and healing, serving as the singer’s companion on a journey of self-discovery.
He’s sailing away from a lost love.
As a English speaking American, believe me when I say that the English language is on of the harder languages especially with our slangs,and double meanings, and of course the dreaded metaphors, life is journey so enjoy the things you can.
Biss, you had me laughing my ass off lol!… Great reaction!… And I’m sure I never told you, but you are freaking adorable 😊
Bliss you are wonderful. Great reaction.
Since English doesn’t have the masculine and feminine built into it’s structure, something like a boat can be referenced as both an it or a she. One simply tends to impart more emotional connection than the other. In “Southern Cross,” there’s a great deal of analogy. They’re referencing the ending of a romance, but also sailing as an escape, and then also music, since it’s the way they express these feelings. When they say “My love is an anchor tied to you…tied with a silver chain.” they’re using a nautical metaphor to reference a failing relationship and perhaps even marriage (silver chain as akin to a silver ring). And when they say “She is all that I have left, and music is her name” it could be in reference to a boat named music, or that entire line could be read as analogous to music, in the sense that both the boat and music are the only thing he has left after his marriage fell apart.
It's odd that ships can be named after men and still be referred to as "she."
Thanks 😊 for the reaction ❤
English - confounding people for centuries 😊 Catchy 80s song, tho 😎
Biss, as far as I've always been able to tell the singer switches between his boat, his love and his music. It's a hard song for a native English speaker to ex plain. You did a pretty good job.
English comes from the Germanic group of languages, and used to have broader grammatical genders, like many other Continental European language groups. Like any living language, it has also absorbed a lot from other languages. There are still some cultural hangovers from the past too, such as naming or referring to things like ships, aircraft, cars, and others, in the masculine or feminine.
Ships and boats are also traditionally feminine in English. This song isn't really about a boat, though, it is about having your heart broken so badly that all you can do is sail halfway around the world alone.
The first verse mentions several islands in the souther pacific ocean. The southern cross is a constellation seen south of the equator. Always thought this was about how you have to think about things when asking and take the time to get inside your own head.
Great song and choice for The reaction Miss Bisscute.❤❤❤ Southern Cross is a constellation in the sky used to guide by the sailors.
Nice reation biss when he sang love will endure that was buitful & your a buitiful person to❤😊
you did well in your understanding! God bless!
Their Music for me is always beautiful and spiritual. It's just a vibe.
Chicago and Ohio are great tunes, give them a listen 😊
The song is about a man who is heartbroken over a relationship with a woman that has ended and he goes on a sailboat alone to forget.
I noticed the closed captions got some of the lyrics wrong
Papeete is the capital of French Polynisia
"Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas." Marquesas are a group of island in French Polynisia,
"In a noisy bar in Avalon, I tried to call you," Avalon is a small harbor town on Santa Cantilina Island off the coast of Los Angeles. Probably the start of the man's journey and the last place he tried to call his ex wife/girlfriend cause the only inhabited islands that I know of between Santa Cantilina and the other places mentioned would be Hawaii(all be it a little bit of a deversion)
The Southern Cross or Crux is a constilation that is used in navigation in the southern hemisphere it is used to point south like the North Star(Polaris) is used to point north.
The only song I can listen to by CSN and still maintain my interest. Never tire of it. It has the same appeal as Take It Easy by The Eagles.
One of my favorite CSN tunes, which makes sense since I've been sailing since I was 12 and live in a sailing town. And Bisscute, ships are 'she' historically in nearly every language, that's not about English. But this song is all about the relationship, "I have been around the world, looking for that woman-girl ..." Keep picking good ones, Bisscute.
Think metaphor. When you get lost, in life or whatever; there's hope. To the "sailor's" of this song, it's the Southern Cross.
For historical reasons having to do with the maritime trades ships and boats in English are usually referred to as “she” even though English does not have gendered nouns.
They are sailing on a boat which is always a “she”, and the “Southern Cross is a group of stars to navigate by. They are using it as a metafor for life experiences.
In a big storm; in a sail boat, you say "Come on baby ... Hold together and stay up!"
