Jesse Colin Young — Before You Came
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Total ratings: 377
Length: 6:02
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I dreamed that I was riding
in a South Dakota field
and the sweet grass whispered to me
as I rode
oh the sun it was at midday
it shown hot across my face
and our land lay still in grace
yes a crystal silent place
before you came
two of my closest brothers
they were riding by my side
and we watched a golden eagle
flying circles in the sky
and we smiled
as our eyes met
for our joy we could not hide
yes we loved to hunt and ride
it was good to be alive
before you came
brother take my hand
and we will walk this magic land
together
sister look on high
and you will see that storms are building
in your skies
oh do you wonder why
and as the sun was dying
we had reached the sacred hills
yes the sky had caught on fire
and all the land was still
it was here all wrapped in blankets
in our younger days
that we fasted
and we listened
oh the night would bring us visions
before you came
sister take my hand
for we must hold our mother's land
together
brother look around
and you will see the scars of battle
on this ground
oh do you hear the sound
I dreamed that I was riding
in a South Dakota field
and the sweet grass whispered to me
as I rode
oh the sun it was at midday
it shown hot across my face
and our land lay still in grace
yes a crystal silent place
before you came
in a South Dakota field
and the sweet grass whispered to me
as I rode
oh the sun it was at midday
it shown hot across my face
and our land lay still in grace
yes a crystal silent place
before you came
two of my closest brothers
they were riding by my side
and we watched a golden eagle
flying circles in the sky
and we smiled
as our eyes met
for our joy we could not hide
yes we loved to hunt and ride
it was good to be alive
before you came
brother take my hand
and we will walk this magic land
together
sister look on high
and you will see that storms are building
in your skies
oh do you wonder why
and as the sun was dying
we had reached the sacred hills
yes the sky had caught on fire
and all the land was still
it was here all wrapped in blankets
in our younger days
that we fasted
and we listened
oh the night would bring us visions
before you came
sister take my hand
for we must hold our mother's land
together
brother look around
and you will see the scars of battle
on this ground
oh do you hear the sound
I dreamed that I was riding
in a South Dakota field
and the sweet grass whispered to me
as I rode
oh the sun it was at midday
it shown hot across my face
and our land lay still in grace
yes a crystal silent place
before you came
Comments (71)add comment
If I was Jesse Colin Young I would ask radio paradise to stop playing my music he was and is awesome lets see where the Mumford sons and jim james are in forty yrs. and then compare if they are still relevant Jesse has had a pretty awesome career and I am sure he won't care what these idiots have to say at all I am downhearted after reading this crap
Loved Jesse!! this brought back so many great memories of his concerts -
SO MANY HATERS. Sorry you missed the 70's.Schmaltzy and trying too hard.
This song's not getting a lot of love on here. I don't remember it, but I enjoyed it. The sound of the guitar was lovely. 
WonderLizard wrote:
We did a lot of things in the 70s to get laid more frequently. I almost went to a Christopher Cross concert.
That said, I do like JCY all the way back to The Youngbloods.
We did a lot of things in the 70s to get laid more frequently. I almost went to a Christopher Cross concert.
That said, I do like JCY all the way back to The Youngbloods.
I like the lyrics....before the Europeans with their "manifest destiny" claim the west must have been a very special place. My only regret is that I was not born in that time period as a Native American.
It's not "cheesey" it's the truth
It's not "cheesey" it's the truth
Sorry, but this is pretentious dreck.
Ok I suppose I'm really sticking my neck out here, but I kinda liked that song (first time ever I hear anything from him)!
Jim James stold this guy's Schtick.
Yes the old people appreciate the fact that back in the 60's and 70's there was no auto-tune or other digital references to spoil the mistakes that HAPPEN to every artist-JCY is a very talented singer/songwriter and younger performers could take a few lessons from him. just sayin'
I would be EMBARRassed to have this in my record collection. Absolute drivel.
this is baaaaad!
This is so cheesy.
lily34 wrote:
Agreed
wow. this is terrible.
Agreed
WonderLizard wrote:
We did a lot of things in the 70s to get laid more frequently.
Heh - I was just thinking that this album was in just about every woman's room at my university in the mid-70s.
We did a lot of things in the 70s to get laid more frequently.
Heh - I was just thinking that this album was in just about every woman's room at my university in the mid-70s.
Wow. Just wow. The sun is dying and the land is on fire.
wow. this is terrible.
MinMan wrote:
We did a lot of things in the 70s to get laid more frequently. I almost went to a Christopher Cross concert.
