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Countdown of my top 101 Neil Young songs. Now with entries 102-204, notable covers and other stuff (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Pip's Invitation
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
More Filth: Other Notable Neil Performances
This entry covers Neil performances I want to discuss that aren't originals and don't qualify as covers. Mainly, he plays guitar on them. I came up with the idea for this post because I wanted to discuss the first two entries but there wasn't a fit for them elsewhere.
Carry On (written by Stephen Stills; live version released on CSNY's Four Way Street, 1971)
The incredible version of Southern Man on Four Way Street has a companion. On side 4, Neil and Stills absolutely tear up Stills' Carry On, the leadoff track from Deja Vu whose studio version Neil did not play on (Neil in fact only played on five songs from Deja Vu: the three he wrote or co-wrote and two others that will be discussed in this entry). Neil and Stills push each other to incredible heights, trading ridiculous solo after ridiculous solo while goaded along by David Crosby's chugging rhythm guitar. Stills's blues-based style (with some teases from Hendrix) and Neil's wailing runs complement each other perfectly even though it sounds like an odd combination on paper. This is probably my favorite CSNY live track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAkMlzOBFbc
Knockin' on Heaven's Door (written by Bob Dylan; with various performers; released on Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration, recorded in October 1992 and released in 1993)
The grand finale (before Bob's surprise final song) of Bobfest, this followed My Back Pages (see covers post) and featured almost everyone who had performed that night. Bob handled all the lead vocals, but Neil's notable contribution is that starting around 4:00 of the video (timing in the second link is different) he trades guitar solos with Eric Clapton, whose style could not be any more different from his. It's really jarring to hear at first but they make it work. At 5:30 of the video they're actually soloing at the same time, with Neil's squalls operating at octaves above Clapton's bluesy licks. It's also funny to see George Harrison and Ron Wood share a mic given what @krista4 revealed went on between them in the 70s.
Video with not-great sound quality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk_V41erLHY
Album version with very good sound quality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS_VF0nkpFk
Almost Cut My Hair (extended version) (written by David Crosby; recorded at CSNY's Deja Vu sessions; released on CSN box set, 1991)
The shorter version released on Deja Vu is pretty cool, but the extended version released on the CSN box set is where the Neil-Stills magic really takes off. Of interest, there are passages that are not solos where Neil is playing more notes than Stills, which wasn't usually the case. This was recorded live in the studio (Neil, Stills and Crosby on guitar, Nash on organ, Greg Reeves on bass and Dallas Taylor on drums), and you can a "whoo!" from Crosby as Neil kicks things up around 4:00.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK3TIYG9mqM
Woodstock (written by Joni Mitchell; released on CSNY's Deja Vu, 1970)
CSNY's triumphant arrangement of Joni Mitchell's Woodstock, featuring Stills on lead vocals, is one of their signature performances for good reason. The high point is Neil's solo starting at 1:56, one of the best he ever committed to record. The Old Black magic returns at 3:35 just before the fadeout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lx86B6a3kc
Homeward Through the Haze (written by David Crosby; recorded in 1974 for Human Highway, the abandoned CSNY reunion album; released on the CSN box set in 1991)
This is the only track CSNY finished during the brief sessions for the reunion album they attempted to record after their tour in 1974. And it is a real gut punch -- it's beautiful and powerful and a sad reminder of what could have been had everyone's egos not gotten in the way. (Neil bailed when Stills and Nash started arguing over a harmony note on the second track they worked on.) The fantastic lead guitar work on this one belongs to Stills, but Neil shines in a rare-for-him role of supportive rhythm guitarist (Crosby played piano and Nash played organ). Crosby and Nash released a fine version of this on their duo album from the following year, Wind on the Water, but that version's electric-piano-driven arrangement pales compared with this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6DjJ5Rlapk
Bluebird (written by Stephen Stills; released on Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
This is the finest Neil-Stills guitar exchange among the Springfield recordings. The band members were listening to a lot of Indian ragas around this time, and it shows here.
Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKHY8MXgiz0
Extended version released on a 1973 compilation; IMO, unlike with Almost Cut My Hair, the extra passages don't add a whole lot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55q2rRh5UUU
Hung Upside Down (written by Stephen Stills; released on Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
A fuzzed-out slow burner where Neil and Stills push each other in the best way, especially starting around 2:50. Vocals shared by Richie Furay and Stills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c_zfP1ahx0
Harry Hood (written by Trey Anastasio; performed by Neil and Phish at Bridge School Benefit 1998)
A few weeks after their epic throwdown at Farm Aid 1998 (covered in the Down by the River entry), Neil and Phish collaborated again, this time acoustically, at the Bridge School Benefit. On the second night, Neil joined them for I Shall Be Released, covered in the covers post. On the first night, Neil showed up at 7:30 of this tune, one of Phish's oldest extended compositions/jam vehicles, to trade licks with Trey Anastasio. This is probably the closest you will get to hearing Neil play prog. After this, they collaborated on Helpless; that version is linked in that song's entry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRDjvXX7THo
Country Feedback (written by Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry; performed by Neil and REM at Bridge School Benefit 1998)
At that same Bridge School Benefit, Neil joined REM for one of their most revered songs, Country Feedback, adding some neat acoustic solos in the intro and at 5:30.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4VfQBDoX6E
All That You Have Is Your Soul (written by Tracy Chapman; released on her album Crossroads, 1989)
I have no idea how Neil met Tracy Chapman, but he played acoustic guitar and piano on this, the riveting final track of her second album. (The harmonica is Tracy.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWSzAONrE3s
Furry Sings the Blues (written by Joni Mitchell; released on her album Hejira, 1976)
Neil played harmonica on this track from Joni's stunning Hejira record. They renewed their collaboration at The Last Waltz.
Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BF4nnl4c0I
Last Waltz version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BF4nnl4c0I
Soap Box Preacher (written by Robbie Robertson; released on his album Storyville, 1991)
Neil sings a very prominent backing vocal on this track from Storyville, the second solo album by The Band's Robbie Robertson. It's not a role you'd expect Neil to assume but it works very well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CzBZ7_BiZ0
Music is Love (written by David Crosby; released on his album If I Could Only Remember My Name, 1971)
"Music Is Love" is Nash's and Neils' fault," David Crosby wrote in the liner notes of the 1991 CSN box set. "I improvised the tune, we were fooling around, it was a jam, and when it was over I thought 'That's nice,' but I didn't see it as too impressive. Then Nash and Neil stole the tape. They added congas, vibes, and harmonies, brought the tape back to me and said, "This is going on your album, don't give us any ####." They were very firm about it. I learned a long time ago it doesn't work to say no to Nash or Neil."
