A HORSE WITH NO NAME by America

Some would argue the lyrics to this song makes no sense. Does it really matter? No. However, we think the lyrics represents exactly what the song is about - the desert, which is dry and nonsensical.

"A Horse with No Name" is a song written by Dewey Bunnell, and originally recorded by the band America. It was the band's first and most successful single, released in late 1971 in Europe and early 1972 in the US, and topping the charts in several countries. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Due to the song's resemblance to the work of Neil Young from the same time period, it is occasionally mistaken for being written and sung by Young.



Development
America's self-titled debut album was released initially in Europe with only moderate success and without the song "A Horse with No Name." Trying to find a song that would be popular in both the United States and Europe, "A Horse with No Name" was originally called "Desert Song" and was written while the band was staying at the home studio of Arthur Brown, in Puddletown, Dorset. The first two demos were recorded there, by Jeff Dexter and Dennis Elliott, and was intended to capture the feel of the hot, dry desert that had been depicted at the studio from a Salvador Dalí painting, and the strange horse that had ridden out of an M.C. Escher picture. 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. "A Horse with No Name" was recorded at Trident Studios in Soho in London and released as the featured song on a three-track single in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy and the Netherlands in late 1971. On the release "A Horse with No Name" shared the A-side with "Everyone I Meet Is from California"; "Sandman" featured on the B-side. However, its early-1972 two-track US release did not include "Sandman", with "Everyone I Meet Is from California" appearing on the B-side.

Despite the song being banned by some U.S. radio stations (including one in Kansas City, Missouri) because of supposed drug references to heroin use, 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 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 interpretation of the song as a drug reference comes from the fact that the word "horse" is a common slang term for heroin.

The song's resemblance to some of Neil Young's work aroused some controversy. "I know that virtually everyone, on first hearing, assumed it was Neil", Bunnell says. "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 #1 spot on the U.S. pop chart.

The song has also been ridiculed for its banal, oddly phrased 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." Penn Jillette asked the band about their lyric, "there were plants, and birds, and rocks, and things" after a show in Atlantic City, where America opened for Penn & Teller. According to Jillette, their explanation for the lyric was that they were intoxicated with cannabis while writing it. In a 2012 interview, Beckley disputed Jillette's story, saying, "I don't think Dew was stoned."

America
Dewey Bunnell – lead vocal, acoustic guitar
Gerry Beckley – 12-string acoustic guitar, backing vocal
Dan Peek – bass, backing vocal

Session musicians
Ray Cooper - percussion
Kim Haworth - drums


The song's been featured all over in pop culture:

The song was one of many popular songs quoted and parodied on the album The Third Reich 'n Roll by The Residents.

In 1987, the Danish rock band D-A-D made a cover version released on the album D.A.D. Draws a Circle.

The song was covered by a band in the bar Robin Williams' character hangs out at in the 1987 movie Good Morning, Vietnam.

Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things was the title of the 1993 debut album by The Loud Family, and was quoted by songwriter Scott Miller in the first track, "He Do the Police in Different Voices" ("Maybe plants and birds and rocks and things can justify my day").

The song has been covered by Larrikin Love with somewhat Celtic-sounding instrumentation and style for Q magazine in 2006.

The song is also featured in the movies The Devil's Daughter, The Trip and Air America. It also appeared sung by members of a hippie group, 'The People' in Series 3 of HBO's Six Feet Under, in the episode: 'Tears, Bones and Desire' as the women make mops.

Also featured in Hideous Kinky, a British-French 1998's film, during a trip on the Moroccan desert.

In 2008, it was used in a Kohls TV commercial for Vera Wang.

It can also be heard in season 2 of Millennium, in the episode "Owls".

It was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on the fictional classic rock radio station K-DST.

The song bookends the third season episode of Breaking Bad, "Caballo sin Nombre" (Spanish for "Horse with No Name"), where the song plays on a car radio as Walter White drives through the desert in the beginning and is sung by Walter in the shower at the end.

The song was also featured in the show Friends in Season 5 episode 22, The One With Joey's Big Break.

