Neil Young: Heart of Gold (2006) Movie Script
(engine starts)
(piano plays)
In the morning,
when I wake up
and listen to the sound
of the birds outside
on the roof
I try to ignore
what the paper says
and I try not
to read all the news
and I'll hold you
if you had a bad dream
and I hope
it never comes true
'cause you and I been through
so many things together
and the sun
starts climbing the roof
it's a dream
only a dream
and it's fading now
fading away
only a dream
just a memory
without any...
You come here
to make a record,
and you've got
great musicians,
you know,
and I always gather
my own friends around that
I pick, you know, to play.
I don't really go for
the studio musician guys
that much, you know.
I don't come in
and say,
"Get me this
and get me that."
But I have my own band
and I like to play
on the road
with the same band
I use in the studio.
I've been working with Neil
for 35...
since '70,
and we cut Harvest
here in Nashville.
He was doing
the Johnny Cash Show
and, uh, he showed up
at that studio,
quadraphonic, down on
Grand Avenue, I think,
and, um, he wanted to, uh,
do some music that
he had written recently.
And this was in
the seventies.
and, uh, he stopped--
one of the engineers
stopped a bass player who
was walking down the street
and said, "You wanna come in
and do some, some music
with Neil Young?"
and he said, "Sure."
So he came in.
It was Tim Drummon
was the bass player's name.
And they asked him if Neil
wanted a steel guitar player.
and I lived about two blocks
down the street,
and, uh, so he called me up
and I came down.
And they were already
recording at the time
and, uh, I set up my steel
and kinda snuck in there
and, uh, started playing
and we did 5 songs
before we ever stopped
and introduced ourselves.
My family used to drive up
from, from Birmingham,
Alabama area,
and we would go, uh,
try to make it up
at least once a month
and a lot of times
we made it up twice a month
to, uh, come to the Ryman
to see the Grand Ole Opry
and to have breakfast
with the stars,
as they said down on
Broadway back then.
There was a little...
a little radio show
that people that was gonna go
down to the Ryman that night
could go down and eat breakfast
with all the people
that... that were sober
enough the next morning
to... to have breakfast.
I performed at the Ryman
one time
with my songwriting
friend, Dan Penn,
and we were invited
to play with, um,
they called it "The legendary
songwriters series"
or something, and that
was a lot of fun, you know.
And that place
has great acoustics,
I think, you know.
It's just,
you can crank it out
without trying too hard.
A lot of, you know,
the volume
carries real well there,
seemed like.
The Ryman auditorium is...
There's such a vibe in there
it's-- there's a sound
in there
that is unlike
any other place,
and, uh, that's really nice
because, uh, some places
you come in,
and they sound like
a big tin can
and, uh, there's
something about it.
Obviously, there's a lot
of stories in this building,
and I'm sure glad
they didn't tear it down.
They were apparently
going to tear it down.
But now they're building
a high-rise on the side
where those beautiful
stained glass windows are.
It's going to block out
the light.
And I don't know how
anybody could...
that... that should be
illegal, you know.
Like the artistic police or
the aesthetic police should...
if there was such a thing,
should come and arrest them.
Well, this last project,
I mean,
he made a statement to me
and I didn't believe it.
He said, um,
"It's been two years
since I, um, wrote
for something," right?
And we got to the hotel
around his old buddies again,
we couldn't get him
from writing.
Couldn't stop him
from writing.
That's just how it comes.
I had no idea
that it was--
but there was a little...
there was a little...
to be honest, there was
a little bit of...
kind of we just picked up on
a little bit of,
like, something's going on.
We don't know
what's going on exactly.
When he made this record,
it was right after he found
out he had the aneurysm,
and I think of it as like,
his life flashing
before his eyes
and just remembering
all these things
and wanting to say
these things.
'Cause, you know,
we didn't really know
what was going to happen.
He said, "I got...
I got this brain aneurysm."
and, I mean,
the world stopped to me.
It was just like, "You what?"
He was like, "Yeah,
I got this brain aneurysm,
"and I'm gonna go to New York
next Tuesday
and they're gonna, you know,
they're gonna do this thing."
He goes, "And it's really wild
what they're gonna do."
And I said, "What are they
going to do?"
and he said, "Well,
they're gonna go in there
"and they're gonna...
they're gonna put
"these little bitty
springs in there,
"and they're biodegradable.
"and what that does
is that makes the body
produce this scar tissue, which
then negates the aneurysm."
And I'm sitting there
going, "What?" you know?
"and why are you sitting here
right now?
how is that?" you know?
"How can it be that you're
going there next Tuesday
and we're sitting here
recording?"
I'm just going, what the--
That prairie wind
blowing through my head
That prairie wind
blowing through my head
We don't use
a tenor saxophone.
We use two baritone parts
instead
so that the part of the tenor
has a lot of bite to it.
Tryin' to remember
what daddy said
d-45.
Heart of Gold
written and recorded.
Old man.
Check 1, 2.
You wanna come out?
Check 1, 2.
Check 1,2.
All right. Just keep this
with you all night.
Every time you come outside,
you need it to get back in.
Thanks.
I just wanna play well,
and I wanna, you know,
share the stage
with my friends.
Give the best I can.
We're gonna get in there
and let the muse
have us.
Take a shot.
Send it out.
(audience applauds)
Good evening,
ladies and gentlemen,
and welcome to the Ryman
and the world premiere of
Neil Young's Prairie Wind.
(cheers and applause)
(music begins)
The painter stood
before her work
She looked around
everywhere
She saw the pictures
and she painted them
Pickin' colors from the air
Green to green
Red to red
Yellow to yellow
in the light
Black to black
when the evening comes
Blue to blue
through the night
It's a long road
behind me
It's a long road
ahead
If you follow every dream
you might get lost
If you follow every dream
you might get lost
She towed the line
She held her end up
She did the work of two men
but in the end
she fell down
before she got up again
I have my friends
eternally
We leave our tracks
in the sound
Some of them
are with me now
Some of them can't be found
It's a long road
behind me
And I miss you now
If you follow every dream
you might get lost
If you follow every dream
you might get lost
Green to green
Red to red
Yellow to yellow
in the light
Black to black
when the evening comes
Blue to blue
through the night
See the bluebird fly
easy as a dream
Dipping and bobbing
in the sun
Could she be the one
I saw so long ago?
