Neil Young song draft

[Erik]

Mith didn't send me any other backups, so now we wait on him.

[Lucky]

Speaking of superlative singer/songwriters like Dylan and Young, there's always Tom Waits and his 20 studio releases and one live album to pick from.

I would be up for:

Waits,
The Who,
Clapton (including Yardbirds, Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek & the Dominos, Delaney & Bonnie, etc.)
Stones
REM
James Brown
70's soul
Heavy Metal
Pretty much any genre that I might know anything about.

I'd be up for about anything, but a lot of the artists that have been suggested are ones I know simply nothing about (or at least very little). Radiohead is a good example. Great band, but I don't know much past their three biggest albums.

Motown? Stax?

[DMT]

Bowie would be a good pick. I think the genre drafts are a good idea. Jazz from '20 to '75; Jazz from '76 forward; blues since '60; Norwegian black metal; funk; country prior to 1985; the possibilities are almost endless.

Was this implying you'd participate in a Bowie draft? Just asking since you didn't list him and I want to keep track in case it gets up and running.

[Erik]

Some more running commentary:

10.06. Johnny - Piece of Crap (Sleeps with Angels, 1994)

I mentioned that SWA belies Neil's insistence that CH are "raw primitives" without much technical skill. This, however, is the one song on the album that conforms to the stereotype, and it's glorious.

10.07. Mith - Drive Back (Zuma, 1975)

One of the greatest "love 'em and leave 'em" songs you'll find. Apparently it closely resembled Neil's real life between his breakup with Carrie Snodgress (the mother of his oldest son) and his marriage to Pegi (the mother of his two younger children.)

10.08. DMT - Winterlong (Decade, 1977)

Fascinating experiment that applies Phil Spector-type arrangements to bare-bones rock. Too good to have sat in the can for seven years before seeing the light on Decade, and too good to have lasted this long.

11.01. DMT - Lookout Joe (Tonight's the Night, 1975)

The version of TTN that was rejected by Reprise in 1973 only had nine of the 12 songs that comprised the released version. A condition of releasing it in 1975 was that Neil would add some more melodic songs to "lighten the mood." How this (a dark song about a friend who's down on his luck, first seen on the Time Fades Away tour in 1973), Borrowed Tune (whose vocal is nearly as screechy as Mellow My Mind's) and Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown (in which Danny Whitten's raspy voice details a drug deal) constitute "lightening," I have no idea, but there you have it. The '70s were a strange time.

11.02. Mith - Love Is a Rose (Decade, 1977)

Neil has written this song twice -- it's the same music and melody as "Dance Dance Dance," which he played with CH in 1970 and has occasionally revived since. Love Is a Rose has better lyrics, though.

11.03. Johnny - Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)

I usually skip this song. It bores me and the violin part gets on my nerves. I guess I wouldn't like Nick Cave.

11.05. Overkill - A Dream That Can Last (Sleeps with Angels, 1994)

It was nice of him to end such a bleak album with a glimmer of hope -- and with the same tack piano as the opener, "My Heart."

11.06. Cobain - Train of Love (Sleeps with Angels, 1994)

Neil has written this song twice, too. It's the same song as "Western Hero" from the same album, just with different words. I like this one better, it's soothing.

11.07. Foot - Rapid Transit (Re*ac*tor, 1981)

Of all the songs from Re*ac*tor, the only one I less expected to see in this draft was the infamous "T-Bone," which is a strong contender for Neil's worst song. "Rapid Transit" sounds like Devo on meth.

11.08. Lucky - Wrecking Ball (Freedom, 1989)

Love this. A strong case can be made that the best four songs on Freedom are the last four, starting with this one. Check out Emmylou Harris' cover of this if you haven't already, it's breathtaking.

12.01. Lucky - Don't Be Denied (Time Fades Away, 1973)

I didn't really understand the point of this when I first heard it. It's about going to a new school and getting beaten up, so what? But I like it much more now, especially since I understand that it's really about how music can make your life better, no matter how bad you think it is.

12.02. Foot - Lotta Love (Comes a Time, 1978; special citation for Live Rust, 1979)

An absolute steal. There are only so many Neil songs that non-Neil fans have heard of, and this is one of them. His version is way better than Nicolette Larson's Top 40 cover, as I'm sure it goes without saying. I always found it odd that Nicolette sings harmony on most of Comes a Time, but she covered one of the few songs from it that she DIDN'T sing on.

