One of Neil Young’s First Performances of “Old Man” (1971)

Shortly after purchasing his Ranch in California, Neil Young (just 24 years old at the time) visited the UK to promote his upcoming album “Harvest.” The song “Old Man” was unreleased at the time, and this performance is one of the earliest, if not the first.

Neil wrote the song about the caretaker of the Ranch he purchased in 1970, Louis Avila. When asked how a young man could afford such a place, Neil replied “Just lucky, Louie, just real lucky.” Which is exactly how we feel to have discovered a gem such as this…

Lyrics:

Old man look at my life,
I’m a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I’m a lot like you were.

Old man look at my life,
Twenty four
and there’s so much more
Live alone in a paradise
That makes me think of two.

Love lost, such a cost,
Give me things
that don’t get lost.
Like a coin that won’t get tossed
Rolling home to you.

Old man take a look at my life
I’m a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that’s true.

Lullabies, look in your eyes,
Run around the same old town.
Doesn’t mean that much to me
To mean that much to you.

I’ve been first and last
Look at how the time goes past.
But I’m all alone at last.
Rolling home to you.

Old man take a look at my life
I’m a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that’s true.

Old man look at my life,
I’m a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I’m a lot like you were.