Neil Young Hosts a Livestream Dedicated to Protest Songs

Singer-songwriter Neil Young devoted the sixth episode of his Fireside Sessions livestream to protest music.

Broadcasting from his porch, Young began with ‘Alabama,’ an anti-racist song off his 1972 album Harvest. He also played ‘Campaigner’ and ‘Southern Man’—the track Confederate-flag-flying rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd attacked in ‘Sweet Home Alabama’

Young also played ‘Ohio,’ a song about the Kent State massacre that he wrote as a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. He then covered one of the most iconic protest songs of all time: ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’ by Bob Dylan.

In recent weeks, Young has used his fame to support the Black Lives Matter movement. The artist posted an open letter on the Neil Young Archives—where he also shared the livestream—which said that “my heart goes out to all our black families affected, so that's all the black families through American history.”

“I feel like we are turning a corner. All together, all colors on the street. We know our mission is the right one for America and for mankind,” he added, expressing optimism regarding the protests that have swept the United States following the murder of Black Minneapolis resident George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin.

On the stream, Young rewrote the lyrics of his song ‘Lookin’ for a Leader’ to criticize Donald Trump and support Black lives. “America has a leader building walls around our house / who don’t know Black lives matter, and it’s time to vote him out,” Young sang.

The livestream also raised money for Navajo families without access to clean water. In a statement posted on his website, Young urged viewers to donate to the Navajo Water Project, writing that “30%+ of Navajo families still don’t have a tap or toilet in their homes.”

Titled ‘Porch Episode,’ the stream was the sixth in Young’s Fireside Sessions series, which began with the onset of quarantine. Announcing the series, Young wrote that “because we are all at home and not venturing out, we will try to do a stream from my fireplace with my lovely wife filming.”

You can watch the ‘Porch Episode’ of Young’s livestream here. Last month, Young released Homegrown, an album he recorded in 1974 and 1975. You can listen to the 'lost' album below and on all major streaming services.

https://open.spotify.com/album/08wQogg47jUetQkJjqjn6B?si=4ZbuS4kWQfCvhyIvyiPPCA