Neil plays bass and vibes and contributes a prominent harmony vocal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogCHUHD-y1Q
I Used to Be a King (written by Graham Nash; released on his album Songs for Beginners, 1971)
Neil plays piano, which drives the rhythm of this song, one of Nash's best. Jerry Garcia (on pedal steel) also appears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5A1P6zlmRs
And again stretching the definition of notable:
Acadian Driftwood (written by Robbie Robertson; performed at The Last Waltz, 1976)
This song, from The Band's 1975 album Northern Lights, Southern Cross, is a spine-tingling account of the Acadians losing their land in what is now Nova Scotia. Its appearance here has nothing to do with that. During their farewell concert, The Last Waltz, The Band invited Canadians Neil and Joni Mitchell to sing on this with them. Infamously, Neil was bombed out of his mind on coke at this show (early prints of the concert film show a "coke booger" protruding from his nose during Helpless; it was removed from later prints). In the video below, he sways back and forth aimlessly and doesn't appear to know what's going on. At least Joni is into it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSZv3cOI4kI
This entry covers Neil performances I want to discuss that aren't originals and don't qualify as covers. Mainly, he plays guitar on them. I came up with the idea for this post because I wanted to discuss the first two entries but there wasn't a fit for them elsewhere.
Carry On (written by Stephen Stills; live version released on CSNY's Four Way Street, 1971)
The incredible version of Southern Man on Four Way Street has a companion. On side 4, Neil and Stills absolutely tear up Stills' Carry On, the leadoff track from Deja Vu whose studio version Neil did not play on (Neil in fact only played on five songs from Deja Vu: the three he wrote or co-wrote and two others that will be discussed in this entry). Neil and Stills push each other to incredible heights, trading ridiculous solo after ridiculous solo while goaded along by David Crosby's chugging rhythm guitar. Stills's blues-based style (with some teases from Hendrix) and Neil's wailing runs complement each other perfectly even though it sounds like an odd combination on paper. This is probably my favorite CSNY live track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAkMlzOBFbc
Knockin' on Heaven's Door (written by Bob Dylan; with various performers; released on Bob Dylan: The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration, recorded in October 1992 and released in 1993)
The grand finale (before Bob's surprise final song) of Bobfest, this followed My Back Pages (see covers post) and featured almost everyone who had performed that night. Bob handled all the lead vocals, but Neil's notable contribution is that starting around 4:00 of the video (timing in the second link is different) he trades guitar solos with Eric Clapton, whose style could not be any more different from his. It's really jarring to hear at first but they make it work. At 5:30 of the video they're actually soloing at the same time, with Neil's squalls operating at octaves above Clapton's bluesy licks. It's also funny to see George Harrison and Ron Wood share a mic given what @krista4 revealed went on between them in the 70s.
Video with not-great sound quality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk_V41erLHY
Album version with very good sound quality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS_VF0nkpFk
Almost Cut My Hair (extended version) (written by David Crosby; recorded at CSNY's Deja Vu sessions; released on CSN box set, 1991)
The shorter version released on Deja Vu is pretty cool, but the extended version released on the CSN box set is where the Neil-Stills magic really takes off. Of interest, there are passages that are not solos where Neil is playing more notes than Stills, which wasn't usually the case. This was recorded live in the studio (Neil, Stills and Crosby on guitar, Nash on organ, Greg Reeves on bass and Dallas Taylor on drums), and you can a "whoo!" from Crosby as Neil kicks things up around 4:00.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK3TIYG9mqM
Woodstock (written by Joni Mitchell; released on CSNY's Deja Vu, 1970)
CSNY's triumphant arrangement of Joni Mitchell's Woodstock, featuring Stills on lead vocals, is one of their signature performances for good reason. The high point is Neil's solo starting at 1:56, one of the best he ever committed to record. The Old Black magic returns at 3:35 just before the fadeout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lx86B6a3kc
Homeward Through the Haze (written by David Crosby; recorded in 1974 for Human Highway, the abandoned CSNY reunion album; released on the CSN box set in 1991)
This is the only track CSNY finished during the brief sessions for the reunion album they attempted to record after their tour in 1974. And it is a real gut punch -- it's beautiful and powerful and a sad reminder of what could have been had everyone's egos not gotten in the way. (Neil bailed when Stills and Nash started arguing over a harmony note on the second track they worked on.) The fantastic lead guitar work on this one belongs to Stills, but Neil shines in a rare-for-him role of supportive rhythm guitarist (Crosby played piano and Nash played organ). Crosby and Nash released a fine version of this on their duo album from the following year, Wind on the Water, but that version's electric-piano-driven arrangement pales compared with this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6DjJ5Rlapk
Bluebird (written by Stephen Stills; released on Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
This is the finest Neil-Stills guitar exchange among the Springfield recordings. The band members were listening to a lot of Indian ragas around this time, and it shows here.
Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKHY8MXgiz0
Extended version released on a 1973 compilation; IMO, unlike with Almost Cut My Hair, the extra passages don't add a whole lot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55q2rRh5UUU
Hung Upside Down (written by Stephen Stills; released on Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
A fuzzed-out slow burner where Neil and Stills push each other in the best way, especially starting around 2:50. Vocals shared by Richie Furay and Stills.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c_zfP1ahx0
Harry Hood (written by Trey Anastasio; performed by Neil and Phish at Bridge School Benefit 1998)
A few weeks after their epic throwdown at Farm Aid 1998 (covered in the Down by the River entry), Neil and Phish collaborated again, this time acoustically, at the Bridge School Benefit. On the second night, Neil joined them for I Shall Be Released, covered in the covers post. On the first night, Neil showed up at 7:30 of this tune, one of Phish's oldest extended compositions/jam vehicles, to trade licks with Trey Anastasio. This is probably the closest you will get to hearing Neil play prog. After this, they collaborated on Helpless; that version is linked in that song's entry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRDjvXX7THo
Country Feedback (written by Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry; performed by Neil and REM at Bridge School Benefit 1998)
At that same Bridge School Benefit, Neil joined REM for one of their most revered songs, Country Feedback, adding some neat acoustic solos in the intro and at 5:30.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4VfQBDoX6E
All That You Have Is Your Soul (written by Tracy Chapman; released on her album Crossroads, 1989)
I have no idea how Neil met Tracy Chapman, but he played acoustic guitar and piano on this, the riveting final track of her second album. (The harmonica is Tracy.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWSzAONrE3s
Furry Sings the Blues (written by Joni Mitchell; released on her album Hejira, 1976)
Neil played harmonica on this track from Joni's stunning Hejira record. They renewed their collaboration at The Last Waltz.
Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BF4nnl4c0I
Last Waltz version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BF4nnl4c0I
Soap Box Preacher (written by Robbie Robertson; released on his album Storyville, 1991)
Neil sings a very prominent backing vocal on this track from Storyville, the second solo album by The Band's Robbie Robertson. It's not a role you'd expect Neil to assume but it works very well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CzBZ7_BiZ0
Music is Love (written by David Crosby; released on his album If I Could Only Remember My Name, 1971)
"Music Is Love" is Nash's and Neils' fault," David Crosby wrote in the liner notes of the 1991 CSN box set. "I improvised the tune, we were fooling around, it was a jam, and when it was over I thought 'That's nice,' but I didn't see it as too impressive. Then Nash and Neil stole the tape. They added congas, vibes, and harmonies, brought the tape back to me and said, "This is going on your album, don't give us any ####." They were very firm about it. I learned a long time ago it doesn't work to say no to Nash or Neil."
