Only Love
In late 1986 while living in Mountain View, California news broke that Springsteen was showing up at the Bridge Benefit Concert that was being organized by Neil Young. Seems Young's kid suffered with autism and the concert was for all children suffering with the affliction.
The tickets were sold through a lottery and although we tried, my brother Jim and I were unsuccessful in our bid. Still, Bruce was just a couple of miles away!
"We'll drive down there and scalp tickets," Jim said. "Come on,you got cash."
Unfortunately, Jim had no cash. It was all on me. Still, we had to try, right?
We drove to the outdoor amphitheatre. I had $200 with me. The first guy we spotted holding tickets in the air sold them to us for $50 apiece. He was a middle-aged guy who appeared nervous to be getting rid of tickets in such a manner.
"I probably could've gotten more, right?" he asked me.
"Too late now," I said.
Neil Young opened the show. It was a benefit for his kid. He sat down on a stool looking as if he had just crawled out from underneath his car. I'm talking filthy. Weird Neil looked as if he hadn't washed in three weeks. He opened the show with Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
Nearly twenty-four years later, in a grey goose induced haze I heard the song again. And weird, filthy Neil is right. Don't invest and you'll be fine. Only love.
Now back to the concert...
After Neil Nils Lofgren played a set, followed by Don Henley with Glenn Frey, followed by Robin Williams who was hysterical for about twenty minutes, followed by Crosby, Stills & Nash (Young joined them), followed by Tom Petty who drank a bottle of Jack Daniels, followed by Springsteen who was supposed to remain on his stool and play for 45 minutes.
The stool was an early casualty as Bruce went on for better than three hours, asking all to join him for the final three songs. Nearly six hours later, we filed out.
"Can you believe that Neil Young didn't take a shower before the show?" Jim asked as we got to the car.
"Something wrong with him," I said. "But he's good."
"Great!" Jim agreed. "Only love can break your heart."
We put it on the radio as we drove away from the show...
...and it's probably the last time I heard that song until last night when it mysteriously popped up on my I-pod.
It means something more these days, I suppose.
I wonder if Neil has showered since.
Wish he were still turning out songs on a regular basis.
The tickets were sold through a lottery and although we tried, my brother Jim and I were unsuccessful in our bid. Still, Bruce was just a couple of miles away!
"We'll drive down there and scalp tickets," Jim said. "Come on,you got cash."
Unfortunately, Jim had no cash. It was all on me. Still, we had to try, right?
We drove to the outdoor amphitheatre. I had $200 with me. The first guy we spotted holding tickets in the air sold them to us for $50 apiece. He was a middle-aged guy who appeared nervous to be getting rid of tickets in such a manner.
"I probably could've gotten more, right?" he asked me.
"Too late now," I said.
Neil Young opened the show. It was a benefit for his kid. He sat down on a stool looking as if he had just crawled out from underneath his car. I'm talking filthy. Weird Neil looked as if he hadn't washed in three weeks. He opened the show with Only Love Can Break Your Heart.
Nearly twenty-four years later, in a grey goose induced haze I heard the song again. And weird, filthy Neil is right. Don't invest and you'll be fine. Only love.
Now back to the concert...
After Neil Nils Lofgren played a set, followed by Don Henley with Glenn Frey, followed by Robin Williams who was hysterical for about twenty minutes, followed by Crosby, Stills & Nash (Young joined them), followed by Tom Petty who drank a bottle of Jack Daniels, followed by Springsteen who was supposed to remain on his stool and play for 45 minutes.
The stool was an early casualty as Bruce went on for better than three hours, asking all to join him for the final three songs. Nearly six hours later, we filed out.
"Can you believe that Neil Young didn't take a shower before the show?" Jim asked as we got to the car.
"Something wrong with him," I said. "But he's good."
"Great!" Jim agreed. "Only love can break your heart."
We put it on the radio as we drove away from the show...
...and it's probably the last time I heard that song until last night when it mysteriously popped up on my I-pod.
It means something more these days, I suppose.
I wonder if Neil has showered since.
Wish he were still turning out songs on a regular basis.
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