thoughts on (neil) young

I’m sitting here watching a Dylan concert on DVD . So far no Dylan , but other musicians each play one or two of Dylan’s songs . Neil Young just got off the stage . Eric Clapton is belting out ” Don’t think twice , it’s alright ” right now . Sinead O’ Connor got booed offstage before she could get around to singing  a song . She proclaimed something about child abuse . The concert occurred two weeks after Sinead’s appearance on Saturday Night Live when she went after the pope in 1992 . I think it was 1992 . And , I guess she was right , speaking truth-to-power , as they say , now that the child abuse within the clergy has come  to light over the  several years since then .

Ronnie Wood , Lou Reed , Chris Kristofferson , Johnny Cash and  June  Carter Cash  , Tracey Chapman , Willie Nelson , George Harrison ………………

I saw Neil Young at Royce Hall at UCLA in 1971 . Rambling Jack Elliot opened for him .  I paid two dollars for my seat and I wasn’t way at the back of the hall either . ” Old man , take a look at my life , 24 and there’s so much more ……..”   I don’t know , were those the words ? It’s late . I wouldn’t trust my memory just now .

George Harrison is playing on the DVD right now , wearing a pink jacket . ” Sweet Marie ……..where are you tonight , Sweet Marie ? …………..”    Ada and I have been recounting how many of these artists have passed away : George , Johnny , Lou , Richie Havens ………

Tom Petty , now , and The Heartbreakers ………………..what song will they sing  ?    Tom Petty , a tried-and-true Dylan imitator , eh ?  I don’t recognize the song ………..License To Kill ?     Tom is cool , not jumping around like Neil Young or Ron Wood . Lou Reed-ish , I’d say , dignified in a stage sense , cool . Now another song by the Heartbreakers. This one I know ……” but I would not feel so all alone ; everybody must get stoned …………..they’ll stone you when  you’re walking down the street…………………Everybody must get stoned…….They’ll stone you at the breakfast table……………..”    

Richie Havens played ” Just Like a Woman “. That’s probably not the name of it ; but , you know the song . Dylan . Wait……..a third Dylan song by Tom Petty .  Hey , Mr. Tamborine Man , play a song for me , I’m not sleepy and there ain’t no place I’m going to …….”

Wait.  Here’s Bobby Dylan . George Harrison introduced him . Acoustic guitar . The new Bob , 1990’s version . If you’re not busy being born you’re busy dying………….even the president of the United States sometimes must stand naked………..It’s alright , ma ……………money doesn’t talk it swears ………………..”

I waited all night for the ticket booth to open in 1971 to get the two dollar tickets for the Neil Young concert . My girlfriend at the time was with me . Students were partying in Meyerhoff Park , drinking wine , waiting for the ticket booth to open .

An old story : Several year later she asked me who was the girl I went to the concert with . I was dumbfounded , gob-smacked . ” You ,” I said , but no longer certain .   ” Don’t you remember we waited all night , ” she said . ” We drank wine . ”  Yeah ; yeah , I remembered that . ” And in the morning  , when the booth opened , you bought two tickets and then turned to me and asked ‘ How many are you going to get ? ‘  ”   No , I didn’t remember that .

Bob is singing Knocking on Heaven’s Door . I sang that once onstage , believe it or not ,  in Switzerland with Willie Nininger . I didn’t know most of the words , besides not knowing how to sing . But , what the hell !   Another American onstage was good for the Swiss . I guess that was Willie’s idea .  I had my flannel shirt and blue jeans . Danny Counts from West Virginia was there playing bass guitar . My shirt stank of cigarette smoke the next morning from the Swiss smokers . I remember that . Otherwise the performance was forgettable .

Bob is now singing Girl From the North Country .   He is bowing . Looks like he is wearing  a running suit . Dylan .

Neil Young had a much better voice than me or Dylan, at least in 1971 .  Ada showed me a picture from the internet of Neil now. Well , we all get old .  Some of us should retire . Are you listening , Bob ?  Willie (Nelson) ?   Retirement  ain’t so bad .  Yeah , Bob , you . Think about it . Neil Young in 1971 : Old man , take a look at my life ;  I’m a lot like you were…………..