# Neil Young's "Cowgirl in the sand" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-youngs-cowgirl-in-the-sand/585530 "2011-06-15T04:52:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-youngs-cowgirl-in-the-sand/585530/1 "2011-06-15T04:52:08Z")
We got some good answers from my post about the meaning of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl”. Now what is a “Cowgirl in the Sand” for heaven’s sake??? ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-youngs-cowgirl-in-the-sand/585530/2 "2011-06-15T05:52:45Z")
Joni Mitchell ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-youngs-cowgirl-in-the-sand/585530/3 "2011-06-15T08:30:56Z")
On [this site](http://thrasherswheat.org/fot.htm#cits), Neil Young is quoted as saying: “This is a song I wrote about the beaches in Spain. I’ve never been to the beaches in Spain. It’s just my idea of what it’s like over there.” Not very helpful, I know. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-youngs-cowgirl-in-the-sand/585530/4 "2011-06-15T14:12:14Z")
can we skip to “Powderfinger”? ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-youngs-cowgirl-in-the-sand/585530/5 "2011-06-15T14:34:08Z")
Neil has also said that he wrote Down By The River, Cowgirl In The Sand and Cinnamon Girl all in one afternoon when he was lying in bed with a 103 degree fever. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-youngs-cowgirl-in-the-sand/585530/6 "2011-06-15T19:45:57Z")
> [@phungi](#): > > can we skip to “Powderfinger”? > **[Powderfinger (song)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powderfinger_%28song%29#Story)** > > "Powderfinger" is a song written by Neil Young, first released on his 1979 album Rust Never Sleeps. It subsequently appeared on several of Young's live recordings. A 2014 Rolling Stone special issue on Young ranked it as Young's best song ever. > It has been covered by Band of Horses, Cowboy Junkies, Beat Farmers, Rusted Root, Jazz Mandolin Project, Feelies spin-off Yung Wu, Car Seat Headrest, and Phish. The Australian rock band Powderfinger took their name from this song. > It is ranked number 450... ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2011, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neil-youngs-cowgirl-in-the-sand/585530/7 "2011-06-15T20:04:40Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > Neil has also said that he wrote Down By The River, Cowgirl In The Sand and Cinnamon Girl all in one afternoon when he was lying in bed with a 103 degree fever. Keerap, that might have been the best day in my life and I never even knew it until now.