In the episode "Bill's Autobiography" on NewsRadio, Dave Foley's character was found singing the song on an audiotape on which he records his thoughts.

The song "Face" by American rock band, Aerosmith released in 2001 bears a strong resemblance towards "A Horse With No Name."

Michael Jackson's posthumous song "A Place with No Name" was released by TMZ as a 25-second snippet on July 16, 2009. The snippet closely resembles "A Horse with No Name." Jim Morey, both Jackson's and America's former band manager, has stated that "America was honored that Michael chose to do their song and they hope it becomes available for all Michael's fans to hear." The song has been remastered and released in its entirety along with the original Michael Jackson recording on Jackson's 2014 album, Xscape.

In 1999, the literary magazine Lamia Ink published a short play by American playwright Meron Langsner entitled The Name of the Horse, in which the problem of the horse's name is explored. The play is also included in a collection of parodies entitled The Sacred Cow Slaughterhouse published by Indie Theatre Now.

In The Simpsons episode called "Haw-Hawed Couple", Homer and Marge trick Bart and Lisa into thinking they're busy arguing so they can have their time alone. They accidentally throw a piece of clothing at the tape recorder and "The Horse With No Name" plays.

The manner in which American band Drive-by Truckers' song "The Fourth Night of My Drinking" (The Big To-Do, 2010) begins, nods to A Horse with No Name.

The song is also featured on the soundtrack of the 2013 motion picture American Hustle directed by David O. Russell.

The song is featured in a 2014 advert for the Toyota Auris Hybrid.

In computer game NetHack when the player character dismounts unnamed steed, the game issues message "You've been through the dungeon on horse with no name.", or, when hallucinating "It felt good to get out of the rain."

Source: "A Horse with No Name" available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 3.0 License

The STAMPEDERS Facts

The Stampeders are a Canadian rock trio, consisting of Rich Dodson, Ronnie King, and Kim Berly.

No seventies group represented Canada's musical identity to the world like THE STAMPEDERS. A quick look at Canada's music scene from 1971 until 1976 confirms The Stampeders were truly the country's international musical ambassadors. Instead of trying to blend into any specific format, they developed their own identity, which was both entertaining to watch in concert, and to listen to on radio and records. The Stampeders also toured more extensively in Canada and overseas than any other Canadian group of the same period.

• The band formed in Calgary, Alberta in 1964 as The Rebounds. The Rebounds had five members: Rich Dodson, Len Roemer, Brendan Lyttle, Kim Berly, and Race Holiday. They renamed themselves The Stampeders in 1965 and Len Roemer was replaced with Ronnie King and Van Louis. In 1966 they relocated to Toronto, Ontario, and became a trio in 1968 when Lyttle, Louis, and Holiday left. 
• The three-man line-up of RICH DODSON, KIM BERLY and RONNIE KING was, by far, the most successful and most widely-adored by the fans.
• Though most of the members were under the legal drinking age, they managed to beg, borrow and work their way across Canada, playing bars and various one-nighters on their big move to Toronto.
• The first major-label single release, "Be A Woman" b/w "I Don't Believe," came in 1968 on the MGM label in the U.S. and was to be The Stampeders' final release as a six-member group.
• The stage set-up had Dodson on guitar, King on bass and Berly on drums, while all three members shared lead vocals.
• The summer of 1971 saw "Sweet City Woman" climb the charts to the number one position across Canada eventually reaching the Number Eight spot on September 11, 1971 in the U.S.even though it was up against classic songs like The Doors' "Riders On The Storm," Paul and Linda McCartney's "Uncle Albert," and James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend." 

