"For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound)", often referred to as simply "For What It's Worth", is a song written by
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills (born January 3, 1945) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; and Manassas (band ...
. Performed by
Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield was a Canadian-American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1966 by Canadians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin (musician), Dewey Martin and Americans Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. The group, widely know ...
, it was recorded on December 5, 1966, released as a single on
Atco Records
ATCO Records is an American record label founded in 1955. It is owned by Warner Music Group and operates as an imprint of Atlantic Records. After several decades of dormancy and infrequent activity under alternating Warner Music labels, the com ...
in December1966 and peaked at No. 7 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1967. Its association with the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
is a popular misconception; the song is about young people clashing with police during the counterculture era.
It was later added to the March 1967 second pressing of their first album, ''
Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield was a Canadian-American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1966 by Canadians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin (musician), Dewey Martin and Americans Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. The group, widely know ...
''. The title was added after the song was written, and does not appear in the lyrics.
In 2004 ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'' magazine ranked the song at number 63 on its list of the
500 Greatest Songs of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring song ranking compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2 ...
.
Background
Although "For What It's Worth" is often considered an anti-war song, Stephen Stills was inspired to write the song because of the
Sunset Strip curfew riots in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
in November 1966, a series of early
counterculture
A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Ho ...
-era clashes that took place between police and young people on the
Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through the city of West Hollywood, California, United States. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with the city of Los Angeles near Marmont Lane to its western bord ...
in
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood ...
, California, the same year Buffalo Springfield had become the house band at the
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed The Whisky) is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip, corner North Clark Street, opposite North San Vicente Boulev ...
.
Local residents and businesses had become annoyed by how crowds of young people going to clubs and music venues along the Strip had caused late-night traffic congestion. In response, they lobbied Los Angeles County to pass local ordinances stopping
loitering, and enforced a strict curfew on the Strip after 10 p.m. The young music fans, however, felt the new laws infringed upon their
civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...
.
On Saturday, November 12, 1966, fliers were distributed on the Sunset Strip inviting people to join demonstrations later that day. Several of Los Angeles's rock radio stations also announced a rally outside the
Pandora's Box club on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Crescent Heights. That evening, as many as 1,000 young demonstrators, including future celebrities such as
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. Nicholson is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, often playing rebels fighting against the social structure. Over his five-de ...
and
Peter Fonda
Peter Henry Fonda (February 23, 1940 – August 16, 2019) was an American actor, film director, and screenwriter. He was a two-time Academy Award nominee, both for acting and screenwriting, and a two-time Golden Globe Award winner for his a ...
(who was handcuffed by police) gathered to protest against the curfew's enforcement. Although the rallies began peacefully, trouble eventually broke out. The unrest continued the next night, and periodically throughout the rest of November and December, forcing some clubs to shut down within weeks.
It was against the background of these civil disturbances that Stills recorded "For What It's Worth" on December 5, 1966.
Production
Stills said in an interview that the name of the song came about when he presented it to the record company executive
Ahmet Ertegun
Ahmet Ertegun ( ; , ; July 31, 1923 – December 14, 2006) was a Turkish-American businessman, songwriter, record executive and philanthropist.
Ertegun was the co-founder and president of Atlantic Records. He discovered and championed many lead ...
(who signed Buffalo Springfield to the Atlantic Records-owned ATCO label). Stills said "I have this song here, for what it's worth, if you want it."
[ Another producer, Charlie Greene, claims that Stills first said the above line to him, but credits Ahmet Ertegun with giving the single the parenthetical subtitle "Stop, Hey What's That Sound" so that the song would be more easily recognized.]
The song was recorded on December 5, 1966, at Columbia Studios, Hollywood. Tom Dowd claimed he mixed the song at Atlantic's studio in New York, though this has been disputed. Dowd did take part in the production of Cher's version of the song in 1969. One of the most recognizable elements of the song is Neil Young's use of guitar harmonics.[
]
Releases and charts
While memories of the November riots were still fresh, the group and Ertegun pushed for a rush-release of "For What It's Worth". On December 10, 1966, five days after the song was recorded, local Top 40 radio station KHJ began playing the single. It first appeared on the station's "Boss 30" chart on December 28, 1966, at number 26, and was followed by rival KRLA
KRLA (870 AM) "AM 870 The Answer" is a commercial radio station broadcasting a conservative talk radio format. Licensed to Glendale, California, it serves Greater Los Angeles and Southern California. The station is owned by Salem Media Group, ...
on January 14, 1967, where the single entered its "Top 40 Requests" at number eight. Also on January 14, ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' magazine identified it as a "regional breakout" and the single appeared on its Bubbling Under the Hot 100
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
chart. Two weeks later, it debuted at number 90 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, where it peaked at number seven on March 25 and remained on the chart for a total of fifteen weeks. Although the single did not reach the charts in the U.K., the British Phonographic Industry
BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...