Could she be the one
to take me home?
This pasture is green
I'm walking in the sun
It's turning brown,
I'm standing in the rain
My overcoat is worn,
the pockets are all torn
I'm moving away
from the pain
Tick-tock
the clock on the wall
No wonder
we're losing time
Ring, ring
the old church bell
The bride and her love
seeking guidance from above
Amber waves of grain
bow in the prairie wind
I'm hearing Willie
singing on the radio again
That song from 9/11
keeps ringing in my head
I'll always remember
something Chris Rock said
Don't send no more candles
no matter what you do
Then Willie stopped singing
and the prairie wind blew
The green kept rolling on
for miles and miles
fields of fuel rolling on
for miles
Tick-tock
the clock on the wall
No wonder we're losing time
Toll, toll
the fallen soldier bell
The old church on the hill
still standing
when so many fell
Back when I was young
the birds
blocked out the sun
before the great
migration south
We only shot a few
They last
the winter through
Mother cooked them good
and served 'em up
Somewhere a senator
sits in a leather chair
behind a big wooden desk
The caribou we killed
mean nothing to him
He took his money
just like all the rest
Tick-tock
the clock on the wall
No wonder we're losing time
Ring, ring
ring the wedding bells
The bride takes the ring
and the happy people sing
I just want to thank you
for all the things
you've done
I been thinking about you
I just want to send my love
I send my best to you
That's my message of love
for all the things you did
I can never thank you enough
Feel like I'm falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I just want to tell you
you sure mean a lot to me
It may sound simple
but you are the world to me
It's such a precious thing
the time we shared together
I must apologize
for the trouble times
Feel like I'm falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Feel like I'm falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
falling off the face
of the earth
Feel like I'm falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
This is a song here, uh...
when I first started
playing guitar,
I was a chicken farmer
at the time.
I was about 7 or 8
years old or something.
Maybe a little older
than that.
But, uh, my daddy
brought me
an Arthur Godfrey ukulele,
a little plastic one.
And I didn't know what to do
with it or anything.
He said,
"You might need this."
and then he sang me
a song...
which I never heard him
sing before.
Then he got this
funny grin on his face
and was looking at me,
and I was watching him...
and I had to go
feed the chickens.
(audience laughs)
1, 2, 3...
When I was a growing boy
rocking on my daddy's knee
Daddy took an old guitar
and sang
bury me on the lone prairie
Uncle Bob sat at the piano
My girl cousins sang harmony
Those were the good old
family times
that left a big mark on me
Bury me out on the prairie
where the buffalo
used to roam
where the Canada geese
once filled the sky
and then I won't be
far from home
Yeah, bury me out
on the prairie
where the buffalo
used to roam
You won't have to shed
a tear for me
'cause then I won't be
far from home
Out on the trans-Canada
highway
I was talking to a firefly
trying to make my way
to Nashville, Tennessee
when another car
passed me by
Someday I'm gonna make
big money
and buy myself a big old car
Make my way on down
to the promised land
and then I'm gonna
really go far
Bury me out on the prairie
where the buffalo
used to roam
Where the Canada geese
once filled the sky
and then I won't be
far from home
Just bury me out on
the prairie
where the buffalo
used to roam
You won't have to shed
a tear for me
'cause then I won't be
far from home
You know, I look around
Nashville today,
there's a lot more cars.
There's a lot more
new buildings.
I often wonder what Hank
Williams would've thought
if he stepped out
of that stage door
on his way to Tootsie's
and looked up
and saw the Gaylord
Entertainment Center
sitting there.
(audience laughs)
(chuckles)
So things have changed,
but, uh,
the spirit's still here
and that's,
that's a beautiful thing.
(audience applauds)
In the morning when I wake up
and listen to the sound
of the birds outside
on the roof
I try to ignore
what the paper says
and I try not to read
all the news
And I'll hold you
if you've had a bad dream
and I hope that
it never comes true
'cause you and I been through
so many things together
And the sun starts
climbing the roof
It's a dream
It's only a dream
Just a memory
fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory
without anywhere
to stay
Red River still flows
through my home town
rollin' and tumblin'
on its way
Swirling around
the old bridge pylons
where a boy fishes
the morning away
A bicycle leans on
an oak tree
while the cars rumble
over his head
An airplane leaves a trail
in an empty blue sky
and the young birds
call out to be fed
It's a dream
It's only a dream
and it's fading now
Fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory
without anywhere
to stay
An old man walks along
on the sidewalk
with sunglasses
and an old stetson hat
The fall winds blow
the back of his overcoat away
as he stops with the policeman
to chat
And a train rolls out
of the station
that was really somethin'
in its day
Picking up speed
on the straight prairie rails
as it carries
its passengers away
It's gone
It's only a dream
and it's fading now
Fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory
without anywhere
to stay
It's a dream
It's only a dream
and it's fading now
Fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory
without anywhere
to stay
It's a dream
It's only a dream
and it's fading now
Fading away
Thank you, Nashville.
(chuckles)
It sure is great
to be here tonight
with all of you.
(cheers and applause)
You know, it's getting to be
about that time,
some of us are starting to
lose our parents and stuff.
My daddy passed away
a couple of months ago,
and, uh...
in the last part of his life
he had, uh, dementia.
And that's, uh...
I know some of you know
what that's like,
and, uh...
and it's, uh, it's something
else to see your loved ones
living in the moment.
But, uh...
when he passed, we had
a nice service for him.
and my little cousin,
or niece,
she was about this high
and she came up and said,
"Daddy was ok.
he knew what was going on."
Once a police car
pulled up behind him.
right behind him
there was this police car.
He said, "Cop."
so I know he was ok.
