Neil Young has quite the musical legacy. His music can be seen as a tapestry that has woven in so many different themes under the genre of folk rock, from protest to introspection to just raw emotion. His songs could also be seen as pins in history that mark the 1960s and 1970s, too. So many tracks by Don Grungio himself are so closely associated with the themes and culture of those two decades that many could hear any song from him during that period and immediately be transported back in time. Let’s take a look at three specific Neil Young songs that capture the spirit of the 1960s and 1970s.
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It’s worth noting that this is far from an exhaustive list. “Ohio”, “Heart Of Gold”, and “Cinnamon Girl” are simply great examples of 1960s and 1970s era music from Neil Young, and there are definitely many more.
1. “Ohio”
“Ohio” is an unforgettable track that’s more of a lament than anything else. Young penned the song in response to the tragic Kent State shootings in 1970. You can feel the outrage and disillusionment felt by a whole generation at the time. Especially during the haunting refrain “Four dead in Ohio”.
2. “Heart Of Gold”
This introspective ballad is still relevant and beloved to this day, but it was originally written to express the longing for connection in a rapidly changing world that many people felt in the early 1970s.
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3. “Cinnamon Girl”
On a more positive note, “Cinnamon Girl” is one of Neil Young’s songs that captures the psychedelic energy of the 1960s. The track itself is a tribute to Young’s girlfriend at the time and captures the essence of rebellious youth and romantic idealism that were at the core of counterculture in the 1960s.
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