What do you see when you hear Neil Young sing "Powderfinger"?
What do you think it describes?
I see the Civil War. I don't know why this theme would occur in the USA at any other time, 'lessen they's revenooers of some kind. The white boat and red beacon don't make a lot of sense to me, but then Neil wasn't there, either. The spirit of this song is just chilling and right, never mind the details. It paints a picture so real, so quickly, that I find it amazing.
I see a kid left in charge when through circumstance he is left as the man in charge. He knows he has to do something, but he is too inexperienced to know he is already hopelessly outgunned. The older men are gone one way or the other. Big John's been drinkin' since the river took Emmy Lou (brilliant, a portrait in a line).
I am always chilled by the line where "when the first shot hit the dock, I saw it comin' ". That can only describe the cannonball (from the deck of the boat). Kid still thinks he can shoot back... Daddy's rifle is reassuring.
And then wham, "face splashed in the sky", the gunner found the range. Eager trembling kid trying to step up and be the man, and gets snuffed in his prime by some very heavy metal. Says goodbye to his love and bids the family to remember him well.
If you don't recall it, the song is "Powderfinger" from the album "Rust" and Neil has always been a ne'er-do-well leftie, 'tis true. But I forgive Neil a lot for having created this gem.
