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My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) Lyrics
My my, hey hey
Rock and roll is here to stay
It's better to burn out
Than to fade away
My my, hey hey.
Out of the blue and into the black
They give you this, but you pay for that
And once you're gone, you can never come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black.
"The King" is gone but he's not forgotten
This is the story of a Johnny Rotten
It's better to burn out than it is to rust
"The King" is gone but he's not forgotten.
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye.
Hey hey, my my.
Rock and roll is here to stay
It's better to burn out
Than to fade away
My my, hey hey.
They give you this, but you pay for that
And once you're gone, you can never come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black.
This is the story of a Johnny Rotten
It's better to burn out than it is to rust
"The King" is gone but he's not forgotten.
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye.
Hey hey, my my.
Song Info
Copyright
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Writer
Neil Young, Jeff Blackburn
Producer
Neil Young, David Briggs
Release date
1979-08-29
Sentiment
Positive
Submitted by
h-bomb On Apr 19, 2002
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
This song is about two rock & roll artists Rag-Land is halfway there with the 'King' referring to Elvis but 'this is the story of a Johnny Rotten' refers to Johnny Rotten frontman of the Sex Pistols.
The song is a comparison of Elvis and Johnny Rotten.
In the beginning Elvis was looked upon as fresh, rebellious, dangerous and he soon rose to the top. Around this time of 1978 the Sex Pistols were seen as the new fresh rebels of rock Just before Young wrote 'My My Hey Hey' the Sex Pistols split up on Januray 17, 1978 - only two months after there debut album 'Never Mind The Bollocks' was released quickly reaching #1 in the UK.
"It's better to burn out Than to fade away" In Young's opinion it was better to go out on top like the Sex Pistols did, than to go out while you are fading like Elvis did.
"The king is gone but he's not forgotten" Young realizes that while Elvis is dead, he won't be forgotten. I also believe Young is hoping Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols won't be forgotten just because their group's career was short.
"Out of the blue and into the black" Both the Sex Pistols breakup and Elvis death (well somewhat) came 'out of the blue' (unexpectably). Both will be missed 'into the black' (black is symbolic of mourning).
As for Kurt Cobain's suicidecough note the keyline was (I personally don't belief was a suicide note, instead a letter to his fans that he was quitting the music industry while still on top) 'its better to burn out then to fade away'. Why did he quote Neil Young? Because both Kurt Cobain & Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam revered Neil Young as the godfather of grunge. It was Kurt Cobain's way of saying thank you to Neil Young for the inspiration and that he was taking Young's advice.
@trukdellikyentruoc Amazing!I never thought of it that way!Well i too believe the letter was about quitting the music industry and not suicide and so I think he quoted this song to say that he agrees with Neil Young and he wants to give up the industry while being at the top.Like the sex pistols did.He didnt want to fade away but to burn out.Musicaly
@trukdellikyentruoc Amazing!I never thought of it that way!Well i too believe the letter was about quitting the music industry and not suicide and so I think he quoted this song to say that he agrees with Neil Young and he wants to give up the industry while being at the top.Like the sex pistols did.He didnt want to fade away but to burn out.Musicaly
@trukdellikyentruoc Ahh. Makes sense.
@trukdellikyentruoc Ahh. Makes sense.
@trukdellikyentruoc The verse isn’t “this is the story of Johnny Rotten”. It’s “IS THIS the story of Johnny Rotten?” He wasn’t comparing Elvis and Johnny Rotten, he was writing about rockers dying too young and asking if the same will happen to the biggest rock stars of the time. Johnny Rotten, The Sex Pistols, and the entire punk scene was huge when this song was released. Neil Young was talking about losing relevance and burning out. Rust never sleeps, it constantly decays and corrodes. Johnny Rotten was is still very much alive at this point.
@trukdellikyentruoc The verse isn’t “this is the story of Johnny Rotten”. It’s “IS THIS the story of Johnny Rotten?” He wasn’t comparing Elvis and Johnny Rotten, he was writing about rockers dying too young and asking if the same will happen to the biggest rock stars of the time. Johnny Rotten, The Sex Pistols, and the entire punk scene was huge when this song was released. Neil Young was talking about losing relevance and burning out. Rust never sleeps, it constantly decays and corrodes. Johnny Rotten was is still very much alive at this point.
