What is Neil Young's "Powderfinger" about?

[brentspeak]

This is a stirring song, but what exactly is it about? A young man protecting his family from bad guys...or "good" guys? Is the family a group of outlaws? Or are the outlaws the attackers in the gunboat?

:dilemma:
.................................................................................

"Powderfinger"

by Neil Young
--------
Look out, Mama, there's a white boat comin' up the river
With a big red beacon, and a flag, and a man on the rail
I think you'd better call John,
'Cause it don't look like they're here to deliver the mail
And it's less than a mile away
I hope they didn't come to stay
It's got numbers on the side and a gun
And it's makin' big waves.

Daddy's gone, my brother's out hunting in the mountains
Big John's been drinking since the river took Emmy-Lou
So the Powers That Be left me here to do the thinkin'
And I just turned twenty-two
I was wonderin' what to do
And the closer they got,
The more those feelings grew.

Daddy's rifle in my hand felt reassurin'
He told me, Red means run, son, numbers add up to nothin'
But when the first shot hit the docks I saw it comin'
Raised my rifle to my eye
Never stopped to wonder why.
Then I saw black,
And my face splashed in the sky.

Shelter me from the powder and the finger
Cover me with the thought that pulled the trigger
Think of me as one you'd never figured
Would fade away so young
With so much left undone
Remember me to my love,
I know I'll miss her.

[taterguy]

1. Just something he wrote for Ronnie Van Zandt to sing

Unfortunately Van Zandt died before Lynyrd Skynyrd had a chance to record it.

That's the legend anyway.

[mitchum]

10. Apparently Skynyrd did play around with the song privately, but ...

it was ultimately rejected as Van Zandt felt that it "just wasn't right for them"
And while I certainly trust Van Zandt's judgement about what was right for Lynyrd Skynyrd, I still hold out hope that somewhere there exists the rehearsal tapes

[GOPisEvil]

2. Didn't he write the song for Lynyrd Skynyrd to record?

As for what it means, I think it could just be a fictional story that sounded good in Neil's head.

[taterguy]

3. I'm glad that wasn't just my imagination

I can't remember where I first heard or read that about Powderfinger and Skynyrd

[GOPisEvil]

4. It's a story that has never been denied by Young.

I learned it by listening to the Drive By Truckers song "Ronnie and Neil". Then I did some hunting around and found that it seems to be accurate.

[RetroLounge]

5. Jason and the Scorchers did a nice cover of this too...

Since I can't find a video, here they are covering Absolutely Sweet Marie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-cF40OWeak&feature=related

RL

[leftofthedial]

6. The Beat Farmers also did a great cover

[taterguy]

7. Jason's playing in my town tomorrow

Thanks for the reminder

Their covers were outstanding

[brentspeak]

8. For sure. They've done great versions of "19th Nervous Breakdown"

and Dylan's "Absolutely Sweet Marie", to name just a couple.

[mitchum]

11. I also heard them do Young's "Are You Ready For The Country"

it was quite good

[SacredCow]

9. Cowboy Junkies covered it, too... n/t

[nutsnberries]

12. have you been here?

http://www.thrasherswheat.org/fot/powderfinger.html









i love when i stop by the lounge and see a Neil Young thread - :hi: