Saturday Video

This was Neil Young's parting shot before leaving Buffalo Springfield, a direct songwriting response to his feuding bandmates. At face value, it is a coy, warmly critical answer to Richie Furay's "A Child's Claim to Fame", a rather nastily nice swipe at him, which ended up on the second Buffalo Springfield album, titled Buffalo Springfield Again.

"I Am a Child" is also a statement of purpose, revealing Young's intentions as a solo artist.

Love him or hate him, Neil was right. He has lasted a while, remaining mysterious and inscrutable in the process.



I am a child,
I'll last a while.

You can't conceive
of the pleasure in my smile.

You hold my hand,
rough up my hair,

It's lots of fun
to have you there.

God gave to you,
now, you give to me,

I'd like to know
what you learned.

The sky is blue
and so is the sea.

What is the color,
when black is burned?

What is the color?

You are a man, you understand.
You pick me up

and you lay me down again.

You make the rules,
you say what's fair,

It's lots of fun
to have you there.

God gave to you,
now, you give to me,

I'd like to know
what you learned.

The sky is blue
and so is the sea.

What is the color,
when black is burned?

What is the color?

I am a child, I'll last a while.

You can't conceive
of the pleasure in my smile.