Neil Young's "Old Man" - The Meaning (and Musicians) Behind the Song

The song "Old Man" first appeared on Neil Young's 1972 Harvest album. With its thumping and raggedly-picked acoustic guitar, high-tenor lead vocals and over-all folk sound and feel "Old Man" has become one of Neil Young's most memorable tunes. What was the inspiration behind this song and what famous musicians lent their talents to create this musical masterpiece?

"Old Man", which reached no. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1972, opens with Young singing: "Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were." As listeners we immediately find ourselves wondering about the identity of the old man. Was it Young's father? Grandfather? Of course there is always the possibility the "old man" is a metaphor and there really is no old man per se. However we have now come to learn there was in fact a specific old man to whom Young was singing.

In 1970 Neil Young purchased the Broken Arrow Ranch in Redwood City, California. Apparently it is the caretaker of this ranch who is the subject of this song. In Young's recent concert movie Heart of Gold he introduces "Old Man" by saying: "About that time when I wrote Heart of Gold and I was touring, I had also -- just, you know, being a rich hippie for the first time -- I had purchased a ranch, and I still live there today. And there was a couple living on it that were the caretakers, an old gentleman named Louis Avila and his wife Clara. And there was this old blue Jeep there, and Louis took me for a ride in this blue Jeep. He gets me up there on the top side of the place, and there's this lake up there that fed all the pastures, and he says, "Well, tell me, how does a young man like yourself have enough money to buy a place like this?" And I said, "Well, just lucky, Louie, just real lucky." And he said, "Well, that's the darndest thing I ever heard." And I wrote this song for him."

Of course knowing what we now know makes it that much easier to understand the rest of the song's lyrics which include: "Old man look at my life, twenty four and there's so much more. Live alone in a paradise that makes me think of two. Love lost, such a cost, give me things that don't get lost. Like a coin that won't get tossed, rolling home to you."

Mystery solved. Which brings us to the question regarding the supporting artists on this classic song. The album's liner notes confirm Singer/Songwriter James Taylor played six string banjo (with guitar tunings) and sang backing vocals on the song. Singer Linda Ronstadt added her distinctive vocals as well. This combination of the day's mega-talents explains the unmistakable "sound" of the song. The mixture of Young's raw singing and guitar playing are perfectly counter-balanced by the sweet vocals and musical touches provided by Taylor and Ronstadt.

With a perfect blend of subject matter, strong (and haunting) melody, effective performance and guest appearances by singers James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, "Old Man" remains one of Neil Young's finest songs.

Kenn Morr http://www.kennmorr.com is an internationally acclaimed Singer/Songwriter, Performer, Producer and Author with six albums to his credit. Originally from Long Island, NY Kenn lives in the foothills of New England's Berkshire Mountains with his wife and two young sons.

You Will Truly Feel The Soul Behind The Music On Vinyl

There's just one real way to enjoy good music for true music fans, and for those in the know, there are no substitutes for the pure and unparalleled sound of vinyl as you listen to your favorite groups from the comfort of your home. On the road, individuals have no choice but to hear digital music or CDs, but for those that truly want to make the most of their music at home, you should journey into the world of vinyl, where you could actually get an idea for the most authentic type of music out there.

Music was a lot different than it is now, and calling yourself a musician was more about the art, and not so much about what you can do in the recording studio to fix a track, and when the needle rubs over the record while it turns, the low hum and occasional crack along with the music could fill you with a feeling of euphoria, for a time long-past. It was an era when real talent outshined all the others, and artists were respected for their talents, without having to lean on technology to make you sound better and fix your inconsistencies.

Even though the industry has changed substantially, a lot of musicians have lasted over the duration, and you are able to actually hear the difference between their more seasoned material compared to their more recent material. Neil Young vinyl will likely sound a little more authentic and true to his actual sound than anything you will discover in another medium, for one example.

Then on the opposite side of the spectrum, Radiohead vinyl however, while being a product of a newer kind of music production, much more reliant upon electronics, may still be incorporated on the other format to give listeners a feel for how the music sounds in a warmer, more classic setting. Modern artists can still appreciate what the format has to offer, even if they were not playing during the time when vinyl records were on top, and to their credit, many of them support the format, giving us the opportunity to listen to their songs in another light, so that we may get a taste for the spirit of the music.

As digital music works to make compact disks a thing of the past, no other format has ever stood up against time the way vinyl has throughout the span of music history, and in the future, vinyl will still thrive, giving real music enthusiasts the alternative they could truly enjoy unlike any other.

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