(audience laughs)
Trying to remember
what my daddy said
before too much time
took away his head
He said we're gonna go back
and I'll show you
what I'm talking about
Back to Cypress river,
back to the old farmhouse
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Trying to remember
what daddy said
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Well, I tried
to tell the people
but they never heard
a word I said
They say there's
nothing out there
but wheat fields anyway
Just a farmer's wife
hanging laundry
in her back yard
out on the prairie
where the wind blows
long and hard
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Trying to remember
what daddy said
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Late at night
lights dancing
in the northern sky
Just the Indian spirit
trying to show me
how to fly
You can see into the future
but it may be a mirage
like a new car sitting there
in your old garage
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
There's a place on the prairie
where evil and goodness play
Daddy told me all about it
but I don't remember
what he said
Well, it may be afternoon
and it may be
the dead of night
but you'll know
when you see it
'cause it sure is
a hell of a sight
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Trying to remember
what my daddy said
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
before too much time
took away his head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
He said we're gonna go back
and I'll show you
what I'm talking about
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Going back to Cypress river,
back to the old farmhouse
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Thank you.
You know, I got
a beautiful young girl.
she's, uh, just turned 21.
She's going back for her last
year of college pretty soon.
She'd probably be embarrassed if
I said anything more about her.
You know how that is.
Can't say much.
Anyway, there was a time
I used to write
these kind of songs
for girls my own age.
Pegi: You still got
a few left in you.
Neil: Yeah, I got a few
left in me.
(audience laughs)
So this is what
you might call
a kind of
an empty nester song.
It's a new genre.
They might even have a new kind
of radio station for 'em.
When your summer days
come tumbling down
and you find yourself alone
Then you can come back
and be with me
Just close your eyes
and I'll be there
Listen to the sound
of this old heart
beating for you
Yes, I miss you
but I never wanted
to hold you down
You might say
I'm here for you
When the winter comes
to your new home
and snowflakes
are falling down
Then you can come back
and be with me
Just close your eyes
and I'll be there
Listen to the sound
of this old heart
beating for you
Yes, I miss you
But I never want
to hold you down
You might say
I'm here for you
In the spring
Protective arms
surrounded you
In the fall,
we let you go your way
Happiness
I know will always find you
and when it does
I hope that it will stay
Yes, I miss you
but I never want
to hold you down
You might say
I'm here for you
Yes, I miss you
but I never want
to hold you down
You might say
I'm here for you
I'll always be
here for you
Thank you.
You know, uh...
one of my favorite guitars
in the world
is, uh, is Willie Nelson's
guitar
and the way it looks.
And, uh, this guitar here,
my friend Grant,
Grant Boatwright,
found this guitar for me
about 30 years ago
and I bought it
from Tuck Taylor.
And, uh...
this is Hank's old guitar.
(audience applauds)
He was here in 1951,
I think,
and, uh, that was Hank's
last show here.
Maybe. I think it was.
Maybe he got back.
He got fired, I know that.
But maybe he came back
one more time.
I'm not sure,
but I don't think so.
So I'm glad to see it
back here
and I'm glad...
(audience applauds)
Anyway,
here's a tune for you.
This old guitar
ain't mine to keep
I'm taking care of it now
It's been around
for years and years
just waiting
in its old case
It's been up and down
the country roads
It's brought a tear
and a smile
It's had its share
of dreams and hopes
and never went out of style
The more I play it,
the better it sounds
It cries
when I leave it alone
Silently it waits for me
or someone else,
I suppose
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
has caught some breaks
but it never searched
for gold
It can't be blamed
for my mistakes
It only does what it's told
It's been a messenger
in times of trouble
in times of hope and fear
When I get drunk
and seeing double
it jumps behind the wheel
and steers
This old guitar
ain't mine to keep
It's mine to play
for a while
This old guitar
ain't mine to keep
It's only mine for a while
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
Was he thinkin'
about my country
or the color of my skin?
Was he thinkin' 'bout
my religion
and the way
I worshipped him?
Did he create just me
in his image
or every living thing?
When God made me
When God made me
was he planning
only for believers
or for those
who just have faith?
Did he envision all the wars
that were fought
in his name?
Did he think
there was only one way
to be close to him?
When God made me
When God made me
Did he give us
the gift of love
to say
who we could choose?
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
Did he give me the gift
of voice
so some could silence me?
Did he give me the gift
of vision
not knowing
what I might see?
Did he give us the gift
of compassion
to help our fellow man?
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
I am a child
I last a while
You can't conceive of
the pleasure in my smile
You hold my hand
rough up my hair
It's lots of fun
to have you there
I gave to you
now you give to me
I'd like to know
what you've learned
The sky is blue
and so is the sea
What is the color
when black is burned?
What is the color?
You are a man
you understand
You pick me up,
then you lay me down again
You make the rules
You say what's fair
It's lots of fun
to have you there
I gave to you
Now you give to me
I'd like to know
what you've learned
The sky is blue
and so is the sea
What is the color
when black is burned?
What is the color?
Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleeping
We could dream
this night away
but there's
a full moon rising
Let's go dancing
in the light
We know where
the music's playing
Let's go out
and feel the night
because I'm still in love
with you
I want to see you
dance again
because I'm still in love
with you
On this harvest moon
when we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you
with all my heart
But now it's getting late
and the moon
is climbing high
I want to celebrate
See it shining
in your eye
because I'm still in love
with you
I want to see you
dance again
because I'm still in love
with you
On this harvest moon
because I'm still in love
with you
I want to see you
dance again
because I'm still in love
with you
On this harvest moon
Harvest moon
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
Keeping me searching
for a heart of gold
and I'm getting old
I've been to hollywood
I went 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
Keep me searching,
I'm growing old
Keep me searching
for a heart of gold
I've been a miner
for a heart of gold
Oh
Thank you.
About that time
when I wrote that song
and I was touring,
I had also, uh,
just, you know, being a rich
hippie for the first time,
I had purchased a ranch,
and, uh...
and I still live there today.
And, uh, there was a couple
living on it
that were the caretakers
and an old gentleman named
Luis Avila and his wife Clara.
And there was this
old blue jeep there
and, uh,
Luis took me for a, uh,
took me for a ride
in this blue jeep
and he, he gets me up there
on the topside of the place
and there was this lake up there
that fed all the pastures
and he says,
"Well, tell me,
"how does a young man
like yourself
have enough money
to buy a place like this?"
