‘A Horse with No Name’ is a song by the folk rock band America. Written by Dewey Bunnell, it was the band's first and most successful single, released in late 1971 in Europe and early 1972 in the United States. The song topped the charts in Canada, Finland, and the United States. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Originally called ‘Desert Song’, ‘Horse’ was written while the band was staying at the home of musician Arthur Brown, near Puddletown, Dorset, England. The first two demos were recorded there by Jeff Dexter and Dennis Elliott, which were intended to capture the sensation of the hot, dry desert that had been depicted in a Salvador Dalí painting, and in a picture by M. C. Escher which featured a horse. Writer Dewey Bunnell also says he remembered his childhood travels through the Arizona and New Mexico desert when his family lived at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Bunnell has explained that ‘A Horse with No Name’ was "a metaphor for a vehicle to get away from life's confusion into a quiet, peaceful place".
Trying to find a song that would be popular in both the United States and Europe, Warner Bros. was reluctant to release the ballad ‘I Need You’ as the first single from America. The label asked the band if it had any other material, then arranged for America to record four more songs at Morgan Studios, in Willesden, London. ‘A Horse with No Name’ was released as the featured song on a three-track single in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Italy and the Netherlands in late 1971.
Despite the song being banned by some U.S. radio stations, most notably WHB in Kansas City, 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. 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 of Neil Young's work aroused some controversy. For example, in its review of ‘A Horse with No Name’ Cash Box described America as "CSN&Y soundalikes." "I know that virtually everyone, on first hearing, assumed it was Neil", Bunnell said. "I never fully shied away from the fact that I was inspired by him. I think it's in the structure of the song as much as in the tone of his voice. It did hurt a little, because we got some pretty bad backlash. I've always attributed it more to people protecting their own heroes more than attacking me." By coincidence, it was ‘A Horse with No Name’ that replaced Young's ‘Heart of Gold’ at the number 1 spot on the U.S. pop chart.
Label – Warner Bros.
Songwriter – Dewey Bunnell
Producer – Ian Samwell
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]On the first part of the journey
I was looking at all the life
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz
And the sky with no clouds
The heat was hot and the ground was dry
But the air was full of sound
[Chorus]
I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
[Verse 2]
After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead
[Chorus]
You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
Because there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 3]
After nine days I let the horse run free
'Cause the desert had turned to sea
There were plants and birds and rocks and things
There was sand and hills and rings
The ocean is a desert with its life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
But the humans will give no love
[Chorus]
You see, I've been through the desert on a horse with no name
It felt good to be out of the rain
In the desert you can remember your name
'Cause there ain't no one for to give you no pain
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la
La, la, la lala la la la, la, la