Recently I saw a classical musician’s reaction to Neil Young’s Cortez the Killer. Water filled my eyes. The song has always been one of my all time favorites. Young broke it out on his 1975 album Zuma. It is about Cortez, Moetezuma II, war and peace. In the 16th Century! Seems relevant given the state of the world now, in the 21st Century.
I almost used a line from the song in my first novel, Attachment: A Novel of War and Peace (2006). “Hate was just a legend, And war was never known”; but I pulled it during a rewrite. That’s simply not true. While I do blend fact and fiction in my writings – because I like to stay true. If that makes sense?
In a previous post we talked about ART and artists. What’s it all mean? It’s impossible to know what’s in an artist’s head, regardless of what they might say in an interview.
Nevertheless, I did reference “Cortez the Killer” in my last book, Election 2016: The Great Divide, The Great Debate. Let’s get into it.
The Reference:
“There are two vastly different stories about America (USA). One is Trump’s: that of the hero’s journey–that of George Washington, Daniel Boone, Davy Crocket, John Wayne, Henry Ford, Rocky Balboa, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Trump.
The other is that of Hillary Clinton’s: that of the victim–that of the enslaved, conquered, oppressed, and abused, that of “Cortez the Killer”
and Donald Trump.
Is it possible that both are true? If not for one, the other would not exist. There is contrast and conflict. and the question is, who decides? Which version/cover of Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer” do you prefer? Is the story in any way accurate? Artistically, it is brilliant, as evidenced by the many moving renditions/covers, but does that make it true? Or is it merely art–someone’s representation of that which is?
Can you fall in love with the artist, the messenger, and at the same time, refute the message? (p. 174-5)
In Conclusion
I’m just asking questions. Attempting to provoke thought. That’s who I am. And why I write–to try and figure things out.
To me, it seems that Neil Young has lost his way.
What do you think? About war and peace? About art and artists? Have you heard “Cortez the Killer”? Do you have a favorite version? Dave Matthews Band’s cover is fantastic, too!
