I don't know why, but people seem to be linking this old song all over the Web :
While we're on Neil Young, there can surely be fewer finer exponents of the jangly guitar than he.
'Tis 40-plus years since a chap walked into the Lower Sixth Common Room and put on this, by a band we'd never heard of called Crazy Horse.
We Built It, But They Didn't Come....
5 hours ago
4 comments:
I met a South African woman in the mid 90s who said that he was still a favourite with liberals there, and Like A Hurricane reminds me of her.
This is a great cover.
And of course, there's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear...
'there can surely be fewer finer exponents of the jangly guitar than he.'
He's pretty much the brand leader in grungy, feedback distorted guitar as well and, of course, a superlative song writer.
'I met a South African woman in the mid 90s who said that he was still a favourite with liberals there'
Probably something to do with 'Southern Man', which they strongly identified with. Rian Malan, in his brilliant memoir 'My Traitors Heart', wrote that he spent his teenage years in a band that essentially covered Neil's songs. After one such gig, he apparently lost his virginity to a gal in the audience who took a shine to him.
I wonder if there any white liberals left in SA.
I met a woman recently who would have been impeccably liberal in her younger days in SA, her parents were academics, anti-apartheid campaigners.
Now she is, in effect, a refugee. A well educated, comfortably off one. She isnt a liberal anymore, not when it comes to race.
In conversation though its interesting, she has to guard herself around the impeccable white British liberals she is now surrounded by. (Not with me, Ive said enough for her to know she is 'safe' with me, though outwardly Im another obviouisly white liberal)
After all what does she know? She only lived under black rule. They otoh understand all about the wonderfulness of black people living as they do in 95% white home counties England.
South Africa is still a dysfunctional society, even with black rule. Travelling recently in Botswana and SA, I noticed how relaxed and hospitable Botswana is compared to SA -- white people can even go out at night!
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