 According to Clark , the lyrics were primarily his creation , with a minor contribution being David Crosby 's line , " Rain grey town , known for its sound " , a reference to London as home to the British Invasion , which was then dominating U.S. music charts . Other lyrics in the song that explicitly refer to the Byrds ' stay in England include the couplet : " Nowhere is there warmth to be found / Among those afraid of losing their ground " , which is a reference to the hostile reaction of the UK music press and to the English group the Birds serving the band with a copyright infringement writ , due to the similarities in name . In addition , " Round the squares , huddled in storms / Some laughing , some just shapeless forms " describes fans waiting for the band outside hotels , while the line " Sidewalk scenes and black limousines " refers to the excited crowds that jostled the band as they exited their chauffeur @-@ driven cars . 
