What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Countdown of my top 101 Neil Young songs. Now with entries 102-204, notable covers and other stuff (1 Viewer)

Pip's Invitation

Footballguy
I have been a Neil Young fanatic almost since birth -- CSNY and Neil were among the few non-classical artists whose albums my parents owned, and things steamrolled from there, greatly helped by my college years coinciding with his late 80s/early 90s renaissance. 

In May, while I was bored during lockdown, I made a list of my top 100 Neil songs. It's now a top 101 because a few weeks after I made the list, Neil put out an archival release with a song I hadn't heard before that would have been in the top 100 if I'd known about it at the time. 

I have been posting one a day on Facebook and on another site where I did a Neil song draft in 2011. @krista4 and @Man of Constant Sorrow encouraged me to post it here as well, so I will. I hit the halfway mark today, so if I average two per day here, I'll be done everywhere at the same time. 

This is not an exhaustive effort like krista's Beatles project. I went back to the Neil song draft I did in 2011 and used that as a rough guide -- what did I pick and when, how did I value other people's picks, what I would have taken had the draft kept going (at the time the draft finished, I posted the songs that hadn't been taken but were still on my board). I'd already heard all those songs a bajillion times, even the rare ones, so I didn't do a massive re-listen. I didn't factor in Neil's post-2011 stuff much because frankly most of it hasn't been very good. I excluded covers but included songs he co-wrote with others. 

Since I'm not an expert on the technical/production side of music, I don't really go into that at all (and most of Neil's stuff is pretty simple, so there isn't as much to say there). In some entries I go into recording and performance history because I geek out about stuff like that, and sometimes I mention if I witnessed a live performance of a song that really made an impact. Counting CSNY I've seen Neil 13 times. Setlists and mini-reviews of the shows I've seen can be found here

I should probably say something about where I got the anecdotes about writing/recording history, Neil's attitude toward things at a given time, etc. Some of them you won't see corroborated online. I have read various books and articles about Neil over the years, and corresponded with a number of people who are even more die-hard about Neil than I am. A lot of this stuff comes from that. Here's a list of what material has been burned into my brain; the first two sources should be considered the most definitive. 

Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippie Dream by Neil Young (Neil's autobiography)
Shakey: Neil Young's Biography by Jimmy McDonough (the only biography that Neil has ever cooperated with, though he disavowed some of it later on, which is standard for him whenever a major interview of his comes out)
A Dreamer of Pictures: Neil Young -- The Man and His Music by David Downing
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: The Visual Documentary by Johnny Rogan
Neil Young: The Visual Documentary by John Robertson
Numerous Rolling Stone articles and interviews, most memorably "The Ego Meets the Dove," an account of the 1974 CSNY reunion tour by Ben Fong-Torres. A lot of these are collected in Neil Young - The Rolling Stone Files: The Ultimate Compendium of Interviews, Articles, Facts, and Opinions from the Files of "Rolling Stone"
The Rust List, an e-mail list for fans of Neil Young. I was active on it from 1998 to 2005-ish. It's not very active anymore, I presume Reddit killed it. 

Live performance history comes from sugarmtn.org, some of which is based on a book called Ghosts on the Road (which I have not read). 

For each entry in the top 101, I've linked the officially released version (if there is one) and at least one live version (if there is one.) As I got further in the countdown, I started putting more links per entry, of different Neil versions across eras and whatever covers by artists I'd heard of that I could find. It got ridiculous toward the end. I don't expect you to view all the links! They're there 1) because of my OCD and 2) to give you more options as to finding a take that might be up your alley.  

So, here we go. Hoping some of you chime in, even if you massively disagree. 

