My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)

Album: Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
Play Video
  • My my, hey hey
    Rock and roll is here to stay
    It's better to burn out than to fade away
    My my, hey hey

    Out of the blue and into the black
    They give you this, but you pay for that
    And once you're gone, you can never come back
    When you're out of the blue and into the black

    The king is gone but he's not forgotten
    This is the story of a Johnny Rotten
    It's better to burn out than it is to rust
    The king is gone but he's not forgotten

    Hey hey, my my
    Rock and roll can never die
    There's more to the picture than meets the eye
    Hey hey, my my Writer/s: Jeff Blackburn, Neil Young
    Publisher: Hipgnosis Songs Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 18

  • Stefan from GermanyMy song on my last party! I like it!
  • Abby from Tucson, AzAs a recovering struggling heroin addict the lyrics "out of the blue and into the black" always remind me of transitioning from taking oxycodone "commonly called blues" to heroin (commonly called black).....
  • We're So Pretty, Oh So Pretty, Maga! from EarthHey Neil - how about that Johnny Rotten endorsing Trump - "better to flame out, than concede away ....... my my - hey hey"
  • Somebody Else from Washington DcI believe that Hey Hey, My My (out of the blue) and (into the black) are iterations or make reference to a song written by Danny Whitten, I Don't Want To Talk About It. Danny used to play in the group Crazy Horse and he died November 18, 1972 after an overdose. The lyrics go "...If I stand all alone, will the shadow hide the colors of my heart, Blue for the tears, Black for the night's fears..." I believe that the loss of Neil's close friend, Danny, affected him so greatly that he penned Hey Hey My My, unknowingly referencing the two main colors Danny wrote about. Neil Young frequently references 'colors' in his lyrics, such as in another song called "Don't Let It Bring You Down". Danny may have been influenced by Neil or vice versa, but there is no doubt that the only two colors mentioned in Danny's song is BLUE and BLACK.
  • David from Syracuse, NyThe moral of the story is, get yourself a nice acoustic guitar, and start playing, however terrible you may sound. Don't give a hoot about what people think about your skills. It only matters that you have your own world, and your own sound, be it marketable or not. Keep on Rockin' in the Free World. Who gives a crap about Cobain and his being so weak, that he thought it would be a good idea to blow his head off with a shotgun.
    Can you say Loser? This song is about strength of character, and carrying on, not stupid suicide, fools. What is up with the west coast? Get a freaking grip.
  • Matthew from Cardiff, United KingdomI love this song its so moving the harmonica still gives me goose bumps i learned to play it on bass guitar. The line once your gone you can never come back when you're out of the blue and into the black I want written on my headstone when i die (and i want the song played). I must of listened to this song at least 500 times and i still love it
  • Jesus from Guadalajara, MexicoMexican rock band "El Tri" made a cover version named "El Rock nunca muere" (Rock will never die) in the 80s. Lyrics are not a direct translation, but are good and musically is very rich. "El Tri" is band from the 60s still active. Sort of our version of the Rolling Stones. Try to youtube it.
  • Brad from Long Island, NySid was never really an influential rocker at all. He pretty much sucked as a bassist. Its too bad he gets any credit for anything the pistols did. Plus Dave is corrct, not many names rhyme with forgotten (both lines have the same amount of syllables so Sid Rotten wouldnt work either-LOL).
  • David from Huntington Beach, CaI love how both versions of this song can impact you equally. As it goes acoustically you can really feel the lyrics and the emotion, but then you listen to hey hey, my my and you're struck by how awesome it is. Terrific both acoustic and electric which is a rare feat.
  • Erin from Tulsa, Okhe coulda said "Sid Rotten" because people wouldve caught that Sid Vicious, bein dead and all, and Johnny Rotten were related.. but, hey its his song. Plus, its awesome. So ya.
  • Liz from Massapequa, NyYoung mentions Elvis and Johnny Rotten as examples of how rock and roll will never die. No matter who the artist is, roll and roll will always be around.
  • David from , CaWell, "The King is gone but he's not forgotten" must be about Elvis, right? Elvis was the king. But then he flips it to be about Johnny Rotten. I think you could say that the Sex Pistols had a similar impact on music as Elvis did and were one of the most important and influential bands of their time. And face it, "Sid Vicious" just doesn't rhyme. ;-)
  • Austin from Boston, MaWhy did he mention Johnny Rotten? The song makes it seem like Johnny Rotten is dead when in fact he is not.If you want the dead "Sex Pistol" us Sid Vicious.
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScIt's sad that Kurt Cobain had to kill himself like that.
  • Conrad from Southwest Harbor, Methis is a good song, i want it played at my funeral when i pass away
  • Stefanie from Rock Hill, ScI love this song. It's one of my favorites.
  • Kendall from Thomasville, Gadon't know what you are talking about, but I love this song too!
  • Chris from Hamilton, New Zealandthe greatest of the young years. anybody know about Mansion on the Hill? eels2ca@hotmail.com
see more comments

Editor's Picks

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-Outs

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-OutsSong Writing

The 10 biggest "retirement tours" that didn't take.

Dave Edmunds

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

16 Songs With a Heartbeat

16 Songs With a HeartbeatSong Writing

We've heard of artists putting their hearts into their music, but some take it literally.

Real or Spinal Tap

Real or Spinal TapMusic Quiz

They sang about pink torpedoes and rocking you tonight tonight, but some real lyrics are just as ridiculous. See if you can tell which lyrics are real and which are Spinal Tap in this lyrics quiz.

James Bond Theme Songs

James Bond Theme SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the 007 theme songs?