Hey Hey
N. Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye
Hey, hey, my, my
Out of the blue and into the black
You pay for this, but they give you that
When you're out of the blue and into the black
The king is gone but he's not forgotten (Johnny Rotten, Johnny Rotten)
Is this the story of Johnny Rotten? (Johnny Rotten, Rotten Johnny)
It's better to burn out 'cause rust never sleeps
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
Neil Young's "Hey Hey, My My" is a meditation on the nature of fame and the durability of the rock and roll lifestyle. The song asserts that rock music will always be with us, even as performers come and go. The opening line of the song is a famous phrase that has come to symbolize the rock and roll era. Young states that "rock and roll can never die," suggesting that the music, and the culture that surrounds it, will always endure.
The second verse of the song is slightly more complicated. Here, Young describes the experience of being a performer in the music industry. He suggests that even though musicians may be paid for their work, they are still a commodity, and their fame is fleeting. Once they have outlived their usefulness, they are "gone," and there is no coming back. The third verse, which includes the famous line "it's better to burn out than to fade away," amplifies this idea. Young makes the case that a musician's career should be intense, artful and brief, rather than drawn out and ultimately hollow.
The chorus returns to the theme of the song's opening, emphasizing that despite the challenges and pitfalls of fame, rock and roll is an essential aspect of our culture, and it will never truly die.
Overall, "Hey Hey, My My" is a poignant song that captures the essence of the rock and roll experience. It highlights the highs and lows of being a performer while celebrating the music that has brought joy and excitement to millions of people around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey, my, my
Greetings, greetings, my, my
Rock and roll can never die
The genre of rock and roll will always remain popular, no matter what
There's more to the picture
There's a deeper meaning than what's apparent
Than meets the eye
Beyond what can be seen on the surface
Out of the blue and into the black
Unexpectedly transitioned from a positive state to a negative state
You pay for this, but they give you that
You thought you were getting what you paid for, but received something else instead
And once you're gone, you can't come back
Once you've left a situation, there's no going back
The king is gone but he's not forgotten (Johnny Rotten, Johnny Rotten)
Although the leader may no longer be present, his impact is still felt (reference to punk rocker Johnny Rotten)
Is this the story of Johnny Rotten? (Johnny Rotten, Rotten Johnny)
Is this song about the life of Johnny Rotten?
It's better to burn out 'cause rust never sleeps
It's preferable to go out in a blaze of glory, than to fade away slowly
Hey, hey, my, my
Greetings, greetings, my, my
Rock and roll can never die
The genre of rock and roll will always remain popular, no matter what
There's more to the picture
There's a deeper meaning than what's apparent
Than meets the eye
Beyond what can be seen on the surface
Lyrics © Silver Fiddle, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young, Jeff Blackburn
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-kk5yn4lf3i
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye
Hey hey, my my
Out of the blue and into the black
They give you this, but you pay for that
Once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
Is this the tale of Johnny Rotten?
It's better to burn out than to fade away
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
My my, hey hey
Rock and roll is here to stay
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
...
@elleb541
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture
Than meets the eye.
Hey hey, my my.
Out of the blue and into the black
You pay for this, but they give you that
And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black.
The king is gone but he's not forgotten
Is this the tale of Johnny rotten?
It's better to burn out than fade away
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.
@mariacarvalho9732
Who is listening to this in 2024 ?
@rjritsema
me and you
@biketob
Me for sure
@isaacmurphy6591
Yessir
@carlosalfredogutierrezvera4100
Me
@peterandreasen7937
ROFL
@nadyrroman5439
This is my neighbours favourite song, whether they like it or not.
@riverc.820
Stealing dis.
@Landers44
Nadyr Roman 😂Beautiful!
@sandib4234
Too funny.