Rock Lesson No. 2. = Write a song about anything, but add a line or two about love!
the song is based on song seven league boots ,,,, stills reworked lyrics around his experience following his divorce from french singer veronique sanson
she's so cute when she's upset! :)
Using a sailing/boat analogy to talk about relationships with women is a time tested practice for songwriters. So it’s often not about one or the other, it’s about both! 👍
CSN has been a favorite since the late 60's. Song writing and harmonies so good.
I think the song is about going for a long sail after a bad breakup to try to recover. The Southern Cross is a constellation. Ships are referred to as "she" in English.
😊😊❤❤ Enjoyed. Songs can mean many different things to different people. To me this is a song about finding joy in relationships and music.
About six or so years before this Stills contributed to the similar Neil Young song Long May You Run
This is the short version. The very last verse explains the song more. Other commenters have already explained it so I won't repeat the same context and details.
Stephen Stills wrote this song about a horrible relationship it was in and the breakup. He found comfort in sailing, and that is what he did to help him with his breakup. The Southern Cross is a star cluster that sailors use for navigation. There is a lyric video on TH-cam that you can watch that shows all of the lyrics so you can understand.
th-cam.com/video/NuB31BfVx3A/w-d-xo.htmlsi=eI6X47hWck9GKSU9
Got out of town on a boat goin' to Southern islands
Sailing a reach before a followin' sea
She was makin' for the trades on the outside
And the downhill run to Papeete
Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas
We got eighty feet of the waterline nicely making way
In a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you
But on a midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away
Think about how many times I have fallen
Spirits are using me larger voices callin'
What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten
(Been around the world) I have been around the world
(Lookin') Lookin' for that woman girl
(Who knows she knows) Who knows love can endure
And you know it will
When you see the Southern Cross for the first time
You understand now why you came this way
'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from is so small
But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a comin' day
So I'm sailing for tomorrow my dreams are a dyin'
And my love is an anchor tied to you tied with a silver chain
I have my ship and all her flags are a' flyin'
She is all that I have left and music is her name
Think about how many times I have fallen
Spirits are using me larger voices callin'
What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten
(I've been around the world) I have been around the world
(Lookin') Lookin' for that woman girl
Who knows love can endure
And you know it will, and you know it will
So we cheated and we lied and we tested
And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do
You will survive being bested
Somebody fine will come along, make me forget about loving you
At the Southern Cross
Yes, Ships, Boats are typically given feminized names (definitely historically), like when a Ship for example is launched, the vessel is typically set off with the words, 'God bless her (or name of the vessel) and all who sail in her'.
To me it's about a sailor on a voyage who thinks about life and loves lost.
"Music" really is the name of her (the boat). It's all he has left. He called his girl and struggled with that relationship. "Music" is a double meaning (boat and art) and that relationship (both of THEM) will endure.
Your impression is as good as any I've heard. I'm not an expert on this song, so I don't know for sure, but I don't think you're wrong. I've always loved the harmonies in this song.
A love of travel and of the sea. All boats are referred to as "she" and they can be a captain's 1st love. The Southern Cross is a constellation in the southern sky that sailors have used to navigate ever since sailing began.
Well done!
For more harmonies, check out Simon and Garfunkel, if you haven't already. Bridge Over Troubled Water is a good place to start.
Bisscute, please, if there are any terms you need help with, just ask me. I'm 62 and i have sailed around the world. It's about a sailor who has lost his girl while sailing. For example, "80 feet of waterline." its a 40' sailboat. I'll help all in can.
The name of the boat is "Music".
❤❤❤❤❤
1:53 = Bisscute feeling the Magic
In English, at least, boats and ships are referred to as “she”. I think that you did a good job figuring out that the song is about life, and travel. There is one significant line in the second verse that I wanted to point out: “I have my ship and all her flags are a' flyin'. She is all that I have left and music is her name.” So, music is the thing that carries them around the world and gives them the experiences they sing about. I love your reactions!
You said they must be rich to have a big boat. They got rich making music. You need to react to many of their great songs
Yacht rock at its best! Check out CS&N's "Suite Judy Blue Eyes" Great harmonies!😊
This genre is called "Yacht Rock "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The video probably didn't help you understand the lyrics. It looks like it was videotaped off of a TV back in the 80s, because the sound and ;picture aren't the best quality, plus the video fades out the song before the last verse - the album version of the song lacks the video, but it's longer and has much clearer sound. David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash (plus their on-and-off partner Neil Young) were/are all avid sailors, and they all wrote about their sailing experiences. They were also longtime music business veterans going back to the 60s, when they were in other famous bands: Crosby (RIP) was in The Byrds, Nash was in The Hollies, and Stills and Young were in Buffalo Springfield.
