The one song that Neil Young wished he NEVER had to write. It turned into one of the most significant songs ever written, about a subject that divided the US for a loooong time. Some folks in the current zeitgeist actually think the actions taken were a good thing. Can you imagine? I remember this event happening, I was almost 12 years old, and I was in shock. First the two Kennedys and The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were gunned down, and now this. WTF America? Don't mean to get carried away, but this was a HUGE moment in American history, and we better not forget it.
@@NancyMoran-r3b I remember them all. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, approximately 12:30 pm November 22, 1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald, maybe, Dealy Plaza, Dallas, Texas. Malcolm (Shabazz) X, New York City 1965. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., early evening April 4, 1968, second floor balcony The Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee, by James Earl Ray. And Senator/Attorney General Robert Francis Kennedy, late night, the Kitchen of The Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California, by Sirhan Sirhan, maybe. RIP all of them, and the "Four Dead In Ohio", by the Ohio National Guard.
Neil Young wrote this after seeing about the student protesters killed at Kent State University. The band rushed to record and release it in a couple weeks. One of the great 60's protest songs ✌️
Among the Kent State students on campus on May 4, 1970, were Chrissy Hynde, future Lead Singer and Guitar Player for the Pretenders, and Mark Mothersbaugh and at least one other future member of the band DEVO.
The incident was a microcosm of what was going on everywhere with the counterculture that by this time was seen as a real threat to the governing agenda. Young people under 20 vastly outnumbered the older grnerations snd almost took over. Students actualy had the power to shut down universities, the sheer numbers in protest were too much for even the armed forces to manage, and likely ost of those enlisted were not much older than the students. The order was given to fire over their heads, and the guards for fear of being overwhelmed panicked and shot into the crowd. Four died but the number of injured was shocking. This was a new chapter in the clash between legal protest and the authorities in America. We all know what that looks like today.
I was among the student protesters at Stanford when this went down. It had just been learned that America had secretly invaded Cambodia from Vietnam -- an expansion of the war that was not approved by Congress. Students at colleges across the country shut down their campuses in protest. Stanford was one of those that was forced to end spring quarter prematurely, because faculty and students said no to business as usual to bring attention to what our government had just done.
Horrifying. Sorry to hear it. I was born in 1968. Although now if I could choose I would definitely be born 15 years or so earlier, I still understand all that stuff that was happening. I don’t see getting any better. ❤
I was a young college student as well at the University of South Carolina.National Guard on campus for weeks , we could smell the tear gas even if we weren't near it. Kids were beaten up by the local cops. Rough times but at least we stood up ✌️
@@karenpowell6063 Indeed they did, even though they were almost uniformly condemned by their parents for doing so. In hindsight, we all now know Vietnam was a travesty foisted upon the American people, when in truth, the operation was an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to protect corporate business interests.
David Crosby brought news of the shootings to Neil Young at his cabin in the woods. Neil took a walk in the woods. A short time later he returned and played this song for David. Who got to a phone and called Geaham Nash to tell hiim to get studio time. Written, recorded, released and charting in 10 days. It was 1970.
This is why I get so pissed when someone says “okay Boomer”. They have NO clue what those boomers accomplished. So many things people take for granted. The Freedom riders,Anti war protests,equal rights etc…a lot of 60’s music fueled the movement…I remember tv news showing the fire hoses & dogs being turned on women & children. I remember it was legal to fire a woman because she was pregnant or no such thing as domestic violence charges… but enough of my rant. Neil Young said he wrote this song in like 10 minutes & it was released like a week or two later.
Excellent reaction and commentary. Yes, that time was deep. And wide too. Emotions were intense. David Crosby tells the incredible story of how Neil Young wrote the song, and how they put the song out only a few days after the Kent State tragedy occurred: th-cam.com/video/hcqQ03SNHls/w-d-xo.html
Yeah, because a domestic terrorist group setting buildings on 🔥 and unaliving people in multiple cities across the country for months is exactly the same as some college students holding signs and chanting slogans at a campus for a few weeks. 🙄😒
@ No, for instance he wanted the AG to call them in during the DC protests where there cleared the streets and Trump went to the church to hold the Bible upside down… as well “Donald Trump discussed the potential use of American troops on American soil during his presidency, most notably in 2020 during the protests and unrest following the death of George Floyd. He suggested invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, which allows the president to deploy federal troops domestically in certain circumstances, such as to suppress civil disorder or insurrection. In a public statement, Trump expressed his willingness to use the military to restore order, saying, “If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them.” Ultimately, the Insurrection Act was not invoked, but the statement and the possibility of using active-duty troops were controversial, sparking debates about civil liberties and federal authority.”
Sending in the National guard against reasonably peaceful students who had the right to protest against the Vietnam war and opening fire killing four- Nixon was the bad one here- he had no intentions of ending this war.
The one song that Neil Young wished he NEVER had to write. It turned into one of the most significant songs ever written, about a subject that divided the US for a loooong time. Some folks in the current zeitgeist actually think the actions taken were a good thing. Can you imagine? I remember this event happening, I was almost 12 years old, and I was in shock. First the two Kennedys and The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were gunned down, and now this. WTF America? Don't mean to get carried away, but this was a HUGE moment in American history, and we better not forget it.
And Malcolm X was killed.
@@NancyMoran-r3b I remember them all. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, approximately 12:30 pm November 22, 1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald, maybe, Dealy Plaza, Dallas, Texas. Malcolm (Shabazz) X, New York City 1965. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., early evening April 4, 1968, second floor balcony The Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee, by James Earl Ray. And Senator/Attorney General Robert Francis Kennedy, late night, the Kitchen of The Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California, by Sirhan Sirhan, maybe. RIP all of them, and the "Four Dead In Ohio", by the Ohio National Guard.
