Rod Stewart, Forever Young | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 120th edition of Throwback Vibez (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart.  

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 120^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Forever Young” performed by Rod Stewart.

“Be courageous and be brave / And in my heart, you’ll always stay / Forever young, forever young / Forever young, forever young.” Sing those uplifting lyrics, Rod Stewart! “Forever Young” appeared as the fourth track on Stewart’s 1988 LP, Out of Order. It was written by Stewart, Bob Dylan (!), Jim Cregan, and Kevin Savigar. Dylan originally penned “Forever Young”, and Stewart’s version bears similarities despite being ‘different,’ hence the writing credit. “Forever Young” earned Stewart another pop hit, peaking at no. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.  He earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male at the 31^st Annual Grammy Awards (his sole Grammy is for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album of all things).

The songwriting on “Forever Young” is fabulous. The chorus is the centerpiece, but the verses are delightful too. “May the good Lord be with you / Down every road you roam,” Stewart sings in the first verse, continuing, “And may sunshine and happiness / Surround you when you’re far from home.” In the second verse, the encouragement continues: “Build a stairway to Heaven / With a prince or a vagabond.” So, status doesn’t matter, as long as they love the person they choose to build a life with.  Sweet! The third verse is marvelous, too: “And when you finally fly away / I’ll be hoping that I served you well.” Addressed to his children, Stewart wishes the best for them and hopes he’s been a good, upstanding father.  Stewart brings the memorable lyrics to life with his distinct, instantly recognizable pipes.  Who sounds like Rod, after all? Adding to the magnificence is the exuberant, major-key, pop/rock accompaniment which embraces the 1980s fully.  Even as “Forever Young” pushes 40, it’s timeless – one of Stewart’s best.

Rod Stewart // Out of Order // 1988 // Warner

Rod Stewart, Forever Young: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 120 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Warner; OpenClipart-Vectors, Speedy McVroom from Pixabay]