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Published May 25, 2026, 9:02 AM EDT
Tehuan Harris is a news and features journalist at Collider, reporting and writing about all things music and reality TV (sometimes). She is a talented journalist and a natural storyteller who writes with curiosity and interest. After graduating from university, she jumped straight into journalism, with one goal in mind: to tell stories that matter.
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The Auld Lang Syne had been one of the only key New Year's tunes since its publication in the 1700s, until 1974. This was the year that Bob Dylan released his fourteenth studio album, Planet Waves, including his hit song “Forever Young” in January. Since the song’s release, it has become the unofficial anthem for the New Year, although the song has personal origins that bear no relation to the New Year at all.
What is Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" About?
Image via Leacock-Pennebaker, Inc.Dylan wrote and recorded “Forever Young” in 1973, and addressed the song to his oldest son, Jesse, who was born in 1966. He wrote the song, which was meant to be a lullaby, about a father’s hopes that his child will remain happy and strong while undergoing life’s biggest challenges. In a demo version released as part of his compilation album Biograph, Dylan can be heard saying that he was “thinking about” one of his sons while recording “Forever Young” and “not wanting to be too sentimental”.
Dylan released two versions of “Forever Young” on the 1974 album Planet Waves, one being a lullaby and the other being a rock track. Despite its personal and sentimental meaning, Dylan did not perform the song as much as he did his other songs, but he still performed “Forever Young” quite a lot. His most memorable performances include a duet with Bruce Springsteen in 1995 and his and The Band’s farewell concert, The Last Waltz, in 1976.
The “Blowin' In The Wind” singer’s biographer, Clint Heylin, wrote that “Forever Young” was also written as a response to another classic rock artist. Dylan did not see eye-to-eye initially with Neil Young, as he felt that Young borrowed his style. Heylin stated that Dylan wrote “Forever Young” as a response to Young’s “Heart of Gold” as Dylan had said in 1985, “[I’d] turn on the radio, and there I am, but it’s not me.”
Why Is Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" An Unofficial New Year's Anthem?
Although it is a lullaby addressed to his son, Dylan’s “Forever Young” has lyrics that encompass the theme of evolving and dreams that relate to the new year. Lyrics such as “May God bless and keep you always, may your wishes all come true” and “May you build a ladder for the stars and climb on every rung” echo the optimism that is always felt and highlighted when people ring in the New Year. These lyrics also capture the spirit of hopes, dreams, and wishes coming true, which is relatable to the New Year, as many hope to achieve their goals.
Classic Rock Personality Quiz
Who's Your Perfect
Classic Rock Band?
A Personality Quiz · 10 Questions
Five legendary bands. One perfect match. Answer 10 questions about your personality, attitude, and taste to find out which classic rock icon you truly belong with. Are you raw power, rolling swagger, operatic drama, thunderous riffs, or timeless melody?
⚡AC/DC
👅Rolling Stones
🤘Metallica
👑Queen
🎸The Beatles
Begin Quiz →
01
How do you walk into a room? Choose the answer that feels most like you.
ALike a freight train — loud, fast, and everyone knows I've arrived. BWith a slow, cool swagger — I take my time and own every step. CHead down, focused — I'm here for a purpose and small talk isn't it. DWith total confidence and a flair for the dramatic — all eyes on me. EWarmly and curiously — genuinely excited to see what and who is here.
Next Question →
02
What does your ideal Friday night look like?
ALoud bar, cold beer, cranked jukebox — the louder the better. BA smoky club, good company, and doing whatever feels right in the moment. CIntense concert or staying in with headphones — nothing in between. DSomething theatrical — a show, a dinner party, an experience worth remembering. EHanging with close friends, maybe making music, keeping it relaxed and genuine.
Next Question →
03
What's your philosophy on keeping things simple vs. complex?
ASimple is king. A great riff repeated perfectly beats any amount of cleverness. BKeep it loose and bluesy — the groove matters more than technical perfection. CGo deep and dark — I want layers, tension, and something that hits hard. DWhy not both? Elaborate arrangements and hook-driven anthems can coexist. ECraft every detail — a perfect melody is the result of countless small choices.
Next Question →
04
How would your friends describe your personal style?
ANo-frills, no-nonsense — jeans, a t-shirt, and ready to go. BEffortlessly cool — slightly dishevelled in a way that somehow always works. CDark and deliberate — black is a lifestyle, not just a colour. DBold and expressive — fashion is a form of performance for me. EClean and classic — timeless over trendy, always put-together.
Next Question →
05
How do you want to be remembered?
AAs someone who never let the energy drop — relentless, loud, and alive. BAs someone who lived fully and on my own terms, unapologetically. CAs someone who was brutally honest and made music that meant something real. DAs someone who transcended genres, boundaries, and expectations entirely. EAs someone who changed the world — and left it genuinely better than I found it.
Next Question →
06
What kind of crowd do you want around you?
APeople who are there to have a blast — no pretension, just pure fun and noise. BA mix of rebels and free spirits who don't take themselves too seriously. CA loyal, passionate crew who are all in — intensity over numbers every time. DEveryone — I want to unite people who wouldn't normally be in the same room. EPeople who appreciate craft and feel genuinely connected by the music.