Neil plays bass and vibes and contributes a prominent harmony vocal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogCHUHD-y1Q
I Used to Be a King (written by Graham Nash; released on his album Songs for Beginners, 1971)
Neil plays piano, which drives the rhythm of this song, one of Nash's best. Jerry Garcia (on pedal steel) also appears.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5A1P6zlmRs
And again stretching the definition of notable:
Acadian Driftwood (written by Robbie Robertson; performed at The Last Waltz, 1976)
This song, from The Band's 1975 album Northern Lights, Southern Cross, is a spine-tingling account of the Acadians losing their land in what is now Nova Scotia. Its appearance here has nothing to do with that. During their farewell concert, The Last Waltz, The Band invited Canadians Neil and Joni Mitchell to sing on this with them. Infamously, Neil was bombed out of his mind on coke at this show (early prints of the concert film show a "coke booger" protruding from his nose during Helpless; it was removed from later prints). In the video below, he sways back and forth aimlessly and doesn't appear to know what's going on. At least Joni is into it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSZv3cOI4kI
Last edited by a moderator:
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I found the tracklist for this thing, which was called Love/Art Blues.
Country Home (live 1976)
Lotta Love (live 1976)
Tell Me Why (live 1976)
Pardon My Heart (live 1974 (Bottom Line show))
Bad Fog of Loneliness (1973 studio outtake from Tonight's the Night sessions)
See the Sky About to Rain (live 1970)
Stringman (live 1976)
Home on the Range (mislabeled as "Buffalo Stomp", from Where the Buffalo Roam soundtrack)
Pushed It Over the End (live 1974 (CSNY tour); Italian box set version)
Campaigner (extra verse version from early pressings of Decade)
It Might Have Been (live 1984)
Four Strong Winds (live 1984)
Traces (1973 acoustic demo)
War Song (1972 non-album single with Graham Nash)
Out of My Mind (live 1978)
Give Me Strength (live 1976)
Love/Art Blues (live 1974 (CSNY tour))
Danger Bird (live 1990)
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
You may have noticed that the "More Filth" essay contains nothing about Neil's contributions to the CSN songs from the CSNY reunion albums American Dream and Looking Forward. In addition to, with one exception (which made my top 204), contributing songs that ranged from mediocre to awful, Neil made no instrumental contributions of interest to the others' songs. (Any interesting guitar passages on the few rockers belong to Stills.) Neil truly did phone these in.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Here are the 50 songs most often played live by Neil according to sugarmtn.org. (Pre-1976 songs probably have more than listed, as there are many partial or missing set lists from the years prior.) At the bottom I will have some brief comments about a couple that didn't come up elsewhere.
Rank Song Title Number of Known Live Performances as of 7/1/20
1 Heart Of Gold 852
2 Cinnamon Girl 808
3 Powderfinger 792
4 After The Gold Rush 690
5 The Needle And The Damage Done 638
6 Old Man 632
7 Rockin' In The Free World 620
T8 Down By The River 598
T8 Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) 598
10 Cortez The Killer 543
11 Like A Hurricane 541
12 Mr. Soul 479
T13 Comes A Time 455
T13 Sugar Mountain 455
15 Helpless 434
16 Ohio 395
17 Love And Only Love 321
18 Roll Another Number (For The Road) 301
19 Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere 300
20 Harvest Moon 299
21 Southern Man 296
22 Tonight's The Night 292
23 Pocahontas 285
24 F*!#in' Up 276
25 From Hank To Hendrix 264
26 Only Love Can Break Your Heart 250
27 My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) 244
28 Long May You Run 243
29 Cowgirl In The Sand 241
30 Don't Let It Bring You Down 233
31 The Loner 231
32 Are You Ready For The Country? 230
33 Unknown Legend 210
T34 Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) 208
T34 On The Way Home 208
36 Tell Me Why 192
37 Sedan Delivery 173
38 Don't Be Denied 169
39 Too Far Gone 165
40 Soul Of A Woman 158
41 I Am A Child 156
42 This Note's For You 155
43 Don't Cry No Tears 154
44 Love To Burn 152
45 Country Home 144
46 Winterlong 143
47 Human Highway 141
48 Mellow My Mind 136
49 Words 135 (only one before 2000!)
50 Out On The Weekend 134
Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) (Ragged Glory, 1990)
The closer of Ragged Glory was taken from a live recording early in 1990 featuring only Neil and Old Black. Harmony vocals were overdubbed later. It's a fire-and-brimstone type environmental anthem and, given Neil's interests outside of music, is a song he revisits frequently, including at 10 Farm Aids. It's climbed to tied for 34th despite not being played on the Weld tour. Presumably Blowin' in the Wind, which has a similar arrangement, got its spot that year. Sometimes it is played the Ragged Glory way, but often Neil performs it on pump organ. It's a bit preachy for my liking but not as over-the-top as some of his 21st century environmental pleas. It probably would have shown up soon had I kept going after 204.
Ragged Glory version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpz2s1Kcs40
Live version on pump organ from the Honor the Treaties benefit in 2014 (starts at 6:35; acoustic version of Blowin' in the Wind is before that): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35PxWVhqZTU
Soul of a Woman (A Treasure, 2011; written in 1981; first performed in 1982)
Neil tried really hard to make this song a thing in the '80s. It's a simple (both musically and lyrically) 50s-style rocker that he tried out in almost all of his musical disguises in the '80s, ultimately never being satisfied with any of them. Thanks to all that effort, it's at #40 on the most-played list, though it has not been seen since 1988. Written with the Island in the Sun material in 1981, Neil debuted this in a rock and roll arrangement on the Trans tour in 1982, then played it solo acoustic on the 1983 tours ("solo Trans" and Shocking Pinks), country on the 1984 International Harvesters tour and the early 1985 "Crazy Harvesters" tour mixing members of the International Harvesters and Crazy Horse, and blues on the 1987 and 1988 Bluenotes tours. A country version appears on A Treasure and a blues version appears on Bluenote Cafe. I'm not sure why Neil went to such great lengths with this song, as it is full of musical and lyrical cliches and is emblematic of his songwriting doldrums of the '80s. At least the Bluenote Cafe version has some nice solos by some of the horn players.
