Forever Young by Rod Stewart

Album: Out of Order (1988)

Charted: 55 12

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Stewart wrote this song with his guitarist Jim Cregan and his keyboard player Kevin Savigar. It's one of the songs Stewart is most proud of, as he relates it to his kids. By this time, he was involved in the lives of three of his children: Sean (born 1979) and Kimberly (born 1980) with this first wife, Alana Stewart, and Ruby (born 1987) with Kelly Emberg. (A daughter, Sarah, born in 1963, was given up for adoption).

"I love 'Forever Young,' because that was a real heartfelt song about my kids," he told Mojo magazine in 1995 after having two more kids - Renee (born 1992) and Liam (born 1994) with his second wife, Rachel Hunter. "I suddenly realized I'd missed a good five years of Sean and Kimberly's life because I was so busy touring all the time. With these kids now I don't make that mistake – I take them on tour with me, so I can watch them grow up. So that's another favourite. Unfortunately, it wasn't a big hit in England, but it's like a national anthem here (America)."
Stewart was a spry 43 when this song was released in 1988. His first single came out (uneventfully) in 1964; he did time in the Jeff Beck Group and Faces before landing his first solo hit with "Maggie May" in 1971.

He hit just about every trend right on target, doing disco when the need arose ("Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?") and conquering MTV with compelling videos and a New Wave sound ("Young Turks"). In the late '80s, a more mature sound was in, with artists like Richard Marx and Steve Winwood leading the way. Stewart fit right in with songs like "Forever Young" and "My Heart Can't Tell You No," the other big hit from the Out Of Order album.
Andy Taylor, who had recently left Duran Duran, played guitar on this track and produced the Out Of Order album along with Stewart and Bernard Edwards of Chic. Taylor and Edwards worked together before in a band called The Power Station, fronted by Robert Palmer. They released an album in 1985 with the hits "Some Like It Hot" and "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" (a cover of a T. Rex song).
Bob Dylan released a song with the same title in 1974 that has a similar sentiment; so similar that Stewart agreed to give him half of the publishing royalties.

"As soon as we realized there were some similarities, we took the initiative to go right to Dylan and ask him what he wanted us to do," Stewart's manager, Arnold Stiefel, told the Los Angeles Times. "It would be fair to say that while the melody and the music is not at all the same, the idea of the song is similar. The architecture of the lyrics of the song is very much from Dylan - there are definite similarities."

Dylan's name didn't appear on the credits to the album or single, but his publishing company, Special Rider Music, did. In the age of streaming, Dylan's name started showing up in the official credits.

Stiefel added that Stewart was donating his royalties from the song to organizations that help the homeless in America.
In the liner notes to his Storyteller collection, Stewart explained how the song came together in the studio: "Tried many different tempos and arrangements before settling on this slightly Gaelic approach. The song was actually mixed and the album nearing completion when I decided to add lower harmony to the lead vocal, thereby causing much heartburn, headache and palpitations to all concerned, especially Arnold Stiefel, my long-suffering manager, who was found resting in a dark room with a lightly boiled egg."
Stewart recorded a new version for his 1996 compilation If We Fall in Love Tonight.
The song returned to the UK singles chart in 2013 after it was featured in the Tesco 2013 Christmas advertising campaign. This time it peaked at #55, improving by two places its previous chart placing of #57.
This was used in a 1999 Pampers commercial showing baby animals growing up in the wild.
In The Office episode "Garden Party" from season 8, Andy's dad (Stephen Collins) and brother (Josh Groban" sing this as a duet. It was also used in the TV shows The Goldbergs ("Jimmy 5 Is Alive" - 2015), Glee ("Goodbye" - 2012) and in the movie Chances Are (1989).
There have been a few movies called Forever Young, including one in 1983 starring James Aubrey and another in 1992 starring Mel Gibson and Jamie Lee Curtis. The song doesn't appear in that one, but does show up in the 1989 movie Chances Are and in a 2015 episode of The Goldbergs.