And I said, "Well,
I'm just lucky, Louie.
Just real lucky."
And he said, "Well, that's the
darnedest thing I ever heard."
Then I wrote this song for him.
Old man,
look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
Old man,
look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
Old man,
look at my life
24 and there's so much more
Live alone in a paradise
that makes me think of two
Love lost, such a cost
Give me things
that don't get lost
Like a coin
that won't get tossed
Rolling home to you
Old man,
take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Oh, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true
Lullabies,
look in your eyes
Run around
in the same old town
Doesn't mean
that much to me
to mean that much to you
I've been first and last
Look at how
the time goes past
but I'm all alone at last
Rolling home to you
Old man,
take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Oh, one look in my eyes
and you can tell
that's true
Old man,
look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
Old man,
look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
I caught you knocking
at my cellar door
I love you, baby,
can I have some more?
Oh, the damage done
I hit the city
and I lost my band
I watched the needle
take another man
Gone, gone
The damage done
I sing the song
because I loved the man
I know that some of you
don't understand
Milk blood
to keep from running out
I've seen the needle
and the damage done
A little part of it
in everyone
but every junkie's
like a setting sun
King went a-running
after deer
wasn't scared of jumpin' off
the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know
I had a dog,
and his name was King
I told the dog
about everything
There in my truck,
the dog and I
Then one day the king
up and died
Then I thought about
the times we had
once when I kicked him
when he was bad
Old King sure meant
a lot to me
But that hound dog
is history
King went a-howlin'
after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin' off
the truck in high gear
King went a sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know
(Neil sniffing)
(howls)
That old King
was a friend of mine
Never knew a dog
that was half as fine
I may find one,
you never do know
'Cause I still got
a long way to go
I had a dog
and his name was King
I told the dog
about everything
Old King sure meant
a lot to me
but that hound dog
is history
King went a howlin'
after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin off
the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know
Is there a guitar player
in the house?
This song here, uh,
I recorded
here in Nashville,
and Nicolette Larson
sang the song with me,
so we'd like
to do this one for her.
Comes a time
when you're driftin'
Comes a time
when you settle down
Comes a light
feeling's liftin'
Lift that baby
right up off the ground
Oh
This old world
keeps spinning round
It's a wonder tall trees
ain't layin' down
There comes a time
You and I
We were captured
We took our souls
and we flew away
We were right
We were giving
That's how we kept
what we gave away
Oh
This old world
keeps spinnin' round
It's a wonder tall trees
ain't layin' down
There comes a time
Oh
This old world
keeps spinnin' round
It's a wonder tall trees
ain't layin' down
There comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Thank you.
This song here
was written by Ian Tyson,
who's a Canadian.
He's living out in Calgary
on his ranch right now.
But when I was just a kid,
16 years or 17 years old,
I went to this place near
Winnipeg where I grew up,
and it's called Falcon Lake.
And it's just
one of those first times
when you really got away
from home and were on your own.
I was just kind of feeling it
for the first time.
and there was this little
kind of a restaurant place
with a jukebox in it
that was there
and, uh, I used to go there.
And I think I spent all my money
playing this next song
over and over again.
It was the most beautiful record
that I've ever heard in my life
and I just could not
get enough of it.
And so, uh, I don't have
the record with me here,
but I'm going to sing it
with my friends
and we'll see
what we can do.
Think I'll go out
to Alberta
Weather's good there
in the fall
I got some friends that
I could go to working for
Still I wish
you'd change your mind
If I ask you one more time
but we've been through that
a hundred times or more
Four strong winds
that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All those things that
don't change come what may
If the good times
are all gone
Then I'm bound
for moving on
I'll look for you
if I'm ever back this way
If I get there
before the snow flies
And if things
are looking good
You could meet me
if I send you down the fare
but by then
it would be winter
Not too much for you to do
And those winds sure can blow
cold way out there
Four strong winds
that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All those things that
don't change come what may
If the good times
are all gone
Then I'm bound
for moving on
I'll look for you
if I'm ever back this way
Still I wish
you'd change your mind
if I ask you one more time
But we've been through that
a hundred times or more
Four strong winds
that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All those things that
don't change come what may
If the good times
are all gone
Then I'm bound
for moving on
I'll look for you
if I'm ever back this way
I'll look for you
if I'm ever back this way
One of these days
I'm going to sit down
and write a long letter
to all the good friends
I've known
And I'm going to try
to thank them all for
the good times together
though so apart we've grown
One of these days
I'm going to sit down
and write a long letter
to all the good friends
I've known
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
And I'm gonna thank
that old country fiddler
and all those rough boys
who played
that rock and roll
But I never tried
to burn any bridges
but I know I let
some good things go
One of these days
I'm going to sit down
and write a long letter
to all the good friends
I've known
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
From down in L.A.
All the way to Nashville
New York city
to my Canadian prairie home
My friends are scattered
like leaves
from an old maple
Some are weak
Some are strong
One of these days
I'm going to sit down
and write a long letter
to all the good friends
I've known
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
Don't call pretty Peggy
She can't hear you no more
Don't leave no message
round her back door
They say
the old laughing lady
been here before
She don't keep time
She don't count score
Well, you can't have
a cupboard
if there ain't no wall
You've got to move
There's no time
for you to stall
They say
the old laughing lady
dropped by to call
And when she leaves
she leaves nothing at all
See the drunkard
of the village
falling on the street
Can't tell his ankles
from the rest of his feet
He loves
his old laughing lady
'cause her taste is so sweet
But the laughing lady's
loving
ain't the kind he can keep
There's a fever
on the freeway
Blacks out the night
There's a slipping
on the stairway
Just don't feel right
And there's a rumbling
in the bedroom
And a flashing of light
There's
the old laughing lady
Everything is all right
There's
the old laughing lady
Everything is all right
There's
the old laughing lady
(piano plays)
In the morning,
when I wake up
and listen to the sound
of the birds outside
on the roof
I try to ignore
what the paper says
and I try not
to read all the news
and I'll hold you
if you had a bad dream
and I hope
it never comes true
'cause you and I been through
so many things together
and the sun
starts climbing the roof
it's a dream
only a dream
and it's fading now
fading away
only a dream
just a memory
without any...