A Treasure version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjYufTVfkQk
Bluenote Cafe version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzKkTiF94Go
Rank Song Title Number of Known Live Performances as of 7/1/20
1 Heart Of Gold 852
2 Cinnamon Girl 808
3 Powderfinger 792
4 After The Gold Rush 690
5 The Needle And The Damage Done 638
6 Old Man 632
7 Rockin' In The Free World 620
T8 Down By The River 598
T8 Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) 598
10 Cortez The Killer 543
11 Like A Hurricane 541
12 Mr. Soul 479
T13 Comes A Time 455
T13 Sugar Mountain 455
15 Helpless 434
16 Ohio 395
17 Love And Only Love 321
18 Roll Another Number (For The Road) 301
19 Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere 300
20 Harvest Moon 299
21 Southern Man 296
22 Tonight's The Night 292
23 Pocahontas 285
24 F*!#in' Up 276
25 From Hank To Hendrix 264
26 Only Love Can Break Your Heart 250
27 My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue) 244
28 Long May You Run 243
29 Cowgirl In The Sand 241
30 Don't Let It Bring You Down 233
31 The Loner 231
32 Are You Ready For The Country? 230
33 Unknown Legend 210
T34 Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) 208
T34 On The Way Home 208
36 Tell Me Why 192
37 Sedan Delivery 173
38 Don't Be Denied 169
39 Too Far Gone 165
40 Soul Of A Woman 158
41 I Am A Child 156
42 This Note's For You 155
43 Don't Cry No Tears 154
44 Love To Burn 152
45 Country Home 144
46 Winterlong 143
47 Human Highway 141
48 Mellow My Mind 136
49 Words 135 (only one before 2000!)
50 Out On The Weekend 134
Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) (Ragged Glory, 1990)
The closer of Ragged Glory was taken from a live recording early in 1990 featuring only Neil and Old Black. Harmony vocals were overdubbed later. It's a fire-and-brimstone type environmental anthem and, given Neil's interests outside of music, is a song he revisits frequently, including at 10 Farm Aids. It's climbed to tied for 34th despite not being played on the Weld tour. Presumably Blowin' in the Wind, which has a similar arrangement, got its spot that year. Sometimes it is played the Ragged Glory way, but often Neil performs it on pump organ. It's a bit preachy for my liking but not as over-the-top as some of his 21st century environmental pleas. It probably would have shown up soon had I kept going after 204.
Ragged Glory version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpz2s1Kcs40
Live version on pump organ from the Honor the Treaties benefit in 2014 (starts at 6:35; acoustic version of Blowin' in the Wind is before that): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35PxWVhqZTU
Soul of a Woman (A Treasure, 2011; written in 1981; first performed in 1982)
Neil tried really hard to make this song a thing in the '80s. It's a simple (both musically and lyrically) 50s-style rocker that he tried out in almost all of his musical disguises in the '80s, ultimately never being satisfied with any of them. Thanks to all that effort, it's at #40 on the most-played list, though it has not been seen since 1988. Written with the Island in the Sun material in 1981, Neil debuted this in a rock and roll arrangement on the Trans tour in 1982, then played it solo acoustic on the 1983 tours ("solo Trans" and Shocking Pinks), country on the 1984 International Harvesters tour and the early 1985 "Crazy Harvesters" tour mixing members of the International Harvesters and Crazy Horse, and blues on the 1987 and 1988 Bluenotes tours. A country version appears on A Treasure and a blues version appears on Bluenote Cafe. I'm not sure why Neil went to such great lengths with this song, as it is full of musical and lyrical cliches and is emblematic of his songwriting doldrums of the '80s. At least the Bluenote Cafe version has some nice solos by some of the horn players.
A Treasure version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjYufTVfkQk
Bluenote Cafe version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzKkTiF94Go
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
It’s #103 on the 102-204 list: https://forums.footballguys.com/forum/topic/786493-countdown-of-my-top-101-neil-young-songs-now-with-entries-102-204-notable-covers-and-other-stuff/?do=findComment&comment=22926708
it was in the “I wish I had room for this but I like the stuff ahead of it better” category.
shuke
Black Ice Skeptic
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Because I have nothing else to do tonight, I'll share my thoughts on the songs that were taken in my Neil draft from 2011 that were not written up elsewhere in this thread. Links are to the studio versions.
5.02. Mith - Hawks & Doves (Hawks & Doves, 1980) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Side 2 of Hawks & Doves is one of Neil's least appealing sides to me. It's uniformly formulaic (except for the downright weird "Union Man") and at times jingoistic country rock. The title track finishes it off and isn't much distinguishable from the rest of it. When Mith asked me why it wasn't on my list, I explained the above and asked him what he saw in it. He didn't have much to say. And that's OK, some people just like what they like. What it (and the rest of the side) sounds like to me is the beginning of Neil's brief flirtation with Reaganism that culminated with some of the Old Ways material.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWFGtiBrdb0
9.07. Foot - Hold on to Your Love (Trans, 1982) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Speaking of formulaic, it sounds like Neil wrote and performed this, the third non-vocoder song from Trans (joining the previously discussed Like an Inca and Little Thing Called Love), on autopilot. The lyrics are among his most blah and the performance lacks energy aside from the electric piano. Of all the Island in the Sun material, why was this of all things chosen to be saved? It probably ranks last or next-to-last for me among the Trans songs, and some of the vocoder songs are pretty far down for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8dkypMArA0
11.03. Johnny - Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
In the 102-204 list and the album breakdown of the top 204, I alluded to this not being a favorite, as it's the only EKTIN song not in my top 204. I find the violin part (performed by a guy who played in The Rockets, the previous band of Crazy Horse's Danny Whitten, Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina) to be extremely grating. It's just too damn squeaky at times. The brooding guitars are interesting at times but Neil would use that sort of thing a lot more effectively on subsequent albums. The song is pretty much an auto-skip these days; I'm not gonna let it stand in the way of Cowgirl in the Sand, which follows it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjPC4dDqX4U
11.05. Overkill - A Dream That Can Last (Sleeps with Angels, 1994) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
The closer to Sleeps with Angels, this has a prominent tack piano part (as does the album's opener, My Heart) but plods along without generating much of interest musically. The lyrics, a meditation on death, are good, though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5BNFRo7R2E
11.06. Cobain - Train of Love (Sleeps with Angels, 1994) (Pip rank: not in 204)
This and another SwA song, Western Hero, are identical musically but have different lyrics. It's the same idea as if Neil put Dance, Dance, Dance and Love Is a Rose on the same album. Anyway, both this and Western Hero are pleasant piano-driven ballads, but don't stand out to any great extent to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfg7HbYYxmQ
11.07. Foot - Rapid Transit (Re*ac*tor, 1981) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Neil worked with Devo on the Human Highway movie. Structurally, this, which came shortly after that collaboration, is the most Devo-like song in his catalog, and fittingly comes on an album whose theme is soul-draining repetition. When this song was selected, I called it "Devo on meth." The lyrics are gibberish and Neil's singing of them is goofy, but it's not even the weirdest song on the album (see below for that). Neil's guitar solo at 3:15 is quite good, so you may want to skip to that if the rest is off-putting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EW09uHE0Lg
12.03. Cobain - Don't Cry (Eldorado EP & Freedom, 1989) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Neil turns up the histrionics on this Freedom track, which was carried over from a Japanese EP he put out earlier in 1989. Similarly to the cover of On Broadway, this makes impressive noise (especially starting at 3:00) but isn't as transcendent as the rest of the Freedom material (or EP tracks Cocaine Eyes and Heavy Love which didn't get carried over). It wouldn't have taken me too long to get to this had I kept going after 204.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wL827mH1NA
12.06. Johnny - The Old Country Waltz (American Stars 'N Bars, 1977) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
The opener of American Stars 'N Bars is an OK country song but doesn't move the needle a whole lot for me. The best part is when Linda Ronstadt and Nicolette Larson jump in for "and the band plays the old country waltz."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI1C9M8nwq4
13.02. Mith - If I Could Have Her Tonight (Neil Young, 1969) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Dreamy song with lush production from the solo debut. It's one that I enjoy but, as with much of the rest of the material on the debut, it sounds very much of its time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQPehXDxmAM
14.01. Lucky - T-Bone (Re*ac*tor, 1981) (Pip rank: Definitely not in top 204)
@jwb, here's another contender for weirdest Neil song. Talk about repetition, this song is 9 minutes of
Got mashed potatoes
Got mashed potatoes
Got mashed potatoes
Ain't got no T-Bone
Ain't got no T-Bone
&
So here's what Lucky said when he took this: "Okay, I already said that I like "groove" songs, and I guess that sometimes goes to extremes. You can love it, or you can hate it, but you can't ignore it. And isn't that one definition of great art? It's brutal, punishing, unrelenting. But there you have it. "You Don't Write a 10 Minute Song About Having Mashed Potatoes and Not Having A T-Bone Without Making A Few Enemies"."