Yes, it's lame, it was the 70's - He just sang this way so that he could get laid more frequently.
We did a lot of things in the 70s to get laid more frequently. I almost went to a Christopher Cross concert.
Now this is one I haven't heard...............
MinMan wrote:
Yeah, that seems like a reasonable explanation.
Yes, it's lame, it was the 70's - He just sang this way so that he could get laid more frequently.
Yeah, that seems like a reasonable explanation.
He looks like Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) in the movie "Almost Famous."
More like, "After I Barfed" — god... this sucks.
Melodramatic.
Yes, it's lame, it was the 70's - He just sang this way so that he could get laid more frequently.
I saw Jesse maybe about 10 years ago at Blues Alley in Washington, DC, an intimate club known for booking Jazz acts. He gave a very enjoyable acoustic performance, intimate and passionate.
I was thinking this was Alan parsons or Todd Rundgren.
ydjb wrote:
Saw that show in Cleveland in '74, the other "warmup" band was the Band. As good as all of the bands were, Santana stole the show. Oh , by the way, tickets cost $10. Ten bucks for ten hours of music. SADLOF Such A Deal Lots Of Fun
Jesse and Santana were a couple of the warm-up bands before CSNY in Cleveland in mid-70's. First time I saw him - he was excellent 
Saw that show in Cleveland in '74, the other "warmup" band was the Band. As good as all of the bands were, Santana stole the show. Oh , by the way, tickets cost $10. Ten bucks for ten hours of music. SADLOF Such A Deal Lots Of Fun
whtahtefcuk wrote:
Doing LOTS for me. Has since 1974.
Not doing to much for me? Kinda lame.
Doing LOTS for me. Has since 1974.
More_Barn wrote:
Agreed - but had to wade thru a so-so song to finally get to it.
Sweet guitar.
Agreed - but had to wade thru a so-so song to finally get to it.
Not doing to much for me? Kinda lame.
Saw the Youngbloods twice in Seattle in the late 60's and those concerts were wonderful.
Saw JCY about 5 years after Youngbloods broke up and that concert was on par
with any I have seen. He stole the night from Loggins & Messina.
JCY is/was a great singer song-writer.
chyk5 wrote:
Agree, luckily its not in heavy rotation.
Not my cup of tea, but the old people seem to like it with all the talk of Santana and reel-to-reels.
This is the first time I've heard this. I really hope it is the last.
Agree, luckily its not in heavy rotation.
Not my cup of tea, but the old people seem to like it with all the talk of Santana and reel-to-reels.
Love it. Definitive sound of the Seventies ................................
GREAT!
I am SO stoked to hear this! Lovelovelove JCY, thanks to my radio music-programmer friend. I remember I bought him a JCY CDthat he'd mentioned he wanted, and took it to the station to give it to him. He almost tackled me in his eagerness to get it out of my hands, and the other station employees were laughing their asses off at our childish behavior. He had such a happy look in his eyes, and years fell away...
JCY will always remind me of my friend, who is in places unknown.
JCY will always remind me of my friend, who is in places unknown.
knew the voice right away, great stuff!
I haven't heard this in ages! Great Album. This brings back some great memories. Thanks for playing it.
Jesse and Santana were a couple of the warm-up bands before CSNY in Cleveland in mid-70's. First time I saw him - he was excellent
ruthless wrote:
It was Jesse Winchester who went to Canada in 1967 and became a Canadian citizen in 1973, acc. to Wikipedia.
Is this the Jesse that went to Canada during Vietnam war or was that Jesse Winchester? Both good artists.
It was Jesse Winchester who went to Canada in 1967 and became a Canadian citizen in 1973, acc. to Wikipedia.
Sweet guitar.
Yay, South Dakota!
Before You Came....
In a way, no one will ever understand the impact of those three words....
Unless, in a very intimate way, you are about to bring a new life into our world...
Or, you are an explorer who will soon bring a new world upon an old world...
Or something beyond is about to occur?
In a way, no one will ever understand the impact of those three words....
Unless, in a very intimate way, you are about to bring a new life into our world...
Or, you are an explorer who will soon bring a new world upon an old world...
Or something beyond is about to occur?
KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:
I think it was just the right time and place for Bill to hear the song. I like the song well enough to give it a 7. We all have songs like that. I think several Pink Floyd songs have hit me that way, but never when I imbibed, strangely enough. Something magical about music, I guess.
Good story there Bill about the first time you heard this.
