NY: There's a song called Human Race on Barn that's about the fires and floods - the children of the fires and floods. It's about what's going on and why can't we come together and stop it. Why can't we all come together and deal with this thing that's happening to us? RR: The solo on that song was particularly fiery I remember. That was probably, for me, the best solo on the album on that song. NY: I think you're probably right. That was done three hours after the full moon. The song was written in the one or two hours before the full moon. The full moon was at 11 o'clock, 11:30 that morning. As I was walking to the studio, which I do every day, crossing an open field - it's about a 2 mile walk. I had a piece of paper and pencil. I'd just come up with a couple of changes that were pretty good. Just some changes that have got a groove. I wasn't thinking much about it. And then I wrote all the words on the way there and we only played that song once. NY: There's like three or four songs on this record that only have been played once. Yeah, it's interesting. It's a different approach. I try to find that moment and I don't really care about everything else. Therefore there's lots of unfinished records and lots of things that I just put down, made a rough, kept on moving, had other things to do. Now I'm finding them. RR: In the "Fire and floods" song it has - it feels like biblical imagery. Did you grow up in the church? Was it intentional to be biblical? NY: No, but I think what happened is when we put those vocals on it. I sang the song live and then we put the "today's people" and "children of the fires and floods" - that's definitely got a church vibe to it - that choir singing. And it's Billy's voice and Ralph's voice and Nils' voice singing. RR: You talk about a savior - there's a lot of words that definitely feel like they come from a biblical place. It's interesting. NY: It happened so fast, I don't know, because I was writing it while I was walking - I wasn't even singing it. I was just writing it down and then I'd put it back in my pocket. If I couldn't think of anything, I didn't try to, I just put it away. And then when I waited something else came along and I started writing again. I always just try to catch what comes and not try to make anything up. Neil Young Neil Young Part Two - Broken Record (Hosted by Rick Rubin) podcast December 28, 2021