On the bright side, it's got lots of cowbell.
This song has only been performed live twice, but one of those may be getting an official release soon. It was in the setlist of the 1990 Santa Cruz show with Crazy Horse* that will be one of Neil's next archival releases.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiWSt-XbEhI
15.01. DMT - Let's Impeach the President (Living with War, 2006) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Oh, Neil. I appreciate the passion, I really do. Your lyrics here are entirely accurate. They make a very good case for impeachment. Unfortunately, they do not make for a very good song.
I also can't let this couplet go unmentioned:
What if al-Qaeda blew up the levees?
Would New Orleans have been safer that way?
&
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqS9iaaWflE
15.02. Mith - What Did You Do to My Life? (Neil Young, 1969) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Like If I Could Have Her Tonight, this is a neat song from the debut whose production renders it very distinctively late '60s and less distinctively Neil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NpIDjQ3D4E
15.08. Lucky - Angry World (Le Noise, 2010) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Believe it or not, this is Neil's only song that has won a Grammy -- Best Rock Song, 2011. His other two were for the art direction of Archives Vol. 1 and for being the Musicares Person of the Year, both in 2010. Grammys gonna Grammy.
Once again I find myself agreeing with a YouTube commenter:
"I'm cool with this winning the grammy considering all the great music Neil has made that has been ignored by stupid awards shows, but this isn't even close to being the best song on Le Noise."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uDwvJK0YdI
* - 1990-11-13, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California, USA
w/ Crazy Horse
Country Home / Surfer Joe And Moe The Sleaze / Love To Burn*** / Days That Used To Be / Bite The Bullet / Cinnamon Girl // Farmer John*** / Cowgirl In The Sand / Over And Over*** / Danger Bird** / Don't Cry No Tears / Sedan Delivery / Roll Another Number (For The Road) / F*!#in' Up // T-Bone*** / Homegrown / Mansion On The Hill**** / Like A Hurricane / Love And Only Love**** // Cortez The Killer
** -- first time performed live
*** -- second time performed live
**** -- third time performed live
5.02. Mith - Hawks & Doves (Hawks & Doves, 1980) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Side 2 of Hawks & Doves is one of Neil's least appealing sides to me. It's uniformly formulaic (except for the downright weird "Union Man") and at times jingoistic country rock. The title track finishes it off and isn't much distinguishable from the rest of it. When Mith asked me why it wasn't on my list, I explained the above and asked him what he saw in it. He didn't have much to say. And that's OK, some people just like what they like. What it (and the rest of the side) sounds like to me is the beginning of Neil's brief flirtation with Reaganism that culminated with some of the Old Ways material.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWFGtiBrdb0
9.07. Foot - Hold on to Your Love (Trans, 1982) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Speaking of formulaic, it sounds like Neil wrote and performed this, the third non-vocoder song from Trans (joining the previously discussed Like an Inca and Little Thing Called Love), on autopilot. The lyrics are among his most blah and the performance lacks energy aside from the electric piano. Of all the Island in the Sun material, why was this of all things chosen to be saved? It probably ranks last or next-to-last for me among the Trans songs, and some of the vocoder songs are pretty far down for me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8dkypMArA0
11.03. Johnny - Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
In the 102-204 list and the album breakdown of the top 204, I alluded to this not being a favorite, as it's the only EKTIN song not in my top 204. I find the violin part (performed by a guy who played in The Rockets, the previous band of Crazy Horse's Danny Whitten, Billy Talbot and Ralph Molina) to be extremely grating. It's just too damn squeaky at times. The brooding guitars are interesting at times but Neil would use that sort of thing a lot more effectively on subsequent albums. The song is pretty much an auto-skip these days; I'm not gonna let it stand in the way of Cowgirl in the Sand, which follows it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjPC4dDqX4U
11.05. Overkill - A Dream That Can Last (Sleeps with Angels, 1994) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
The closer to Sleeps with Angels, this has a prominent tack piano part (as does the album's opener, My Heart) but plods along without generating much of interest musically. The lyrics, a meditation on death, are good, though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5BNFRo7R2E
11.06. Cobain - Train of Love (Sleeps with Angels, 1994) (Pip rank: not in 204)
This and another SwA song, Western Hero, are identical musically but have different lyrics. It's the same idea as if Neil put Dance, Dance, Dance and Love Is a Rose on the same album. Anyway, both this and Western Hero are pleasant piano-driven ballads, but don't stand out to any great extent to me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfg7HbYYxmQ
11.07. Foot - Rapid Transit (Re*ac*tor, 1981) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Neil worked with Devo on the Human Highway movie. Structurally, this, which came shortly after that collaboration, is the most Devo-like song in his catalog, and fittingly comes on an album whose theme is soul-draining repetition. When this song was selected, I called it "Devo on meth." The lyrics are gibberish and Neil's singing of them is goofy, but it's not even the weirdest song on the album (see below for that). Neil's guitar solo at 3:15 is quite good, so you may want to skip to that if the rest is off-putting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EW09uHE0Lg
12.03. Cobain - Don't Cry (Eldorado EP & Freedom, 1989) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Neil turns up the histrionics on this Freedom track, which was carried over from a Japanese EP he put out earlier in 1989. Similarly to the cover of On Broadway, this makes impressive noise (especially starting at 3:00) but isn't as transcendent as the rest of the Freedom material (or EP tracks Cocaine Eyes and Heavy Love which didn't get carried over). It wouldn't have taken me too long to get to this had I kept going after 204.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wL827mH1NA
12.06. Johnny - The Old Country Waltz (American Stars 'N Bars, 1977) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
The opener of American Stars 'N Bars is an OK country song but doesn't move the needle a whole lot for me. The best part is when Linda Ronstadt and Nicolette Larson jump in for "and the band plays the old country waltz."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI1C9M8nwq4
13.02. Mith - If I Could Have Her Tonight (Neil Young, 1969) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Dreamy song with lush production from the solo debut. It's one that I enjoy but, as with much of the rest of the material on the debut, it sounds very much of its time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQPehXDxmAM
14.01. Lucky - T-Bone (Re*ac*tor, 1981) (Pip rank: Definitely not in top 204)
@jwb, here's another contender for weirdest Neil song. Talk about repetition, this song is 9 minutes of
Got mashed potatoes
Got mashed potatoes
Got mashed potatoes
Ain't got no T-Bone
Ain't got no T-Bone
&
So here's what Lucky said when he took this: "Okay, I already said that I like "groove" songs, and I guess that sometimes goes to extremes. You can love it, or you can hate it, but you can't ignore it. And isn't that one definition of great art? It's brutal, punishing, unrelenting. But there you have it. "You Don't Write a 10 Minute Song About Having Mashed Potatoes and Not Having A T-Bone Without Making A Few Enemies"."
