Neil Young has shared a new music video for “Shut It Down” with Crazy Horse. The song, which originally appeared on Young’s 2019 album Colorado with Crazy Horse, has been updated to “Shut It Down 2020”.
The song is still the same, but the video and title are new. The song’s lyrics, which read like a half-baked, unspecified environmental rant, mainly consist of Young singing “Have to shut the whole system down,” over and over with backing vocals from Crazy Horse. Between the Gregorian chant of “Have to shut the whole system down,” Young rambles about climate change and, you guessed it, shutting the whole system down.
Meanwhile, the music video features footage of Young and Crazy Horse in the studio (from the Mountaintop documentary, filmed before social distancing requirements) interspersed with b-roll footage of healthcare workers in masks, empty streets, and international monuments. One of the highlights, however, is a shot of a boarded-up storefront with the words “We will get by we will survive” from the Grateful Dead‘s “Touch Of Grey” written on the boards.
Young said of the video in an announcement on Neil Young Archives,
Never before in human history has our planet come together in this way, utilizing modern communications to ensure everyone understands that responsibility to our fellow man and the continuing life of Humanity depends on each persons actions.
Only selfless human behavior can stop the spread of the deadly Coronavirus at this point.
Watch the new video for “Shut It Down 2020” from Neil Young with Crazy Horse.
Neil Young with Crazy Horse – “Shut It Down 2020” (Official Video)
[Video: neilyoungchannel]
As the world grapples with the effects of COVID-19, Young has continued to stay busy. Even though he was forced to postpone his BARN Tour with Crazy Horse (which he luckily never announced dates or sold tickets for), he has made it up to fans with his weekly Fireside Sessions webcast series. Unfortunately, the release of the third installment has been delayed due to the ill health of his wife, and cameraperson, Daryl Hannah. Stay tuned to the Neil Young Archives for more announcements and releases.