You come here
to make a record,
and you've got
great musicians,
you know,
and I always gather
my own friends around that
I pick, you know, to play.
I don't really go for
the studio musician guys
that much, you know.
I don't come in
and say,
"Get me this
and get me that."
But I have my own band
and I like to play
on the road
with the same band
I use in the studio.
I've been working with Neil
for 35...
since '70,
and we cut Harvest
here in Nashville.
He was doing
the Johnny Cash Show
and, uh, he showed up
at that studio,
quadraphonic, down on
Grand Avenue, I think,
and, um, he wanted to, uh,
do some music that
he had written recently.
And this was in
the seventies.
and, uh, he stopped--
one of the engineers
stopped a bass player who
was walking down the street
and said, "You wanna come in
and do some, some music
with Neil Young?"
and he said, "Sure."
So he came in.
It was Tim Drummon
was the bass player's name.
And they asked him if Neil
wanted a steel guitar player.
and I lived about two blocks
down the street,
and, uh, so he called me up
and I came down.
And they were already
recording at the time
and, uh, I set up my steel
and kinda snuck in there
and, uh, started playing
and we did 5 songs
before we ever stopped
and introduced ourselves.
My family used to drive up
from, from Birmingham,
Alabama area,
and we would go, uh,
try to make it up
at least once a month
and a lot of times
we made it up twice a month
to, uh, come to the Ryman
to see the Grand Ole Opry
and to have breakfast
with the stars,
as they said down on
Broadway back then.
There was a little...
a little radio show
that people that was gonna go
down to the Ryman that night
could go down and eat breakfast
with all the people
that... that were sober
enough the next morning
to... to have breakfast.
I performed at the Ryman
one time
with my songwriting
friend, Dan Penn,
and we were invited
to play with, um,
they called it "The legendary
songwriters series"
or something, and that
was a lot of fun, you know.
And that place
has great acoustics,
I think, you know.
It's just,
you can crank it out
without trying too hard.
A lot of, you know,
the volume
carries real well there,
seemed like.
The Ryman auditorium is...
There's such a vibe in there
it's-- there's a sound
in there
that is unlike
any other place,
and, uh, that's really nice
because, uh, some places
you come in,
and they sound like
a big tin can
and, uh, there's
something about it.
Obviously, there's a lot
of stories in this building,
and I'm sure glad
they didn't tear it down.
They were apparently
going to tear it down.
But now they're building
a high-rise on the side
where those beautiful
stained glass windows are.
It's going to block out
the light.
And I don't know how
anybody could...
that... that should be
illegal, you know.
Like the artistic police or
the aesthetic police should...
if there was such a thing,
should come and arrest them.
Well, this last project,
I mean,
he made a statement to me
and I didn't believe it.
He said, um,
"It's been two years
since I, um, wrote
for something," right?
And we got to the hotel
around his old buddies again,
we couldn't get him
from writing.
Couldn't stop him
from writing.
That's just how it comes.
I had no idea
that it was--
but there was a little...
there was a little...
to be honest, there was
a little bit of...
kind of we just picked up on
a little bit of,
like, something's going on.
We don't know
what's going on exactly.
When he made this record,
it was right after he found
out he had the aneurysm,
and I think of it as like,
his life flashing
before his eyes
and just remembering
all these things
and wanting to say
these things.
'Cause, you know,
we didn't really know
what was going to happen.
He said, "I got...
I got this brain aneurysm."
and, I mean,
the world stopped to me.
It was just like, "You what?"
He was like, "Yeah,
I got this brain aneurysm,
"and I'm gonna go to New York
next Tuesday
and they're gonna, you know,
they're gonna do this thing."
He goes, "And it's really wild
what they're gonna do."
And I said, "What are they
going to do?"
and he said, "Well,
they're gonna go in there
"and they're gonna...
they're gonna put
"these little bitty
springs in there,
"and they're biodegradable.
"and what that does
is that makes the body
produce this scar tissue, which
then negates the aneurysm."
And I'm sitting there
going, "What?" you know?
"and why are you sitting here
right now?
how is that?" you know?
"How can it be that you're
going there next Tuesday
and we're sitting here
recording?"
I'm just going, what the--
That prairie wind
blowing through my head
That prairie wind
blowing through my head
We don't use
a tenor saxophone.
We use two baritone parts
instead
so that the part of the tenor
has a lot of bite to it.
Tryin' to remember
what daddy said
d-45.
Heart of Gold
written and recorded.
Old man.
Check 1, 2.
You wanna come out?
Check 1, 2.
Check 1,2.
All right. Just keep this
with you all night.
Every time you come outside,
you need it to get back in.
Thanks.
I just wanna play well,
and I wanna, you know,
share the stage
with my friends.
Give the best I can.
We're gonna get in there
and let the muse
have us.
Take a shot.
Send it out.
(audience applauds)
Good evening,
ladies and gentlemen,
and welcome to the Ryman
and the world premiere of
Neil Young's Prairie Wind.
(cheers and applause)
(music begins)
The painter stood
before her work
She looked around
everywhere
She saw the pictures
and she painted them
Pickin' colors from the air
Green to green
Red to red
Yellow to yellow
in the light
Black to black
when the evening comes
Blue to blue
through the night
It's a long road
behind me
It's a long road
ahead
If you follow every dream
you might get lost
If you follow every dream
you might get lost
She towed the line
She held her end up
She did the work of two men
but in the end
she fell down
before she got up again
I have my friends
eternally
We leave our tracks
in the sound
Some of them
are with me now
Some of them can't be found
It's a long road
behind me
And I miss you now
If you follow every dream
you might get lost
If you follow every dream
you might get lost
Green to green
Red to red
Yellow to yellow
in the light
Black to black
when the evening comes
Blue to blue
through the night
See the bluebird fly
easy as a dream
Dipping and bobbing
in the sun
Could she be the one
I saw so long ago?
Could she be the one
to take me home?