The list:
101. Lookout Joe (Tonight's the Night, 1975; written in 1972-ish; first performed in 1973)
100. Ramada Inn (Psychedelic Pill, 2012)
99. Look Out for My Love (Comes a Time, 1978)
98. Get Back to the Country (Old Ways, 1985)
97. Homefires (unreleased; written and first performed in 1974)
96. This Old Guitar (Prairie Wind, 2005)
95. Slip Away (Broken Arrow, 1996)
94. This Note's for You (This Note's for You, 1988)
93. Mansion on the Hill (Ragged Glory, 1990)
92. Grey Riders (A Treasure, 2011; written and first performed in 1985)
91. Motion Pictures (for Carrie) (On the Beach, 1974)
90. Downtown (Mirror Ball, 1995)
89. White Line (Ragged Glory, 1990; written in 1974; first performed in 1975)
88. Ride My Llama (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979; written in 1975; first performed in 1978)
87. Windward Passage (unreleased; written and performed in 1977)
86. Albuquerque (Tonight's the Night, 1975; written and first performed in 1973)
85. Everybody's Alone (Archives Vol. 1, 2009; written and first performed in 1969)
84. I've Been Waiting for You (Neil Young, 1969)
83. Winterlong (Decade, 1977; written in 1969; first performed in 1970)
82. Sail Away (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979; written in the mid-70s; first performed in 1977)
81. Vacancy (Homegrown, 2020; written in 1974)
80. When You Dance I Can Really Love (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
79. Lotta Love (Comes a Time, 1978; written and first performed in 1976)
78. I Believe in You (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
77. Through My Sails (Zuma, 1975; written in 1973)
76. LA (Time Fades Away, 1973; written in 1968-ish)
75. Goin' Back (Comes a Time, 1978)
74. Crime in the City (Sixty to Zero) (Freedom, 1989)
73. From Hank to Hendrix (Harvest Moon, 1992)
72. Drive Back (Zuma, 1975)
71. World on a String (Tonight's the Night, 1975; written in 1973)
70. Sea of Madness (Woodstock soundtrack, 1970; with CSNY)
69. Razor Love (Silver and Gold, 2000; written and first performed in 1984)
68. On the Way Home (Buffalo Springfield's Last Time Around, 1968)
67. Long May You Run (Stills-Young Band's Long May You Run, 1976; written and first performed in 1974)
66. Like an Inca (Trans, 1982)
65. Interstate (Broken Arrow vinyl version, 1996; written and first performed in 1985)
64. Days That Used to Be (Ragged Glory, 1990; written and first performed in 1988)
63. New Mama (Tonight's the Night, 1975; written in 1972 or 1973; first performed in 1973)
62. Wrecking Ball (Freedom, 1989)
61. Shots (Re*ac*tor, 1981; written and first performed in 1978)
60. Scenery (Mirror Ball, 1995)
59. Live to Ride (unreleased; written and performed in 1993)
58. Prisoners of Rock 'N Roll (Life, 1987)
57. Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown (Tonight's the Night, 1975; written in 1969-ish; first performed in 1970)
56. Too Far Gone (Freedom, 1989; written and first performed in 1976)
55. Natural Beauty (Harvest Moon, 1992)
54. Unknown Legend (Harvest Moon, 1992)
53. Comes a Time (Comes a Time, 1978)
52. Broken Arrow (Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
51. No Hidden Path (Chrome Dreams II, 2007)
50. Heart of Gold (Harvest, 1972)
49. Roll Another Number (for the Road) (Tonight's the Night, 1975; written and first performed in 1973)
48. Last Dance (Time Fades Away, 1973)
47. Welfare Mothers (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
46. Pushed It Over the End (CSNY 1974, 2014; written and performed in 1974)
45. Harvest Moon (Harvest Moon, 1992)
44. Don't Be Denied (Time Fades Away, 1973)
43. Pardon My Heart (Zuma, 1975)
42. Time Fades Away (Time Fades Away, 1973)
41. Change Your Mind (Sleeps with Angels, 1994)
40. Love and Only Love (Ragged Glory, 1990)
39. Don't Cry No Tears (Zuma, 1975; based on a song written in 1964)
38. Mr. Soul (Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
37. Tell Me Why (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
36. The Needle and the Damage Done (Harvest, 1972)
35. Birds (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
34. Silver and Gold (Silver and Gold, 2000; written in 1981; first performed in 1984)
33. Expecting to Fly (Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
32. Sedan Delivery (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979; written in 1976-ish; first performed in 1978)
31. Love to Burn (Ragged Glory, 1990)
30. Words (Between the Lines of Age) (Harvest, 1972)
29. Walk On (On the Beach, 1974)
28. Ordinary People (Chrome Dreams II, 2007; written and first performed in 1988)
27. War of Man (Harvest Moon, 1992)
26. Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
25. The Loner (Neil Young, 1969)
24. Ambulance Blues (On the Beach, 1974)
23. Danger Bird (Zuma, 1975)
22. Only Love Can Break Your Heart (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
21. Cinnamon Girl (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
20. Thrasher (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
19. Pocahontas (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979; written in 1975-ish; first performed in 1976)
18. On the Beach (On the Beach, 1974)
17. Like a Hurricane (American Stars 'N Bars, 1977; written and first performed in 1975)
16. After the Gold Rush (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
15. Revolution Blues (On the Beach, 1974)
14. No More (Freedom, 1989)
13. Don't Let It Bring You Down (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
12. Old Man (Harvest, 1972)
11. F*!#in' Up (Ragged Glory, 1990)
10. Southern Man (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
9. Cowgirl in the Sand (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
8. Tonight's the Night (Tonight's the Night, 1975; written and first performed in 1973)
7. Powderfinger (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979; written in 1968 as "Big Waves")
6. Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) / My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
5. Helpless (CSNY's Deja Vu, 1970)
4. Ohio (CSNY non-album single, 1970)
3. Down by the River (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
2. Rockin' in the Free World (Freedom, 1989)
1. Cortez the Killer (Zuma, 1975)