On the bright side, it's got lots of cowbell.
This song has only been performed live twice, but one of those may be getting an official release soon. It was in the setlist of the 1990 Santa Cruz show with Crazy Horse* that will be one of Neil's next archival releases.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiWSt-XbEhI
15.01. DMT - Let's Impeach the President (Living with War, 2006) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Oh, Neil. I appreciate the passion, I really do. Your lyrics here are entirely accurate. They make a very good case for impeachment. Unfortunately, they do not make for a very good song.
I also can't let this couplet go unmentioned:
What if al-Qaeda blew up the levees?
Would New Orleans have been safer that way?
&
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqS9iaaWflE
15.02. Mith - What Did You Do to My Life? (Neil Young, 1969) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Like If I Could Have Her Tonight, this is a neat song from the debut whose production renders it very distinctively late '60s and less distinctively Neil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NpIDjQ3D4E
15.08. Lucky - Angry World (Le Noise, 2010) (Pip rank: not in top 204)
Believe it or not, this is Neil's only song that has won a Grammy -- Best Rock Song, 2011. His other two were for the art direction of Archives Vol. 1 and for being the Musicares Person of the Year, both in 2010. Grammys gonna Grammy.
Once again I find myself agreeing with a YouTube commenter:
"I'm cool with this winning the grammy considering all the great music Neil has made that has been ignored by stupid awards shows, but this isn't even close to being the best song on Le Noise."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uDwvJK0YdI
* - 1990-11-13, The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California, USA
w/ Crazy Horse
Country Home / Surfer Joe And Moe The Sleaze / Love To Burn*** / Days That Used To Be / Bite The Bullet / Cinnamon Girl // Farmer John*** / Cowgirl In The Sand / Over And Over*** / Danger Bird** / Don't Cry No Tears / Sedan Delivery / Roll Another Number (For The Road) / F*!#in' Up // T-Bone*** / Homegrown / Mansion On The Hill**** / Like A Hurricane / Love And Only Love**** // Cortez The Killer
** -- first time performed live
*** -- second time performed live
**** -- third time performed live
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jwb
Footballguy
He's right - this song does have a good groove. Without the singing, it's an excellent jam. Too bad.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
@jwb I noticed sugarmtn.org has a "released but never played live" list, which includes 92 songs. Somehow Carnival is one of them. I'm stunned that he wouldn't want to take up 8+ minutes of his shows with this.
The highest-ranking song of mine on that list is Vacancy, which no one outside of the music industry had heard until Homegrown was released this summer.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
We did a massive cleanout of our bedroom closets today and I came across a bunch of my ticket stubs. I didn't have time to look through all of them, but I noticed I still had the ones for both of my shows from Neil's 1999 solo tour.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I had a crappy sounding bootleg cassette of this show a long time ago, which was missing part of the electric set. A much better-sounding and complete version is on Youtube, and I highly recommend it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7ZIys_LDa0
Fantastic versions of Down by the River, Southern Man, Like a Hurricane and Cortez the Killer. This was among the earliest performances for the latter two, as this was the first show of his early 1976 tour with Crazy Horse and they debuted live in late 1975. And yes, that's the Too Far Gone from Freedom and the Country Home from Ragged Glory, many years before the fact. This was actually the live debuts of Too Far Gone and No One Seems to Know, which remained unreleased until the Songs for Judy archives project.
1976-03-03, Aichken Taiikukan, Nagoya, Japan
w/ Crazy Horse
Tell Me Why / Mellow My Mind / After The Gold Rush / Too Far Gone / Only Love Can Break Your Heart / A Man Needs A Maid / No One Seems To Know / Heart Of Gold // Country Home / Don't Cry No Tears / Down By The River / Lotta Love / Like A Hurricane / The Losing End / Drive Back / Southern Man // Cinnamon Girl / Cortez The Killer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7ZIys_LDa0
Fantastic versions of Down by the River, Southern Man, Like a Hurricane and Cortez the Killer. This was among the earliest performances for the latter two, as this was the first show of his early 1976 tour with Crazy Horse and they debuted live in late 1975. And yes, that's the Too Far Gone from Freedom and the Country Home from Ragged Glory, many years before the fact. This was actually the live debuts of Too Far Gone and No One Seems to Know, which remained unreleased until the Songs for Judy archives project.
1976-03-03, Aichken Taiikukan, Nagoya, Japan
w/ Crazy Horse
Tell Me Why / Mellow My Mind / After The Gold Rush / Too Far Gone / Only Love Can Break Your Heart / A Man Needs A Maid / No One Seems To Know / Heart Of Gold // Country Home / Don't Cry No Tears / Down By The River / Lotta Love / Like A Hurricane / The Losing End / Drive Back / Southern Man // Cinnamon Girl / Cortez The Killer
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simey
Footballguy
Pip, did you see any of Farm Aid this past weekend? Neil was on a farm and played to some chickens, llamas, etc. The sets were much shorter than usual since it was done in virtual settings. Neil did five songs, which were Field of Opportunity, Homegrown, Harvest, Old Man, and Everybody Knows this is Nowhere.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I referenced several times in this thread the well-known bootleg of the Bottom Line show from 1974. Neil announced its getting an official release early next year:
https://www.stereogum.com/2101611/neil-young-the-bottom-line-1974-official-bootleg/news/
https://www.stereogum.com/2101611/neil-young-the-bottom-line-1974-official-bootleg/news/
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
@Binky The Doormat In the car tonight the radio station was playing songs from 1972. They did two from Neil followed immediately by two from Todd. Old Man, Words, It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, I Saw the Light.
skol asylum
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
The release date for Archives Vol. 2 is March 5.
I turn 50 shortly thereafter. Hmmm...
I turn 50 shortly thereafter. Hmmm...
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
@simey Finally getting around to watching this. Interesting that Mellencamp played Jack & Diane. When I saw him in 2006 and 2009, he wasn't playing anything from American Fool or before because he still resented that he didn't have artistic control when those albums were made.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Also, between Homegrown and Harvest, he played an instrumental passage based on Speakin' Out from Tonight's the Night. ETA: And after Old Man, there was an instrumental based on The Ways of Love from Freedom.
