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About

Genius Annotation

“For What It’s Worth” is one of the most widely known protest songs of the 1960s. Recorded by Buffalo Springfield as a single, it was eventually released in 1967 on their self-titled album.

Buffalo Springfield was the house band for LA’s famous Whiskey A Go Go during the time of the riots, which led Stephen Stills to pen the song.

Much has been written about the song; one of the best sources of information is Reason to Rock.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

What did Buffalo Springfield say about "For What It's Worth"?
Genius Answer

Stephen Stills added another facet to the song’s meaning –

It turned out to be indicative of what was about to happen.

Why did Stills write this song?
Genius Answer

In the book Neil Young: Long May You Run: The Illustrated History, Stephen Stills tells the story of this song’s origin: “I had something kicking around in my head. I wanted to write something about the kids that were on the line over in Southeast Asia that didn’t have anything to do with the device of this mission, which was unraveling before our eyes. Then we came down to Sunset from my place on Topanga with a guy – I can’t remember his name – and there’s a funeral for a bar, one of the favorite spots for high school and UCLA kids to go and dance and listen to music.

[Officials] decided to call out the riot police because there’s three thousand kids sort of standing out in the street; there’s no looting, there’s no nothing. It’s everybody having a hang to close this bar. A whole company of LAPD in full Macedonian battle array in shields and helmets and all that, and they’re lined up across the street, and I just went ‘Whoa! Why are they doing this?’ There was no reason for it. I went back to Topanga, and that other song turned into ‘For What It’s Worth,’ and it took as long to write as it took me to settle on the changes and write the lyrics down. It all came as a piece, and it took about fifteen minutes."

Credits
Written By
Recorded At
Columbia Recording Studio, Hollywood, California
Release Date
December 23, 1966
For What It’s Worth Covers
For What It’s Worth (2022) by Stevie Nicks, For What It's Worth by King Curtis & The Kingpins, For What It's Worth by Shaw Blades, For What It's Worth by The Vaccines, For What It's Worth by Sammy Hagar, For What It's Worth - Sound Clinic Remix by Trills (Ft. The Sound Clinic), For What It’s Worth by Trills, For What It's Worth by Meat Loaf (Ft. Stephen Stills), For What It's Worth by Dirty Heads, For What It’s Worth by Katy J Pearson, For What It's Worth by Robert Plant (Ft. Band of Joy), For What It's Worth by The Lone Bellow, For What It’s Worth by Billy Porter, For What It's Worth by The Rainy Daze, For What It's Worth by Striking Matches, For What It's Worth (Live) by Mavis Staples, For What It's Worth by Malia J, For What It's Worth (Live 2002 Stars & Guitars) by Willie Nelson (Ft. Bill Evans (Saxophonist) & Sheryl Crow), For What It's Worth by Kaerhart, For What It's Worth by Bonnie Bramlett, For What It's Worth by Crystal Bowersox, For What It's Worth by Girl in a Coma, For What It's Worth by OneRepublic, For What It's Worth by Rise Against, For What It's Worth by Tab Benoit, For What It's Worth by Keb' Mo', For What It's Worth by Link 80, For What It's Worth by Crosby, Stills & Nash, For What Its Worth by The Muppets, For What It's Worth by Cher, For What It's Worth by Lou Rawls, For What It's Worth by The Staple Singers, For What It's Worth by Jason Manns, For What It's Worth by Hugh Cornwell, For What It's Worth by Queensrÿche, For What It's Worth by Anti-Flag, For What It's Worth by Ozzy Osbourne, For What It's Worth by Letitia VanSant, For What It's Worth by Bahari, For What It’s Worth by MonaLisa Twins, For What It's Worth by The Candyskins, For What It's Worth by Haley Reinhart, For What It's Worth by Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '66 & For What It's Worth by Rush
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