Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth (1967)

Named for a steamroller parked across the street from a friend’s house, this group debuted April 11, 1966 at a popular nightclub in West Hollywood, California, called The Troubadour. Within days, the group was on a California-based tour opening for The Dillards and The Byrds. When the tour ended, Byrds-member Chris Hillman persuaded another popular nightclub, Whiskey a Go Go, to make this group their house band. Naturally, their exposure and popularity increased, landing the group a record deal with Atlantic Records. It would be only a short few months before Stephen Stills would write the group’s signature song, heard below.

In November 1966, laws were rushed into effect by the older Sunset Strip-area residents in Los Angeles, California, in an attempt to discourage young nightclub-goers. Between newly created loitering laws and a 10:00pm curfew, the young people in the area handed out fliers on November 12th, 1966 urging people to protest their perceived infringement of civil rights. Among those to show up that night in support of the protest were young actors Jack Nicholson and Peter Fonda. All in all, over one thousand protestors showed up and police reportedly became violent. Stephen Stills, witnessing the event, wrote this song about the event and the group recorded it December 5th, 1966.



Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth (1967)

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Lyrics:

There's somethin' happenin' here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Tellin' me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin’ down

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speakin' their minds
Gettin' so much resistance from behind

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin’ down

What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly say, “Hooray! for our side”

It's time we stop, hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin’ down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

We better stop, hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin’ down

We better stop, hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin’ down

We better stop, now, what's that sound?
Everybody look what's goin’ down

We better stop…