Neil Young for President!
I was waiting for someone to come along, some young singer 18 to 22 years old, to write these songs and stand up,” Young said. “I waited a long time. Then, I decided that maybe the generation that has to do this is still the ’60s generation. We’re still here.” ~ Neil Young, Los Angles Times
Being forced to take the morning off, while some technical work on my blog was being done by my server, turned out to be a good thing. It caused me to surf around the internet and discover that Neil Young had just released a new album that is completely dedicated to protesting the Iraq War and the president that got us into it under false pretenses. The album, “Living with War,” which is being promoted via bloggers, was released today on the internet and won’t be available commercially until early May.
I usually don’t play music while I’m at the computer, but I’m a convert now. The sound is blasting on high volume in continuous play while I am alternately typing this and getting up to dance. The first song, probably the hit that will get the most airplay, hooked me right away and had me belting out the refrain “After the Garden is Gone.”
Won’t need no shadow man…running the government… won’t need no stinking war… won’t need no haircut…won’t need no shoeshine…after the garden is gone… after the garden is gone… after the garden is gone… what will people do after the garden is gone? what will people say after the garden?
Young’s sweetly recognizable voice is clear and focused and as good as ever. The nine new songs, written this month in just a couple of weeks and recorded in one 12 hour session, are touching, nostalgic, pissed off, humorous and rocking the free world all at the same time.
Don’t take no tidal wave… Don’t take no mass grave…Don’t take no smoking gun… to show how the west was won…But when the curtain falls…I pray for peace…Try to remember peace…
“Let’s Impeach the President” is an anthem of John Lennon proportions with a chanting chorus playing to Bush’s own recorded contradictory sound-bites.
Let’s impeach the president for lying…and for leading our country into war… using all the power that we gave him…and shipping all our money out the door… Let’s impeach the president for spying on citizens in their own homes…breaking every law in the country…tapping our computers and telephones… Let’s impeach the president for hijacking our religion and using it to get elected…dividing our country by colors…
Hey Neil, what took you so long?
I had a major crush on Neil Young in my early 20s, back in the day of “Harvest” and “Gold Rush” when we looked to musicians to be a voice for us. It sounds like the 60s has just been re-released and unleashed. I’m in love again. I’m restored. So much so that I’ve decided today is officially “Neil Young Day.” I stopped typing and dancing long enough to run around my house marking it on all the calendars.
Not only that, everyone on my Christmas list this year will be getting Neil’s new CD.
Post notes: Here is the track list: After The Garden, Living With War, The Restless Consumer, Shock And Awe, Families, Flags of Freedom, Let’s Impeach The President, Lookin’ For A Leader, Roger And Out, America The Beautiful. You can hear it here. And read the blog here.
April 28th, 2006 10:23 pm
I’m completely flabbergasted to hear that Neil Young has released a new album. Who knew he was even still alive?? LOL! Michele sent me today
April 28th, 2006 10:35 pm
Wow, thanks for spreading the word. I heard some snippet that he was involved in a sixties project but glad to get the details.
April 29th, 2006 12:22 am
Like the monkey says, he’s my man
April 29th, 2006 6:14 am
I had a crush on Neil Young too (him and Jackson Browne).
It was around ’69, right after Chrissie was born, that I first heard him sing. His distinctive voice and thoughtful lyrics went straight to my heart.
I was long hooked by the time “Old Man take a look at Yourself” came out, which was my favorite back then. I’d put the needle back on track 3* over and over again.
I haven’t listened to “Living With War” yet but I sure will.
Thanks Col!
Now where is Crosby, Stills and Nash?
* (or whatever track that song was on)
April 29th, 2006 10:06 am
I’m a long time Neil Young fan myself, and so glad to read about this album. Thanks for the link.
I saw a video of Pink’s new song yesterday at this blog and it’s been in my head ever since.
Michele sent me today, though of course I’d come on my own.
April 29th, 2006 10:34 am
Wow. Thanks, Terrilynn. I just went to the link for Pink. I couldn’t access it from the permalink but could via the front page. I had never even heard her sing before. Got a tear in my eye. Maybe she could be Neil’s Vice President. Better yet, let Neil be the Vice to her President. We need a woman in office!
April 29th, 2006 11:14 am
Thanks for this, Colleen. I’m going to order the album immediately!
Go, Neil!
April 29th, 2006 12:06 pm
wow, we synch again
just yesterday i played some music on my laptop for the very first time
it was an unreleased Bob Marley and the Wailer’s cd that mike and steve turned me onto
now i have three of them downloaded and recorded on my desktop so i can get the positive vibrations flowin thru de air whenever and where ever i am
thanks to neil and colleen for linking us all with this strong powerful music
to stir it up!
irie
April 29th, 2006 4:11 pm
We’ve given the album a couple of spins this morning. Thanks for the link, I’ve been waiting to hear it.
April 29th, 2006 9:24 pm
Hi Michele sent me. Thanks for the link! I am sure I will spend a lot of time on it. Have a great weekend!
April 29th, 2006 10:22 pm
another indication of how in synch you are with this post is that in d.c. tonight there was a gala event at the hilton hosted by the white house press corps. as we drove by we saw chertoff getting out of a limo..there were lots of limos and secret service and police…and a big row of protestors as well. they had signs blasting the big media chains for avoiding the true stories. the glitteratti all decked out in black tie and pining to be in the in-power crowd…in the favor/shadow of the king…like so many wannabe courtesans and mucki mucks….and their still fecking peasants as far as i can see.
April 29th, 2006 10:32 pm
aaahh Joe. So good to hear from you.
“The lie of the emperor is always believed before the truth of the peasant.”
April 29th, 2006 11:13 pm
I don’t know if you remember Charles Laquidara or if you even listened to him on the radio (he was a DJ on BCN for years, and later on ZLX). He’s back, kind of, on WBOS and each day plays nine songs beginning at 9 AM, all from one year. Last week, he did 1971, and played Gold Rush…I was in heaven! I’ve always liked Neil Young.
April 30th, 2006 11:50 am
Neil Young used to live 3 doors down from my parents home here in Winnipeg. He was born in Toronto but spent his high school years and began his singing career here in Winnipeg. That was many moons ago. 🙂
April 30th, 2006 1:57 pm
His brother was here in Floyd once. Someone pointed him out but said that he didn’t want any attention over being Neil’s brother.
May 3rd, 2006 7:59 am
Interesting!