This pasture is green
I'm walking in the sun
It's turning brown,
I'm standing in the rain
My overcoat is worn,
the pockets are all torn
I'm moving away
from the pain
Tick-tock
the clock on the wall
No wonder
we're losing time
Ring, ring
the old church bell
The bride and her love
seeking guidance from above
Amber waves of grain
bow in the prairie wind
I'm hearing Willie
singing on the radio again
That song from 9/11
keeps ringing in my head
I'll always remember
something Chris Rock said
Don't send no more candles
no matter what you do
Then Willie stopped singing
and the prairie wind blew
The green kept rolling on
for miles and miles
fields of fuel rolling on
for miles
Tick-tock
the clock on the wall
No wonder we're losing time
Toll, toll
the fallen soldier bell
The old church on the hill
still standing
when so many fell
Back when I was young
the birds
blocked out the sun
before the great
migration south
We only shot a few
They last
the winter through
Mother cooked them good
and served 'em up
Somewhere a senator
sits in a leather chair
behind a big wooden desk
The caribou we killed
mean nothing to him
He took his money
just like all the rest
Tick-tock
the clock on the wall
No wonder we're losing time
Ring, ring
ring the wedding bells
The bride takes the ring
and the happy people sing
I just want to thank you
for all the things
you've done
I been thinking about you
I just want to send my love
I send my best to you
That's my message of love
for all the things you did
I can never thank you enough
Feel like I'm falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
Oh, oh, oh, oh
I just want to tell you
you sure mean a lot to me
It may sound simple
but you are the world to me
It's such a precious thing
the time we shared together
I must apologize
for the trouble times
Feel like I'm falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Feel like I'm falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
falling off the face
of the earth
Feel like I'm falling
falling off the face
of the earth
falling
This is a song here, uh...
when I first started
playing guitar,
I was a chicken farmer
at the time.
I was about 7 or 8
years old or something.
Maybe a little older
than that.
But, uh, my daddy
brought me
an Arthur Godfrey ukulele,
a little plastic one.
And I didn't know what to do
with it or anything.
He said,
"You might need this."
and then he sang me
a song...
which I never heard him
sing before.
Then he got this
funny grin on his face
and was looking at me,
and I was watching him...
and I had to go
feed the chickens.
(audience laughs)
1, 2, 3...
When I was a growing boy
rocking on my daddy's knee
Daddy took an old guitar
and sang
bury me on the lone prairie
Uncle Bob sat at the piano
My girl cousins sang harmony
Those were the good old
family times
that left a big mark on me
Bury me out on the prairie
where the buffalo
used to roam
where the Canada geese
once filled the sky
and then I won't be
far from home
Yeah, bury me out
on the prairie
where the buffalo
used to roam
You won't have to shed
a tear for me
'cause then I won't be
far from home
Out on the trans-Canada
highway
I was talking to a firefly
trying to make my way
to Nashville, Tennessee
when another car
passed me by
Someday I'm gonna make
big money
and buy myself a big old car
Make my way on down
to the promised land
and then I'm gonna
really go far
Bury me out on the prairie
where the buffalo
used to roam
Where the Canada geese
once filled the sky
and then I won't be
far from home
Just bury me out on
the prairie
where the buffalo
used to roam
You won't have to shed
a tear for me
'cause then I won't be
far from home
You know, I look around
Nashville today,
there's a lot more cars.
There's a lot more
new buildings.
I often wonder what Hank
Williams would've thought
if he stepped out
of that stage door
on his way to Tootsie's
and looked up
and saw the Gaylord
Entertainment Center
sitting there.
(audience laughs)
(chuckles)
So things have changed,
but, uh,
the spirit's still here
and that's,
that's a beautiful thing.
(audience applauds)
In the morning when I wake up
and listen to the sound
of the birds outside
on the roof
I try to ignore
what the paper says
and I try not to read
all the news
And I'll hold you
if you've had a bad dream
and I hope that
it never comes true
'cause you and I been through
so many things together
And the sun starts
climbing the roof
It's a dream
It's only a dream
Just a memory
fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory
without anywhere
to stay
Red River still flows
through my home town
rollin' and tumblin'
on its way
Swirling around
the old bridge pylons
where a boy fishes
the morning away
A bicycle leans on
an oak tree
while the cars rumble
over his head
An airplane leaves a trail
in an empty blue sky
and the young birds
call out to be fed
It's a dream
It's only a dream
and it's fading now
Fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory
without anywhere
to stay
An old man walks along
on the sidewalk
with sunglasses
and an old stetson hat
The fall winds blow
the back of his overcoat away
as he stops with the policeman
to chat
And a train rolls out
of the station
that was really somethin'
in its day
Picking up speed
on the straight prairie rails
as it carries
its passengers away
It's gone
It's only a dream
and it's fading now
Fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory
without anywhere
to stay
It's a dream
It's only a dream
and it's fading now
Fading away
It's only a dream
Just a memory
without anywhere
to stay
It's a dream
It's only a dream
and it's fading now
Fading away
Thank you, Nashville.
(chuckles)
It sure is great
to be here tonight
with all of you.
(cheers and applause)
You know, it's getting to be
about that time,
some of us are starting to
lose our parents and stuff.
My daddy passed away
a couple of months ago,
and, uh...
in the last part of his life
he had, uh, dementia.
And that's, uh...
I know some of you know
what that's like,
and, uh...
and it's, uh, it's something
else to see your loved ones
living in the moment.
But, uh...
when he passed, we had
a nice service for him.
and my little cousin,
or niece,
she was about this high
and she came up and said,
"Daddy was ok.
he knew what was going on."
Once a police car
pulled up behind him.
right behind him
there was this police car.
He said, "Cop."
so I know he was ok.
