Forever Young (Bob Dylan song)
| "Forever Young" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Bob Dylan | |
| from the album Planet Waves | |
| A-side | Forever Young |
| Released | 1974 |
| Format | Vinyl |
| Genre | Rock |
| Writer(s) | Bob Dylan |
"Forever Young" is a song by Bob Dylan. The song first appeared (in two different versions) on Dylan's 1974 album Planet Waves.
Contents |
[edit] Analysis
In the notes for the 2007 album titled DYLAN, Bill Flanagan had the following to say about "Forever Young":
| “ | After an eight year break from touring, Dylan's legend was big enough to fit all twelve apostles and still have room for a couple of Buddhas. He agreed to go back on the road in 1974 with The Band, his old backup group who had become stars themselves during the down time. They got together and quickly knocked off an album, Planet Waves, that featured two versions of a blessing from a parent to a child. In the years he was away from stage Dylan had become a father. He had that in common with a good chunk of the audience. The song reflected it. Memorably recited on American TV by Howard Cosell when Muhammad Ali won the heavyweight crown for the third time. | ” |
[edit] Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart recorded a song titled "Forever Young", which was released as a single and included on his Out of Order album in 1988. The song was remarkably similar to the Bob Dylan song of the same title, sharing not only a similar melody but many of the same lyrics. Stewart agreed to share his royalties with Dylan.[1]
[edit] 2009 Remix
In 2009 a remix of the song, "Forever Young (Continued)" was featured in a Pepsi commercial,[2] with will.i.am rapping a verse.[3] The advertisement ends with the slogan "Every generation refreshes the world".
[edit] In popular culture
The 2010 television series Parenthood uses the second version of this song, "Forever Young," (2:49), on the album Planet Waves, as its theme song.
"Forever Young" is one of seven Dylan songs whose lyrics were reset for soprano and piano (or orchestra) by John Corigliano for his song cycle Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan.[4]
Episode 12 of Season 1 of the television series Sons of Anarchy, opens and closes with a cover version of "Forever Young" sung by Audra Mae.
[edit] Cover versions
[edit] English
- Joan Baez incorporated "Forever Young" into her repertoire in 1974, releasing a studio version that year, and frequently including the song in her concert set lists from then on; she has released two additional live recordings of the song.
- The Band originally backed Dylan on the song on Planet Waves, and subsequently covered the song on their 1996 album High on the Hog.
- Harry Belafonte, on CBS CB85254, 1977
- The Black Crowes
- Johnny Cash
- Billy Corgan on the finale of The Bozo Show entititled Bozo: 40 Years of Fun!
- The Grateful Dead with Neil Young, live version on 11/3/91 at the Polo Field at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco
- Jerry Garcia with the Jerry Garcia Band
- John Illsley with Cunla and Greg Pearle on Live in Les Baux de Provence
- Rebbie Jackson, for the soundtrack of Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home
- Norah Jones on Steve Jobs (former Apple CEO) memorial concert in October 2011
- Patti Labelle, on Live Aid
- Stoney LaRue, on The Red Dirt Album
- Meat Loaf, on Couldn't Have Said It Better
- Audra Mae, two different versions used in Season One Episode 12 of Sons of Anarchy
- Matell on Forever Matell
- The Pretenders, on Last of the Independents
- Diana Ross, on Swept Away
- Pete Seeger, on Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International
- Rod Stewart on Out of Order
(While ostensibly a different song, the Stewart song actually used the same melody and many of the same lyrics as the Dylan song. Stewart conceded it was the same song by agreeing to share composer royalties with Dylan.) - Soweto Gospel Choir
- Eddie Vedder in Water on the Road
- Kitty Wells released a version of the song backed by members of the Allman Brothers Band in 1975
[edit] Other languages
- Morten Harket covered the song in Norwegian under the translated title "Evig Ung"
- André Heller & Wolfgang Ambros covered the song in Austrian German under the translated title "Für immer jung"
- The German band BAP covered the song in Kölsch, a German dialect spoken in Cologne.
- Benny Holst covered the song in Danish under the title "Til Evig TId"
- The song was translated into Hebrew by Yair Lapid and performed by Rami Kleinstein under the title "Tza'ir Lanetzach" (צעיר לנצח)
[edit] References
- ^ Caro. "The song remains the same? Copycats tricky to tag in a recycled culture". Chicago Tribune. Victoria Advocate. http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2010/jul/14/bc-mus-copycatstb-_-entertainment/?entertainment&national-entertainment. Retrieved 30 July 2011.
- ^ "Forever Young" Pepsi commercial
- ^ WTF: Bob Dylan and Will.I.Am: "Forever Young" (Pepsi ad) - Pitchfork http://pitchfork.com/news/34497-bob-dylan-to-sing-with-william-for-pepsi/
- ^ Mr. Tambourine Man: Seven Poems of Bob Dylan at schirmer.com