(BPI) certified a 2004 release by Warner Music
Warner Music Group Corp., commonly abbreviated as WMG, is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and the third-largest in the gl ...
as platinum (sales and streams of 600,000) in 2023.
To capitalize on the single's success, Atco was pushing for a follow-up album that featured the song. It began printing album jackets with the title ''Stampede'', but the group did not have enough songs for a new LP. Instead, Atco reissued their debut album and added Stills's song as the opening track. It eventually reached number 80 on ''Billboard''s Top LPs chart. As one of Buffalo Springfield's best-known songs, it is included on several of the group's anthologies, such as '' Retrospective: The Best of Buffalo Springfield'' (1969), the ''Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield was a Canadian-American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1966 by Canadians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin (musician), Dewey Martin and Americans Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. The group, widely know ...
'' box set (2001), and '' What's That Sound? Complete Albums Collection'' (2018).
Certifications
Critical commentary and legacy
''Cash Box
''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' said the single is a "throbbing, infectious protester circling 'round the current happenings in Cal."
"For What It's Worth" quickly became a well-known protest song
A protest song is a song that is associated with a movement for protest and social change and hence part of the broader category of ''topical'' songs (or songs connected to current events). It may be folk, classical, or commercial in genre.
...
. However, contrary to popular belief, the song was not motivated by the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, but rather a confrontation Stills had in Los Angeles' Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through the city of West Hollywood, California, United States. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with the city of Los Angeles near Marmont Lane to its western bord ...
neighborhood. In 2006, when interviewed on Tom Kent
Thomas Kent Newton (August 6, 1954 – June 24, 2024) was an American radio personality and label executive. As the head of the ''Tom Kent Radio Network'', Kent hosted and produced syndicated daily, weekend and, 24/7 programming each week on a ...
's radio show ''Into the '70s'', Stills pointed out that many people think the song is about the Kent State shootings
The Kent State shootings (also known as the Kent State massacre or May 4 massacre"These would be the first of many probes into what soon became known as the Kent State Massacre. Like the Boston Massacre almost exactly two hundred years before (Ma ...
of 1970, even though its release predates that event by over three years. Neil Young
Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, forming the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the begi ...
—Stills's bandmate in both Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) was a folk rock Supergroup (music), supergroup comprising the American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills and the English-American singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by the Canadian singer-so ...
(CSNY)—would later write "Ohio
Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
" in response to the events at Kent State.
An all-star version of "For What It's Worth", with Tom Petty
Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He was the leader and frontman of the Rock music, rock bands Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Mudcrutch and a member of the late 1980s sup ...
and others, was played at Buffalo Springfield's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
in 1997; Neil Young did not attend the event.
The song is a staple of period piece films about 1960s America and the Vietnam War, such as ''Forrest Gump
''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis. An adaptation of the Forrest Gump (novel), 1986 novel by Winston Groom, the screenplay of the film is written by Eric Roth. It stars Tom Hanks in the title rol ...
'', and often used as a common shorthand to quickly establish the atmosphere of 1960s counterculture
The counterculture of the 1960s was an anti-establishment cultural phenomenon and political movement that developed in the Western world during the mid-20th century. It began in the early 1960s, and continued through the early 1970s. It is oft ...
movement and protests.
The song appears in the intro to the 2005 film ''Lord of War
''Lord of War'' is a 2005 Crime drama film, crime-drama film written and directed by Andrew Niccol. It stars Nicolas Cage, Jared Leto, Bridget Moynahan, Ethan Hawke, and Eamonn Walker in primary roles. The plot follows an unscrupulous Ukrain ...
'', showing the lifecycle of a rifle cartridge, from manufacture to firing.
On August 17, 2020, Billy Porter sang "For What It's Worth" for the 2020 Democratic National Convention
The 2020 Democratic National Convention was a United States presidential nominating convention, presidential nominating convention that was held from August 17 to 20, 2020, at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and virtual ...
backed by Stephen Stills on guitar, a nod to the song's resurgent use in the summer 2020 American protests.
In 2000, the 1966 recording of "For What It's Worth" by Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield was a Canadian-American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1966 by Canadians Neil Young, Bruce Palmer and Dewey Martin (musician), Dewey Martin and Americans Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. The group, widely know ...
on ATCO Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The HOF lists the ATCO date as 1967.
Dawes, alongside Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills (born January 3, 1945) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; and Manassas (band ...
and Mike Campbell performed the song on January 30, 2025 at Kia Forum
The Kia Forum, also known as Los Angeles Forum and formerly Great Western Forum, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Inglewood, California, United States, adjacent to Los Angeles. Located on West Manchester Boulevard, with Pincay Drive to th ...
in Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the city had a population of 107,762. ...
for FireAid to help with relief efforts for the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.
