“There’s one guy in class that nobody fuckin’ likes…”

There’s one guy in class that nobody fuckin’ likes, that is a total weirdo. I just have to have some conversations with this person, y’know?

- 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.61-62.

“I think I was a little like Mr. Blue…”

Another song I used to listen to was Mr. Blue by the Fleetwoods. I related to the story. That feeling – if Mr. Blue was more aggressive, he probably wouldn’t be Mr. Blue. He probably would’ve found out either yes or no and would’ve been able to move on – but he wasn’t. [...] I think I was a little like Mr. Blue. And maybe I hadn’t gotten to the point in my life where I realised that Mr. Blue could be squelched any time by… Mr. Red. Heh heh heh. And that Mr. Blue was just running the show for entertainment and Mr. Red was calling the shots… y’know?

- 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.53.

“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…”

“People keep telling me that my music has helped them…”

People keep telling me that my music has helped them through periods of their life, and I’ve never understood how that happens, but it must happen because of the way I do it. The way I do things is I give enough facts to make people get a feeling – and then they can associate their own lives with these images that make it seem to apply directly to them. Like the song was written for them. They can’t believe it’s so directly and obviously about their life. That’s because it’s not so specific that it eliminates them.

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

Reference: McDonough, J. (2002). Shakey: Neil Young’s Biography. UK: Vintage Press. “Innaresting characters”, p. 11

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.)

The Needle And The Damage Done

I caught you knockin’ at my cellar door: I love you, baby, can I have some more? Ooh, ooh, the damage done.

I hit the city and I lost my band: I watched the needle take another man. Gone, gone, the damage done.

I sing the song because I love the man! I know that some of you don’t understand [how you need to] milk-blood* to keep from running out.

* “milk-blood” most likely refers to the act of extracting heroin-laden blood, for reinjection at a later time. It usually is one’s own blood, but could also be the blood of someone who has just overdosed. It is done as “insurance” in case one’s heroin supply runs out. [source]

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?

There’s A World

There’s a world you’re living in: no one else has your part. All God’s children in the wind: take it in and blow hard.

Old Man

Lullabies, look in your eyes; run around the same old town. Does it mean that much to me to mean that much to you?