(audience laughs)
Trying to remember
what my daddy said
before too much time
took away his head
He said we're gonna go back
and I'll show you
what I'm talking about
Back to Cypress river,
back to the old farmhouse
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Trying to remember
what daddy said
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Well, I tried
to tell the people
but they never heard
a word I said
They say there's
nothing out there
but wheat fields anyway
Just a farmer's wife
hanging laundry
in her back yard
out on the prairie
where the wind blows
long and hard
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Trying to remember
what daddy said
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Late at night
lights dancing
in the northern sky
Just the Indian spirit
trying to show me
how to fly
You can see into the future
but it may be a mirage
like a new car sitting there
in your old garage
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
There's a place on the prairie
where evil and goodness play
Daddy told me all about it
but I don't remember
what he said
Well, it may be afternoon
and it may be
the dead of night
but you'll know
when you see it
'cause it sure is
a hell of a sight
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Trying to remember
what my daddy said
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
before too much time
took away his head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
He said we're gonna go back
and I'll show you
what I'm talking about
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Going back to Cypress river,
back to the old farmhouse
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Prairie wind
blowing through my head
Thank you.
You know, I got
a beautiful young girl.
she's, uh, just turned 21.
She's going back for her last
year of college pretty soon.
She'd probably be embarrassed if
I said anything more about her.
You know how that is.
Can't say much.
Anyway, there was a time
I used to write
these kind of songs
for girls my own age.
Pegi: You still got
a few left in you.
Neil: Yeah, I got a few
left in me.
(audience laughs)
So this is what
you might call
a kind of
an empty nester song.
It's a new genre.
They might even have a new kind
of radio station for 'em.
When your summer days
come tumbling down
and you find yourself alone
Then you can come back
and be with me
Just close your eyes
and I'll be there
Listen to the sound
of this old heart
beating for you
Yes, I miss you
but I never wanted
to hold you down
You might say
I'm here for you
When the winter comes
to your new home
and snowflakes
are falling down
Then you can come back
and be with me
Just close your eyes
and I'll be there
Listen to the sound
of this old heart
beating for you
Yes, I miss you
But I never want
to hold you down
You might say
I'm here for you
In the spring
Protective arms
surrounded you
In the fall,
we let you go your way
Happiness
I know will always find you
and when it does
I hope that it will stay
Yes, I miss you
but I never want
to hold you down
You might say
I'm here for you
Yes, I miss you
but I never want
to hold you down
You might say
I'm here for you
I'll always be
here for you
Thank you.
You know, uh...
one of my favorite guitars
in the world
is, uh, is Willie Nelson's
guitar
and the way it looks.
And, uh, this guitar here,
my friend Grant,
Grant Boatwright,
found this guitar for me
about 30 years ago
and I bought it
from Tuck Taylor.
And, uh...
this is Hank's old guitar.
(audience applauds)
He was here in 1951,
I think,
and, uh, that was Hank's
last show here.
Maybe. I think it was.
Maybe he got back.
He got fired, I know that.
But maybe he came back
one more time.
I'm not sure,
but I don't think so.
So I'm glad to see it
back here
and I'm glad...
(audience applauds)
Anyway,
here's a tune for you.
This old guitar
ain't mine to keep
I'm taking care of it now
It's been around
for years and years
just waiting
in its old case
It's been up and down
the country roads
It's brought a tear
and a smile
It's had its share
of dreams and hopes
and never went out of style
The more I play it,
the better it sounds
It cries
when I leave it alone
Silently it waits for me
or someone else,
I suppose
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
has caught some breaks
but it never searched
for gold
It can't be blamed
for my mistakes
It only does what it's told
It's been a messenger
in times of trouble
in times of hope and fear
When I get drunk
and seeing double
it jumps behind the wheel
and steers
This old guitar
ain't mine to keep
It's mine to play
for a while
This old guitar
ain't mine to keep
It's only mine for a while
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
This old guitar
Was he thinkin'
about my country
or the color of my skin?
Was he thinkin' 'bout
my religion
and the way
I worshipped him?
Did he create just me
in his image
or every living thing?
When God made me
When God made me
was he planning
only for believers
or for those
who just have faith?
Did he envision all the wars
that were fought
in his name?
Did he think
there was only one way
to be close to him?
When God made me
When God made me
Did he give us
the gift of love
to say
who we could choose?
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
Did he give me the gift
of voice
so some could silence me?
Did he give me the gift
of vision
not knowing
what I might see?
Did he give us the gift
of compassion
to help our fellow man?
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
When God made me
I am a child
I last a while
You can't conceive of
the pleasure in my smile
You hold my hand
rough up my hair
It's lots of fun
to have you there
I gave to you
now you give to me
I'd like to know
what you've learned
The sky is blue
and so is the sea
What is the color
when black is burned?
What is the color?
You are a man
you understand
You pick me up,
then you lay me down again
You make the rules
You say what's fair
It's lots of fun
to have you there
I gave to you
Now you give to me
I'd like to know
what you've learned
The sky is blue
and so is the sea
What is the color
when black is burned?
What is the color?
Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleeping
We could dream
this night away
but there's
a full moon rising
Let's go dancing
in the light
We know where
the music's playing
Let's go out
and feel the night
because I'm still in love
with you
I want to see you
dance again
because I'm still in love
with you
On this harvest moon
when we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you
with all my heart
But now it's getting late
and the moon
is climbing high
I want to celebrate
See it shining
in your eye
because I'm still in love
with you
I want to see you
dance again
because I'm still in love
with you
On this harvest moon
because I'm still in love
with you
I want to see you
dance again
because I'm still in love
with you
On this harvest moon
Harvest moon
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
Keeping me searching
for a heart of gold
and I'm getting old
I've been to hollywood
I went 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
Keep me searching,
I'm growing old
Keep me searching
for a heart of gold
I've been a miner
for a heart of gold
Oh
Thank you.
About that time
when I wrote that song
and I was touring,
I had also, uh,
just, you know, being a rich
hippie for the first time,
I had purchased a ranch,
and, uh...
and I still live there today.
And, uh, there was a couple
living on it
that were the caretakers
and an old gentleman named
Luis Avila and his wife Clara.
And there was this
old blue jeep there
and, uh,
Luis took me for a, uh,
took me for a ride
in this blue jeep
and he, he gets me up there
on the topside of the place
and there was this lake up there
that fed all the pastures
and he says,
"Well, tell me,
"how does a young man
like yourself
have enough money
to buy a place like this?"
And I said, "Well,
I'm just lucky, Louie.
