Neil Young is an unrecognized genius.

Geez Patiodog - you're just such a positive guy (with rather eclectic musical taste- I understand Boxcar Willie - but Tiny Tim- now there was an annoying voice- which of his songs was your favorite)?

But even if you didn't like Neil - he'd probably have liked you. Did you know he was a dog lover? That's another thing I like about him.

"Old King" (Neil Young)

King went a-runnin' after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin'
off the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know.

I had a dog and his name was King
I told the dog about everything
There in my truck the dog and I
Then one day the King up and died.

Then I thought about
the times we had
Once when I kicked him
when he was bad
Old King sure meant a lot to me
But that hound dog is history.

King went a-runnin' after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin'
off the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know.

That old King was a friend of mine
Never knew a dog
that was half as fine
I may find one, you never do know
'Cause I still got a long way to go.

I had a dog and his name was King
I told the dog about everything
Old King sure meant a lot to me
But that hound dog is history.

King went a-howlin' after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin'
off the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know.

Idiot - I hate calling you that - but oh well...Actually, Neil Young has two sons who are both severely disabled with cerebral palsey. I think I remember reading that each has a different mother - so he blames himself or feels responsible in some way for their difficulties (although cerebral palsey is not a genetically linked condition - it usually is the result of some insult or trauma- like lack of oxygen to the brain- during a difficult delivery). Anyway - I also read that he's been very, very involved in helping to develop technology to facilitate speech for those who have cerebral palsey and other disabilities that preclude oral communication - as is the case with both of his sons. I read all of this a while ago, so I may have some details wrong - but I think I remembered the gist of it. If you do see him - thank him for his music and work for the disabled for me. Maybe you could even direct him to this thread....just so he'll know how much his talent is appreciated.

I find Neil Young very boring. I can definately appreciate how talented he is, though. It just isn't my style of music..

A, I don't wish any ill-will toward Neil Young whatsoever. I don't dislike him, I don't dislike his music, I just -- personally, just one person -- I just don't like his music all that much.

And that is, without even hearing it, the best dead dog song I've come across.

(Makes me think of David Allan Coe and the best damn country song ever wrote, exceptin' that it didn't mention nothin' about mama, or trains, or trucks, or prison, or gettin' drunk. "I was drunk the day my mama got out of prison. And I went to pick her up in the rain. But before I can get to the station in my pickup truck, she got runned over by a damned old train.")

I just don't respond much to the words when I listen to music. I respond to the music, to the sound, to the tonality, to the general sentiment, to the production, and so forth, before I respond to the words. So Neil Young isn't my kind of dude, musically.

So I (just me) don't think of his music as legendary, mensch though he may be, and I have no doubt is. All my love to Neil Young as a yooman being (as my inlaws would have it). I just don't dig him as a musician. Which is all right. I dig me as a musician much less.

- that's good - I dig almost everyone as musicians better than me (except maybe Britney Spears - I think I could do a better job than her - singing , because she can't sing- but not dancing and not in the looks dept. although she's losing those fast....)
I know what you're saying. I mean, genius is quite a title to live up to - I was feeling nostalgic having listened to my favorite parts of his stuff when I posted that, so I was probably prone to exaggeration and was being overly enthusiastic. After all, these people we impose these labels on are all just men and women - just like you and me and everyone else.
They probably get sick of having to live up to titles like geniuses and gods, etc.

You should listen to that song about the dog though - the music is pretty good to it, I think- and it fits.

Bawb - that's my problem with Dylan's new record. I like every song initially - but it just keeps going on and on and on. I also feel that way about some of Neil's louder, more experimental stuff- Weld, etc.

Deep Forbidden Lake (Neil Young)- I like the cello in this song.

On the lake,
the deep forbidden lake,
The old boats go gliding by,
And the leaves
are falling from the trees
And landing on the logs and I
See the turtles
heading for the bog
And falling off the log.
They make the water splash,
And feeling no backlash,
They climb the happy banks.

On the boats,
the old and creaky boats,
The shoreline goes gliding by,
And the wind,
there was a dying breeze,
Is making the banners fly.
See the colors,
floating in the sky,
The pride of the captain's eye,
As he glides
His slender craft inside
And opens up the door.

