What is this a horse with no name -thing in Stateside? This started bothering me, when I tried playing GTA San Andreas and there was some other song on that game where someone sang about a horse with no name. Is it from some movie? Or does it have some "deeper" meaning? Or what?

You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan

"A Horse With No Name" was a popular song the band America, written in 1971. Like most pop songs written in the time period, it was linked (whether or not it was intended to be) with drug culture -- "horse" being one of the street names for heroin. More plausibly, the song is about spending time outside of civilization... For Bowie, it probably also recalled a certain sense of Old West Americana, which is probably what he was getting at in Stateside.



I hoped he got raped in the ass by 50 men, with dicks wrapped in barbed wire dipped in acid. - Vanessa_Y

I've always loved this song with it's jaunty type singalong rhythm and what you say makes sense.

A Horse With No Name

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

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 ...

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

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 ...

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 it's life underground
And a perfect disguise above
Under the cities lies a heart made of ground
But the humans will give no love

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 ...




London Bye Ta-Ta...

I actually hate that song. A lot. But then again, I was never big on mid-70s mainstream rock.

And I think Bowie put it in the song because he was trying desperately to make it sound clever.

You're probably wondering why I'm here...and so am I.

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And I think Bowie put it in the song because he was trying desperately to make it sound clever.

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More as likely

This was one of the first songs I can remember as a child always being played on the radio, I guess it stuck in my mind A/ because I didn't understand it, B/ the lyics are just so catchy and C/ I felt sorry because the horse had no name, strange the way we interpret things as children, but these interpretations can stay with you for life.


London Bye Ta-Ta...

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"A Horse With No Name" was a popular song the band America

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Now that I checked, that actually is the song in GTA San Andreas. But I guess your explanation makes sense...

Now I remember once asking someone who or what Mary Jane was... I'm obviously not that good with nicknames for drugs!

You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan

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I felt sorry because the horse had no name

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Why? I doubt the horse could care less...

"Play me old king Cole, that I may join with you."

"You're in a desert. There's nothing else to do. NAME THE FREAKIN' HORSE." - Richard Jeni

You're probably wondering why I'm here...and so am I.

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I'm obviously not that good with nicknames for drugs!

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Neither am I, It wasn't until I joined TW that I knew what Lou Reed was singing about on "Perfect Day" I had NO idea that song was about drugs I've learnt so much from this site which is why I love it so much.

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Why? I doubt the horse could care less...

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I was a small child and didn't know better, so stop bullying me






London Bye Ta-Ta...

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I've learnt so much from this site which is why I love it so much.

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So, you like learning nicknames for drugs?

You're one microscopic cog in his catastrophic plan

It is handy in his job

Wake up!.

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So, you like learning nicknames for drugs?

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Only illegal drugs to which I must admit know nothing, It gives me a bit of board cred


London Bye Ta-Ta...

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It gives me a bit of board cred

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Not a fucking chance.


I'll slash them cold, I'll kill them dead
I'll break them gooks, I'll crack their heads
I'll slice them till they're running red
But now I've got the running gun blues

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Not a fucking chance.

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I can dream can't I Charlie? me old mucker

I'm sure you could teach me some board cred.


London Bye Ta-Ta...

FYI, here in the states we refer to MDMA as Frankenberries and the street name for mescaline is Yummy Mummy.

I hoped he got raped in the ass by 50 men, with dicks wrapped in barbed wire dipped in acid. - Vanessa_Y

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FYI, here in the states we refer to MDMA as Frankenberries and the street name for mescaline is Yummy Mummy.

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Thanks GP I shall remember that, these drug slang terms are fascinating, I wonder who originally gave them their street names?


London Bye Ta-Ta...

People on the street.

Wake up!.

Really? I thought some scientists made them up and then went and told the people on the street!

But if you're gonna dine with them cannibals, sooner or later, darling, you're gonna get eaten

Did these very eminent scientists tell the people on the street to call them Frankenberries and Yummy Mummy?

And why am I having deja vu over this?



London Bye Ta-Ta...