Funny to see him perform before an audience of chickens.
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DocHolliday
Footballguy
Pip, thank you for getting me to give a better listen to Neil. I have always liked some of his stuff but thought much of his music was weird and boring. I have become a big fan and truly appreciate his greatness now. Neil Young is simply amazing. The songs. The lyrics. The guitar work. We are so fortunate that some human beings are blessed with such talent and that they share it with anyone that is willing to listen.
Mister CIA
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I remember being eerily fascinated with it when it came out.
I didn't learn until many years later that it was a repurposed song first performed with Crazy Horse in 1970.
Mister CIA
Footballguy
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
@cap'n grunge Thanks to the release of Archives Vol. II, a couple of the songs from the top 101 that weren't on Spotify last year are now.
Homefires: https://open.spotify.com/track/6nRHtaDQ29aSdmtWihOZEs?si=f265a980b3f44c30
Pushed It Over the End: https://open.spotify.com/track/2JJoNXEGj6AkAlonx3RVeq?si=6831917055384922
Homefires: https://open.spotify.com/track/6nRHtaDQ29aSdmtWihOZEs?si=f265a980b3f44c30
Pushed It Over the End: https://open.spotify.com/track/2JJoNXEGj6AkAlonx3RVeq?si=6831917055384922
skol asylum
Footballguy
skol asylum
Footballguy
On a side note I'm currently binge watching South Park as I never really watched it before other than bits and pieces and am on season three. I get your name reference now.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I was really obsessed with South Park in its first few seasons, which coincided with the first years I was on the internet.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Finally another link to add to this. Neil put an acoustic version on Archives Vol. 2: https://open.spotify.com/track/1wzdDMz9iKAdTZyHX65icY?si=d43eb7d04e1b4e9e
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
@Uruk-Haiyou been following the XPN greatest albums countdown?
Neil's appearances (compilations and live albums were eligible):
26. Deja Vu (with CSNY)
51. After the Gold Rush
56. Harvest
135. Harvest Moon
153. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
201. Rust Never Sleeps
371. On the Beach
374. Four Way Street (with CSNY)
463. Zuma
476. Tonight's the Night
566. Decade
759. So Far (with CSNY)
868. Ragged Glory
881. Live Rust
1177. Comes a Time
1232. Buffalo Springfield s/t
1501. Buffalo Springfield Again
I used one of my 10 votes on Rust Never Sleeps.
I happened to be on the car when Four Way Street came up, and the track they chose to play was Carry On, with its incredible guitar duel between Neil and Stills.
Neil's appearances (compilations and live albums were eligible):
26. Deja Vu (with CSNY)
51. After the Gold Rush
56. Harvest
135. Harvest Moon
153. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
201. Rust Never Sleeps
371. On the Beach
374. Four Way Street (with CSNY)
463. Zuma
476. Tonight's the Night
566. Decade
759. So Far (with CSNY)
868. Ragged Glory
881. Live Rust
1177. Comes a Time
1232. Buffalo Springfield s/t
1501. Buffalo Springfield Again
I used one of my 10 votes on Rust Never Sleeps.
I happened to be on the car when Four Way Street came up, and the track they chose to play was Carry On, with its incredible guitar duel between Neil and Stills.
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Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I did. I missed when some of these came up. I thought Rust Never Sleeps would be higher and I would have had the BS albums higher than some of the solo records.
Overall, there weren't a ton of surprises in the countdown once they got inside of the final 100. I had guessed the top 3 once they got to the top 10 (though I thought Born To Run would be #1).
I don't recall the 10 I submitted, but I think only maybe half of them made it.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Yeah, the top 100 was about what one would expect from an electorate primarily consisting of suburban boomers and Gen-Xers.
What I found interesting looking at the final list is the comparison where each album finished in the 2005 poll. The 2005 rankings looked a lot more rock-critic-hivemind than the 2021 rankings did. I suspect this is because anyone can find practically any song/album online now, and expose themselves to whatever music they want whenever, and that was not the case in 2005, so people were more reliant on "expert opinion" then than they are now.
I would have had RNS way higher, had Harvest way lower (its highs are very high, but its lows are very low), had Buffalo Springfield Again orders of magnitude higher, and found room for Freedom somewhere.
What I found interesting looking at the final list is the comparison where each album finished in the 2005 poll. The 2005 rankings looked a lot more rock-critic-hivemind than the 2021 rankings did. I suspect this is because anyone can find practically any song/album online now, and expose themselves to whatever music they want whenever, and that was not the case in 2005, so people were more reliant on "expert opinion" then than they are now.
I would have had RNS way higher, had Harvest way lower (its highs are very high, but its lows are very low), had Buffalo Springfield Again orders of magnitude higher, and found room for Freedom somewhere.
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jwb
Footballguy
@Pip's Invitation - what do you think of Barn?
I like it quite a bit. He clearly cannot sing like he used to, with his voice mellowing into... well, an old man's. And, like most older songwriters, doesn't write in the cool abstract anymore. His thoughts are pretty straightforward.
That said, Neil is still Neil. I really like the guitar in Welcome Back. Get a Cortez-lite vibe there.
I just upgraded my NYA sub to watch the movies/etc. Neil's about the only artist I'd even consider doing a subscription to.
I like it quite a bit. He clearly cannot sing like he used to, with his voice mellowing into... well, an old man's. And, like most older songwriters, doesn't write in the cool abstract anymore. His thoughts are pretty straightforward.
That said, Neil is still Neil. I really like the guitar in Welcome Back. Get a Cortez-lite vibe there.
I just upgraded my NYA sub to watch the movies/etc. Neil's about the only artist I'd even consider doing a subscription to.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
I listened yesterday and really liked it but did notice how weak and frail his voice is getting. His voice works better on the slower “back porch”songs than the rockers where his limitation are very noticeable. I’ll listen again a few more times (while it’s new) but with so much Neil music out there it’s unlikely I’ll revisit that often.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
Haven’t listened to it yet.
Been real busy. I’ll try to get to it soon.
As you may remember from my previous comments in this thread, Neil doesn’t have a great batting average for me in the 21st century, particularly after 2012. So I haven’t leapt to hear his new material immediately like I used to.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
They did a couple of noon-time playlists this past week featuring the biggest risers and droppers between the two countdowns. I think your take on the differences makes sense.
Being a big Stevie Wonder fan, I was shocked at how high Songs In The Key Of Life finished and how (relatively) low Innervisions came in.
skol asylum
Footballguy
rockaction
Footballguy
This was a labor of love and a great thread. Got me looking at the XPN list last night. I'd comment on the list in more detail, but want to keep this about Neil.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
If you want to make such comments but can’t figure out where to put them, I have no problem with you doing it here.
Most Neil fans would have several of his solo albums outrank Deja Vu, but peak CSNY still has such a hold on Boomers after all these years. The deluxe edition coming out this year probably helped it on the ballot, as it was fresh in people’s minds again.
rockaction
Footballguy
Thanks, Pip. I'm not sure how to keep it relevant even to Neil's genre, which is pretty much rock.
