The "borrowed tune" is "Lady Jane", slowed way down. Like many of my favorite Neil Young songs, he refers to the song he is singing, powerfully giving it a sense of present tense....that fourth verse just kills me, the way he suddenly thrusts you into the very room, and exact moment, in which he is creating this music. Along with the music, it's a powerful and stark contrast to the more beatific, optimistic lyrics that come before. Though each verse opens with a image of hope, undermined by the second half of the verse ("Climbing this ladder vs. having my doubts, peacefule lands vs. hands grabbing at the sky, ice skaters flying along vs. the eventual melt, and finally the ambigious, "I hope that it matters". I love this song.
The "borrowed tune" is "Lady Jane", slowed way down. Like many of my favorite Neil Young songs, he refers to the song he is singing, powerfully giving it a sense of present tense....that fourth verse just kills me, the way he suddenly thrusts you into the very room, and exact moment, in which he is creating this music. Along with the music, it's a powerful and stark contrast to the more beatific, optimistic lyrics that come before. Though each verse opens with a image of hope, undermined by the second half of the verse ("Climbing this ladder vs. having my doubts, peacefule lands vs. hands grabbing at the sky, ice skaters flying along vs. the eventual melt, and finally the ambigious, "I hope that it matters". I love this song.