Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)

The Zoo Crew is spinning the raw, electrifying Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) by Neil Young & Crazy Horse from their 1979 album Rust Never Sleeps, and Zoo Freaks, this track is loaded with stories that hit as hard as its distorted riffs. One wild piece of trivia comes from its origins: the song was first jammed out with the art-punk band Devo for Neil Young's film Human Highway in 1978. During a session at San Francisco’s Different Fur Studios, Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh tossed in the iconic line “rust never sleeps,” inspired by a Rust-Oleum ad from his graphic design days. Young loved it so much he named the album after it and wove it into the song’s lyrics. The Devo version, with Mothersbaugh swapping “Johnny Rotten” for “Johnny Spud,” was longer and punkier, but Young later pushed Crazy Horse to match that raw energy, creating the gritty anthem we know today. Another haunting tidbit: the lyric “It’s better to burn out than to fade away” became tragically linked to Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, who quoted it in his 1994 suicide note. Shaken by this, Young dedicated his 1994 album Sleeps with Angels to Cobain and for a time vowed not to play the song live, though he later relented at Nirvana’s surviving members’ request. The track’s raw power also made it a proto-grunge cornerstone, influencing bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, with its heavy distortion and unpolished edge.

Another layer of the song’s legend ties to its live roots. Most of Rust Never Sleeps, including Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black), was recorded live during Young’s 1978 tour, with overdubs added later to strip away crowd noise for a studio-like feel. The tour itself was a spectacle—Young called it a “concert fantasy,” complete with Star Wars Jawa-inspired roadies, giant amps, and 3-D “Rust-O-Vision” glasses handed out to fans. Social media posts on X from fans like @otogenya in April 2025 highlight the song’s enduring rebellion, noting how Young championed rock’s immortality against punk’s attempt to tear it down. The track’s dual nature—its acoustic twin, My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue), bookends the album—shows Young’s genius in blending soulful folk with searing electric chaos, a dichotomy fans on Reddit’s r/neilyoung still rave about, calling it a “stone cold classic.”

Neil Young’s journey to becoming a rock icon started in Winnipeg, Canada, where he was born on November 12, 1945. As a teen, he was drawn to music through his love of rock ‘n’ roll and folk, teaching himself guitar and soaking up influences from Elvis, Bob Dylan, and Hank Williams. In the early 1960s, he played in local bands like The Squires, gigging around Manitoba and cutting a few singles. His big break came when he moved to Toronto and co-founded Buffalo Springfield in 1966 with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay. Their blend of folk-rock and psychedelia, with hits like For What It’s Worth, put Young on the map, though band tensions led to their breakup by 1968. Young went solo, releasing his self-titled debut in 1968, and soon formed Crazy Horse, the band that would define his raw, electric sound. His 1970s work, from After the Gold Rush to Rust Never Sleeps, cemented him as a fearless artist who zigzagged between tender acoustic ballads and blistering rock, earning him the nickname “Godfather of Grunge.”

Zoo Freaks can keep up with Neil Young through his official channels. His website, Neil Young Archives, is a treasure trove of his music, films, and unreleased tracks. On Facebook, he shares tour updates and reflections, while his Instagram offers glimpses into his creative process and vinyl reissues. On X, Young posts about music, activism, and his latest projects. Fans also gather at HyperRust, a long-running fan site with tour data, lyrics, and community forums. The r/neilyoung subreddit and Neil Young Fans Facebook group are buzzing with discussions, from favorite albums to concert memories, perfect for any Zoo Freak looking to dive deeper into Young’s legacy.