Neil Young really captures agonizing melancholy nostalgia. Young has been kind of hit-or-miss for me over the years, but when he hits he hits it hard. At his best, his songs are touchingly romantic, even profound, and I don’t let too many things push my ‘romance’ buttons. I don’t like to let myself be manipulated like that. But some songs will just get in my blood. Nostalgia is an irresistible emotion. Nostalgia and homesickness. Neil Young is absolutely right – those feelings leave us helpless. I think that being able to tap into those emotions – without resorting to cliche or cheap tricks for manipulation – is a kingly gift. That’s what it means to be a poet. I really haven’t been giving Neil Young enough credit for how much his songs have moved me. So now I have a Neil Young tattoo. Yep.
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