搖滾樂的歷史上大概再也找不到這樣的歌者,在重搖滾跟抒情歌謠的兩個極端之間擺盪,還不時偏離航道搞搞電子音樂、噪音實驗和鄉村歌曲,而且還都玩得極之漂亮。西雅圖的小伙子尊他作「Grunge教父」、Kurt Cobain 的遺書引用了他著名的歌詞 "It's better to burn out than to fade away";嬉皮世代的老青年則永遠不會忘記他在六O年代從 Buffalo Springfield 到 CSN&Y 對民謠搖滾做出的巨大貢獻。流行音樂史上還有誰能先後跟 Linda Ronstadt、Sonic Youth、Pearl Jam和Booker T & The MG's 這些天差地遠的角色同台?
Neil Young出道已經三十多年,跟他同時期竄紅的搖滾巨星死的死、散的散,少數倖存者也大多進入半退隱狀態。許多比他晚十年、二十年纔出道的樂手,也都默默消失了。只有他,看盡樂壇榮枯消長,進入廿一世紀,猶能昂然站在第一線,和年輕世代產生饒富意義的連結,不斷開拓音樂疆域、不被過去的成功模式拘限。
Heart of Gold
I want to live,
I want to give
I've been a miner
for a heart of gold.
It's these expressions
I never give
That keep me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm getting old.
Keeps me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm getting old.
I've been to Hollywood
I've been to Redwood
I crossed the ocean
for a heart of gold
I've been in my mind,
it's such a fine line
That keeps me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm getting old.
Keeps me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm getting old.
Keep me searching
for a heart of gold
You keep me searching
for a heart of gold
And I'm growing old.
I've been a miner
for a heart of gold.