Just real lucky."
And he said, "Well, that's the
darnedest thing I ever heard."
Then I wrote this song for him.
Old man,
look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
Old man,
look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
Old man,
look at my life
24 and there's so much more
Live alone in a paradise
that makes me think of two
Love lost, such a cost
Give me things
that don't get lost
Like a coin
that won't get tossed
Rolling home to you
Old man,
take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Oh, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that's true
Lullabies,
look in your eyes
Run around
in the same old town
Doesn't mean
that much to me
to mean that much to you
I've been first and last
Look at how
the time goes past
but I'm all alone at last
Rolling home to you
Old man,
take a look at my life
I'm a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Oh, one look in my eyes
and you can tell
that's true
Old man,
look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
Old man,
look at my life
I'm a lot like you were
I caught you knocking
at my cellar door
I love you, baby,
can I have some more?
Oh, the damage done
I hit the city
and I lost my band
I watched the needle
take another man
Gone, gone
The damage done
I sing the song
because I loved the man
I know that some of you
don't understand
Milk blood
to keep from running out
I've seen the needle
and the damage done
A little part of it
in everyone
but every junkie's
like a setting sun
King went a-running
after deer
wasn't scared of jumpin' off
the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know
I had a dog,
and his name was King
I told the dog
about everything
There in my truck,
the dog and I
Then one day the king
up and died
Then I thought about
the times we had
once when I kicked him
when he was bad
Old King sure meant
a lot to me
But that hound dog
is history
King went a-howlin'
after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin' off
the truck in high gear
King went a sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know
(Neil sniffing)
(howls)
That old King
was a friend of mine
Never knew a dog
that was half as fine
I may find one,
you never do know
'Cause I still got
a long way to go
I had a dog
and his name was King
I told the dog
about everything
Old King sure meant
a lot to me
but that hound dog
is history
King went a howlin'
after deer
Wasn't scared of jumpin off
the truck in high gear
King went a-sniffin'
and he would go
Was the best old hound dog
I ever did know
Is there a guitar player
in the house?
This song here, uh,
I recorded
here in Nashville,
and Nicolette Larson
sang the song with me,
so we'd like
to do this one for her.
Comes a time
when you're driftin'
Comes a time
when you settle down
Comes a light
feeling's liftin'
Lift that baby
right up off the ground
Oh
This old world
keeps spinning round
It's a wonder tall trees
ain't layin' down
There comes a time
You and I
We were captured
We took our souls
and we flew away
We were right
We were giving
That's how we kept
what we gave away
Oh
This old world
keeps spinnin' round
It's a wonder tall trees
ain't layin' down
There comes a time
Oh
This old world
keeps spinnin' round
It's a wonder tall trees
ain't layin' down
There comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Comes a time
Thank you.
This song here
was written by Ian Tyson,
who's a Canadian.
He's living out in Calgary
on his ranch right now.
But when I was just a kid,
16 years or 17 years old,
I went to this place near
Winnipeg where I grew up,
and it's called Falcon Lake.
And it's just
one of those first times
when you really got away
from home and were on your own.
I was just kind of feeling it
for the first time.
and there was this little
kind of a restaurant place
with a jukebox in it
that was there
and, uh, I used to go there.
And I think I spent all my money
playing this next song
over and over again.
It was the most beautiful record
that I've ever heard in my life
and I just could not
get enough of it.
And so, uh, I don't have
the record with me here,
but I'm going to sing it
with my friends
and we'll see
what we can do.
Think I'll go out
to Alberta
Weather's good there
in the fall
I got some friends that
I could go to working for
Still I wish
you'd change your mind
If I ask you one more time
but we've been through that
a hundred times or more
Four strong winds
that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All those things that
don't change come what may
If the good times
are all gone
Then I'm bound
for moving on
I'll look for you
if I'm ever back this way
If I get there
before the snow flies
And if things
are looking good
You could meet me
if I send you down the fare
but by then
it would be winter
Not too much for you to do
And those winds sure can blow
cold way out there
Four strong winds
that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All those things that
don't change come what may
If the good times
are all gone
Then I'm bound
for moving on
I'll look for you
if I'm ever back this way
Still I wish
you'd change your mind
if I ask you one more time
But we've been through that
a hundred times or more
Four strong winds
that blow lonely
Seven seas that run high
All those things that
don't change come what may
If the good times
are all gone
Then I'm bound
for moving on
I'll look for you
if I'm ever back this way
I'll look for you
if I'm ever back this way
One of these days
I'm going to sit down
and write a long letter
to all the good friends
I've known
And I'm going to try
to thank them all for
the good times together
though so apart we've grown
One of these days
I'm going to sit down
and write a long letter
to all the good friends
I've known
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
And I'm gonna thank
that old country fiddler
and all those rough boys
who played
that rock and roll
But I never tried
to burn any bridges
but I know I let
some good things go
One of these days
I'm going to sit down
and write a long letter
to all the good friends
I've known
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
From down in L.A.
All the way to Nashville
New York city
to my Canadian prairie home
My friends are scattered
like leaves
from an old maple
Some are weak
Some are strong
One of these days
I'm going to sit down
and write a long letter
to all the good friends
I've known
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
One of these days
One of these days
One of these days
And it won't be long
Won't be long
It won't be long
Won't be long
Don't call pretty Peggy
She can't hear you no more
Don't leave no message
round her back door
They say
the old laughing lady
been here before
She don't keep time
She don't count score
Well, you can't have
a cupboard
if there ain't no wall
You've got to move
There's no time
for you to stall
They say
the old laughing lady
dropped by to call
And when she leaves
she leaves nothing at all
See the drunkard
of the village
falling on the street
Can't tell his ankles
from the rest of his feet
He loves
his old laughing lady
'cause her taste is so sweet
But the laughing lady's
loving
ain't the kind he can keep
There's a fever
on the freeway
Blacks out the night
There's a slipping
on the stairway
Just don't feel right
And there's a rumbling
in the bedroom
And a flashing of light
There's
the old laughing lady
Everything is all right
There's
the old laughing lady
Everything is all right
There's
the old laughing lady