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Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

Young wrote this about the caretaker of the ranch he bought in 1970. The songs compares a young man's life to an old man's and shows that the old man was once like this young man. (thanks, Brian - Melfort, Sask, Canada)

James Taylor played the banjo.

In the liner notes for his album Decade, Young states: "This song put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there."

Comments:

Dear Neil Young. Please send me the royalties for this song I wrote, Old Man, and change all music recordings to show my name as original songwriter. Michael Holland Shepard, 501 W Broadway Ste A box 206, San Diego, California 92101
- Michael, Kensington 94707, CA

old man wow WELL its ..the first songs my dad tought me on guitar when i was five. It was the first thing he gave me that didint get loss.It brings in me feelings that i cant describe .Wisdom, reflexion ,a real bond ,love, ,my dad his dad their oncles and everithing they have tought us and now it does mean that much to me to mean that much to you.
- marc, montreal, QC

one of neil's very best songs, and he wrote and recorded many great songs. god bless you, neil.
- thom, new orleans, LA

To clear up who the "Old Man" in the song was. His name was Louie. He was my great Uncle. He and my Aunt lived on the ranch when Neil Young purchased it. He and then girlfriend Carrie Snodgress, lived there in the 1970's. Louie stayed on as a ranch hand until his retirement.
- John, Tracy, CA

This song almost perfectly describes me and my father because i'm just like he was once so one my favorites.
- Danny, Fairmont, WV

James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt sing the background vocals on this song and on Heart of Gold. The confusion some have with Carly Simon is she was married to JT and was an extremely popular female singer during the time Ronstadt was huge. I'm amazed that only Robert from Herkimer knows this among the numerous people who commented on this song.
- David, Youngstown, OH

What a song! It is used in both Dogtown and the Z-Boys and Lords of Dogtown movies, over the Jay Adams section. Hypnotic and equally reflective.
- Darren, Liverpool, United Kingdom

"In the liner notes for his album Decade, Young states: 'This song put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there.'" Huh? He said that about Heart of Gold not Old Man...
- David, huntington beach, CA

To Robert in Herkimer, NY, if Carly Simon didn't sing background vocals on this song, then where in this old world did my Dad get the idea that she sang on this song?
- Annabelle, Eugene, OR

James Taylor alson sing back vocals on the chorus, but I admit I had to know that to spot him...
- P.A., Paris, France

e also says its about a caretaker in "Live at Massey Hall 1971" Released March 17, 2007...
- Liam, Dublin, Ireland

According to the incredible Neil Young biography "Shakey," by Jimmy McDonough, "Old Man" is indeed about the rancher at one of Neil's properties; not about his father. Also the background singers include Linda Ronstadt, not Carly Simon. Outstanding song.
- robert, Herkimer, NY

On the BBC "In Concert" performance Neil states it's written about the caretaker at his ranch. Nothing at all to do with his father. Fact, watch it yourselves folks.
- Adam, Sydney, Australia

i love this song along with hurricane its to bad they dont have a song fact about that song its so great full of emotions and the guitar just wales and shouts and scream just like a hurricane plus i know a girle like that
- elie, london

Good song. It was used in Shawn Watson's first segment in Liquid Forces' "Relentless" video.
- Nick, OC, CA

Zak in Chicago, IL, here's something interesting I heard about this song. My Dad says that not only did James Taylor play the banjo, but he and Carly Simon both sang back up vocals, harmonies to be exact, on this song. Is this true? Or is it just another one of my Father's Tall Tales?
- Annabelle, Eugene, OR

"Old Man" - 3:22, Neil Young, February 6, 1971 Neil's father, Scott Young, died on June 12, 2005 in Kingston, Ont. Judi, Lutherville, MD
- Judi, Lutherville, MD

david, you must have seen the Heart Of Gold movie, too!!
- fyodor, Denver, CO

The Song was about the caretaker. When Neil Young bought the ranch, the caretaker asked Neil Young how does someone so young have the money to buy the ranch. And Neil Responded im just lucky i guess. The Caretaker took neil around the property in a blue jeep
- david, Oakville, Canada