After I started posting this, I wrote up my rankings for 102-204 since 204 is a thing here: The 102-204 list

Spotify playlist of the list (minus a few rare songs that aren't available) created by @cap'n grunge: Uncle Neil

Links to the tangents that appeared at various points during this thread: 
Why Neil?
My Process Vs. Krista4's
Recipe for Disaster: The Geffen Years
The Members of Crazy Horse 1975-2018
Setlists and Mini-Reviews of My 13 Neil Concerts
Alabama, the Real Source of Inspiration for Sweet Home Alabama
Pegi Young Part 1 Part 2
More Barn
Where my top 101 ranked vs. Rolling Stone's top 100
My top 101 broken down by album
Songs in Rolling Stone's 100 that did not make my 101, writeups of those that did not make my 204
My top 204 broken down by album
Carnival: Neil's Weirdest Song? Courtesy of jwb
Results of the Neil song draft I did in 2011
Notable Covers Neil Has Performed
More Filth: Other Notable Neil Performances
Songs taken in the Neil draft that weren't discussed elsewhere


 
Last edited by a moderator:
101. Lookout Joe (Tonight's the Night, 1975; written in 1972-ish; first performed in 1973)
This song appears on a concept album but isn't actually part of the concept; it was added when the record company decided to release Tonight's the Night after shelving it for 2 years. But it has the same worn-out, world-weary feel as the rest of the songs, and adds a bit of wistfulness as it addresses Vietnam veterans who are strugging to avoid addiction and hopelessness.

Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7exq-sK_7C0

Live version from Tuscaloosa archival release, from early 1973: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLVnLIqdVzo

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'll be following, even though I don't think I'll have much to add. 

I'm not a huge Neil fan: I like a couple of dozen songs, REALLY like a handful more, and am meh on the rest.

BUT - most importantly -  I love reading/hearing people's thoughts on art that they love. And I count it among the very few positive attributes I possess, that I am willing have my mind changed - even on the internet! So I'm hoping for a revelation or two here, though no pressure or anything :lol:

Off-topic: what's the genesis of your user name?

 
101. Lookout Joe (Tonight's the Night, 1975)
This song appears on a concept album but isn't actually part of the concept; it was added when the record company decided to release Tonight's the Night after shelving it for 2 years. But it has the same worn-out, world-weary feel as the rest of the songs, and adds a bit of wistfulness as it addresses Vietnam veterans who are strugging to avoid addiction and hopelessness.

Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7exq-sK_7C0

Live version from Tuscaloosa archival release, from early 1973: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLVnLIqdVzo
Love the live version inclusion. 

 
For me it varies. Some artists are better at one than the other. Neil is incredible at both, though in recent years the scales have tipped toward live. 

ETA: Neil's '80s work was VASTLY better live than in the studio. The conventional wisdom is that those were dud years for him. Not on the road.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Definitely in. 

Curious to see what the highest ranking "recent" song is, I would put one 90s song in my top 10, maybe top 5. 

 
100. Ramada Inn (Psychedelic Pill, 2012)
There aren't that many songs from this millenium that made the list, thanks to the amazing work Neil did in the previous one. But this, the standout track from his 2012 reunion with Crazy Horse, where he just let everyone do their thing, is deserving. Not as in-your-face as most of his guitar blowouts from the 20th century (or a thrilling one from earlier in the 21st), this one slowly grows on you, and by about 8 minutes in you're on a fascinating, mesmerizing journey.

Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bi64Y55LEU

Live version from Farm Aid 2012: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfI3AehnirQ

 
Which itself is borrowed from Great Expectations, if I'm not conflating books and episodes here.

