You’ve probably heard Neil Young’s folk classic “Old Man” at least once or twice before.
It’s one of the singer’s most recognizable hits, off of the 1972 solo album Harvest. It was Young’s second solo effort after Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young briefly disbanded.
During their four-year hiatus, Young returned to his roots. He drew inspiration from folk songs deeply connected to a story or an event — like the 1966 protest song “For What It’s Worth,” which was written by Stephen Stills, Young’s bandmate in both Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.
During this time period, Young wrote a number of protest songs, including his very famous song “Ohio.” But “Old Man,” which has endured through the years, and has even been covered on popular talent shows like The Voice, tells a very different story.
It’s actually a heartfelt tribute to the man who worked as a caretaker on Young’s ranch, the first home he ever bought. It was Young’s way of musing about how similar he was to his older friend, and how it was really just blind luck that led him to his successful musical career, and allowed him to buy that ranch while he was still so young.
It’s a beautiful and poignant backstory that perfectly suits the song, in my opinion. Check out the video below of Young introducing the song in 1972 to see if you agree!
And if you loved this original performance of "Old Man," please SHARE on Facebook for anyone who loves the folk music of the ’60s and ’70s!