I find it amazing how I can remember songs the first time I heard them. And how they relate to the surroundings where I was.
How did DJ know how to play that tune at the right place and the right time?
I have a rotten memory. But when I can remember the song that was playing at that particular time, I can remember everything.
Bizarre.
I'm thankful for the music.
I find it amazing how I can remember songs the first time I heard them. And how they relate to the surroundings where I was.
How did DJ know how to play that tune at the right place and the right time?
I have a rotten memory. But when I can remember the song that was playing at that particular time, I can remember everything.
Bizarre.
I'm thankful for the music.
I think it was just the right time and place for Bill to hear the song. I like the song well enough to give it a 7. We all have songs like that. I think several Pink Floyd songs have hit me that way, but never when I imbibed, strangely enough. Something magical about music, I guess.
Haunting song. Love it. 
David Gilmour, anyone?
Right at the start.
7.
*EDIT*
Then it turns into Lindsay Buckingham...
Right at the start.
7.
*EDIT*
Then it turns into Lindsay Buckingham...
Good story there Bill about the first time you heard this.
I find it amazing how I can remember songs the first time I heard them. And how they relate to the surroundings where I was.
How did DJ know how to play that tune at the right place and the right time?
I have a rotten memory. But when I can remember the song that was playing at that particular time, I can remember everything.
Bizarre.
I'm thankful for the music.
I find it amazing how I can remember songs the first time I heard them. And how they relate to the surroundings where I was.
How did DJ know how to play that tune at the right place and the right time?
I have a rotten memory. But when I can remember the song that was playing at that particular time, I can remember everything.
Bizarre.
I'm thankful for the music.
Reminds me of early Elton/Bernie.
Extremely nice!
Extremely nice!
After the Youngbloods and Elephant Mountain, I lost any interest in Jesse. Stuff like this certainly doesn't change my mind.
I can still see my Teac reel to reel playing this tune ...
Another bolt out of the blue. Way to go Bill.
And the listener rating is way too harsh.
Another bolt out of the blue. Way to go Bill.
And the listener rating is way too harsh.
I feel badly for people who attempt to be clever and fail so miserably. Keep trying; you'll get it eventually
Moonflower31 wrote:
Pool seems a little shallow today
chyk5 wrote:
Pool seems a little shallow today
This is the first time I've heard this. I really hope it is the last.
Pool seems a little shallow today
This is the first time I've heard this. I really hope it is the last.
spawned from the youngbloods... a different approach to cheese.
ScoSmith wrote:
-- something new, private, and personal.
something moving and most impressive
ScoSmith wrote:
Jesse has been layin' it down real well for forty years now. His first album was Soul of a City Boy, in 1964. I liked the song "Four in the Morning" from that effort. In my opinion, it is a good example of how "folk" music at the time was becoming an intensely personal statement, and rapidly evolving away from the traditional approach. Not a Childe ballad, not the blues, not a pop song -- something new, private, and personal.
Is this the Jesse that went to Canada during Vietnam war or was that Jesse Winchester? Both good artists.
Inamorato wrote:
This song is written from the perspective of a Native American addressing a Caucasian. It references South Dakota, the location of the Pine Ridge reservation that was the site of trouble and death between Indians and Feds not long before it was written.
I love learning those tidbits of information about music! Thanks for sharing Inamorato :)
This song is written from the perspective of a Native American addressing a Caucasian. It references South Dakota, the location of the Pine Ridge reservation that was the site of trouble and death between Indians and Feds not long before it was written.
got sort of a Dan Fogelberg kind of sound to it....
Rather ponderous. And somewhat shrill.
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
Horrid.
**Scott wishes for Ramones**
Rats
Gabba Gabba Hey!
ScottFromWyoming wrote:
Horrid.
**Scott wishes for Ramones**
Rats
Dude, the Ramones are way too fiesty and peppy for RP, try some Tull!!!
Horrid.
**Scott wishes for Ramones**
Rats
I love this man's voice. I had the pleasure of seeing him about 14 years ago at a very intimate club in Mill Valley's Sweetwater Inn, and he put on a wonderful show.
Haven't heard his great voice in years. Would like to hear more. Always liked his stuff.
I had to check out who the familiar voice was. Thought I heard a David Crosby influence. Great to hear Jesse again after all these years. He was always one of my favorites. It just went into a speeded up version of Darkness Darkness. Old habits die hard.
This song reminds me of my recent trip to South Dakota. Nice song.
Pretty cool tune.