Just to comment to that Sockhaed guy, Kurt Cobain didn't write this song. Neil wrote it when Kurt was about elevan years old. "The King Is Gone", refers to the death of the King Of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, who died a year before this song was written. It's the relation between Elvis and Johnny Rotten. The phrase "it's better to burn out than to fade away," to me, means that it's better to stop at the top of your glory than to be has-been. Sometimes it's better for someone to go while you still have their respect than to feel sorry for them later. Some examples of people who were taken down at the high points in life; Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper, Eddie Cochrane, Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, John Lennon, and Kurt Cobain. These people don't have a point in their lives where I don't respect them, If Hendrix lost respect I think the world would be heartbroken. I don't understand why he used Elvis as an example though because he started to loose his cool once he became an actor. Some artists will just fade away like Rust. Rust conastantly eats away st something, and won't stop until there's nothing left........Rust Never Sleeps........get it?
i agree, after hearing this song i knew it waz about elvis. I mean, just think: Rock and Roll is here to stay Rock and Roll can never die The king is gone but is not forgotten
i agree, after hearing this song i knew it waz about elvis. I mean, just think: Rock and Roll is here to stay Rock and Roll can never die The king is gone but is not forgotten
All are talking about elvis. He began the undying age of rock n' roll and Neil Young is saying that even though Elvis is dead, no one will ever forget how he started rock n roll
All are talking about elvis. He began the undying age of rock n' roll and Neil Young is saying that even though Elvis is dead, no one will ever forget how he started rock n roll
maybe "the king is gone but not forgotten" refers to elvis and how he died after he had already faded away. elvis died, AFTER he was in his prime. but he will always be remembered.
maybe "the king is gone but not forgotten" refers to elvis and how he died after he had already faded away. elvis died, AFTER he was in his prime. but he will always be remembered.
I agree I think that Neil is referring to how Elvis did fade towards the end. I believe he is saying it would have been better if he had burnt out in his prime than to go out the way he did.
I agree I think that Neil is referring to how Elvis did fade towards the end. I believe he is saying it would have been better if he had burnt out in his prime than to go out the way he did.
I get it!
I get it!
Kurt Cobain quoted this song in his suicide note. It might actually itself be about suicide.
This song has one the best quotes ever... "Its better to burn out, than to fade away." Meaning you better make your life mean something, and go out knowing that you did everything you could during life, than to just float through life and die inconspicuously. At least thats what it has always meant to me......
This song is amazing, he means that you do need to do something great and meaningfull with your life rather then waste it. Kurt used 'its better to burn out then to fade away' in his note, Which did apply to his situation.
Sockhead whoever the f*** you are, this song was recorded on Neil Young & Crazy Horse- Live Rust album in 1979, TEN YEARS before Nirvana's debut album, and 12 years before Nevermind.
Yeah Sockhead...please do some research before you ever make a comment like that again. everyone else is right.. My My Hey Hey is from the album "Rust Never Sleeps" ... released in 1979!!!! Kurt was just a kid then...
Mr. Sockhead also claims that Cobain wrote "Don't Stop" by Fleetwood Mac. I think he's a few beers short of a six-pack... I agree with Rag-Land about the song's meaning. Good analogy too...
trukdellikyentruoc that was very informative... you did your research... i tip my hat to you... AWSOME SONG... i love the harmonica parts... you dont see that in rock and roll very often anymore "hey hey my my rock and roll will never die" i love this line
Quote from "Shakey" the authorized biography of Neil Young. Interview page 534-535.
I wrote "Hey, Hey, My My" in my house. Cowrote it with Jeff Blackburn - the line "It's better to burn out than it is to rust" - Blackburn had that line in a song, and I said, "What did you say?" I called him up after I'd written the song and said, "Hey, I used one of the lines from your song. Want credit?"