"Well, my father's family name being Pirip, and my Christian name being Phillip..."
Yes, that is indeed the deal. I'm actually not a Dickens fan. I just thought that scene was really funny in 1999 or whenever it was when I created this account. 

 
101. Lookout Joe (Tonight's the Night, 1975)
This song appears on a concept album but isn't actually part of the concept; it was added when the record company decided to release Tonight's the Night after shelving it for 2 years. But it has the same worn-out, world-weary feel as the rest of the songs, and adds a bit of wistfulness as it addresses Vietnam veterans who are strugging to avoid addiction and hopelessness.

Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7exq-sK_7C0

Live version from Tuscaloosa archival release, from early 1973: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLVnLIqdVzo
Just listened to this one, which I hadn't heard before.  Loved it.

Neil has been so prolific - how many songs would you estimate he has overall that you're culling 101 from?

Is he your favorite artist of all time?  What is it about his music that does it for you?

 
Just listened to this one, which I hadn't heard before.  Loved it.

Neil has been so prolific - how many songs would you estimate he has overall that you're culling 101 from?

Is he your favorite artist of all time?  What is it about his music that does it for you?
sugarmtn.org, a website that keeps Neil setlists and other stats, estimates he has written 619 songs. He has 41 non-archival studio albums (not counting ones he did with Buffalo Springfield, CSNY and the Stills-Young Band, for which he contributed some songs) plus one live album, Time Fades Away (1973), that consisted entirely of previously unreleased songs and is thus treated in the "original album" category by the fanbase. He is an extraordinarily prolific writer and, especially in the '70s and '80s, cranked out enough material to fill tons of "lost albums." Many of these songs circulated on bootlegs over the years, and many have been subsequently released by Neil in recent years as part of his Archives project. 

The answer to your second question is yes.

To answer your third question fully would take hours to write and probably exceed the character count of a FBG post. The simplest answer is that no other major artist feels as REAL to me. Everything Neil does is passionate and, aside from a few years in the '80s when he was fighting with his record company and started to troll them, is the uncompromised product of his artistic vision. There is no bulls**t with him; not in his writing, not in his production, and certainly not in his performance. I too have a very low tolerance for bulls**t so that's one reason I feel a strong connection to him. His songwriting abilities are on par with Dylan, and he is capable of writing the most spine-tingling acoustic stuff and the most bone-rattling electric stuff. And IMO he is the greatest live performer in rock history -- and live music is very important to me. He gives everything at every show and is capable of stunning you on any given night. Even today. One of the best shows I ever saw was my last Neil concert in 2015, when he was 69 years old. 

 
To answer your third question fully would take hours to write and probably exceed the character count of a FBG post. The simplest answer is that no other major artist feels as REAL to me. Everything Neil does is passionate and, aside from a few years in the '80s when he was fighting with his record company and started to troll them, is the uncompromised product of his artistic vision. There is no bulls**t with him; not in his writing, not in his production, and certainly not in his performance. I too have a very low tolerance for bulls**t so that's one reason I feel a strong connection to him. His songwriting abilities are on par with Dylan, and he is capable of writing the most spine-tingling acoustic stuff and the most bone-rattling electric stuff. And IMO he is the greatest live performer in rock history -- and live music is very important to me. He gives everything at every show and is capable of stunning you on any given night. Even today. One of the best shows I ever saw was my last Neil concert in 2015, when he was 69 years old. 
Love this.  Just what I'd hoped to hear.  I'm even more excited for your countdown now!

ETA:  I've never seen him live and I'm regretting that right now.  Hopefully still an opportunity.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
ETA:  I've never seen him live and I'm regretting that right now.  Hopefully still an opportunity.
Neil rarely ever takes extended breaks from touring. Most notably, he did not tour for three years (1979-81) due to the birth of his son who had severe cerebral palsy and the extremely labor-intensive "training" programs the family had to do with him. When a less-intensive method was found in 1982, he went back on the road. Otherwise, his breaks have been due to health issues or the coronavirus. sugarmtn.org has documented 2,360 concerts -- and likely quite a few dates from his early years are missing. 

So, once concerts can happen again, if Neil is up to it, he will do them. 