Next Question →
07
If you were writing a song, what would it be about?
AHaving a good time, turning it up, and not overthinking it. BStreet life, desire, and the rawness of being human. CAnger, grief, war, or the darker side of the world — music as a weapon. DSomething epic and emotional — love, loss, triumph, or pure fantasy. ESomething personal and universal at once — a feeling everyone can recognise.
Next Question →
08
What's your secret to staying relevant over time?
ANever change the formula — if it works, it works. Consistency is everything. BStay hungry, stay dangerous, and always keep a bit of that rebellious edge. CEarn respect through dedication — the work and the live show speak for themselves. DReinvent constantly — never let anyone put you in a box or predict your next move. EWrite songs so good they can't be ignored, in any decade, in any context.
Next Question →
09
You're playing to 80,000 people. What does your performance look like?
AA wall of sound and sweat — pure, unfiltered energy from first note to last. BLoose, cool, and dangerous — every song feels like it might fall apart but never does. CBrutal precision — tight, powerful, and leaving no one unmoved. DA full spectacle — lights, costumes, vocal acrobatics, and total theatrical command. EWarm, joyful, and tight — the crowd singing every word back at you.
Next Question →
10
Pick the word that best sums up your relationship with rock music. This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.
ARaw — stripped back, high-voltage, no frills. BRolling — fluid, dangerous, built on blues and attitude. CHeavy — powerful, honest, uncompromising. DMajestic — theatrical, boundary-defying, unforgettable. ETimeless — melodic, human, built to last forever.
See My Result →
Your Result Your Perfect Band Is Revealed
Based on your personality, energy, and taste, the classic rock band that matches your soul is…
⚡ AC/DC
You are pure, undiluted rock energy. You don't need tricks, trends, or theatrical gimmicks — you have something more powerful: a riff that hits like a thunderbolt and an attitude that never wavers. Like AC/DC, you understand that simplicity executed with absolute conviction is its own form of genius. You're the person in the room who doesn't overthink it, doesn't pretend, and never turns the volume down. The highway to hell is a state of mind — and you've been on it since day one.
👅 The Rolling Stones
You've got swagger that can't be taught. Rooted in the blues and soaked in street-level attitude, you move through life with a loose, dangerous elegance that draws people in without ever trying too hard. Like the Stones, you've seen it all, done most of it, and somehow look better for it. You're not chasing perfection — you're chasing truth, groove, and that electric moment when everything clicks. Can't always get what you want? You tend to get it anyway.
👑 Queen
You are magnificent, and you know it — not from arrogance, but from an unshakeable sense of self that has never needed anyone's permission. Like Queen, you defy every category people try to place you in. You blend the epic with the intimate, the operatic with the anthemic, the serious with the playful. You live boldly, love fiercely, and perform every aspect of your life as though the whole world is watching. Because sometimes it is. We are the champions — and so are you.
🎸 The Beatles
You have the rarest of gifts: the ability to make something that feels both deeply personal and universally human. Like The Beatles, you're a natural connector — someone whose warmth, curiosity, and creative instincts draw people together across every divide. You believe in melody, in craftsmanship, and in the quiet power of a song that says exactly what someone needed to hear. You've changed the people around you just by being who you are. All you need is love — and you give it generously.
↩ Retake Quiz
Dylan is constantly hoping in the song that his son, Jesse, will stay “Forever Young”, which is also embraced in the New Year, while people age. While “Forever Young” is a lullaby about staying happy and strong in the face of unspeakable challenges, the song also speaks of staying young and holding on to innocence, happiness, and strength. “Forever Young” being an unofficial New Year’s anthem makes sense, as the song encourages people to stay happy, strong, and young in the face of fresh new challenges and to hold onto their youth and innocence as people will age in the New Year.
While it is widely believed that “Forever Young” is an unofficial New Year’s anthem, others argue that it does not relate to the New Year, and it is a song about kindness instead. Lyrics such as “May you always do for others and let others do for you” magnify that Dylan is encouraging his son to stay kind and righteous. Though the song does speak of being kind, it is hard to ignore the ongoing themes and ideas that directly relate to the New Year celebrations. “May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift” exhibits that listeners should always stay strong as the new year brings new difficulties, with some harder to overcome.
Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" is a Classic Despite Low Chart Success
Dylan’s “Forever Young” is a classic, but it was not a huge success on the charts, as it was not a huge hit until its live versions were released years later. It was also not as well known at the time of its release for the same reasons, and Joan Baez’s version, which was released as a single in the same year, was the most recognised. She scored the highest on the charts in the US, as it peaked at 13 on the US Adult Contemporary Chart on Billboard.
“Forever Young” has been covered by many artists, including Michael Jackson’s sister, Rebbie Jackson, and The Pretenders, which hints at the song being a classic. However, what makes “Forever Young” truly a classic is the timeless message that resonates among listeners from all walks of life, and the song being fitting for any occasion other than just the New Year’s celebration. Many songs by Dylan are classics, like “Tangled Up In Blue”, “Like a Rolling Stone”, and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”, but “Forever Young” is a gem in his discography, with a heartwarming message that can be heard for many years to come.
English (US) ·