The lyrics of "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" describe Young's disillusionment with the music scene in Los Angeles.
Allmusic critic Matthew Greenwald describes it as "a cry from a man that is in need of settling down after a hair-raising experience." This is reflected in lyrics such as "I gotta get away from this day-to-day running around" and "I think I'd like to go back home and take it easy." Young biographer Jimmy McDonough hears an echo of
Del Shannon's 1962 song "
The Swiss Maid" in the music of "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere." The recording of the vocals eschewed using a
mixing board, and these were recorded directly to tape. According to Young, this was done in an effort "to get all the bullshit out." Young liked the "edge" produced by the resulting
impedance mismatch, which he thought produced a "spitty-sounding" vocal. ==Critical reception==