 
His songwriting abilities are on par with Dylan, and he is capable of writing the most spine-tingling acoustic stuff and the most bone-rattling electric stuff. And IMO he is the greatest live performer in rock history -- and live music is very important to me. He gives everything at every show and is capable of stunning you on any given night. Even today. One of the best shows I ever saw was my last Neil concert in 2015, when he was 69 years old. 
Was this show with Promise or the Real? I saw him in 2015 with them, 3 hour set, basically an hour more acoustic, an hour 'The Monsanto Years' and an hour of rocking faces. 

 
Yes. From a versatility perspective IMO Promise of the Real are the best backing band he’s ever had. They can handle ALL his styles. Crazy Horse, CSNY, etc can’t. 

 
98. Get Back to the Country (Old Ways, 1985)
Neil tried out a number of different genres in the '80s, usually with disappointing results. His country album, Old Ways, was no exception. It was mostly corny and overproduced, with the exception of this barnburner collaboration with Waylon Jennings, which would have fit in just fine on any of the better "outlaw country" records of the '70s.
Live, this material -- and other country-style songs he wrote around this time that didn't make the record -- really soared with the crack backing band he put together, the International Harvesters. The 1984-85 shows I've heard with the International Harvesters are excellent. These shows were finally given a formal showcase with the 2011 release of the archives project A Treasure. Believe it or not, I have seen this song performed live (December 2008 at MSG).

Note: There are more songs on the list that were written during the Geffen years (1981-87) but not included on Geffen albums than there are that made it on the Geffen albums (Trans, Everybody's Rockin', Old Ways, Landing on Water and Life).

Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGEks2yzR48&fbclid=IwAR0RVoIc25PqhSo_1n9ZKojP5q_dUJ0-ZDR5IgjaFlaiufN3RuUPtsjQBF8

Live version from A Treasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xofQES5Y58k&fbclid=IwAR1KtdOvXWV_KbERUHuMrJzPVe5Xvd64jO9T91lL-nzxBCXCSerY5YWU1RI

 
Last edited by a moderator:
When I was in high school I was kinda a rule follower.  I only skipped class one time in four years — to leave school in the middle of the day and buy Neil Young tickets as soon as they went on sale.  I saw Neil a few times so I’m not sure but I’m pretty sure it was the Ragged Glory Tour because that album came out my senior year.  

 
When I was in high school I was kinda a rule follower.  I only skipped class one time in four years — to leave school in the middle of the day and buy Neil Young tickets as soon as they went on sale.  I saw Neil a few times so I’m not sure but I’m pretty sure it was the Ragged Glory Tour because that album came out my senior year.  
My first Neil show was on that tour! It's still at the top of my best-shows-I've seen ranking and, if you count my friends' bands playing in bars, I have been to more than 1,000 rock concerts. I will have a LOT to say about that tour during this countdown. 

 
Dr. Octopus said:
I like “Old Ways”.
I like the idea better than the execution. It also loses some luster for me because several songs performed on the 1984-85 tours that didn't make the album were better than anything that did. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
97. Homefires (Archives Vol. II, 2021; written and first performed in 1974)
In 1974, Neil wrote a series of heartbreaking songs about the end of his relationship with the mother of his oldest child. This is the most devastating. They were intended for inclusion on an album called Homegrown, which he described as "the other side of Harvest," and some, including this one, were performed on that year's CSNY reunion tour. The couplet "I'm free to give my love/but you're not the one I'm thinking of" is a real gut punch.
As you might expect, an entire collection of these kinds of songs would be a real downer, so in 1975 Neil shelved Homegrown* and his label put out Tonight's the Night, which it had shelved 2 years earlier, instead. Many of Neil's unreleased sessions and albums (and there are MANY) leaked out legitimately or illegitimately over the years, but Homegrown never did. But it finally got an official release in June as part of his Archives series. Neil recorded a ton of songs at those sessions and it turned out Homefires didn’t make the cut.
At least there are a few live versions of Homefires on Youtube.
The song finally got an official release on Archives Vol. II.

I can't find a version from the 1974 CSNY tour on Youtube. Here is one from the 1992 solo acoustic tour in Philly (woot!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhum2CDbG4k

Archives Vol. II version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC6cYexi5Co

* - As Homegrown was being prepared for release, Neil played a tape of it at a small party which included members of The Band. At some point, the tape got flipped over, and on the other side was Tonight's the Night, which was supposed to be released in 1973 but was shelved by his label for being too uncommercial. Everyone at the party told Neil they liked Tonight's the Night better. Neil decided he agreed and asked the label to put out TTN instead of Homegrown. Since Neil's star was rising again after the 1974 CSNY reunion tour, the label bosses granted him his wish.
 
Last edited:
Pip's...thanks for this undertaking. Lo e Neil for all the reasons you have highlighted. And then some.

Last Neil show I saw was a Hurricane Sandy benefit show he did at the Borgata in AC. Neil and the Horse in a 3500 seat ballroom (for the Pearl Jam followers checking in, same spot they did their two days at...fortunate enough to have seen both of those as well). To see them both in such a small venue was incredible. He squeezed it in on the Psychedelic Pill tour and donated all proceeds (still have the tour shirts from it, which the proceeds were also donated from).

To offer some commentary (as well as get some opinions), I wish David Briggs was still around d to produce him, as he was one voice in Neil's circle that would call him out on some of his "indulgence". IMHO, that is where his latter material is so spotty. He has no one to help focus and clear the wheat from the chaff. But at this point, he has no one to please but himself. And there are few artists who can still put out some quality stuff 50 years on.

Seeing "Ramada Inn" pop up made me revisit Psychedelic Pill. What is your view on "Driftin' Back"?  Only 27+ minutes long, but some early Neil codger material, with some great lines (liked Picasso until Microsoft turned it into wallpaper ad an example)

Might be the bourbon talking at this point, but hope to weigh in periodically/anecdotally.

 
Pip's Invitation said:
98. Get Back to the Country (Old Ways, 1985)
Neil tried out a number of different genres in the '80s, usually with disappointing results. His country album, Old Ways, was no exception. It was mostly corny and overproduced, with the exception of this barnburner collaboration with Waylon Jennings, which would have fit in just fine on any of the better "outlaw country" records of the '70s.
Live, this material -- and other country-style songs he wrote around this time that didn't make the record -- really soared with the crack backing band he put together, the International Harvesters. The 1984-85 shows I've heard with the International Harvesters are excellent. These shows were finally given a formal showcase with the 2011 release of the archives project A Treasure. Believe it or not, I have seen this song performed live (December 2008 at MSG).

Note: There are more songs on the list that were written during the Geffen years (1981-87) but not included on Geffen albums than there are that made it on the Geffen albums (Trans, Everybody's Rockin', Old Ways, Landing on Water and Life).

Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGEks2yzR48&fbclid=IwAR0RVoIc25PqhSo_1n9ZKojP5q_dUJ0-ZDR5IgjaFlaiufN3RuUPtsjQBF8

Live version from A Treasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xofQES5Y58k&fbclid=IwAR1KtdOvXWV_KbERUHuMrJzPVe5Xvd64jO9T91lL-nzxBCXCSerY5YWU1RI
Band sounds great on this, especially the fiddle player.  Is that a Jew's Harp sound in there?  I found that really distracting, but other than that I liked this.

 
Band sounds great on this, especially the fiddle player.  Is that a Jew's Harp sound in there?  I found that really distracting, but other than that I liked this.
It is a Jew's Harp. The International Harvesters were mostly top Nashville session guys. I believe the fiddle on this -- and other Neil albums that required fiddle -- was performed by Rufus Thibodeaux. 

 
97. Homefires (unreleased; written and first performed in 1974)
In 1974, Neil wrote a series of heartbreaking songs about the end of his relationship with the mother of his oldest child. This is the most devastating. They were intended for inclusion on an album called Homegrown, which he described as "the other side of Harvest," and some, including this one, were performed on that year's CSNY reunion tour. The couplet "I'm free to give my love/but you're not the one I'm thinking of" is a real gut punch.
As you might expect, an entire collection of these kinds of songs would be a real downer, so in 1975 Neil shelved Homegrown* and his label put out Tonight's the Night, which it had shelved 2 years earlier, instead. Many of Neil's unreleased sessions and albums (and there are MANY) leaked out legitimately or illegitimately over the years, but Homegrown never did. But it finally got an official release in June as part of his Archives series. Neil recorded a ton of songs at those sessions and it turned out Homefires didn’t make the cut.
At least there are a few live versions of Homefires on Youtube. 

I can't find a version from the 1974 CSNY tour on Youtube. Here is one from the 1992 solo acoustic tour in Philly (woot!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhum2CDbG4k

* - As Homegrown was being prepared for release, Neil played a tape of it at a small party which included members of The Band. At some point, the tape got flipped over, and on the other side was Tonight's the Night, which was supposed to be released in 1973 but was shelved by his label for being too uncommercial. Everyone at the party told Neil they liked Tonight's the Night better. Neil decided he agreed and asked the label to put out TTN instead of Homegrown. Since Neil's star was rising again after the 1974 CSNY reunion tour, the label bosses granted him his wish. 
Wow, this was beautiful.  That's why I love a countdown like this - I know very little of Neil's music and would never have heard this otherwise.  Of course, I love songs that are devastating, the more so the better!

 
Pip's...thanks for this undertaking. Lo e Neil for all the reasons you have highlighted. And then some.

Last Neil show I saw was a Hurricane Sandy benefit show he did at the Borgata in AC. Neil and the Horse in a 3500 seat ballroom (for the Pearl Jam followers checking in, same spot they did their two days at...fortunate enough to have seen both of those as well). To see them both in such a small venue was incredible. He squeezed it in on the Psychedelic Pill tour and donated all proceeds (still have the tour shirts from it, which the proceeds were also donated from).

To offer some commentary (as well as get some opinions), I wish David Briggs was still around d to produce him, as he was one voice in Neil's circle that would call him out on some of his "indulgence". IMHO, that is where his latter material is so spotty. He has no one to help focus and clear the wheat from the chaff. But at this point, he has no one to please but himself. And there are few artists who can still put out some quality stuff 50 years on.

Seeing "Ramada Inn" pop up made me revisit Psychedelic Pill. What is your view on "Driftin' Back"?  Only 27+ minutes long, but some early Neil codger material, with some great lines (liked Picasso until Microsoft turned it into wallpaper ad an example)

Might be the bourbon talking at this point, but hope to weigh in periodically/anecdotally.
Thanks for the kind words! Cool story about AC -- sadly I did not go. I'm from the Philly area and most of my Neil shows have been in Philly, Camden or NYC. 

I'm 100% with you on Briggs and in fact was just discussing this with friends the other day. Briggs was the only guy that Neil would listen to when called out on his lesser ideas. After Briggs died in 1995, no one has filled that role, and Neil's material got a LOT less consistent. In fact, many his best albums since then -- notably Silver and Gold and Chrome Dreams II -- have a lot of material written before 1995. 

Driftin' Back -- and Psychedelic Pill as a whole -- is a bit much for me. I prefer his CH stuff to punch, and PP (as well as Colorado) meanders more than I'd like. Ramada Inn has always been the clear standout from that disc for me. But I have not listened to it as a whole in a while and need to do that again. Musically, I prefer The Monsanto Years to PP or Colorado, but his lyrics on that one are AWFUL. 

 
Looking forward to this. I'm a fan but have never really dug in very deep into his catalog. Will use this as an opportunity.

Here's the start of a Spotify playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Pdpra7df48gT4M7nfEiUG?si=93l0EUECTXmkh535EuqAcA

Affectionately named by how Eddie and the guys from Pearl Jam address the prolific godfather of grunge. Keep on rockin'.
This is awesome, thanks for setting it up.

I suspect Neil much preferred being called "Uncle" to "Godfather."

 
Last Neil show I saw was a Hurricane Sandy benefit show he did at the Borgata in AC. Neil and the Horse in a 3500 seat ballroom (for the Pearl Jam followers checking in, same spot they did their two days at...fortunate enough to have seen both of those as well). To see them both in such a small venue was incredible. He squeezed it in on the Psychedelic Pill tour and donated all proceeds (still have the tour shirts from it, which the proceeds were also donated from).
Smallest venue I've seen him in is the Tower (capacity 3,119) in 1999 and 2007. Largest is the ampitheater in Camden that changes names every few years (capacity 25,488) in 1996, 2000, 2003, 2006 (Farm Aid) and 2015. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
96. This Old Guitar (Prairie Wind, 2005)
One of the things I've most admired about Neil is that he can write about or from the perspective of anyone -- or anything. This unexpectedly emotional song is about a guitar he has that was once owned by Hank Williams, and is one of his standouts from this century. A harmony vocal from Emmylou Harris doesn't hurt. And yes, it includes a few licks from another one of his songs that will appear later.

