Crazy Horse is best known for its long association with Young, despite having released five albums of its own over a 19-year span. It has been co-credited with Young as Neil Young and Crazy Horse on 15 albums, "Americana" and "Psychedelic Pill" from 2012 being the latest.
The band recorded a concept album entitled "Greendale" (2003) that told the story using metaphors of murder and crime to represent the destruction of a small town community. The final song "Be The Rain" is one of Neil's classic epics, pleading for the world to be like the rain -- recycle and conserve to save our planet.
Discography: the studio albums "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" (1969), "Zuma" (1975), "Rust Never Sleeps" (1979), "Re-ac-tor" (1981), "Life" (1987), "Ragged Glory" (1990), "Sleeps With Angels" (1994), "Broken Arrow" (1996), Greendale (2003), "Americana" (2012), Psychedelic Pill (2012) and live albums "Live Rust" (1979), "Weld" (1991), "Year of the Horse" (1997), "Live at the Fillmore East" (2006)
Welfare Mothers
Neil Young & Crazy Horse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Welfare mothers make better lovers
People, pick up on what I'm puttin' down now
Welfare mothers make better lovers
Down at every laundromat in town now
Welfare mothers make better lovers
While they're washin' you can hear this sound now
Divorcee
Hard to believe that love is free now
Welfare mothers make better lovers
Out on the street with the whole family now
Welfare mothers make better lovers
Hard to believe that love is free now
Welfare mothers make better lovers
Divorcee
Welfare mothers make better lovers
Welfare mothers make better lovers
People, pick up on what I'm puttin' down now
Welfare mothers make better lovers
Down in every laundromat in town now
Welfare mothers make better lovers
While they're washin' you can hear this sound now
Welfare mothers make better lovers
Divorcee
The song "Welfare Mothers" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse is a controversial exploration of the intersection of poverty and sexuality. The repeated refrain, "Welfare mothers make better lovers," is both provocative and polarizing, raising questions about the value and worth of individuals who rely on government assistance to make ends meet. The song expands the traditional stereotype of single mothers on welfare as uneducated, promiscuous, and desperate, offering a fuller and more complex portrait of their lives.
The song seems to suggest that welfare mothers, despite their challenging circumstances, are better lovers because they bring a depth of experience and resilience to their relationships. They are survivors who have learned to make the most of limited resources, including their own bodies. The lines "hard to believe that love is free now" and "out on the street with the whole family now" highlight the precariousness of their lives and the ways in which they must navigate difficult choices and sacrifices.
As with many of Neil Young's songs, "Welfare Mothers" challenges listeners to think critically about social and political issues, using music as a vehicle for protest and reflection. The song's message is not necessarily straightforward or easy to categorize, but it invites listeners to engage with themes of poverty, gender, and power in new and thought-provoking ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Welfare mothers make better lovers
The singer believes that women who rely on welfare are better romantic partners than those who do not.
People, pick up on what I'm puttin' down now
The singer is trying to get their audience to understand and agree with their viewpoint.
Down at every laundromat in town now
The singer has observed that welfare mothers can be found in laundromats all over town.
While they're washin' you can hear this sound now
The artist suggests that there is a specific sound or vibe that emanates from welfare mothers while they are doing laundry.
Divorcee
This line is likely meant to describe the type of woman the artist is referring to - someone who has been through a divorce and is now relying on welfare to support themselves and their family.
Hard to believe that love is free now
The singer is surprised that love can be found freely and readily among welfare mothers, despite their difficult circumstances.
Out on the street with the whole family now
The singer suggests that welfare mothers often have to be out in public with their entire families due to their lack of resources and mobility.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Beth
on We Never Danced
i desperately want to know who painted aunt lisa's paintings in the movie