WHEN in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary….
Boomer Anthems: “Forever Young” (Now in the two generation edition)
byVanderleunonMarch 8, 2019
First generation edition:
And then there was the earlier song by Bob Dylan which was strikingly similar:
Rod Stewart Sounds an Echo of Dylan What is striking about the song isn’t just Stewart’s impassioned delivery, but the song’s resemblance to an earlier “Forever Young” by Bob Dylan, long one of Stewart’s favorite songwriters. What makes this mystery even more intriguing is that while Stewart receives sole songwriting credit, the song’s publishing credit is shared by Stewart and Special Rider Music, one of Dylan’s publishing companies.
So what gives? “The song is very much Rod’s song,” explained his manager, Arnold Stiefel. “It came about after a long, very touching conversation he had with his 6-year-old son last year. There was this great empathy between them, which I think really moved Rod. And as he remembers it, he saw a film in England around the same time called ‘Forever Young,’ which is where the title came from.
“However, when we were putting the album together, someone pointed out that there was a Dylan song with the same title. So we listened to the two songs. And it would be fair to say that while the melody and the music is not at all the same, the idea of the song is similar. The architecture of the lyrics of the song is very much from Dylan–there are definite similarities.”
Saying he was concerned, Stiefel immediately sent the song to Dylan, asking whether he had a problem with the song. “We didn’t hear back from Bob directly, but his attorney relayed the message that he had no problem with the song, but that he did want to participate in the ownership of the song.”
Stewart Version
May the good Lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when you’re far from home
And may you grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As you’d have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you’ll always stay
Forever Young, Forever Young
Forever Young, Forever Young
May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to heaven
With a prince or a vagabond
And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever Young, Forever Young
Forever Young, Forever Young
Forever Young, Forever Young
And when you finally fly away
I’ll be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell
But whatever road you choose
I’m right behind you, win or lose
Forever Young, Forever Young
Forever Young ,Forever Young
Forever Young, Forever Young
For, Forever Young, Forever Young
======
Dylan version
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
Oh no. Not Rod Stewart and Bob Dylan. Neither one of them should have ever been allowed on a stage. Ok to write songs maybe, but perform? Who puts these people up there? Good grief.
I’m a good neighbor. You’d like me, most likely. Though maybe not my digital music collection 🙂 There’s no Dylan or Stewart performances in there, though I think that there are one or two Dylan songs performed by others. Others who can actually sing…
I’d never heard of Bob Dylan. I suppose that by 1971 I had heard one or two of his songs somewhere, but I really had no idea who he was. I listened to FM oldies mostly plus a bunch of other stuff (Chopin, Handel, Chet Atkins, Boston Pops, Temps, 4Tops, Association, Gary Puckett, etc). I arrived in Gainesville, FL on the third floor of Simpson Hall.
We were issued a key and my mom and dad and I carried my stuff up to my room. There were those dorm room closets on each side of the door, two beds against the wall and two desks down by the windows on each side. My mom started poking around and noticed two articles of clothing in one of the closets. So we assumed that the other side was mine. We unpacked my stuff, hung up my pants and shirts in my closet, made the bed, and set my stuff out on my desk. Home sweet home.
Thus began three of the most tormented weeks of my life. My “room mate” played Bob Dylan 24/7 (when he was there and not out smoking stuff). I came to totally despise “Like a Rolling Stone” and almost all other Dylan. To this day I cringe whenever it comes on somewhere. I try to hide.
It turned out that he heard that fall semester at UF was the place to be for weed and girls. Come December he left and never returned. Good riddance.
After three weeks I finally hollered at enough housing people to get moved to more normal circumstances. After that I did fine.
The rest of my life has been 50 years of trying to avoid all things Dylan.
VanderleunMarch 10, 2019, 3:33 PM
The next few days will be a time of high-energy dodgeball then. Duck and come back to the klubhaus for a free beverage after.
VanderleunMarch 10, 2019, 3:34 PM
And a tip of the top hat to lance for his fine pointers.
Larry GeigerMarch 12, 2019, 5:49 AM
I’m sorry. I’ll not bring it up again.
