Talk:Helpless (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song)

Location of Omemee
Omemee cannot be considered Northern Ontario (even "barely"). It is in the southern part of Kawartha Lakes (see Kawartha Lakes, Ontario), which is never considered "Northern." The Wikipedia article for Northern Ontario doesn't include it. Omemee is only about 50 km from Lake Ontario, while it is 300 km from North Bay, arguably the border of Northern Ontario. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.158.34.60 (talk • contribs).

While Omeemee would not be considered Northern Ontario now, in Neil's youth Omeemee, and the Kawartha's in general, would be a long trip from Toronto and, in the mind of a kid, especially one from the city, way North. While surprising to many today, given Omeemee lying on the edge of Toronto's commuter belt, in the 50's, the train was the best way to get to the Kawartha's as the road system was still pretty rudimetary. Freeways were still a way away.

Culturally, this area (yes, I live here) views Toronto (and the south) as something alien. Artistically, and consider Neil's thoughts over his childhood and his parents' separation here, Omemee, would seem a world away from his Toronto, or even Winnipeg, experience. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 64.231.247.45 (talk • contribs).

Pedal steel?
Jerry Garcia is credited as the pedal steel player on the album, but not specifically this track "Helpless". The swelling guitar is more likely played by Stephen Stills using either the volume knob on his conventional electric guitar or a volume pedal on same. Other tracks on the Deja Vu album clearly contain pedal steel, and it has a different tone to the guitar swells on this track. --Design 11:28, 26 July 2006 (UTC)

Patti Smith
cover version!

Thunder Bay and Toronto
This is almost impossible to believe that Young would make this mistake:


 * "It's not literally a specific town so much as a feeling. Actually, it's a couple of towns.  Thunder Bay, Ontario is one of them.  It's where I first went to school and spent my 'formative' years.  Actually, I was born in Toronto. But Toronto is only seven miles from Thunder Bay."


 * Actually, Thunder Bay is a 16 hour drive from Toronto.

No one who knows anything about Ontario geography could make this mistake. Either Young is lying deliberately for some inexplicable reason, or he was misquoted. Perhaps he said "700 miles"? That's still not true (it's about 850) but it's at least in the same ballpark. --Saforrest 15:40, 17 June 2007 (UTC)


 * Gah! The article was vandalized: the quote should have been about Omemee, Ontario, which is 70 miles from Toronto (not seven, but maybe MOJO magazine might have misheard him). --Saforrest 01:53, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

I wonder how long of a passenger train trip it would be? Bulbous 03:07, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Kenora?
I've always heard the rumor that Helpless is about Kenora, Ontario which is only 125 miles east of Winnipeg, Manitoba, where Young spent many years of his life. Anyone else heard anything like this?

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Another "town in north Ontario"?
Was the village of Marmora, about sixty Kilometers east of Peterborough on Hwy 7, a second "town in north Ontario"? While no farther north than Omemee, it is definitely considered "north" by the bulk of Ontario's population, which lives in the "Golden Horseshoe" area of western Lake Ontario. According to local inhabitants, the Young family cottaged on Crowe Lake, just north of Marmora, and Neil often played with local boys in the caves and crevasses at the northern outskirts of the village. From this vantage point the view to the north-west along the Crowe Valley is spectacular in all seasons, and is a flyway for local Canada Geese."Big birds flying across the sky, Throwing shadows on our eyes" is certainly a reality at sunset from there, as I have witnessed. Regardless, the quote from the main "helpless" page ,"Well, it's not literally a specific town so much as a feeling", is probably the truest local.

Stewspot (talk) 17:28, 10 July 2010 (UTC)Stew

Who plays the piano solo at the bridge? That really makes the song for me, and that is saying a lot. I've been listening to this song over and over this weekend as a means of grieving for the poor souls shot to death in Denver a few days ago. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Postrow11 (talk • contribs) 01:29, 23 July 2012 (UTC)

Neil Young - Greatest Hits
The song is also on Neil Young Greatest Hits album (solo). Maybe should be on page? Telecine Guy (talk) 20:33, 31 December 2023 (UTC)