12.03. Cobain - Don't Cry (Eldorado EP & Freedom, 1989)

Neil in freakout mode -- the Japanese EP version is even more freaky.

12.06. Johnny - The Old Country Waltz (American Stars 'N Bars, 1977)

I really don't care for Side 1 of AS'NB except for Bite the Bullet. The rest of it has always struck me as generic.

12.07. Mith - Over and Over (Ragged Glory, 1990)

All that's on YouTube is the hacked-to-bits radio version. That needs to be rectified. Neil's guitar really soars on the full eight-minute version.

12.08. DMT - Country Home (Ragged Glory, 1990, but written and first performed in 1976)

Here is your evidence that RG more than anything is a latter-day Zuma. This song was a Zuma outtake and was played on the 1976 tour promoting it. And 14 years later, it showed up on RG COMPLETELY unchanged. It was on my list for the next few rounds.

13.01. DMT - Philadelphia (Philadelphia soundtrack, 1993)

Springsteen's song is what got all the attention from the soundtrack, but Neil's is way better. His performances of it on the 1999 solo tour were stunning.

[Erik]

Since we have two votes for ending the draft at 15 rounds and no votes for extending it, the draft will end at 15 rounds unless anyone wishes to reopen the discussion.

What I'll do after the draft is spotlight the songs I would have targeted had the draft been longer. Anyone else who wants to should do that, too.

[Erik]

Songs by decade of release:

60s: 10
70s: 55
80s: 12
90s: 17
00s: 2
Unreleased: 1

Songs by album:

After the Gold Rush: 9
Harvest: 8
Freedom: 8 (Cobain has most of them)
On the Beach: 7
Rust Never Sleeps: 7
Ragged Glory: 6
Harvest Moon: 6
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere: 5
Zuma: 5
Tonight's the Night: 4
Comes a Time: 4
Sleeps with Angels: 4
Time Fades Away: 3
Buffalo Springfield Again (BS): 2
Deja Vu (CSNY): 2
American Stars 'N Bars: 2
Hawks & Doves: 2 (Mith has both)
Last Time Around (BS): 1
Neil Young: 1
Re*ac*tor: 1
Trans: 1
Silver and Gold: 1
Chrome Dreams II: 1
other: 7

We are one song away from completing On the Beach.
We are two songs away from completing Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere.
We are two songs away from completing After the Gold Rush.
We are two songs away from completing Harvest.
We are two songs away from completing Rust Never Sleeps.
We are three songs away from completing Freedom.

[johnnya24]

Do we have any Canadian's drafting?

[ManCalledFoot]

Some more running commentary:

11.07. Foot - Rapid Transit (Re*ac*tor, 1981)

Of all the songs from Re*ac*tor, the only one I less expected to see in this draft was the infamous "T-Bone," which is a strong contender for Neil's worst song. "Rapid Transit" sounds like Devo on meth.

Ha, I genuinely LOVE both "Rapid Transit" and "T-Bone"! You guys go nuts over all the other 13-minute, three-chord Crazy Horse freakouts, but no love for "T-Bone"? It's demented!

But then again, we're probably the only ones here who agree on "Lotta Love". As always, no rhyme or reason to musical taste.

[Erik]

1.01. DMT - Heart of Gold (Harvest, 1972)
2.08. DMT - Southern Man (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
3.01. DMT - Cowgirl in the Sand (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
4.08. DMT - Ambulance Blues (On the Beach, 1974)
5.01. DMT - Mr. Soul (Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
6.08. DMT - See the Sky about to Rain (On the Beach, 1974)
7.01. DMT - Don't Let It Bring You Down (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
8.08. DMT - Alabama (Harvest, 1972)
9.01. DMT - I Believe in You (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
10.08. DMT - Winterlong (Decade, 1977)
11.01. DMT - Lookout Joe (Tonight's the Night, 1975)
12.08. DMT - Country Home (Ragged Glory, 1990, but written and first performed in 1976)
13.01. DMT - Philadelphia (Philadelphia soundtrack, 1993)