Oops, RFK June 6, 1968.
I remember those days, I was a freshman in college. All hell broke loose on college campuses all over the country including mine
Neil Young wrote this after seeing about the student protesters killed at Kent State University. The band rushed to record and release it in a couple weeks. One of the great 60's protest songs ✌️
Young wrote this in 15 minutes.
I was in college, too, at that time. Please dive into the story of Kent State. It was a tragedy.
This happened on my ninth birthday and in tribute I play it every year.
May 4th 1970. Maybe it's a little morose but it is reality.
Jim Fox, James Gang founder and drummer was asked why he dropped out of Kent State and his response was "They started shooting the students".
A girl on campus who knelt in front of a student who was shot, was a young teen who had run away from home.
Among the Kent State students on campus on May 4, 1970, were Chrissy Hynde, future Lead Singer and Guitar Player for the Pretenders, and Mark Mothersbaugh and at least one other future member of the band DEVO.
I'm of that generation, and the phrase "we are finally on our own", is exactly how we felt, our government does not care about us.
The incident was a microcosm of what was going on everywhere with the counterculture that by this time was seen as a real threat to the governing agenda. Young people under 20 vastly outnumbered the older grnerations snd almost took over. Students actualy had the power to shut down universities, the sheer numbers in protest were too much for even the armed forces
to manage, and likely ost of those enlisted were not much older than the students. The order was given to fire over their heads, and the guards for fear of being overwhelmed panicked and shot into the crowd. Four died but the number of injured was shocking. This was a new chapter in the clash between legal protest and the authorities in America. We all know what that looks like today.
I was among the student protesters at Stanford when this went down. It had just been learned that America had secretly invaded Cambodia from Vietnam -- an expansion of the war that was not approved by Congress. Students at colleges across the country shut down their campuses in protest. Stanford was one of those that was forced to end spring quarter prematurely, because faculty and students said no to business as usual to bring attention to what our government had just done.
Horrifying. Sorry to hear it. I was born in 1968. Although now if I could choose I would definitely be born 15 years or so earlier, I still understand all that stuff that was happening.
I don’t see getting any better. ❤
I was a young college student as well at the University of South Carolina.National Guard on campus for weeks , we could smell the tear gas even if we weren't near it. Kids were beaten up by the local cops. Rough times but at least we stood up ✌️
@@beadybaby Nor do I. Most all of our military incursions are done to protect corporate business interests. Such a tragic waste of human life.
@@karenpowell6063 Indeed they did, even though they were almost uniformly condemned by their parents for doing so. In hindsight, we all now know Vietnam was a travesty foisted upon the American people, when in truth, the operation was an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to protect corporate business interests.
I graduated from Kent State University. There is a “May 4th” room in the library where I frequently studied.
From my era...so glad to have grown up then. Substance from our artists.
Powerful Song...
this song was written and recorded within days of this tragedy
Criminal attack that wasn’t prosecuted
David Crosby brought news of the shootings to Neil Young at his cabin in the woods. Neil took a walk in the woods. A short time later he returned and played this song for David. Who got to a phone and called Geaham Nash to tell hiim to get studio time. Written, recorded, released and charting in 10 days. It was 1970.
This is why I get so pissed when someone says “okay Boomer”. They have NO clue what those boomers accomplished. So many things people take for granted. The Freedom riders,Anti war protests,equal rights etc…a lot of 60’s music fueled the movement…I remember tv news showing the fire hoses & dogs being turned on women & children. I remember it was legal to fire a woman because she was pregnant or no such thing as domestic violence charges… but enough of my rant. Neil Young said he wrote this song in like 10 minutes & it was released like a week or two later.
Nothing ticks me off faster than someone saying, "okay Boomer"!!
Yes I was watching it on the news
Excellent reaction and commentary. Yes, that time was deep. And wide too. Emotions were intense. David Crosby tells the incredible story of how Neil Young wrote the song, and how they put the song out only a few days after the Kent State tragedy occurred: th-cam.com/video/hcqQ03SNHls/w-d-xo.html
i remember when this happened. it was horrible.
And Trump has said he would use National Guard against Americans…what’s that saying about those that can’t remember the past are doomed to repeat it…
Yeah, because a domestic terrorist group setting buildings on 🔥 and unaliving people in multiple cities across the country for months is exactly the same as some college students holding signs and chanting slogans at a campus for a few weeks. 🙄😒
No he said he'd use them on people who have crossed the border illegally.
@ No, for instance he wanted the AG to call them in during the DC protests where there cleared the streets and Trump went to the church to hold the Bible upside down… as well “Donald Trump discussed the potential use of American troops on American soil during his presidency, most notably in 2020 during the protests and unrest following the death of George Floyd. He suggested invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, which allows the president to deploy federal troops domestically in certain circumstances, such as to suppress civil disorder or insurrection.
In a public statement, Trump expressed his willingness to use the military to restore order, saying, “If a city or state refuses to take the actions that are necessary to defend the life and property of their residents, then I will deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them.”
Ultimately, the Insurrection Act was not invoked, but the statement and the possibility of using active-duty troops were controversial, sparking debates about civil liberties and federal authority.”
Hesaidagainst amercans😊
@ He’s against Americans who don’t bow down to him, or say anything against him…or look at him wrong. He is a narcissistic prima donna.
This incident was so infamous that they now call themselves Kent! They dropped State! We all know though!
Sending in the National guard against reasonably peaceful students who had the right to protest against the Vietnam war and opening fire killing four- Nixon was the bad one here- he had no intentions of ending this war.