Crazy Horse has also released 5 albums of its own. They have received inconsistent critical reaction, partially due to the band's frequent and radical lineup changes; though bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina appear on every album, few other musicians have appeared on more than one. The band's first and best-received self-titled album also featured Jack Nietzsche, Nils Lofgren, and Danny Whitten, who became the topic of various Neil Young songs after his heroin overdose in late 1972. On Crazy Horse's 1972 album, "Loose," they were all replaced with John Blanton, Greg Leroy, and George Whitsell, who was a member of Crazy Horse's predecessor The Rockets. Crazy Horse's third album also released in 1972, "At Crooked Lake," replaced those three with Rick and Mike Curtis.
Later that decade in 1978, Crazy Horse released another album under its own name entitled "Crazy Moon." This would feature, along with the steady Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina, some guest work by Neil Young and guitarist Frank Sampedro, who had joined the band in 1975 for Young's album "Zuma." This lineup would be used for many of Crazy Horse's albums with Neil Young through the rest of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. In the late 1980s, Young used Frank Sampedro in his R&B-styled Bluenotes backing band, but did not use Molina or Talbot as he thought their style was unfitting. Now without Sampedro, Crazy Horse recruited Sonny Mone and Matt Piucci for their most recent album, "Left For Dead," released 1989. Piucci would later play on Billy Talbot's 2006 solo release. The album's title track is a pointed remark about their frustrating relationship with Young in the late 1980s, and included a number of other references to Neil Young and his work.
My My Hey Hey
Crazy Horse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rock and roll is here to stay
It's better to burn out than to fade away
My my, hey hey
Out of the blue and into the black
They give you this, but you pay for that
And once you're gone, you can never come back
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
This is the story of a Johnny Rotten
It's better to burn out than it is to rust
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture than meets the eye
Hey hey, my my
The lyrics of Crazy Horse's song My My Hey Hey are a reflection on the transient, fleeting nature of fame and fortune in the music industry. The opening line "My my, hey hey, rock and roll is here to stay" sets the tone for the song, celebrating the enduring power of rock and roll music. However, the second line "It's better to burn out than to fade away" suggests a darker side to fame and success, where burning out quickly and dramatically is preferable to slowly fading into obscurity. This is a sentiment that echoes the early deaths of many rock stars, from Jimi Hendrix to Kurt Cobain.
The second verse reflects on the commercialization of music, with the line "They give you this, but you pay for that". This suggests that while musicians may gain fame and success through their music, it often comes at a cost, with the industry taking advantage of them. The final two lines of the verse "When you're out of the blue and into the black" further emphasize the idea that fame is fleeting and that once it's gone, it's gone forever.
The third verse is a tribute to Johnny Rotten, the lead singer of the Sex Pistols who was known for his rebellious and confrontational style. The line "It's better to burn out than it is to rust" suggests that Rotten's short-lived career was a success precisely because he didn't fade away but rather burned out in a blaze of glory. The final line "The king is gone but he's not forgotten" acknowledges that while Rotten may be gone, his legacy lives on.
Overall, the lyrics to My My Hey Hey offer a sobering reflection on the transience of fame and success in the music industry, while also celebrating the enduring power of rock and roll.
Line by Line Meaning
My my, hey hey
The singer is acknowledging the presence of rock and roll and the power it holds over people.
Rock and roll is here to stay
Rock and roll is a permanent fixture in music culture that will never go out of style.
It's better to burn out than to fade away
It's better to die in a blaze of glory than to slowly fade away into obscurity.
My my, hey hey
The artist reiterates the first line to emphasize the importance of rock and roll.
Out of the blue and into the black
Life comes unexpectedly, sometimes bringing negativity or hardship.
They give you this, but you pay for that
Society may give people opportunities, but there is always a cost associated with them.
And once you're gone, you can never come back
Once someone passes away or moves on, they can never return to their previous life or state.
When you're out of the blue and into the black
Repeating the second line to emphasize the idea that life is unpredictable and can bring unexpected challenges.
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
Even when someone important passes away, they are still remembered and their legacy lives on.
This is the story of a Johnny Rotten
Referring to the punk rock musician Johnny Rotten, who is known for his rebellious attitude and anti-establishment beliefs.
It's better to burn out than it is to rust
It's better to go out with a bang and leave your mark on the world than to slowly deteriorate over time.
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
Repeating the ninth line to emphasize the idea that even when someone important passes away, they are still remembered and their legacy lives on.
Hey hey, my my
Repeating the first line and adding ‘hey hey’ to show the importance of the message.
Rock and roll can never die
Rock and roll will live on forever.
There's more to the picture than meets the eye
There is usually more going on in a situation than what is immediately apparent.
Hey hey, my my
Repeating the thirteenth line to emphasize the importance of rock and roll.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Jeff Blackburn, Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind