Buffalo Springfield – Expecting to Fly: A Haunting Exploration of Longing and Loss
Expecting to Fly, written by Neil Young and featured on Buffalo Springfield Again (1967), stands as one of the most poignant and haunting tracks in the band’s catalog. The song, marked by its orchestral arrangement and aching melody, offers a striking contrast to the more raucous and energetic tunes that dominated the album. It also provides a glimpse into Young’s emerging musical style, blending folk, rock, and orchestral elements to create a deeply emotional and cinematic experience.
Lyrically, Expecting to Fly is a song of longing and emotional turmoil, capturing the feeling of waiting for something or someone that might never come. The central theme of unrealized expectation is beautifully conveyed in lines like “You know that I’m expecting to fly,” suggesting a deep desire for something beyond reach. The song evokes a sense of yearning and vulnerability, amplifying the uncertainty that often accompanies the hopes and dreams of youth. There is a sense of disillusionment, as the narrator’s lofty expectations are tempered by the harsh realities of life and relationships.
Musically, Expecting to Fly is as much about atmosphere as it is about structure. The song begins with a delicate piano line, which gives way to an orchestral arrangement that features strings and lush, layered harmonies. The orchestration adds a sense of grandeur and emotional depth, lifting the track to a level of intensity that mirrors the powerful emotions in the lyrics. Neil Young’s voice, vulnerable and fragile, carries the weight of the song’s themes of isolation and inner conflict, underscored by the lush instrumental backdrop.
The contrast between the song’s gentle, haunting beauty and the emotional weight of its lyrics creates a sense of melancholy that resonates long after the track ends. This blending of folk-rock and orchestral elements was ahead of its time, and Expecting to Fly can be seen as a precursor to some of the more intricate and symphonic works Neil Young would later create in his solo career. The track’s soft dynamics, combined with its sweeping instrumentation, give it an almost cinematic quality, as if it were a soundtrack for the emotions it evokes.
Though Expecting to Fly was not a commercial hit, reaching only #98 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968, it remains one of the most critically acclaimed songs in the Buffalo Springfield catalog. The song is often hailed for its emotional depth and sophisticated composition, and it continues to be regarded as one of Neil Young’s finest early works. Its wistful melancholy, paired with its complex musical arrangement, makes it a standout track on Buffalo Springfield Again, a record that was already rich with the band’s exploration of diverse musical styles.
Expecting to Fly is a song that encapsulates the longing for something unattainable, a theme that resonates across genres and generations. In its combination of introspective lyrics and lush orchestral instrumentation, it offers a glimpse into the emotional complexity that would become a hallmark of Neil Young’s songwriting throughout his career. It’s a track that captures the essence of yearning, loss, and the fragile nature of human hope, making it one of the most haunting and memorable songs in the 1960s rock canon.Video: