The lyrics of "From Hank to Hendrix" tell of the changes in a relationship over time, using musical and pop culture figures as reference points.
[3][4][5][6][7] Humanities professor Martin Halliwell takes the view that "Hank" refers to Hank Williams and interprets the title as referring to the two musical directions Young likes to take - Williams' acoustic country blues versus Hendrix' "histrionic guitar blues.
[8] But many of the Harvest Moon songs, including the title track, are about his then-current wife Pegi Young, in which case the reference to divorce is more jolting.
That's part of the romantic relationship, certain amounts of turmoil.Rolling Stone critic Greg Kot places this song within a progression of songs that opens Harvest Moon, which "traces a path from restlessness to reaffirmation, in which the rootless 'Unknown Legend' and the doubt-filled narrator of 'From Hank to Hendrix' finally find contentment beneath the 'Harvest Moon.
"[3] In a link to Young's earlier album Harvest, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor provide backing vocals on the refrain.
[3] Neil Young FAQ author Glen Boyd comments on the "gorgeous" pedal steel accents played by Ben Keith.
[11][5] Many times Young tells the story of how he acquired a guitar previously owned by Hank Williams before playing the song.