Rock and roll has never been the most literary genre. Many of its early hits revolved around simple themes like partying and fun, so it’s no surprise that Elvis Presley wasn’t exactly channeling Shakespeare when he was shaking his hips.
But by the 1960s, artists began to find their voices, and for Neil Young, no one captured the heart of human emotion through song quite like Bob Dylan.
While Young himself is a brilliant lyricist—seen in tracks like Heart of Gold and Hey Hey, My My—which reflect his personal experiences and views on life, he still considers Dylan unmatched in his ability to craft words into music.
Although Young often hung out with rock stars like David Crosby and, later, Pearl Jam, Dylan moved in more literary circles, keeping company with poets like Allen Ginsberg.
His songwriting reflected that poetic influence. Dylan’s tracks, such as Desolation Row, feel less like conventional pop songs and more like lyrical poems, where the melody emerges as a companion to the words, rather than the other way around.
Dylan’s influence extended far beyond his own work. He paved the way for artists like Lou Reed, who embraced a more artistic approach to songwriting. For Young, Dylan’s impact was foundational.
Even though some of Young’s work may resemble Dylan’s folk-infused style, it’s not mere imitation. Rather, it’s evidence of Dylan’s profound influence on the fabric of Young’s creative expression.
In interviews decades later, Young openly admitted that no one could rival Dylan in terms of lyrical prowess. “I’ll never be Bob Dylan,” Young once said. “He’s the master. If I’d like to be anyone, it’s him.
He’s the one I look to. He’s written some of the greatest poetry and put it to music in a way that touched me. Other people have done that, but not so consistently or as intensely.”
Dylan also served as a model for how Young navigated his own career. Both artists famously ignored trends and industry pressures.
Dylan followed his muse regardless of what was expected of him, a trait Young deeply admired and emulated throughout his career, constantly exploring new directions in his music while staying true to his art.
But what impresses Young most about Dylan isn’t just his rebellious spirit or consistent lyricism—it’s Dylan’s endurance.
Even as recently as the 2010s, Dylan has produced landmark works like A Murder Most Foul, proving that his relevance and mastery haven’t diminished over time.
While other musicians, such as Patti Smith, pursued poetry as their core, Dylan found a way to weave his poetic influences into rock and roll in a way that no one else has ever done.
For Young, and for many others, Dylan’s legacy is untouchable, with each song serving as a masterclass in the art of wordcraft.
