On the Beach is the fifth studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released by Reprise Records in July 1974. This album is the third in the "Ditch Trilogy," a series of records Young made after the huge success of 1972’s Harvest. The feelings of retreat, alienation, and melancholy in On the Beach reflect Young’s reaction to his newfound fame and acclaim.

The album delves into folk rock with themes of anger, alienation, and cautious optimism. The opener, "Walk On," captures Young’s blend of melancholy and a resolve to keep moving forward. In the liner notes for Decade, Young describes it as "My over defensive reaction to criticisms of Tonight's the Night and the seemingly endless flow of money coming from you people out there."

"See the Sky About to Rain," a piece of social commentary, was written during the Harvest era and had been previously covered by The Byrds. Meanwhile, "Revolution Blues," inspired by Charles Manson, faced resistance from Young’s bandmates who were wary of performing it live. Young remarked, "It’s just a song. What’s the big deal? It’s about culture. It’s about what’s really happening."

As the album cover suggests, there’s a lot of sadness lingering on the sand of this beach.