NEIL YOUNG ARTICLE by LARISSA CORNWELL

I

Diana was a Roman goddess ( counterpart of the Greek goddess Artemis ), said to dwell at the sacred grove of Nemi in Aricia, Italy. In this grove there was a tree upon which grew a golden bough. A priest who also held the title 'King of the Wood', guarded the tree and its golden bough, but could not sleep, for if he did he would be slain by another man wishing to be his successor. So the ancient myth goes.

But why did the king have to be killed when any sign of weakness appeared (eg. sleep) ? Why couldn't the king die naturally and then be replaced ? In search of answers, Sir J.G.Frazer compiled a book of twelve volumes, 'The Golden Bough', which included extensive examples of the ceremonial and ritualistic lives of many cultures. He sees myths as the remaining link of modern man to his ancient past.

II

Neil Young began his career as part of a group, firstly in Canada, then the United States, where he joined The Buffalo Springfield. From this he progressed to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, eventually becoming a solo artist. His two most successful albums were solo.

'Harvest Moon' is Neil Young's most recent work to date, the sequel to an earlier work called 'Harvest', released twenty years earlier in 1972. The first album, 'Harvest', has similar themes to the second but its imagery is less natural. It has the same atmosphere and mood, "acoustic, wistful, full of tearful ballads and nostalgic introspection" ( Melody Maker, 7/11/92 ), but concentrates on man-made images, suggesting less of an affinity with nature whereas the follow up, 'Harvest Moon', has its lyrical imagery very firmly based within the ideas of nature and fertility.

Listening to the album, a sense of loss can be detected, whether it be of old friends, lovers, opportunities, etc.; it includes such contrasting themes as loss and optimism, intricately linked with Frazer's theories of the Dying and Reviving gods in ancient mythology.

" I think Harvest Moon is about continuance. About trying to keep the flame burning. It's about the feeling that you don't have to be young to appear young. " ( Neil Young, M.M.,7/11/92 )

'Harvest' could be symbolic of the period of the Dying god, lyrically based on inanimate and man-made objects, whereas many of Harvest Moon's songs mention dancing and trees which connect to our conceptions of fertility rituals. Harvest Moon therefore, could be symbolic of the ascent of the Reviving God.

All myths are seen by Frazer in terms of the fertility myth, whereby all gods and goddesses are worshipped for their ability to make both men and crops fertile, drawing links to the Dying and Reviving gods who control the Earth's cyclical patterns, being praised for fertility in Summer and tempting them into revival in Spring

III

On the front cover of Harvest Moon we see Neil Young dressed in what appears to be a ceremonial costume of either feathers or corn, about to take part in a ritual ceremony, likely to be a fertility ceremony. On the reverse we see the moon, worshipped in most cultures as a fertility deity and well known to be linked to cycles, especially those of the sea and tides. In Frazer's 'Golden Bough', Diana, who is central to his whole theory, is both a fertility goddess and goddess of the moon. Likewise, the small illustrations on the lyric sheet contain trees, moon and sun: three representations of nature worshipped in numerous ancient and some modern cultures. On the reverse we have corn and the moon, and using them together strengthens the image and connotations: corn is the natural form of fertility goddesses all over the world. Young's native Amerindians worship both the moon and the corn for their fertility properties, and his interest in his own native cultures can be seen on the cover of his album, 'Zuma', drawn in Central American tribal style.

IV

In the sacred grove at Nemi, the old king had to be killed so that the sacred oak and its golden bough did not imitate the king as he aged and also age and die with him; the king had to be constantly useful. In the song, 'Old
King', the narrator loses his old friend, his dog who, in the lyrics, chases deer. In some cultures a deer is a symbol of a young woman. The chasing (and possible capture) of woman by 'Old King' could be a symbolic representation of the sacred marriage. Dogs and deer are paraphernalia of the Goddess of the Sacred Grove, Diana. In European cultures, dogs are also said to represent the corn spirit. The dog dies and is not replaced, perhaps symbolic of the king at Nemi dying but not reviving, referring to the loss of old traditions and customs, the theme of loss running through the album.

In the song, 'War Of Man', man is seen as the enemy of nature. He no longer respects or worships the animals; all that he does is harmful to them. As man is letting loose his " gas and machines ", the animals are running for their lives.

" The windows open and the little girl dreams
The sky's her playground as she mounts her steed
Across the heavens to the other side
On wings of magic does the little girl ride "

'The little girl': an innocent contrast to her surrounding imagery and to modern man. Riding a horse, she personifies the corn spirit in some cultures and perhaps, more interestingly, Virbius, the first 'King of the Woods' who, in Frazerian theory, was originally embodied as a horse. Riding on "wings of magic", she is at Frazer's first stage of social development, magic, while modern man is at the third, science, with religion between them. The song does not seem to praise the merits of science.

In 'Natural Beauty', the lines,
" What a lucky man
To see the Earth before it touched his hand "

are the most relevant to Frazerian theory. In his chapter on 'Taboo Acts', Frazer explores the widespread custom of the taboo act of touching the ground. If the sacred person did touch the Earth then their magical virtue and holiness would be drained away from them. The king losing his power was a very ill-omen. The song suggests this has happened and people no longer have a sacred figure to look to. This would account for the turmoil prevalent in other songs.

As newness brings life to most things it brought death to the narrator's relationship in the song 'From Hank To Hendrix'. The dying relationship has been a lengthy one as recent historical figures in the song show. Perhaps the use of these famous peoples' names suggests a cycle. Did Hendrix take over from Hank and Madonna from Marilyn as the new kings replaced the old kings at Nemi ? The relationship is not renewed, which fuels the argument that 'Harvest Moon' deals with the theme of loss. Whether it be loss of love or man's affinity with nature and his ability to perform ancient rituals and benefit from the knowledge of them.

On a personal level, the song 'Harvest Moon' is celebrating a relationship which is once again successful after a period of uncertainty. Perhaps in Frazerian terms it is a celebration of life, love and fertility. It is also a tribute to the gods, especially Diana, who is associated with the moon.

Finally, the subject of 'Dreamin' Man' is somebody who, if he was a primitive man in touch with his unconscious being, could be fulfilled, but he is a modern man in a very modern world. He is disassociated with his mythic and ritualistic past. He dreams: this is good. The inability to utilise these dreams is the problem - again, loss of tradition and customs.

Frazer's ideas are extremely compatible to 'Harvest Moon', especially ideas of fertility, rituals, death and revival. The loss and optimism are particularly apparent. Neil Young originates from North America; it therefore stands to reason that if he has any knowledge of mythological themes they will be from his birthplace, i.e. his interest in the native cultures of America, both Central and Northern, such as Amerindian mythology. Mythology is important, even in these modern times. We may have lost touch with our ancient customs, but the words that accompanied them are still very much a part of our cultures.