Great Stephen Stills song.
If you don't understand the song, the internet is a wonderful resource.
Awesome English rant, Biss.
I like the song Our House from the Deja Vu album.
Dear, sweet, lovely Bisscute: English is a bastard's delight of a language. It's a mishmash of German, French, Latin, Greek, and God-knows-what-else. Even the Russians and Chinese, who speak two of the most difficult languages in the world, are afraid of English. Ha. Don't worry. Please don't worry about getting upset. Take heart. You're doing great!
You are such a doll are you single gorgeous
It was two years ago today (as I type this) that we lost the voice of David Crosby. He'll be forever missed.
In the English language, ships and boats are often referred to as "she", even if the vessel bears a man's name (Edmund Fitzgerald as an example). It's more of a maritime tradition than it is a rule of the language.
The subtitles on that video are very wrong in several places. And the video leaves off the final verse. Look up the lyrics and then listen again.
If you liked this one, check out Christopher Cross, Sailing, and Ride like the Wind featuring Michael McDonald.
All boats are females.
They have other songs I am sure you would like. Thanks Biss.
You were appropriately dressed looking like a hippy chick for CSN...great reaction again!
A lot of times Sports cars are given a female gender... because of how they sort of resemble the Curves and Beauty of the Female body. Boats are not really all that "Sexy", but people still often name them as a female gender, and or name the boat after a female that they love (such as a family member).
Its likely not in any Rule Book for speaking English. Its just something that people started doing, for the fun of it. I wouldnt be surprised to discover other countries peoples... that do the same.
English dropped gendered objects in the 900s but we still often use gender for objects we view as “alive” eg boats, cars, roomba.
Crazy idea -- you could read the lyrics and then listen to it again, all in one session/video . . . .
This is the wrong version, missing the last verse.
Biss don't feel bad I speak English and I've never understood what they were actually talking about i nthis song :)
Yeah, English has a lot of unique vocabulary around sailing that is not heard in other contexts. In this case, it's even more difficult to understand, because they're being poetic, and deliberately confusing which "she" they're singing about. Sailors have referred to boats as "she" and "her" for centuries, which breaks the pattern of the rest of the language in a way that could be considered awful to someone learning the language. To non-nautical native English speakers it can sound poetic, but is frequently just as confusing, to be honest. I think you're right about what the song's about.
I think someone put onions in her oats today.😅
Live at the Ryman the red clay strays. Watch and enjoy good for the soul (young Elvis like)
objects that are seen as beautiful or loved are sometimes referred to as she..by either sex..
It seems that different languages place the emphasis or important part of a sentence on different things. As in...Please pass me the salt. or, The salt, pass me please. Nuances are different. For me to say: " I love you" to someone is impactful in english but, for me to say: "You, I love" gives it a different feel. In other languages it may be fine. Translation is great but the feelings it conveys are the key.
More fron them! I see them last time maybe 2010(?) live in Germany
Boats and ships in English are referred to as she (in Russian as he).
It must be difficult or impossible to detect metaphor and symbolism in English words if that is not one's native language. Bisscute, you still do a great job! Just do your best, and we will all help you with the meaning of things in English. 🙂
💜
+Hey, Bisscute, in English, ships are referred to as she. While as you said that in Romanian, the word infers a gender, English generally doesn't.
Question about languages in general. As Romanian is considered the root of the Romance languages, can you comprehend somewhat when folks in Spain are talking?
American English is influenced by every other language so yeah it can be brutal to learn
You can google the rules in English for male and female objects. Yes, they are different from other languages. Ships are considered female because sailors sometimes feel "married" to their boats and ships. Southern Cross is BOTH a metaphor and a real trip on a boat. The protagonist takes an actual trip. During that trip he realizes that his lost love affair was for the best.
Your interpretation was pretty close.
You should try "Just a song before I go".