Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Everytime I think about back home, it’s cool and breezy. I wish that I could be there right now just passing time.

If I Could Have Her Tonight

All of a sudden she was on my mind: I wasn’t ready for her kind. And she was taking her time.

“The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant…”

The Wayward Wind by Gogi Grant. Way out there. It’s just real simple. Straight ahead. I just have this one image that keeps coming to mind with that song – where I used to live in Pickering, there’s the Brock Road Public School. Just a two-room school and it’s still there. I’d walk there every day from our house, and that song was on the radio at that time. [...] I always remember that same stretch of road, the railroad tracks, the whole thing – every time I hear that song, it comes right back. That feeling when you’re young and open, you have all these ideas. Real wide view.

- Neil Young in an interview with Jimmy McDonough; specific date unknown

Reference: McDonough, J. (2002). Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography. UK: Vintage Press. “Mr. Blue and Mr. Red”, p.52.

“Omemee’s a nice little town…”

Omemee’s a nice little town. Sleepy little place. I remember this one guy, Reel. Skinny Reel used to have this great little shop – it’s still there – and there used to be all these pansies out in these wooden boxes. The sidewalk was pretty wide and you’d go walkin’ along and there’d be all these boxes of pansies, the colors were so great… walkin’ through, y’know, and it’s all happening. Life was real basic and simple in that town. Walk to school, walk back. Everybody knew who you were. Everybody knew everybody.

- Neil Young in an interview with Jimmy McDonough; specific date unknown

Reference: McDonough, J. (2002). Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography. UK: Vintage Press. “Mr. Blue and Mr. Red”, p.42.

See also: “I really don’t have a yearning to return to Canada…” ; “I feel a kind of pulling from the area where I remember things as a kid…”

“I really don’t think I know that much…”

I don’t really have the confidence to stand behind things that I say – because I really don’t think I know that much. [...] That’s better than somebody who’s confident they they know what they’re talking about and they’re sure – because that leads them down a path. [...] Even the things I believe in the most, I doubt. And so when I see something that I’ve said, or hear it – it makes sense to me that I might not feel the same way next time. Because that’s the way I am.

- Neil Young in an interview with Jimmy McDonough; specific date unknown

Reference: McDonough, J. (2002). Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography. UK: Vintage Press. “Mr. Blue and Mr. Red”, p.38.

The Needle And The Damage Done

I’ve seen the needle and the damage done: a little part of it in everyone. But every junkie’s* like a settin’ sun.

* “junkie” originally refers to a drug addict, particularly one addicted to heroin, seeing as “junk” is slang term for heroin [source]. However, as the term developed in society, it has also evolved to refer to an enthusiasm for anything (such as a “book junkie” being obsessed with books.)

There’s A World

In the mountains [and] in the cities, you can see the dream. Look around you: has it found you? Is it what it seems?

Old Man

I’ve been first and last: look at how the time goes past.

Old Man

Love lost, such a cost: give me things that don’t get lost, like a coin that won’t get tossed [while] rolling home to you.

[...]

But [now] I’m all alone at last, rolling home to you.

Old Man

Old man, take a look at my life: I’m a lot like you; I need someone to love me the whole day through. Ah, one look in my eyes and you can tell that’s true.