One of my favorite things about Neil Young’s music is how he guides us through the journey from despair to hope—and from hope to success. In a world often divided, where emotions are either denied or expressed through violence, Neil’s music serves as a bridge to deeper understanding.

I believe that consciousness is our higher power, and within that, we have a choice: to listen to the voice of the ego or to align with the wisdom of our higher selves. Neil’s music reminds us of that choice, offering a space to feel, heal, and rise above.

“DON’T LET IT BRING YOU DOWN”
Written by Neil Young




When Neil’s says “Find someone who’s
turning and you will come around” I see
myself on a merry-go-round, where
possibilities are endless.
I feel the same way when I am conscious of my choices.
…………………………………
Old man lying by the side of the road
With the lorries rolling by
Blue moon sinking from the weight of the load
And the buildings scrape the sky
Cold wind ripping down the alley at dawn
And the morning paper flies
Dead man lying by the side of the road
With the daylight in his eyes
Don't let it bring you down
Its only castles burning
Find someone who's turning
And you will come around

Blind man running through the light of the night
With an answer in his hand
Come on down to the river of sight
And you can really understand
Red lights flashing through the window in the rain
Can you hear the sirens moan?
White cane lying in a gutter in the lane
If you're walking home alone

Don't let it bring you down
Its only castles burning
Find someone who's turning
And you will come around
Don't let it bring you down
Its only castles burning
Just find someone who's turning
And you will come around
Don't let it bring you down
Its only castles burning
Just find someone who's turning
And you will come around





In the early 1970s, my life intersected with Neil Young in a way that would later be immortalized in his song Harvest. That moment—captured through the lens of a close mutual friend, Nurit Wilde—was a snapshot of both connection and distance. I was there with my two-year-old child, and while our relationship wasn’t moving forward at the time, Neil used his music to articulate the emotions of that chapter in our shared history.

The song Harvest, with its gentle, poignant melody and reflective lyrics, feels like an explanation—a poetic acknowledgment of the bittersweet nature of life and relationships. It’s a testament to Neil’s ability to take deeply personal experiences and transform them into art that resonates universally.

It allows closure without denial of the shared emotion, with a tiny sliver of hope.

There is also an element of surprise in the song for me personally. While Neil had captured the mood of that day perfectly, I began to see that he and I were not on the same page. When I could hear the reference to our relationship, it was also not as I saw it. Knowing how honest Neil was with his emotions in his songs, this was confusing until many years later when I learned why.

To Neil’s everlasting credit, it was Neil himself who, 30 years after the fact, made it possible for me to understand that what I felt was true. The facts had been manipulated so that he believed one thing and I another.

This experience shows how a lie can alter lives and potentially hurt generations of families. It’s a testament to how even deeply personal expressions, like Neil’s music, can be shaped by misunderstandings and untruths. For years, I wrestled with the disconnect between what I heard in some songs and what I remembered of the events. The emotions and imagery were vivid, but the perspective felt skewed. It wasn’t until much later that I realized the divide was not a matter of perception but of misinformation.

Neil’s willingness to revisit the past and address it openly gave me the clarity I needed. His music had always been a source of connection and truth, but this experience revealed just how powerful and healing honesty can be. It also served as a reminder of the lasting impacts of deceit—not just on those directly involved but on the generations that follow.

Reflecting on this now, I see how the song’s duality mirrors the complexity of human relationships. The truth, even when obscured, has a way of surfacing eventually. And when it does, it holds the potential to heal old wounds and bring understanding where there was once confusion. For that, I am grateful.

“Harvest”

written by Neil Young

Did I see you down in a young girl's town
With your mother in so much pain?
I was almost there at the top of the stairs
With her screamin' in the rain

Did she wake you up to tell you that
It was only a change of plan?
Dream up, dream up, let me fill your cup
With the promise of a man

Did I see you walking with the boys
Though it was not hand in hand?
And was some black face in a lonely place
When you could understand?

Did she wake you up to tell you that It was only a change of plan?
Dream up, dream up, let me fill your cup With the promise of a man

Will I see you give more than I can take?
Will I only harvest some?
As the days fly past will we lose our grasp
Or fuse it in the sun?

Did she wake you up to tell you that
It was only a change of plan?
Dream up, dream up, let me fill your cup
With the promise of a man