[Marx Marvelous]

At the end of An Inch An Hour (great tune) who are they talking about?

I don't know Neil
I don't know Neil

[Stephen Dame]

Neil Larich?

In fact, who's Neil Larich? (Gord pronounces it "Law-rich")

[Jenna_Bird]

Google didn't have any answers...strange. However, I think that if there's something out there, you'll manage to dig it up Dame.

-Jenna

[aninchanhour]

yeah i was wondering that the other day lol. my sister and i were listenin to it and i sang the neil part and she was like...."whose neil?" and i said...i dont know ...she shook me and called me a moron since i listen to the song constantly and still have no clue who "neil" is.

[das_hips]

I, personally, always thought he he was referring to Neil Young... why, I don't know...

Lyrically the song is kind of confusing... whoever this 'fucking band' is (who I assumed was Neil Young et al) makes Gord Downie feel the same way as the winters in Springside Park (minutes from Kingston, a bit more from Neil Youngs hometown of Toronto, in Napanee, ON)... both of which make him move two feet a day with very little else to say...

It should be noted that 'frothing dogs', 'cool insanity', 'rock n' roll', and 'christianity' do not make him feel the same way...

Jesus... I suck at decyphering these songs... maybe if someone were to figure out what the hell the song is about, we could figure out who this 'Neil' character is...

[go(r)d]

I like to think it's a little personal thing of Gord's that we're not supposed to get. Maybe it's a nod to someone he had a conversation with that inspired the song...the way the name is tossed off at the end of the song, especially since it seems to answer a question (the answer being I Don't Know) I think it's Gord's way of acknowledging someone he knows that we don't. I think it's personal for him, not Neil Young,

[Roy-at-tth]

All i can say is;

I don't know Neil.

[skippy the wonder dog]

If he doesn't know Neil, how the heck are we supposed to know Neil?

[Axis]

I, personally, always thought he he was referring to Neil Young... why, I don't know...

Always thought the same thing myself, only because of the "helpless" line just before "I don't know neil", and the song seems to be inspired by nature, which helpless also is.

[The Horrible Esthete]

...the way the name is tossed off at the end of the song, especially since it seems to answer a question (the answer being I Don't Know)

Now that's something interesting that I hadn't thought of. Does he mean:

"I am not familiar with this guy named 'Neil'."

or

"I am not sure, Neil".

Hmm. Maybe "grooveless toque" is a personal acquaintance of GD?

[Moosehead]

...the way the name is tossed off at the end of the song, especially since it seems to answer a question (the answer being I Don't Know)

Now that's something interesting that I hadn't thought of. Does he mean:

"I am not familiar with this guy named 'Neil'."

or

"I am not sure, Neil".

Hmm. Maybe "grooveless toque" is a personal acquaintance of GD?

There's no comma in the lyrics booklet, so I think the first interpretation makes more sense.

[tina]

Can you tell me more about this "Springside Park"? I've never yet heard of it. Neil Young's hometown is just a bit north of Peterborough, not TO. I feel Gord is a big fan of Neil Young, but quite possibly knows him.

[Bootlegger420]

Didnt it have something to do with the Moon landing being supposedly fake...Gords like shaking his head saying I dont neil I dont know neil


Shane

[skippy the wonder dog]

...the way the name is tossed off at the end of the song, especially since it seems to answer a question (the answer being I Don't Know)

Now that's something interesting that I hadn't thought of. Does he mean:

"I am not familiar with this guy named 'Neil'."

or

"I am not sure, Neil".

Hmm. Maybe "grooveless toque" is a personal acquaintance of GD?

There's no comma in the lyrics booklet, so I think the first interpretation makes more sense.

Regardless, the way it's sung suggests a comma. Since lyrics are supposed to be heard, not read, I'd go with the second.

We'll never know who Neil actually is. It's all speculation. The real question is, what do those lines mean to the rest of the song?

[sonofdad]

i always thought it was neil young. and jamming with an electric guitar during cinnamon girl scaring the living shit outta me...

sonofdad