Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

As much as I adore Neil Young’s acoustic side, I also enjoy his electric music as well. And none of his albums with that sound hit me harder than his highly regarded live album, Rust Never Sleeps, released on June 22, 1979. From the moment I heard today’s song on the radio, I was completely enthralled. It was the first song on side two of this unique album, with one side featuring his softer tunes & the other showcasing songs he rocked with his band, Crazy Horse.

Today’s track is a heartbreaking tale of a young man protecting his family from an approaching gun boat. Life, misfortune & circumstance relegated him to the role of protector years before he should have played that part. The song depicts the last moments of his life which of course is unbearably sad. But even with such a dark narrative Young’s words & music grabbed my heart & never let go. He is an extraordinary story teller, even when he’s singing one of the saddest songs I have ever heard.

“Just think of me as one you never figured
Would fade away so young
With so much left undone
Remember me to my love I know I’ll miss her“.

Neil Young’s 1979 album. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Neil Young: “Powderfinger” (1979, written by Neil Young).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.