Neil Young's Relationship With Charles Manson Cast A Dark Shadow Over His Legacy

Neil Young became a household name in the music industry a long time ago thanks to his memorable lyrics and beautifully, perfectly crafted songs. Once he released "Heart of Gold" and "Harvest Moon," there was no stopping him from becoming even more successful.

Highlights

  • Neil Young praised Charles Manson's musical talent in his memoir, showing an interesting connection between the two.
  • Young and Manson knew each other through Dennis Wilson from The Beach Boys before Manson's crimes came to light.
  • Young's song "Revolution Blues" from his 1974 album "On The Beach" was written about Charles Manson's crimes and the unsettling times in California.

Neil Young became a household name in the music industry a long time ago thanks to his memorable lyrics and beautifully, perfectly crafted songs. Once he released "Heart of Gold" and "Harvest Moon," there was no stopping him from becoming even more successful.

Young has had an awe-inspiring career and has toured everywhere, released a ton of albums, and written the memoir "Waging Heavy Peace." In his book, Young wrote something memorable about a surprising figure: Charles Manson. Bryan Cranston shared a story about Charles Manson that shocked his fans, and Neil Young's fanbase will also want to know what the singer had to say. In this article, we'll take a look at how Neil Young knew Charles Manson, and also the song that he wrote about the terrifying figure.

What Happened Between Neil Young And Charles Manson?

According to American Songwriter, Neil Young wrote about Charles Manson in "Waging Heavy Peace." Young praised Taylor Swift's music and also said that he thought that Manson had talent.

In the 1960s, Neil Young met Charles Manson because they both knew Dennis Wilson from The Beach Boys. This was before Mason's horrible crimes and back when hoped that he could become a successful singer.

Young wrote that Manson's musical talents were similar to Bob Dylan's:

“After a while, a guy showed up, picked up my guitar, and started playing a lot of songs on it. His name was Charlie … Kind of like Dylan, but different because it was hard to glimpse a true message in them, but the songs were fascinating. He was quite good.”

Given everything that the world knows about Manson's crimes, it's definitely strange to hear these comments. According to Louder.com, Young thought Manson was talented. They didn't have a close friendship, and from what Young has said, it sounds like they talked about music quite a lot.

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What Bands Has Neil Young Been Part Of?

  • Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
  • Crazy Horse

According to Louder, Young said, “He had this kind of music that nobody else was doing. He would sit down with a guitar and start playing and making up stuff, different every time. It just kept comin’ out, comin’ out. Then he would stop and you would never hear that one again."

Young continued:

"Musically, I thought he was very unique. I thought he had something crazy, something great. He was like a living poet.”

According to Billboard, Neil Young attempted to convince Reprise Records to give Charles Manson a record deal, but that didn't work out. As many publications have noted, the two seemed to be at the same parties and be part of the same social circle. There's no evidence that they were actually friends, and it's important to note that Young has only said positive things about Manson's musical abilities, not anything else.

Neil Young's Most Popular Songs

  • "Harvest Moon"
  • "Heart Of Gold"
  • "Rockin' in the Free World"
  • "Helpless"
  • "Old Man"
  • "Sugar Mountain"
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Young doesn't seem to have commented on Manson's prison time or murder changes. Young knew Manson before these crimes took place. In 1969, the Manson Family killed Sharon Tate among with several other victims, and in 1971, Manson was charged with first-degree murder and sentenced to prison, according to Brittanica.com.

Times Neil Young Has Been Outspoken

  • asked Spotify to take his music off the platform because of his association with Joe Rogan
  • didn't like that Beck sang a cover of "Old Man"
  • criticized Ticketmaster for high ticket prices

In the 1960s, Neil Young wasn't the household name that he is today, but he was working hard at his music career. Reprise Records released his debut album, "Neil Young," in 1968. In 1969, Neil Young and Crazy Horse's album "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" was released. By the end of the 1970s, Young would be a massive rock star with many successful albums. As time went on, he became an even bigger part of the music industry and has won the respect and praise of critics, fans, and other musicians.

Neil Young Wrote The Song "Revolution Blues" About Charles Manson

Neil Young's song "Revolution Blues" was on his 1974 album "On The Beach" and was about Charles Manson's crimes. The lyrics are intense and paint a picture of the unnerving vibe that was in California at the time.

Young wrote in his song: "Well, I'm a barrel of laughs, with my carbine on/I keep 'em hoppin', till my ammunition's gone/But I'm still not happy/I feel like there's something wrong." The song continues:

"I got the revolution blues, I see bloody fountains/And ten million dune buggies comin' down the mountains/Well, I hear that Laurel Canyon is full of famous stars/But I hate them worse than lepers and I'll kill them in their cars."

Young doesn't seem to have said much about this specific song, perhaps because he expressed everything he wanted to say in the lyrics.

If Neil Young did talk about "Revolution Blues," he would likely say the same thing that he has said in the past about how he writes his popular and smart songs. He told Zane Lowe of Apple Music 1 that he will "disappear" when working.

Musicians Who Inspired Neil Young (According to Far Out Magazine)

  • Keith Richards
  • Mick Jagger
  • Joni Mitchell
  • Bob Dylan
  • Paul McCartney
  • Kurt Cobain

He explained, “I don’t even know. It just happens. I just never not do it. If it’s happening, it’s happening. Everything else stops. That’s the most important thing. So if you want to do that, if you want to write songs, when the song comes to you, you got to stop everything else. No matter what you’re doing, you just leave and you just go somewhere and pick up on what it was you got.”

Of course, "Revolution Blues" isn't Neil Young's only song about something political or controversial. His song "Ohio" refers to the 1970 shootings at Kent State, and "Rockin' in the Free World" is about George H. W. Bush.

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