On the coast,
the long and tempting coast,
The cards on the table lie,
And a speech,
so eloquent in reach,
Was made by a passerby,
Passing by the way between
Here and left behind.
And it ripples through the crowds
Who run and cast their doubts
In the deep forbidden lake.

Yes, it echoes through the crowds
Who run and cast their doubts
In the deep forbidden lake.

existential potential posted a favorite Neil Young song of mine on meaningful songs and it reminded me of this thread and that now I know how to post videos:

Neil Young is great.

I love him too.

when i was in grade 13 (1980/81), a girl i knew gave me a piece of paper with the lyrics to this tune written on them, i had some crap going on at the time and just kind of let the thing slide, i wish i hadn't, but what are you going to do.



LIKE A HURRICANE

Once I thought I saw you in a crowded hazy bar,
Dancing on the light from star to star.
Far across the moonbeam I know that's who you are,
I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire.

You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye.
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays.
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away.

I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream,
You could have been anyone to me.
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip.

You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye.
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays.
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away.

You are just a dreamer, and I am just a dream.
You could have been anyone to me.
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip.

You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye.
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays.
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away.

wow - what a set of lyrics to get from someone-and she was probably thinking-'damn, I wanted to EXPERIENCE that hurricane- where'd it go?'

here's Neil still trying to cause a stir - one of my all time favorites from him updated somewhat:

Neil Young is without question my #1, a ranking based on, yes, the songs, but also his range--the guy can play country and borderline punk rock--and also sentimental value. If my father and I were streets, we intersect at Neil Young.

Yeah - definitely versatile and just defiant. He refuses to give in to his age, the pervading musical style of the day - even epilepsy.
He's just gonna do what he wants to do- I think that's why people of all ages can love him -he defies any real labeling or pigeon holing in terms of time.

I love him as a lyricist: I think this song could be a scene in a movie he just paints with words and gives a face and emotion to that poor boy out on the dock trying to figure out what to do with all of the big men away and no one there to help him- and then the music makes the death seem like this explosion of exuberance.

He's funny too!

Just saw him live at JazzFest in New Orleans a couple weeks ago. He played a nice combination of old standards and newer pieces. Crowd size was probably in the 50,000 range during his set and the skies held off from opening up until just after he was through. Good times!

Sounds like it'd be fun. I haven't seen him live since his rust never sleeps tour. I'm looking forward to seeing him next month.

This is a night for geniuses - my best friend Danny turns 50 YEARS OLD TONIGHT! Holy ****!!! I've known him since he was eight years old and we've been listening to music together since then. He loves this song and so do I!!!
Happy Birthday Danny!

I just remembered I'm supposed to call him Dan now - here are the lyrics:
NEIL YOUNG LYRICS
Look Out For My Love"

There's a lot to learn
For wastin' time
There's a heart that burns
There's an open mind.

Look out for my love,
look out for my love
Look out for my love,
look out for my love
You own it
You own it now
You own it.

There's a weight on you
But you can't feel it
Livin' like I do
It's hard for you to see it.

Was I hurt too bad
Can I show you daylight
How could I be sad
When I know that you might.

Look out for my love,
look out for my love
Look out for my love,
look out for my love.

Look out for my love
It's in your neighborhood
I know things are gonna change
But I can't say bad or good.

Silver wings of mornin'
Shinin' in the gray day
While the ice is formin'
On a lonely runway.

Hydraulic wipers pumpin'
'Til the window glistens
Somethin' sayin' somethin'
No one seems to listen.

Men with walkie-talkies
Men with flashlights wavin'
Up upon the tower
Time reads daylight savings.

I'm home again to you babe
You know it makes me wonder
Sittin' in the quiet slipstream
In the thunder.

Look out for my love,
look out for my love
Look out for my love,
look out for my love.

Neil Young has just been appointed to the Order of Canada. It's kind of like our version of knighthood. Yay!

Yeah! They couldn't have picked anyone more deserving! Another of my favorites- and wasn't he beautiful?!

Don't get me wrong. I'm very fond of Neil Young & have played his music a lot over the years, but ..... putting him in the genius category, along with Leonardo & co ... well, it seems to be stretching things a bit?