Oh it is definately "The Needle and the Damage DONE"!
- Cam, Winnipeg, United States

Awesome Neil Young Song! Banjo part rocks, possibly best banjo part I've ever heard. Dustin, hilarious! Why? Becuase Neil Young (Country grunge mix) is so unlike Pink Floyd (Pyschadellic Rock), Led Zeppelin (Acid Blues) and Black Sabbath (Metal)
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA

Was the song you mentioned, Cam, the Needle and the Damage Done, or Damage Dove. My computer says damage "dove" but i coulda sworn it was done. Post back
- Johnny, Los Angeles, CA

I lived on Neils managers ranch (Elliot Roberts). Old Man to the best of my knowledge was written about his ranch manager in Lahonda CA. I beleive his name was Larry Markygaurd. The last name may be a SP! He compared his life to his.
- gary c, lahonda, CT

The songs compares a young man's life to an old man's and shows that the old man was once like this young man.
- Brian, Melfort, Sask, Canada

Is that true that James Taylor plays the banjo on "Old Man"? Very interesting...
- randy, boston, MA

Yes, it's true. Plus he sang backing vocals as well.
- Zak, Chicago, IL

James Taylor plays the banjo on this tune.
- Zak, Chicago, IL

This song is played in the movie "Wonder Boys" when Grady sends young James off with his grandparents from the Howard Johnsons
- Dennis, Chicagoland burrows, IL

The suggestion of Old Man being about his father is way off, his dad died this year 2005, there are several songs on Praire Wind that were written for his father, or reference his father.
- Danice, Nor Cal

Old Man is a beautiful Neil Young song. Perhaps his best. I love the instrumentation of it, steel guitar, banjo, acoustic guitar, it works together amazingly. Lyrics are solid as well. I wish it was longer, however. This is, of course, off the album Harvest, which is to me the best Neil Young album (that I've heard - only own 5 thus far) Everyone should own this album, songs like Harvest, Heart of Gold, Needle and the Damage Done, and Old Man make this a pure classic.
- Cam, Winnipeg

Just in addition, I'm fairly certain that this is not written for Neil Young's father. In the biography Neil and Me, written by Scott Young, Neil is quoted as saying that it is about a care taker on his ranch, much to his fathers dismay. His father was definatley alive when this song was written.
- Cam, Winnipeg

I'm a Neil young fan because of "be the rain" its an awesome song and should definitely be added to the database. As for old man, it was one of the first Neil Young songs I heard and I always loved the banjo on this song.
- Pete, Oak Park, IL

Just to tell everyone here, i hav a Niel Young biography and all of his CD's. He actually wrote this song after his father died. He says in one part, "love lost, such a cost, give me things that don't get lost..." which reffers to his father. He also reffers to how much he needed his father when he says, "I need someone to love me the whole way through..."
- Greg, Oakville, Canada

Old Man just reminds me of my old man, how he used to listen to this song at my age, how I'm growing up like he did, how my life is becoming a mirror image of his. Truly awesome.
- Ollie, Adelaide, Bosnia

This first time I heard this song was a trip I took with a friend in the mountains. We ate magic mushrooms and just listened to this song on his palm pilot and my portable speakers, it was quite an adventure.
- jimmy, santee, CA

This song is the reason why i'm a Neil Young fan! I love it!
- Stefanie magura, Rock Hill, SC

when i was growing up my mom would plat this song for me in the car and when i got older i got more into 70's style music like led zeppelin pink floyd and black sabbath so one day when goin thru all of her old cd's i found it and recognized it jus thought id share a story with evry one
- Dustin, my home, IN

The song Old Man is actually about a care taker of a ranch Neil Young was living at when he was 24. Neil wrote the song because the care taker had a very similar life to his own.
- Jesse, Orillia, Canada

I actually thought that I read this song was written for his father who was a sportswriter in a major Canadian newspaper.
- Eric, Whitby, Canada

I just heard this song for the first time and its awesome.
- Andrew, Springfield, MO