The ROLLING STONES Facts

The Rolling Stones at Granada Studios
Manchester - 23 August, 1965 (Tom Buist, Mirropix)

• They are an are an English rock band formed in Dartford in 1962.
• The earliest members consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Ian Stewart (keyboards, piano), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). Since Wyman's retirement in 1993, the band's full members have been Jagger, Richards, Watts and guitarist Ronnie Wood who joined in 1975. Darryl Jones (bassist) and Chuck Leavell (keyboardist) are regular contributors but not full band members. 
• The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the Rolling Stones in 1989, noting that "critical acclaim and popular consensus has accorded them the title of the “World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band.”  Rolling Stone magazine ranked them 4th on their "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" list, and their album sales are estimated to have been more than 200 million worldwide.
• Ian Stewart (18 Jul 1938-12 Dec 1985), aka 'Stu', the Rolling Stones piano player and trusted road manager from earlier days when the band was playing around the London clubs was once asked why he did not play piano on “Wild Horses.” Stu laughed and said “minor chords! “I don’t play minor chords. When I’m playing on stage with the Stones and a minor chord comes along, I lift me hands in protest.” 
• Among the many Stones tracks on which Stu appears are, ‘Around and Around’, ‘Down the Road Apiece’, ‘Honky Tonk Women’, ‘Let It Bleed’, ‘Brown Sugar’, ‘Star Star’ and ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It).’
• Stu died of a heart attack, in a Harley Street specialist’s waiting room, he was 47.
• The Rolling Stones weren't always popular in North American until the mid-1960s British Invasion. They have released twenty-two studio albums in the United Kingdom (24 in the United States), eleven live albums (twelve in the US), and numerous compilations. Their album Sticky Fingers (1971) began a string of eight consecutive studio albums reaching number one in the United States. Their most recent album of new material, A Bigger Bang, was released in 2005. 
• In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked the Rolling Stones at number ten on "The Billboard Top All-Time Artists", and as the second most successful group in the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

The DOOBIE BROTHERS Facts

• The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band.
• The band has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide throughout its career.
• Johnston was forced to miss several shows in the summer of 2007 following an operation for a throat ailment. Upon his return, he received vocal assistance from Simmons and McFee on certain tunes that he had traditionally sung in their entirety.
• The Doobies provided the half-time entertainment for the FedEx Orange Bowl football game on January 1, 2009 in Miami, Florida.
• For their 2010 summer tour they were (as previously in 1999 and 2008) once again paired with the band Chicago.
• In May 2010, Skylark was forced to sit out due to a stroke. John Cowan returned to substitute in for Skylark. A few months later, Hossack was forced to sit out due to cancer. Tony Pia, a member of the Brian Setzer’s Orchestra, came in to substitute for Hossack. On March 12, 2012, Hossack died at his home in Dubois, Wyoming.
• McDonald was brought in when Johnston fell ill and could not tour in 1975. He and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter both recorded with Steely Dan.
• The Doobie Brothers from 1970 to 1975 featured most vocals from Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons. The band was more Rock-oriented and was heard on what is now known on Classic Rock stations. From 1976 to 1982 the band had a new lead singer in Michael McDonald who turned the band more towards Blue-Eyed Soul.
• In a 1986 Los Angeles Times poll, the Doobie Brothers were the band that readers most wanted to reunite, behind Led Zeppelin.
• On July 6, 2010, The Doobie Brothers announced a new album entitled World Gone Crazy, produced with their long-time producer Ted Templeman, which was released on September 28, 2010. The first single from the album, entitled Nobody, can be listened to on their official website. They have also announced plans to release a DVD compilation of live performances and television appearances from throughout the group’s long career.
• The group continues to tour heavily and remains a popular concert draw. From 2005 through 2007 they headlined benefit concerts at manager Cohn’s B.R. Cohn Winery in Glen Ellen (once again sharing the stage with “special guest” McDonald in 2006). They have maintained a continuous and active presence on the Internet through their official website since 1996.
• As of March 2012, five members of The Doobie Brothers family are deceased: percussionist LaKind in 1992 following his lengthy struggle with terminal cancer; original bassist Shogren of unreported causes in 1999; Bumpus of a heart attack in 2004 while in the air en route to California for a solo tour; drummer and activist Keith Knudsen in 2005 of cancer and chronic pneumonia; and drummer Michael Hossack of cancer on March 12, 2012.

The Doobie Brothers band members (by year)
The Doobie Brothers went through various band members since the 1970s to the present.  Patrick Simmons has been the band's only consistent member throughout their tenure.

