He is blending strong images of war across several wars, and bringing it right down to the personal level, the individual experience. War happens on battlefields, yes, but it also happens in small skirmishes that damage just as much, that destroy lives and everything ends in sorrow, regret, confusion.
It's an anti war song but it is also a song of individual freedom, independence in its purest form.
To split hairs over this song is fine but I think it leads to no definitive answer. So be it. Neil Young was painting for you here. Enjoy the painting and revisit it often, and never form a final, final opinion... otherwise you might enjoy it less than how the artist intended.
I realize this is a reply to a pretty old comment you had made, but I wanted to tell you that I thought your comment said it so very well. Particularly the last paragraph, "enjoy the painting and revisit it often........"
I realize this is a reply to a pretty old comment you had made, but I wanted to tell you that I thought your comment said it so very well. Particularly the last paragraph, "enjoy the painting and revisit it often........"
A very dear friend once said to me, "The only obstacle to learning the truth is believing we already know it". These were the words I immediately thought of, after having read your thoughts about this song. They somehow felt fitting to me........
We should never close our minds to other possibilities.
A very dear friend once said to me, "The only obstacle to learning the truth is believing we already know it". These were the words I immediately thought of, after having read your thoughts about this song. They somehow felt fitting to me........
We should never close our minds to other possibilities.
I've always ...
I've always believed that songwriters leave lyrics rather vague for a reason. They want their music left to personal interpretation. So unless it's a song which is CLEARLY telling a story, nothing is out of the realm of possibilities and we should always leave our minds open to such.
I hope that makes sense to you.....or anybody else who may happen to read this.
Neil Young is blending here.
He is blending strong images of war across several wars, and bringing it right down to the personal level, the individual experience. War happens on battlefields, yes, but it also happens in small skirmishes that damage just as much, that destroy lives and everything ends in sorrow, regret, confusion.
It's an anti war song but it is also a song of individual freedom, independence in its purest form.
To split hairs over this song is fine but I think it leads to no definitive answer. So be it. Neil Young was painting for you here. Enjoy the painting and revisit it often, and never form a final, final opinion... otherwise you might enjoy it less than how the artist intended.
I realize this is a reply to a pretty old comment you had made, but I wanted to tell you that I thought your comment said it so very well. Particularly the last paragraph, "enjoy the painting and revisit it often........"
I realize this is a reply to a pretty old comment you had made, but I wanted to tell you that I thought your comment said it so very well. Particularly the last paragraph, "enjoy the painting and revisit it often........"
A very dear friend once said to me, "The only obstacle to learning the truth is believing we already know it". These were the words I immediately thought of, after having read your thoughts about this song. They somehow felt fitting to me........ We should never close our minds to other possibilities.
A very dear friend once said to me, "The only obstacle to learning the truth is believing we already know it". These were the words I immediately thought of, after having read your thoughts about this song. They somehow felt fitting to me........ We should never close our minds to other possibilities.
I've always ...
I've always believed that songwriters leave lyrics rather vague for a reason. They want their music left to personal interpretation. So unless it's a song which is CLEARLY telling a story, nothing is out of the realm of possibilities and we should always leave our minds open to such.
I hope that makes sense to you.....or anybody else who may happen to read this.