I honestly couldn't believe Franz Ferdinand's first album didn't make the list. The Killers's Hot Fuss was at position 206 or something, and the rest of the aughts dance/punk revival was just nowhere to be found. Stunning, though I guess it's not a genre that many voters would like -- or even have warm memories or feelings about given the demographic you describe. I mean, they were going nearly four deep with They Might Be Giants albums (and I truly did get a kick out of that in a good way) and nothing from Franz.
Seemed weird.
But that was late night perusal. Explosions In The Sky made it, which stunned me. Around position 1200 or so.
I honestly couldn't believe Franz Ferdinand's first album didn't make the list. The Killers's Hot Fuss was at position 206 or something, and the rest of the aughts dance/punk revival was just nowhere to be found. Stunning, though I guess it's not a genre that many voters would like -- or even have warm memories or feelings about given the demographic you describe. I mean, they were going nearly four deep with They Might Be Giants albums (and I truly did get a kick out of that in a good way) and nothing from Franz.
Seemed weird.
But that was late night perusal. Explosions In The Sky made it, which stunned me. Around position 1200 or so.
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Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
I agree that the genre is probably a blind spot for the listener demographic. And FF’s star faded long ago. The Killers are still huge today and have transcended the genre they came from, so their rankings didn’t surprise me at all.
The cult album I voted for — Fantastic Planet by Failure — didn’t make it, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that two other cult albums I love, Crack the Sky’s self-titled debut and Gene Clark’s No Other, did.
Getting back to Neil, frankly I was surprised Comes a Time made the list. Each voter only got 10 slots to use. Comes a Time is a pleasant album, but its second side is weak and IMO Neil has many albums that are better than it. I find it hard to fathom why anyone would pick it as one of their 10 given what else is available. I guess the electorate skewed heavily in favor of acoustic Neil, given that his three highest-ranking solo albums were ATGR, Harvest and Harvest Moon.
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rockaction
Footballguy
Not sure if this one has been covered in here, but here's Neil and Devo doing a cover of "Hey Hey, My My," led by Mark Mothersbaugh's alter ego, Booji Boy. Um, interesting stuff.
Link to video (lots of string raking and weird vox):
https://youtu.be/VimyH1uoZt0
Link to blurb/article:
https://boingboing.net/2021/12/29/neil-young-and-devos-deeply-weird-early-version-of-hey-hey-my-my-into-the-black.html
Link to video (lots of string raking and weird vox):
https://youtu.be/VimyH1uoZt0
Link to blurb/article:
https://boingboing.net/2021/12/29/neil-young-and-devos-deeply-weird-early-version-of-hey-hey-my-my-into-the-black.html
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
OK, @jwb, here we go.Haven’t listened to it yet.
Been real busy. I’ll try to get to it soon.
As you may remember from my previous comments in this thread, Neil doesn’t have a great batting average for me in the 21st century, particularly after 2012. So I haven’t leapt to hear his new material immediately like I used to.
Song of the Seasons -- Starts out like a standard Neil acoustic song opening, but once Neil starts singing, you can tell this is of newer vintage. When his voice shows its age, it's most apparent on the acoustic stuff. He warbles a lot now. The harmonica and accordion (the latter presumably by Nils Lofgren) are nicely done. The lyrics, featuring lots of nature imagery, are nothing outstanding, but they are pleasant and not cringey, which is a win for him these days. While not up to the standards of his best acoustic stuff, this wouldn't sound out of place on Prairie Wind, which is also a win for him these days.
Heading West -- Like Don't Be Denied, this is a song about moving from Toronto to Winnipeg as a child, and is deeply autobiographical. He gets highly specific about real-life details like being separated from his brother, who stayed with their father in Toronto while Neil moved out west with his mother. The musical backing is standard Crazy Horse crunch, not all that different from what we heard a few years ago on Colorado. A good listen.
Change Ain't Never Gonna -- Led by harmonica and barrelhouse piano, this song opens with a lyrical callback (to Ten Men Workin' from This Note's for You) but quickly unravels into political ramblings. As has been typical with his political songs of the 21st century, Neil tries to cram in too many words and kills the flow of the song. Mercifully ending after less than 3 minutes and not as embarrassing as much of the political stuff on The Monsanto Years and The Visitor, it is nonetheless something I don't expect to want to revisit much.
Canerican -- Opening with muscular riffage, this one gets your attention quickly. The lyrics are again autobiographical, going into how he came to America from Canada. While he calls out some of the worst elements of American life, he does so in a pretty stately way, without coming off as "old man yells at clouds" like so much of his recent work. The chorus is a bit clunky, probably because none of them can sing much anymore, but this is very high quality by post-2012 standards.
Shape of You -- Appears to be a love song to wife Daryl Hannah. He doesn't have the vocal chops to pull off something like this anymore. The "Shape of YOOOOU" on the chorus is just not a pleasant listening experience, he sounds like a drunk guy who came out for open mic night. Feels like it was written, rehearsed and recorded in the span of less than 30 minutes. There's no way this sees the light of day if someone with less clout than Neil Young comes up with it.
They Might Be Lost -- This sounds like something out of side 1 of Hawks & Doves, of all things. The harmonica does much of the heavy lifting, which is good given the state of Neil's voice these days. It tells a story, not the kind of thing Neil does a whole lot these days, but leaves a lot of mystery in the air, as much of the second half of the song is instrumental. This song has subtlety, which has been missing from much of Neil's work this century, so that's a welcome development.
Human Race -- Cut from the same cloth as The Monsanto Years material. Musically, hard-charging and forthright, recalling some of his greatest electric work. Lyrically, a lot of ranting and raving and finger pointing about environmental issues. Some seriously apocalyptic stuff going on in here. Would be happy to see this live -- it'd hopefully be too loud for me to hear the lyrics.
Tumblin' Thru the Years -- A jaunty song with nostalgic lyrics. Reminds me a bit of One of These Days in that way.
Welcome Back -- "Gonna sing an old song to you right now/One that you heard before" backed by a slow electric grind makes you think of Cortez the Killer at first. But this actually sounds like the more ethereal tracks from Sleeps With Angels. "Welcome back, welcome back/It's not the same/The shade is just you blinking" sounds like a message about global warming, but it's delivered hauntingly, without the judgmental postures that have characterized Neil's "message" music for the last 20 years. Great stuff.
Don't Forget Love -- A piano ballad with a nice sentiment, the song relies far too much on singing to do what it needs to do, and Neil and the Horse just aren't up to that anymore.
This is a very hard record to pin down. The sound is all over the place, as are the quality of the songs. It's hard to fathom that Welcome Back and Shape of You would come from the same artist. It's just Neil being Neil, and given that he's 76 years old and we're in the middle of a pandemic, we have to be thankful for that.
Would anything make my top 101? No.
Would anything make my top 204? Welcome Back and Canerican would be considered.
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