Neil Young and Joe Rogan are two names you would not usually expect to hear in the same sentence. Yet, the legendary singer-songwriter and long-time activist hit headlines last week for the bold ultimatum he gave to Spotify.
Young’s concern for the disinformation spread by some guests on Rogan’s podcast led him to tweet that Spotify can “have Rogan or Young”. The streaming giant answered by removing Young’s music from their platform.
Neil Young has spent much of his life speaking out and sticking it to the man; his eclectic body of work makes that clear. His work chronicles everything from environmentalism to the human condition.
From his Buffalo Springfield days to his membership of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and of course his solo material; Neil Young has carved out a long and impressive career.
Here are ten great examples of his work that you won’t find on Spotify!
1. Helpless
Helpless is an early classic written by Young but performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (affectionately known as CSNY). This song is the perfect introduction to Young’s folk foundations; you are instantly greeted with the harmonic sounds of violin and piano. His seemingly vulnerable falsetto may seem strange at first but his delivery perfectly matches the retelling of his earliest memories living in a small “town in north Ontario”.
2. Harvest Moon
Young has written many an ode to nature but Harvest Moon is his most profound. Released in the 1992 album of the same name, Harvest Moon is a warm tribute to the lunar phenomenon it is named after. It shuffles along with the energy of a moonlight slow dance whilst country legend Linda Ronstadt’s flawless backing vocals are nothing short of ethereal. Also, make sure to watch the music video, it’s the most heart-warming thing you will see today.
3. The Needle and the Damage done
The Needle and the Damage Done showcases the other, less rosy, side of Young’s work. This concise yet potent song perfectly describes the plight of Young’s fellow musicians to the perils of heroin at the height of the 1970’s. Young’s haunting vocals are accompanied by a sole acoustic guitar, which accentuates the sense of lonely desperation.
4. Out on the Weekend
Great albums need great opening tracks. ‘Out on the Weekend’ is just that for Young’s 1972 masterpiece, Harvest. Young starts the album with a laid-back country classic about escaping the city for the calm of the countryside. The bluegrass musicianship on this tune is amazing, especially the pedal steel guitar, which evokes carefree days in the sun.
5. Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)
Just as Dylan went electric, so did Young in 1979’s Hey Hey, My My. Its proto-grunge sounds and punk narrative offer a stark contrast to Young’s earlier Harvest sound. This song, along with its accompanying acoustic version, tells the story of punk over distortion drenched guitars and thrashing drums. It also features one of Young’s most quotable lyrics. “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”
6. Walk on
1974’s On the Beach album is the complete package. Young’s trademark wistful storytelling is combined with sonic variety and abstract cover art to match. This album also marked the midpoint of Young’s ‘Ditch Trilogy’, the series of albums that followed Harvest’s success. ‘Walk On, the album opener, is the standout for me. Its bright yet bluesy guitars are matched with Young’s characteristic irreverence to such great effect.
7. Cortez the Killer
The cream of Young’s Crazy Horse period, Cortez the Killer is a journey. Featuring in 1975’s Zuma, Cortez the Killer recounts the story of conquistador in chief, Hernán Cortés and his villainy. Young pairs this story of subjugation and heartbreak with equally moving instrumentation. Stirring guitar solos surround Young’s lyrics, which first emerge nearly four minutes into the song. The sheer power of this song was enough to get it banned in Franco’s Spain.
8. After the Gold Rush
Across Young’s fifty year discography, 1970’s ‘After the Gold Rush’ provides the broadest lyrical variety. Musings on protest, love and loss feature throughout, yet the title track, ‘After the Gold Rush’ offers the most mesmerizing message. Despite being one of Young’s most covered songs to date, critics have long battled over the song’s cryptic meaning. Even Young himself said that the meaning escapes him. Yet the song’s beauty lies in its ambiguity, as well as its delicate instrumentation.
9. Down by the River
Alongside his storied reputation as a songwriter, Young’s mastery of the guitar is also the stuff of legend. Just like all the best guitarists in the rock genre, he could make his instrument sing. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the nine-minute masterpiece, ‘Down by the River’, released on the 1969 album ‘Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere’. Young deploys scintillating solos and pioneering distortion on a tune that has seemingly infinite replay value.
10. Old Man
If not abundantly clear already, 1972’s Harvest is Young’s magnum opus. It gave birth to Young’s arguably best-loved ballad, Heart of Gold, which reached number one in the year of its release. However, it’s the album’s other hit single that takes the crown. The message behind ‘Old Man’ is a humble one. Young compares the lives of a young man to the titular old man, concluding that they share much in the way of needs and experiences. The lyrics are a simple nod to the universality of human experience; a point that is driven home by an anthemic chorus. Sonically, Old Man is rich in Young’s pastoral charm. The banjo, played by the equally legendary James Taylor, levels the mood after each soaring chorus. It is a timeless classic and the best of Neil Young’s storied career.
Words by Harrison Galliven
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