“Neil Young” in Song Lyrics

 

     Is any living musician mentioned in lyrics more often than Neil Young? That was the question we asked ourselves while listening to the latest release by Nashville’s Moon Taxi. In their song “Highwave,” Moon Taxi approvingly states “Got Neil Young singing to us” as they drive down the road.
 
     Inarguably, the most notorious mention of Neil is Lynyrd Skynyrd's “diss-track” as a response to Young’s reference to Southern racism and slavery in his songs “Southern Man" and "Alabama." Lynyrd Skynyrd responded “Well I hope Neil Young will remember, a Southern man don't need him around anyhow” in their song “Sweet Home Alabama.”
 
     There are too many other mentions of Neil Young for a comprehensive list. But here is a partial list that shows he crosses into almost every genre:

• Bob Dylan in “Highlands” – “I'm listening to Neil Young, I gotta turn up the sound. Someone's always yellin', ‘Turn him down’."
  
• Grungy: Pearl Jam in “Santa Cruz” – “I got Neil Young on the stereo // He comes along whenever I go.”
• Hip-Hop:  In “Bokeem Woodbine,” Nas states, ” Motivation for the trappers livin' ounce-to-ounce // This is rockstar status, Neil Young with a bounce.”
  
• Sonic Youth in "Creme Brulee" – “Last night, I dreamed I kissed Neil Young. If I was a boy, I guess it would be fun."
• John Mayer in “Queen of California” – “Looking for the sun that Neil Young hung. After the gold rush of 1971.”
• Lady Gaga in “Then You'd Love Me" – “I scream your name across the bar.  I carry pictures of your Neil Young guitar.”
  
• Kris Kristofferson in “If You Don’t Like Hank Williams” – “Forgot to say John Prine, Neil Young, Lyle Lovett (God bless him), Chris Gantry, Jerry Jeff Walker, and David Allen Coe...”
  
• Drive-By Truckers in “Ronnie and Neil” – “’Southern Man’ and ‘Alabama’ certainly told some truth // There's a lot of good folks down here, Neil Young just wasn't around.”
• Weezer in “Byzantine” – “I want Neil Young on your phone speaker in the morning and fuck him if he just can't see this is how his songs are supposed to be heard. No more lectures on fidelity.”
  
• Lucinda Williams in “Ventura” – “Take the long way home so I can ride around. Put Neil Young on and turn up the sound.”
• HAYDEN in “Neil Young Song” – “And I left to put on a Neil Young song, and by the time I came back you were gone.”
• Juliana Hatfield in “Because We Love You” – “Neil Young on the radio. Four dead in Ohio.”
• Opera - Luciano Pavarotti in Certe Notti – “Certe notti la radio che passa Neil Young sembra avere capito chi sei.” TRANSLATION: “Some nights the radio playing Neil Young seems to have understood who you are.”

     “Highwave” by Moon Taxi

Lyrics of “Highwave” by Moon Taxi
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
I'm on a Highwave whenever I'm with you
 
Long drive up the coastline
No need to say a word
A promise we made in the past
That I'm forever yours
 
We got miles behind us
And we got miles to go
Got Neil Young singing to us
On the radio, singing
 
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
Hey ey ey
In a sky of blue
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
I'm on a Highwave whenever I'm with you
 
Got a drink in Boston
On the way to old St. John
With you I could get lost on
Every road we travel along
 
'Cause time just disappears
When we're sitting side by side
Watching the sunrise over the ocean
At the end of a long night, singing
 
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
Hey ey ey
In a sky of blue
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
I'm on a Highwave whenever I'm with you

[Repeat after the bridge]