Last Update: 04/05/2026 at 2:50 PM EST
Dylan Resented Heart Of Gold
Coverage from American Songwriter, Far Out Magazine, and others
Articles
4
Latest Article
03/16
Active Days
161
Executive Summary
Dylan said Neil Youngs Heart of Gold sounded like his own voice and later framed Forever Young as a possible reply.
- Dylan said Heart of Gold sounded like him and bothered him on the radio
- He made the complaint in a 1985 Spin interview about his Phoenix period
- Clinton Heylin argued Forever Young may have been a wordplay response to Young
- Rob Fraboni said Dylan had Forever Young in mind for years
- Dylan and Young remained friends despite the reported artistic tension
- The story places the dispute during a difficult early 1970s stretch for Dylan
Quick Facts
- What: Dylan objected to Heart of Gold sounding like his style
- Where: Phoenix Arizona and later New York City
- Why: He felt someone else had taken his musical thing
- Who: Bob Dylan and Neil Young
- When: Around 1972 with later comments in 1985
Coverage Timeline: 161 Days
Featured Article
Bob Dylan defends artistic autonomy in the 1970s United States, influencing peers and audiences.
Additional Articles
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Bob Dylan's reaction to Neil Young's Heart of Gold is discussed with Spin quotes from 1985, during Dylan's Phoenix, Arizona period.
Dylan told Spin around 1972 that hearing someone imitate his voice bothered him most, while living in Phoenix, Arizona.
On 2025-10-07, Parade reports that Bob Dylan was bothered by Neil Young's Heart of Gold, prompting Forever Young as a response, and notes their enduring friendship.