Studio version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrKVuKCD7Qo&feature=youtu.be

Live version from his 2006 concert film Heart of Gold, appropriately filmed in Nashville: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkm76j6B5WM

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Everything Neil does is passionate and, aside from a few years in the '80s when he was fighting with his record company and started to troll them, is the uncompromised product of his artistic vision. There is no bulls**t with him; not in his writing, not in his production, and certainly not in his performance. I too have a very low tolerance for bulls**t so that's one reason I feel a strong connection to him. His songwriting abilities are on par with Dylan, and he is capable of writing the most spine-tingling acoustic stuff and the most bone-rattling electric stuff. And IMO he is the greatest live performer in rock history -- and live music is very important to me. He gives everything at every show and is capable of stunning you on any given night. Even today. One of the best shows I ever saw was my last Neil concert in 2015, when he was 69 years old. 
Huge fan.

Neil is a unique guy in that he's about as spontaneous as it gets. He does what he feels like doing, and when he doesn't want to do it anymore, he stops. From shelving albums to quitting tours to completely changing his direction after a hit, he's true to himself, and nobody else. He's made a ton of $$, and he's spent a ton of $$, probably without giving either a second thought. It's not like what the Beatles alluded to "ok, let's write a swimming pool today".  Have a hard time picturing Neil thinking that about his music.

That 2015 tour with POTR was awesome. I saw it at Bethel Woods (old Woodstock site). He didn't comment much about that, but he's never been one to be overly chatty or nostalgic. But that night we got a 15-minute Cowgirl jam, which was awesome. Was hoping for a Cortez encore, but not to be. You never know what to expect with him... I always figured that's why Neil never got invited to play the Super Bowl... they'd be like "ok Neil, 12 minutes... can we get 5 hits in? And make sure Heart of Gold is one of them" and he'd go out there and do 12 minutes of Down by the River instead.

 
Huge fan.

Neil is a unique guy in that he's about as spontaneous as it gets. He does what he feels like doing, and when he doesn't want to do it anymore, he stops. From shelving albums to quitting tours to completely changing his direction after a hit, he's true to himself, and nobody else. He's made a ton of $$, and he's spent a ton of $$, probably without giving either a second thought. It's not like what the Beatles alluded to "ok, let's write a swimming pool today".  Have a hard time picturing Neil thinking that about his music.

That 2015 tour with POTR was awesome. I saw it at Bethel Woods (old Woodstock site). He didn't comment much about that, but he's never been one to be overly chatty or nostalgic. But that night we got a 15-minute Cowgirl jam, which was awesome. Was hoping for a Cortez encore, but not to be. You never know what to expect with him... I always figured that's why Neil never got invited to play the Super Bowl... they'd be like "ok Neil, 12 minutes... can we get 5 hits in? And make sure Heart of Gold is one of them" and he'd go out there and do 12 minutes of Down by the River instead.
Nah, he'd do 12 minutes of something from The Monsanto Years! Otherwise 100% agreed. He is always relentlessly moving forward and doesn't like looking back -- I think the only reason we're getting all these Archives releases now is that he realizes he has only so much time left, and he wants them done his way. 

On my show of that POTR tour, we DID get a Cortez encore, as part of this out-of-this-world setlist:

2015-07-16, Susquehanna Bank Center, Camden, New Jersey, USA
w/ Promise Of The Real

After The Gold Rush / Heart Of Gold / Long May You Run / Old Man / Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) / Hold Back The Tears / Out On The Weekend / Unknown Legend / Peace Of Mind / From Hank To Hendrix / Harvest Moon / Wolf Moon / Words / Flying On The Ground Is Wrong / Walk On / Bad Fog Of Loneliness / A Rock Star Bucks A Coffee Shop / People Want To Hear About Love / A New Day For Love / Down By The River / Workin' Man / Big Box / Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere / Monsanto Years / If I Don't Know / Love And Only Love // Cortez The Killer / Cinnamon Girl

 
Last edited by a moderator:
In addition to the Super Bowl snub, it's insane that Neil has won only three Grammies, all of which were for relatively minor things in 2010 and 2011 -- and one of which honored his humanitarian efforts as opposed to his music. He never even got a nomination until 1990. And even with less competition because only Canadians are eligible, he has only one Juno award for best album (Harvest Moon)! 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Smile
Reactions: jwb
95. Slip Away (Broken Arrow, 1996)
When Neil's music starts, sometimes I just slip away. That's basically what this is about. Neil's guitar is at its most trance-like and it's a blast to just let it wash over you. It's even better live, and I was fortunate to witness it at my second Neil show in 1996. He hasn't played it since 1997 and needs to bring it back!

Studio version -- not that there was any kind of studio tinkering going on whatsoever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN4qQD2_PfQ&feature=youtu.be

Live version from Year of the Horse soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75eDr4tgA7A

 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top