Powderfinger (song)

"Powderfinger" is a song written by Neil Young, first recorded on his 1979 album "Rust Never Sleeps". It subsequently appeared on several of Young's live recordings, and has been covered by several bands, including Cowboy Junkies, Beat Farmers, and Rusted Root.

History

Young wrote "Powderfinger" sometime in 1977, and sent it to his friend, Ronnie Van Zant, of Lynyrd Skynyrd, who were to use the song on their next album.citation|last=Simmons|first=Sylvie|title=Neil Young: Reflections in Broken Glass|publisher=Canongate|year=2002|page=135.] However, Van Zant died in a plane crash in October of that year, and Lynyrd Skynyrd never recorded the song. The song first appeared on Young's 1979 album "Rust Never Sleeps".

tory

The story of this song involves a family living in the back woods and doing some illegal business, (possibly moonshine) when a boat (possibly a police boat) shows up on which there is a man with a gun. the main person in the story is the unnamed son. His father is gone and his older brother is hunting, while John is mourning over the death of Emmy-Lou (Daddy's gone, my brother's out hunting in the mountains, Big John's been drinking since the river took Emmy-Lou) . He decides that it is up to him to make a decision. the boat fires the first shot, then the boy raises the rifle only to have it backfire (raised the rifle to my eye, never stopped to wonder why, then i saw black and my face flash in the sky). in the last verses say "Shelter me from the powder and the finger, comfort me from the thought that pulled the trigger".

Cover versions

* Beat Farmers, on the "Glad 'N' Greasy" EP (Rhino, 1985). The track was re-released on the extended edition of "Tales of the New West" (Rhino, 2004)
* Cowboy Junkies, on "The Caution Horses" (RCA, 1990). The track also appears on two compilations: ' (RCA, 1996) and ' (RCA, 2003)
* Rusted Root, on "Live" (Touchy Pegg, 2004)
* Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan, on "Rock and Roll Station" (SCR/Schoolhouse Records, 2000)

References