Keep On Rockin’, Neil!

An old friend currently living overseas called up two days ago and he was running through a list of big name rock bands visiting his part of town. “This big festival is crap though,” he said. “Can you imagine Neil Young headlining?,” he scoffed.

“What? Neil Young! Damn! Is he bringing his big-assed, 4 x 2 feet distortion pedal from the 70s? Is it gonna be with The Crazy Horse,” I asked excitedly. My friend didn’t understand my enthusiastic response. How could Joe be into Neil Young, the man was already a relic when punk rock happened? Well, maybe he didn’t know this snippet:

“The king is gone but he’s not forgotten
This is the story of a Johnny Rotten
It’s better to burn out than it is to rust
The king is gone but he’s not forgotten…”

That verse got me into Neil Young. It was the first song from the live album Rust Never Sleeps (1979). I believe the song My My, Hey Hey (Into The Blue) is about the immortal spirit of rock’n’roll, that it would never ever die and that it would continue giving life to the ones who understand it; despite the facts that Elvis died and The Sex Pistols split-up in the late 70s.

Young’s acknowledgement of punk rock made my heart jump, just like when Bob Marley mentioned The Clash, The Damned, The Jam and even Dr Feelgood on his Punky Reggae Party (1977). From there I hunted down Young’s releases and learned to appreciate his massive output right to the days when he was with CSN&Y.

Today, Big-O’s latest weekly newsletter reminded me why I love the guy in the first place. Check out this simple DIY video, which I suspect shot with the embedded videocam on his MacBook, taken right on the lawns of his house I believe. And do check out the lyrics following it.

Lyrics below:

Fork in the Road

Got a pot belly,
It’s not too big
Gets in my way
When I’m driving my rig

Driving this country
In a big old rig
Things I’ve seen
Mean a lot

Friend has a pickup
Drives his kid to school
Then he takes his wife
To beauty school

Now she’s doin’ nails
Gonna get a job
Got a good teacher

There’s a fork in the road ahead
I don’t which way I’m gonna turn
There’s a fork in the road ahead

About this year
We salute the troops
They’re all still there
In a fucking war
It’s no good
Whose idea was that?

I’ve got hope
But you can’t eat hope
I’m not done
Not giving up
Not cashing in
Too late

There’s a bailout coming but it’s not for me
It’s for all those creeps watching tickers on TV
There’s a bailout coming but it’s not for me

I’m a big rock star
My sales have tanked
But I still got you
Thanks
Download this
Sounds like shit

Keep on bloggin’
‘Til the power goes out
Your battery’s dead
Twist and shout

On the radio
Those were the days
Bring ’em back

There’s a bailout coming but it’s not for you
It’s for all those creeps hiding what they do
There’s a bailout coming but it’s not for you
Bailout coming but it’s not for you

Got my flat screen
Got it repo’d now
They picked it up
Left a hole in the wall
Last Saturday
Missed the Raiders game

There’s a bailout coming but it’s not for you
There’s a bailout coming but it’s not for you
It’s for all those creeps hiding what they do

BTW: here’s a great clip of My My, Hey Hey live:

I surely hope my friend over there would ditch his ignorance and enjoy himself at the festival. Neil Young is maybe 64 years old but the man is still thrashing his Les Paul with vengeance and fire!

Neil Young on Wikipedia