Album: Colorado (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Elliot Roberts, Neil Young's manager since 1968, passed away in the summer of 2019. Young addresses the loss of old friends on this reflective ballad during which he notes some of those close to him have "disappeared somehow."

    Where did all the people go?
    Why did they fade away?
    They meant so much to me and now I know
    That they're here to stay in my heart


    "Happens to everybody, apparently," Young gently chuckled to Mojo magazine. "I'm chronicling it, and just trying to keep track."
  • Neil Young's 1975 track "Tonight's The Night" is a similar honest tribute to a fallen friend. That song honors his roadie Bruce Berry, who died of a heroin overdose. Those lyrics are a direct narrative about Berry's life.
  • Neil Young dedicated the Colorado album to Elliot Roberts. He wrote on his website: "Elliot loved this record. He said 'It's the songs.'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Women Who Rock

Women Who RockSong Writing

Evelyn McDonnell, editor of the book Women Who Rock, on why the Supremes are just as important as Bob Dylan.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Tony Banks of Genesis

Tony Banks of GenesisSongwriter Interviews

Genesis' key-man re-examines his solo career and the early days of music video.

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Songs About Movies

Songs About MoviesSong Writing

Iron Maiden, Adele, Toto, Eminem and Earth, Wind & Fire are just some of the artists with songs directly inspired by movies - and not always good ones.

Yacht Rock!

Yacht Rock!Song Writing

A scholarly analysis of yacht rock favorites ("Steal Away," "Baker Street"...) with a member of the leading YR cover band.