Covers and sampling
"For What It's Worth" has been covered, sampled, and referenced in numerous musical performances. Versions include those by The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers were an American Gospel music, gospel, soul music, soul, and Rhythm and blues, R&B singing group. Pops Staples, Roebuck "Pops" Staples (December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group w ...
(US #66 in 1967, CAN #46 in 1967), Art (1967 single from ''Supernatural Fairy Tales
''Supernatural Fairy Tales'' is the only album by Art, who were formerly known as The V.I.P.'s (band), The V.I.P.'s. The album contains mostly band (music), band compositions plus a cover version, cover of The Young Rascals' "Come on Up" and Bu ...
''), King Curtis
Curtis Montgomery (February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musi ...
(in the 1967 album ''King Sized Soul''), Ken Lyon & Tombstone, Rush, Cher
Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...
, the Candyskins
The Candyskins were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Oxford, England. Though early members of the "Oxford Scene", they enjoyed limited commercial success compared to their contemporaries Radiohead and Supergrass. They were considered by ...
, Oui 3 (UK #28), Queensrÿche
Queensrÿche () is an American progressive metal band. It formed in 1982 in Bellevue, Washington, out of the local band the Mob. The band has released 16 studio albums, one Extended play, EP, and several DVDs, and continues to tour and record ...
(on their album ''Take Cover''), Miriam Makeba
Zenzile Miriam Makeba ( , ; 4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including African popular music, Afropop, ja ...
(on her album '' Keep Me in Mind''), Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...
and (həd) p.e. (retitled ''Children''). Cher's 1969 cover did not make the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 but it did reach #88 in Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
retrospectively called her version "mature ndforceful".
Sergio Mendes and Brasil'66 recorded a version of this song. It reached #10 in the Adult Contemporary Music Chart on September 19, 1970. Singer Karen Philipp suggested to Sergio that he should cover the song. Karen does all of the vocals for this song by overdubbing
Overdubbing (also known as layering) is a technique used in audio recording in which audio Music track, tracks that have been pre-recorded are then played back and monitored, while simultaneously recording new, doubled, or augmented tracks onto o ...
. Two versions of this song exist: The mono 45 has a more extreme overdubbing of Karen's vocals with a different organ solo than the LP. The LP version is in stereo with a different vocal arrangement.
David Cassidy
David Bruce Cassidy (April 12, 1950 – November 21, 2017) was an American actor and musician. He was best known for his role as Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical-sitcom ''The Partridge Family''.
After completing high school, Cassidy purs ...
recorded an extended live version for his 1974 album '' Cassidy Live!'' (Bell Records, UK #9; recorded live in Great Britain in May 1974).
On episode 2.21 of ''The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a variety sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and starring the Muppets. It is presented as a variety show, featuring recurring sketches and musical numbers interspersed with ongoing plot-lines with ru ...
'', originally airing 19 February 1978, "For What It's Worth" is performed by an opossum (Jerry Nelson
Jerry Nelson (July 10, 1934 – August 23, 2012) was an American puppeteer, best known for his work with The Muppets. Known for his wide range of characters and singing abilities, he performed Muppet characters on ''Sesame Street'', ''The M ...
) and a chorus of woodland animals. The second and third verses are rewritten by an uncredited writer to give the song an anti-hunting theme.
The hip-hop group Public Enemy
Public Enemy is an American Hip-hop, hip hop group formed in Roosevelt, New York, in 1985 by Chuck D and Flavor Flav. The group rose to prominence for their political messages including subjects such as Racism in the United States, American r ...
sampled "For What It's Worth" on their 1998 song " He Got Game", which featured Stephen Stills reprising his vocal performance from the original song. Oui 3 adapted the song for their 1993 debut single of the same name, which reached number 26 in the UK chart.
In 2017, Haley Reinhart released a cover of the song as the third single from her third studio album, '' What's That Sound?'' In 2018, the Lone Bellow released a cover of the song as a single. In 2022 Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist.
After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasing the album ...
released a cover of it as well, not to be confused with her 2011 song of the same name.
See also
* List of 1960s one-hit wonders in the United States
* Protest songs in the United States
Notes
References
External links
Reasontorock analysis of song
* Buffalo Springfield:
* The Staple Singers:
{{DEFAULTSORT:For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield Song)
1966 songs
1967 singles
1969 singles
Atco Records singles
Buffalo Springfield songs
Cher songs
Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients
Protest songs
Songs about Los Angeles
Songs written by Stephen Stills
Song recordings produced by Arif Mardin
Song recordings produced by Tom Dowd
Song recordings produced by Jerry Wexler