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\u201cWalk On\u201d was written in response to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s notorious \u201cSweet Home Alabama.<\/em>\u201d <\/em>\u201cSweet Home Alabama\u201d was a response to Young\u2019s \u201cSouthern Man.\u201d<\/a> Released in 1971, \u201cSouthern Man\u201d challenged Jim Crow in the mists of the Civil Rights Movement, proclaiming, \u201cSouthern man better keep your head. Don\u2019t forget what your good book says. Southern change gonna come at last. Now your crosses are burning fast.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consequently, audiences and Lynyrd Skynyrd alike found the Candian artist to be unjustly cross. Thereon, as Felix Conteras of NPR retorts<\/a>, Skynyrd’s 1974 hit aimed to \u201ccounter what they saw as Young\u2019s one-dimensional stereotype\u201d when lead singer Ronnie Van Zant sang, \u201cWell I heard Mister Young sing about her. Well I heard ol\u2019 Neil put her down. Well, I hope Neil Young will remember, a southern man don\u2019t need him around anyhow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u2018they\u2019 that Young alludes to in \u201cWalk On\u201d is not necessarily Skynyrd, rather the few who disdained Young for calling them out: \u201cOoh baby, that\u2019s hard to change; I can\u2019t tell them how to feel. Some get stoned, some get strange. Sooner or later, it all gets real; walk on.\u201d Likely, this attitude extends to all criticism that Young received from previous recordings.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Track Number Two, See the Sky About to Rain<\/em><\/strong>: A lone organ mimics gentle rainfall. \u201cSee the Sky About to Rain\u201d <\/em>can be described as lethargic and reflective for the narrator feels like he is aimlessly drifting in the world. He tours from place to place, seeing many a face, yet he is unhappy and alone. Through the ceaseless noise, something as a rainy day is strikingly profound. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The narrator is stopped dead within his tracks, left to reminisce. Then, Young questions the price of fame, inquiring, \u201cSome are bound for happiness, some are bound for glory; some are bound to live with less, who can tell your story?\u201d In this statement, Young argues that fame does not always entail happiness. Perhaps, he cannot complain because others have it worse than him but at the end of the day, who does he have to connect to?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Track Number Three, Revolution Blues<\/em><\/strong>: The rollercoaster has now plunged, descending into unparalleled twists and turns. In \u201cRevolution Blues,\u201d Young delves into the madness of the late sixties by embodying the twisted, prophetic voice of Charles Manson, who tried to insinuate a race war<\/a>. The narrator utters, \u201cWell we live in a trailer at the edge of town; you never see us \u2018cause we don\u2019t come around\u201d alluding to Spahn ranch where Manson and his followers resided<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Continuing, Young expounds upon the absurd militance of the group: \u201cWe\u2019ve got twenty-five rifles just to keep the population down but we need you now and that\u2019s why I\u2019m hanging \u2018round.\u201d Chillingly, Young proclaims, \u201cso you\u2019ll be good to me and I\u2019ll be good to you and in this land of conditions, I\u2019m not above suspicion; I wanna attack you but I won\u2019t back you.\u201d The grueling, convoluted sound churns in one\u2019s stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Track Number Four, <\/strong>For the Turnstiles<\/em><\/strong>: Foiling \u201cRevolution Blues, For the Turnstiles,\u201d <\/em>not only showcases Young\u2019s range but, through a folkier approach, allegorizes the tragedy of the industry, painting he and other artists as \u201csailors\u201d who must depart from their \u201cseasick\u201d lovers to perform for \u201cpimps with tailors\u201d or club owners. He lingers in the footsteps of his predecessors–a taxing endeavor: \u201cYou can really learn a lot that way, it\u2019ll change you in the middle of the day and though your confidence may be shattered, it doesn\u2019t matter.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Track Number Five,<\/strong> Vampire Blues<\/em><\/strong>: Alike \u201c<\/em>Revolution Blues,\u201d <\/em>Young masquerades beneath the guise of a malicious character in \u201cVampire Blues.\u201d <\/em>While the narrator in \u201cRevolution Blues\u201d was more deranged, the protagonist in \u201cVampire Blues\u201d is restrained, sly and cunning, as suggested by the tempo and the lyrics: \u201cI\u2019m a vampire, babe, sucking blood from the Earth; I\u2019m a vampire, baby, sucking blood from the Earth; I\u2019m a vampire, babe, sell you 20 barrels worth.\u201d Comedically, Young is showcasing the tyranny of the entertainment industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Track Number Six, On the Beach<\/em><\/strong>: The title track, “On the Beach” <\/em>illustrates the depraved depths of loneliness arising from a push-pull between performer and audience, vocalizing, \u201cThe world is turning away, I hope it don\u2019t turn away…I need a crowd of people but I can\u2019t face them day-to-day.\u201d Overpowering, the alienation echoes in the wailing guitar as Young describes his yearning desire to \u201cget out of town.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Track Number Seven, Motion Pictures (for Carrie)<\/em><\/strong>: As the title suggests, “Motion Pictures for Carrie” <\/em>addresses the falling out of Young\u2019s marriage. Touring had put a strain in his relationship to actress Carrie Snodgress, whom Young instantly fell in love with after viewing her picture in a magazine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is through film that Young feels remotely connected to a home: \u201cMotion pictures on my tv screen, a home away from home and I\u2019m living in between.\u201d Though \u201cdeep inside [himself]\u201d, Young is hopeful that \u201c[he\u2019ll] get out somehow\u201d for her, stating, \u201cAnd I\u2019ll stand before you, I\u2019ll bring a smile to your eyes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Track Number Eight, Ambulance Blues<\/em><\/strong>: My personal favorite, “Ambulance Blues” is an enigma within itself. The breathiness and distance of the instrumentals matched by Young\u2019s ambiguous lyrics paints a dream-like, surrealist picture. Since “On the Beach”\u2019s release nearly 46 years ago, avid music fans have heavily debated the true meaning behind “Ambulance Blues” and remains a soul-stirring epic.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Much can be said about the ability of Neil Young. Throughout their illustrious careers, few artists had a lasting impact on the medium unlike Young. Impressively, Young distilled a poignant sense of disarray and illusion into a tangible being that, years following its debut, still deeply resonates with audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.sinclairclarion.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/10694381255_84bb740284_o.jpg\")