Neil Young songs with small words

Part of Sandra Dodd's growing collection of elegant uses of native English in modern times (other songs, and some examples of prose

Birds

Lover, there will be another one
Who'll hover over you beneath the sun
Tomorrow see the things that never come
Today

When you see me fly away without you
Shadow on the things you know
Feathers fall around you and show you the way to go
It's over, it's over.

Nestled in your wings my little one
This special morning brings another sun
Tomorrow see the things that never come
Today

When you see me fly away without you
Shadow on the things you know
Feathers fall around you and show you the way to go
It's over, it's over.

I don't think he was trying to write with ancient, short words, but he did.

And the next song, "Don't Let it Bring You Down," has this:
Old man lying by the side of the road
With the lorries rolling by,
Blue moon sinking from the weight of the load
And the buildings scrape the sky,
Cold wind ripping down the alley at dawn
And the morning paper flies,
Dead man lying by the side of the road
With the daylight in his eyes.

Don't let it bring you down
It's only castles burning,
Find someone who's turning
And you will come around.

Blind man running through the light of the night
With an answer in his hand,
Come on down to the river of sight
And you can really understand,
Red lights flashing through the window in the rain,
Can you hear the sirens moan?
White cane lying in a gutter in the lane,
If you're walking home alone.

Don't let it bring you down
It's only castles burning,
Just find someone who's turning
And you will come around.
Three words look like French on first glance: alley, castle and turning.
"Castle" has been in English for 900 years. "Turn" is a French word, but there was already a "turn" in Old English. It's older than both languages—from the prehistoric days.

The chorus of another Neil Young song:
But only love can break your heart
Try to be sure right from the start
Yes only love can break your heart
What if your world should fall apart

Small Words



"Language Arts"



English