ROCK MOMENT – Rod Stewart “Forever Young”
Rod Stewart’s “Forever Young” has become a favorite at graduations, weddings and family celebrations, but the song began as a deeply personal message from a father who regretted how much time he had missed with his children.
Stewart wrote “Forever Young” with guitarist Jim Cregan and keyboard player Kevin Savigar for his 1988 album Out of Order. Years later, Stewart explained that his children, Kimberly and Sean, inspired the song. His constant touring had kept him away from them for long stretches, and he realized that he had missed several important years of their childhood. The song became his musical blessing for them—a father’s wish that his children would remain courageous, compassionate and true to themselves wherever life took them.
The recording was part of a major comeback for Stewart. Out of Order was produced by Stewart along with Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor and Chic bassist Bernard Edwards, both members of the Power Station. Chic and Power Station drummer Tony Thompson also played on the album. Their involvement gave Stewart a polished, muscular late-’80s rock sound without burying the warmth of his unmistakable voice. Taylor’s guitar work helped “Forever Young” grow from a gentle parental message into an uplifting arena-rock anthem.
After the song was completed, Stewart’s team recognized that its lyrical structure and message were similar to Bob Dylan’s 1974 composition of the same name. Although the melodies were different, both songs were written as blessings from a parent to a child. Stewart’s manager contacted Dylan before the record was released, and an agreement was reached giving Dylan a songwriting credit and a share of the royalties. The official writing credits now list Stewart, Cregan, Savigar and Dylan.
Stewart also announced that his own worldwide royalties from the recording would benefit health-care programs for homeless people.
Released as a single in July 1988, “Forever Young” reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 on the adult-contemporary chart. It performed even better in Canada, climbing to No. 9, although it surprisingly reached only No. 57 in Stewart’s native United Kingdom.
The music video reinforced the song’s parental theme. Filmed along Potrero Road in California’s Ventura County, it showed Stewart traveling through rural scenery with a young boy played by actor Alex Zuckerman. The images of open roads, farms and families made the video feel like a celebration of childhood and the journey into adulthood.
Over the years, Stewart has recorded several additional arrangements, including a gentler 1996 version and an intimate piano interpretation. He has called “Forever Young” one of his favorite songs and noted that, while it was not a major British hit, it became something close to an anthem in America. Its lasting popularity comes from a simple emotional truth: children inevitably grow older, but in the hearts of those who love them, they remain forever young.
