Bob Dylan‘s music has never pulled any punches. The raw emotion, the unapologetic lyrics, the storytelling—it all amalgamated into the essence of who Dylan is. He was also among the first to bring folk music to a largely popular scale, and as a pioneer in a niche, one can get pretty protective of their own “turf.” I think this applies to anyone in a creative field.
Even as a writer in a time of constant syndication, I get a little ruffled when I think of an idea first and see a lot of people taking the same approach. It’s silly because writing, art—whatever you do creatively—always borrows from others, but it’s really a spectrum of gray area. And it’s almost a comfort to know the great Bob Dylan is guilty of this too.
Though they are good friends now, Dylan turned a little green with envy when he heard the iconic hit “Heart of Gold.”
“The only time it bothered me that someone sounded like me was when I was living in Phoenix, Arizona, in about ’72 and the big song at the time was ‘Heart of Gold’,” Dylan told SPIN, according to Far Out Magazine. “I used to hate it when it came on the radio. I always liked Neil Young, but it bothered me every time I listened to ‘Heart of Gold.’ I think it was up at number one for a long time, and I’d say, ‘That’s me. If it sounds like me, it should as well be me,’” he added.
So in rebuttal, his song “Forever Young” was titled and written in response to the number one track, according to Dylan’s biographer Clinton Heylin in a 2009 Rolling Stone interview.
“Dylan’s saying he’s forever Young, which is a dig at Neil for imitating Dylan,” speculated Heylin.
Related: ’70s Folk Rock Legend Neil Young Performs ‘Heartbreaking’ Song for First Time in 6 Years
Neil Young and Bob Dylan’s Friendship
The two, in all sincerity, have developed a genuine friendship and a respectful artistic relationship over the years.
In a 2005 Time interview, Far Out Magazinereported that Neil Young had nothing but words of praise for Dylan.
“He’s the master. If I’d like to be anyone, it’s him. And he’s a great writer, true to his music and done what he feels is the right thing to do for years and years and years.”
On his 30th studio album, Dylan honored Young with a line in his song “Highlands” in 1997.
“Well, my heart’s in The Highlands / I can only get there one step at a time / I’m listening to Neil Young, I gotta turn up the sound,” he wrote.
In Young’s song “Flags of Freedom” years later, he wrote, “Their bond is everlasting / Listening to Bob Dylan singin’ / In 1963 / Watchin’ the flags of freedom flying.”
Recently, at Farm Aid’s inaugural 40th show, Young followed Dylan’s performance with his anti-Trump anthem “Big Crime.” The living legends have historically shared the stage many times in their careers.
Ultimately, the two have lived lives together and parallel in the industry for decades—so what’s a little creative rivalry between friends?
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