Comments: 15

Tim from Gl MiI LOVE Rod Stewart's rendition. It has a powerfully uplifting message about God's fatherly truth and grace towards young people. It plays very well at significant events like weddings or an untimely funeral.
Mama C from Sc, UsI can't believe the bitterness and shade in many of these comments. I LOVE this song. It's my very favorite. "Forever Young" reminds me of my father (who always jokingly lied about his age; he was perpetually 39). In fact, the DJ for my wedding found an incredibly beautiful rendition (that I wish I could find) as a tribute to my late father in lieu of the Father-Daughter. My father died when I was 19 and this song made a beautiful addition to my wedding. It almost made me feel like he was with me.
So stop badmouthing this lovely song. You don't have to listen to it. You can turn it off. It's not going to hurt you to shut up about it.
AnonymousOur song babe xx
Catt-a from New YorkThis is an incredibly boring song from a guy who has some great songs in his catalog. Basic thrust of the song is Rod singer "forever young" over and over again. Music is super simple and could have been done by a million different people at least as well. No reason for it's existence other than Rod to tell his kids "I made a song for you", and they're the only ones who need to bother listening to it.
Brad Fox from UkA complete rip off of Bob Dylan's song forever young - shameless - he is lucky he did not get sued - but Bob Dylan is above this !

from wikipedia - The structure of the lyrics in this song is very similar to a Bob Dylan song of the same title. After its completion, the song was then sent to Dylan, asking whether he had a problem with it. The two men agreed to participate in the ownership of the song and share Stewart's royalties.
Seventhmist from 7th HeavenThis was from Stewart's later, more restrained stage, which I appreciated.
Susan from Colorado Does anyone know where this video was filmed?
Cheryl Aubuchon from UsaWhat about the little kid in this video? What's his name is he done any acting?
Michelle from Wilson, NcWhen my son (now 20) graduated high school, I made a slide show of him growing up and this was one of the songs that I used. To me, it just sounded like the wishes that parents want for their kids. I tear up before he even starts singing in the song!
Mary Helen from HomeI do believe that Rod Stewart's Forever Young is an adaptation of Bob Dylan's song of the same title, according to secondhandsongs data

"Forever Young

Written by
Jim Cregan, Kevin Savigar, Rod Stewart
Originally written by
Bob Dylan
Language
English
Adapted from
Forever Young written by Bob Dylan."
Jeff from Altoona, PaI was in the VA hospital for over one week because my dilantin level to control seizures was to high. While I was in the emergency room I was wondering constantly if I was going to live or die. I was thinking about that for a long time and when I stopped thinking about what may happen the next song on the radio was "Forever Young." Now since my brother was killed in 1991 I always had that song in memory of him because he was only 29 yrs old. I always had that song in memory of him and out of thinking for over an hour of what may or may not happen and out of all the millions of songs in this world today any song could have played on the radio but the song that played right after I was done thinking was "Forever Young" almost as if he was sending me a message - any song could have played but the only one that did was "Forever Young."
Laura from El Paso, TxI had the good fortune to see Rod Stewart in concert about 16 years ago. It was one of the best shows I have ever been to. He sang, and sang, and when his band took a break he kept on singing all by himself. What a true artist he is.....and this song is one of my favorites of his.
Jesse from Covina, CaI never listened to Rod Stewart too much until my kids downloaded for their i pods. Somehow it ended up on the i-pod they purchased for me. When I listened to the lyrics, it kicked me in the gut and made me think of the role we need to play in our childrens lives. Sadly my son, Jesse passed away during a college wrestling match on September 18, 2010.This songs will forver be Jesse's song. He led a beautiful life and passed on doing something he definetley loved doing. God Bless
Paul from Albany, NyThis song brings back good memories of my son who is now 24. When he was a cub scout (about age 10) the troop was moving on to the next step, and one of the mothers had a party for all the kids, and played this song. The message was that (she wished) all the boys could stay "Forever Young." Good memories !
Guy from Woodinville, WaTruly a wonderful, heartfelt, inspirationsal song. So the story goes, when Rod wrote this, he had been influenced by Bob Dylan's song of the same name and theme. He had not ocnsciously copied Dylan's song, but once it was pointed out to him, he could see the obvious. The two reached a settlement without all the lawsuit drama.

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