VanderleunMarch 12, 2019, 8:44 AM
No no Larry, by no means. Bring up anything at any time. I utterly understand why many cannot abide Dylan and his voice. Okay by me.
Real World Address for Donations, Mash Notes and Hate Mail
Gerard Van der Leun
1692 MANGROVE AVE
APT 379
Chico, Ca 95926
Green Pants Interior by Klahn
Who Am I? by Carl Sandburg
My head knocks against the stars.
My feet are on the hilltops.
My finger-tips are in the valleys and shores of universal life.
Down in the sounding foam of primal things I reach my hands and play with pebbles of destiny.
I have been to hell and back many times.
I know all about heaven, for I have talked with God.
I dabble in the blood and guts of the terrible.
I know the passionate seizure of beauty
And the marvelous rebellion of man at all signs reading “Keep Off.”
My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.
Duty, Beauty, Liberty, Country, Honor, Family, Faith — Plus a few simple easy to follow rules for guys
Men saw the stars at the edge of the sea
They thought great thoughts about liberty
Poets wrote down words that did fit
Writers wrote books
Thinkers thought about it
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
Many’s the road I have walked upon
Many’s the hour between dusk and dawn
Many’s the time
Many’s the mile
I see it all now
Through the eyes of a child
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
Lost dreams and found dreams
In America
In America
In America
And close your eyes
Leave it all for a while
Leave the world
And your worries behind
You will build on whatever is real
And wake up each day
To a new waking dream
Take it where you find it
Can’t leave it alone
You will find a purpose
To carry it on
Mainly when you find it
Your heart will be strong
About it
[Chorus]
Change, change come over
Change come over
Talkin’ about a change
Change, change
Change come over, now
Change, change, change come over
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I’m gonna walk down the street
Until I see
My shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
I see my light
See my light
See my shining light
Gerard Van der Leun
Comments on this entry are closed.
Oh no. Not Rod Stewart and Bob Dylan. Neither one of them should have ever been allowed on a stage. Ok to write songs maybe, but perform? Who puts these people up there? Good grief.
@Larry Geiger
Man, I’m glad you’re not my neighbor
Now just a danged minute, young Geiger….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7seZjqkk2n0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwdyHcw9tr4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSE_B7NRofk
‘Nuff said.
I’m a good neighbor. You’d like me, most likely. Though maybe not my digital music collection 🙂 There’s no Dylan or Stewart performances in there, though I think that there are one or two Dylan songs performed by others. Others who can actually sing…
I’d never heard of Bob Dylan. I suppose that by 1971 I had heard one or two of his songs somewhere, but I really had no idea who he was. I listened to FM oldies mostly plus a bunch of other stuff (Chopin, Handel, Chet Atkins, Boston Pops, Temps, 4Tops, Association, Gary Puckett, etc). I arrived in Gainesville, FL on the third floor of Simpson Hall.
We were issued a key and my mom and dad and I carried my stuff up to my room. There were those dorm room closets on each side of the door, two beds against the wall and two desks down by the windows on each side. My mom started poking around and noticed two articles of clothing in one of the closets. So we assumed that the other side was mine. We unpacked my stuff, hung up my pants and shirts in my closet, made the bed, and set my stuff out on my desk. Home sweet home.
Thus began three of the most tormented weeks of my life. My “room mate” played Bob Dylan 24/7 (when he was there and not out smoking stuff). I came to totally despise “Like a Rolling Stone” and almost all other Dylan. To this day I cringe whenever it comes on somewhere. I try to hide.
It turned out that he heard that fall semester at UF was the place to be for weed and girls. Come December he left and never returned. Good riddance.
After three weeks I finally hollered at enough housing people to get moved to more normal circumstances. After that I did fine.
The rest of my life has been 50 years of trying to avoid all things Dylan.
The next few days will be a time of high-energy dodgeball then. Duck and come back to the klubhaus for a free beverage after.
And a tip of the top hat to lance for his fine pointers.
I’m sorry. I’ll not bring it up again.
No no Larry, by no means. Bring up anything at any time. I utterly understand why many cannot abide Dylan and his voice. Okay by me.