1970–1971
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Dave Shogren – bass, guitar, backing vocals
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals

1971–1972
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Dave Shogren – bass, guitar, backing vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals

1972–1973
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals

1973–1974
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals

1974–1975
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – guitars, backing vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals

1975–1977
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals (missed most of 1975 tour and the fall 1976 tour)
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – guitars, backing vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals

1977–1979
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – guitars, backing vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Bobby LaKind – percussion, vocals

1979–1980
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Chet McCracken – drums, percussion
Cornelius Bumpus – saxophone, flute, keyboards, vocals

1980–1982
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Willie Weeks – bass, backing vocals
Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Chet McCracken – drums, percussion
Bobby LaKind – percussion, vocals
Cornelius Bumpus – saxophone, flute, keyboards, vocals

1982–1987
Disbanded

1987
(plus October 1992)
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – guitars, backing vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
John Hartman – drums, percussion. backing vocals
Chet McCracken – drums, percussion
Bobby LaKind – percussion, vocals
Cornelius Bumpus – saxophone, flute, keyboards, vocals

1988–1989
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Bobby LaKind – percussion, vocals
Dale Ockerman – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

1989–1990
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Dale Ockerman – keyboards, guitar, vocals
Jimi Fox – percussion, backing vocals
Richard Bryant – percussion, vocals
Cornelius Bumpus – saxophone, keyboards, flute, vocals

1990–1991
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Dale Ockerman – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
Jimi Fox – percussion, backing vocals
Richard Bryant – percussion, vocals

1991–1992
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Tiran Porter – bass, guitar, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
John Hartman – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Dale Ockerman – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

1993
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Willie Weeks – bass, backing vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Dale Ockerman – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
Cornelius Bumpus – saxophone, flute, keyboards, vocals

1993–1995
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
John Cowan – bass, backing vocals
Dale Ockerman – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
Danny Hull – saxophone, harmonica, keyboards, backing vocals

1995
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals
Bernie Chiravalle – guitar, backing vocals
Chet McCracken – drums, percussion
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Skylark – bass, vocals
Dale Ockerman – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
Cornelius Bumpus – saxophone, flute, keyboards, vocals

1996–1998
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals (special guest for Rockin’ Down the Highway: The Wildlife Concert)
Skylark – bass, vocals
Danny Hull – saxophone, harmonica, keyboards, backing vocals
Guy Allison – keyboards, backing vocals

1998–2001
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Skylark – bass, vocals
Guy Allison – keyboards, backing vocals
Marc Russo – saxophone

2001–2002
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Skylark – bass, vocals
Guy Allison – keyboards, backing vocals
M. B. Gordy – drums, percussion
Marc Russo – saxophone

2002
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Skylark – bass, vocals
Guy Allison – keyboards, backing vocals
M. B. Gordy – drums, percussion
Ed Wynne – saxophone

2002–2005
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
Keith Knudsen – drums, percussion, vocals
Skylark – bass, vocals
Guy Allison – keyboards, backing vocals
M. B. Gordy – drums, percussion
Marc Russo – saxophone

2005–2010
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
Michael Hossack – drums, percussion
Michael McDonald – keyboards, synthesizers, vocals (special guest in 2006 only)
Skylark – bass, vocals
Guy Allison – keyboards, backing vocals
Ed Toth – drums, percussion
Marc Russo – saxophone

2010–2012
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, violin, vocals
John Cowan - bass, backing vocals
Guy Allison – keyboards, backing vocals
Michael Hossack – drums (died March 12, 2012)
Tony Pia – drums, percussion
Marc Russo – saxophones
Ed Toth – drums

2012–present
Tom Johnston – guitars, keyboards, harmonica, vocals
Patrick Simmons – guitars, banjo, flute, vocals
John McFee – guitars, harmonica, dobro, pedal steel, violin, vocals
John Cowan – bass, vocals
Guy Allison – keyboards, backing vocals
Marc Russo – saxophones
Ed Toth – drums
Tony Pia – drums, percussion