Young's lyrics are so vivid that, even if you'd never set foot in Northern Ontario, it immediately takes you there. He also taps into humankind's universal nostalgic longing for a simple place where one can escape from the world, transporting you to whatever that place is in your own mind. On that note, I've always found it interesting that Young used the word "helpless" without implying any negative connotation. In fact, he's using the word in a way that seems to imply surrender and letting go of cares. It has a very spiritual implication.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
"Helpless" (Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young)
Neil Young has written tons of memorable songs over the years. But few have the heart and soul that overflow "Helpless," one of the strongest, most timeless tracks from Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young's 1970 album Déjà Vu.
Young's lyrics are so vivid that, even if you'd never set foot in Northern Ontario, it immediately takes you there. He also taps into humankind's universal nostalgic longing for a simple place where one can escape from the world, transporting you to whatever that place is in your own mind. On that note, I've always found it interesting that Young used the word "helpless" without implying any negative connotation. In fact, he's using the word in a way that seems to imply surrender and letting go of cares. It has a very spiritual implication.
Young's lyrics are so vivid that, even if you'd never set foot in Northern Ontario, it immediately takes you there. He also taps into humankind's universal nostalgic longing for a simple place where one can escape from the world, transporting you to whatever that place is in your own mind. On that note, I've always found it interesting that Young used the word "helpless" without implying any negative connotation. In fact, he's using the word in a way that seems to imply surrender and letting go of cares. It has a very spiritual implication.
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