@jessy A little Neil Young 101: Regarding names being dropped in songs: Neil is usually pretty vague on names and who they actually are or represent. Unless he's not being vague. For example in Ohio, 10 soldiers and Nixons coming, IS actually Richard M Nixon, the President at the time. He mentions Chris Rock in a song or too and I believe he talking specifically about MR.Chris Rock. But also, he's vague and symbolic at times, with names maybe only rhyming for the song. Like, I believe Emmylou in Powderfinger is certainly NOT Emmylou Harris and it is a waste...
@jessy A little Neil Young 101: Regarding names being dropped in songs: Neil is usually pretty vague on names and who they actually are or represent. Unless he's not being vague. For example in Ohio, 10 soldiers and Nixons coming, IS actually Richard M Nixon, the President at the time. He mentions Chris Rock in a song or too and I believe he talking specifically about MR.Chris Rock. But also, he's vague and symbolic at times, with names maybe only rhyming for the song. Like, I believe Emmylou in Powderfinger is certainly NOT Emmylou Harris and it is a waste of time to go searching for meaning where there is none. 'Lenora' in Greendale, probably not anyone we would know, it just kind of worked on that album. So in this case, I really truly believe Neil Young is Not singing about a Nazi General aka "The Desert Fox" and it's pointless to try and find meaning in that association. More than likely it was his Father that took airplane rides to go meet other women (I think) and he would take off his ring when he flied because he was no longer "Married" on the plane.
@jessy There is another spelling of Rommel, which is Romuald in French which may clear up the confusion, although Rommel is usually the name printed in lyric sheets. At the same time it's a common enough surname in Germany and no doubt some German immigrants to the US were called Rommel. There's no connection whatsoever to the German General and as you rightly point out, no connection between Emmylou in Powderfinger and Emmylou Harris either. It just so happens that Emmylou is a Southern name, not untypical of hillbilles and the like, and the family in Powderfinger are portrayed as...
@jessy There is another spelling of Rommel, which is Romuald in French which may clear up the confusion, although Rommel is usually the name printed in lyric sheets. At the same time it's a common enough surname in Germany and no doubt some German immigrants to the US were called Rommel. There's no connection whatsoever to the German General and as you rightly point out, no connection between Emmylou in Powderfinger and Emmylou Harris either. It just so happens that Emmylou is a Southern name, not untypical of hillbilles and the like, and the family in Powderfinger are portrayed as being distanced from mainstream society, most probably involved in some illegal activitiy that the powers that be decided had to be curtailed. I know there was an "illegal" native settlement on a river in Canada that was suppressed by the government but I'm not sure when.
thanks for that clarification. If someone else hadn't explained who Rommel was I was going to.
@jessy A little Neil Young 101: Regarding names being dropped in songs: Neil is usually pretty vague on names and who they actually are or represent. Unless he's not being vague. For example in Ohio, 10 soldiers and Nixons coming, IS actually Richard M Nixon, the President at the time. He mentions Chris Rock in a song or too and I believe he talking specifically about MR.Chris Rock. But also, he's vague and symbolic at times, with names maybe only rhyming for the song. Like, I believe Emmylou in Powderfinger is certainly NOT Emmylou Harris and it is a waste...
@jessy A little Neil Young 101: Regarding names being dropped in songs: Neil is usually pretty vague on names and who they actually are or represent. Unless he's not being vague. For example in Ohio, 10 soldiers and Nixons coming, IS actually Richard M Nixon, the President at the time. He mentions Chris Rock in a song or too and I believe he talking specifically about MR.Chris Rock. But also, he's vague and symbolic at times, with names maybe only rhyming for the song. Like, I believe Emmylou in Powderfinger is certainly NOT Emmylou Harris and it is a waste of time to go searching for meaning where there is none. 'Lenora' in Greendale, probably not anyone we would know, it just kind of worked on that album. So in this case, I really truly believe Neil Young is Not singing about a Nazi General aka "The Desert Fox" and it's pointless to try and find meaning in that association. More than likely it was his Father that took airplane rides to go meet other women (I think) and he would take off his ring when he flied because he was no longer "Married" on the plane.
@jessy There is another spelling of Rommel, which is Romuald in French which may clear up the confusion, although Rommel is usually the name printed in lyric sheets. At the same time it's a common enough surname in Germany and no doubt some German immigrants to the US were called Rommel. There's no connection whatsoever to the German General and as you rightly point out, no connection between Emmylou in Powderfinger and Emmylou Harris either. It just so happens that Emmylou is a Southern name, not untypical of hillbilles and the like, and the family in Powderfinger are portrayed as...
@jessy There is another spelling of Rommel, which is Romuald in French which may clear up the confusion, although Rommel is usually the name printed in lyric sheets. At the same time it's a common enough surname in Germany and no doubt some German immigrants to the US were called Rommel. There's no connection whatsoever to the German General and as you rightly point out, no connection between Emmylou in Powderfinger and Emmylou Harris either. It just so happens that Emmylou is a Southern name, not untypical of hillbilles and the like, and the family in Powderfinger are portrayed as being distanced from mainstream society, most probably involved in some illegal activitiy that the powers that be decided had to be curtailed. I know there was an "illegal" native settlement on a river in Canada that was suppressed by the government but I'm not sure when.