1.02. Mith - Powderfinger (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
2.07. Mith - Welfare Mothers (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
3.02. Mith - Love and Only Love (Ragged Glory, 1990)
4.07. Mith - Tonight's the Night (Tonight's the Night, 1975)
5.02. Mith - Hawks & Doves (Hawks & Doves, 1980)
6.07. Mith - Look Out for My Love (Comes a Time, 1978)
7.02. Mith - Dangerbird (Zuma, 1975)
8.07. Mith - Captain Kennedy (Hawks & Doves, 1980)
9.02. Mith - Days That Used to Be (Ragged Glory, 1990)
10.07. Mith - Drive Back (Zuma, 1975)
11.02. Mith - Love Is a Rose (Decade, 1977)
12.07. Mith - Over and Over (Ragged Glory, 1990)

1.03. Johnny - Old Man (Harvest, 1972)
2.06. Johnny - Cinnamon Girl (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
3.03. Johnny - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
4.06. Johnny - Revolution Blues (On the Beach, 1974)
5.03. Johnny - Sugar Mountain (B-Side of "The Loner," 1968)
6.06. Johnny - Ordinary People (Chrome Dreams II, 2007, but written and first performed in 1988)
7.03. Johnny - Too Far Gone (Freedom, 1989, but written and first performed in 1976)
8.06. Johnny - Oh, Lonesome Me (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
9.03. Johnny - Motion Pictures (for Carrie) (On the Beach, 1974)
10.06. Johnny - Piece of Crap (Sleeps with Angels, 1994)
11.03. Johnny - Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
12.06. Johnny - The Old Country Waltz (American Stars 'N Bars, 1977)

1.04. Erik - Cortez the Killer (Zuma, 1975)
2.05. Erik - Rockin' in the Free World (Freedom, 1989)
3.04. Erik - Ohio (CSNY non-album single, 1970)
4.05. Erik - Sedan Delivery (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
5.04. Erik - On the Beach (On the Beach, 1974)
6.05. Erik - Words (Between the Lines of Age) (Harvest, 1972)
7.04. Erik - Silver and Gold (Silver and Gold, 2000, but written in 1981 and first performed in 1984)
8.05. Erik - Birds (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
9.04. Erik - Pushed It Over the End (Unreleased, written and first performed in 1974)
10.05. Erik - Change Your Mind (Sleeps with Angels, 1994)
11.04. Erik - Walk On (On the Beach, 1974)
12.05. Erik - Time Fades Away (Time Fades Away, 1973)

1.05. Overkill - Like a Hurricane (American Stars 'N Bars, 1977)
2.04. Overkill - Harvest Moon (Harvest Moon, 1992)
3.05. Overkill - Broken Arrow (Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967)
4.04. Overkill - Four Strong Winds (Comes a Time, 1978)
5.05. Overkill - My, My, Hey, Hey (Out of the Blue) (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
6.04. Overkill - Campaigner (Decade, 1977)
7.05. Overkill - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
8.04. Overkill - Harvest (Harvest, 1972)
9.05. Overkill - One of These Days (Harvest Moon, 1992)
10.04. Overkill - Lookin' for a Love (Zuma, 1975)
11.05. Overkill - A Dream That Can Last (Sleeps with Angels, 1994)
12.04. Overkill - Mellow My Mind (Tonight's the Night, 1975)

1.06. Cobain - Hey, Hey, My, My (Into the Black) (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
2.03. Cobain - Down by the River (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)
3.06. Cobain - Helpless (CSNY's Deja Vu, 1970)
4.03. Cobain - Thrasher (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
5.06. Cobain - Crime in the City (Sixty to Zero pt. 1) (Freedom, 1989)
6.03. Cobain - Unknown Legend (Harvest Moon, 1992)
7.06. Cobain - Eldorado (Eldorado EP & Freedom, 1989)
8.03. Cobain - No More (Freedom, 1989)
9.06. Cobain - From Hank To Hendrix (Harvest Moon, 1992)
10.03. Cobain - Someday (Freedom, 1989)
11.06. Cobain - Train of Love (Sleeps with Angels, 1994)
12.03. Cobain - Don't Cry (Eldorado EP & Freedom, 1989)

1.07. Foot - A Man Needs a Maid (Harvest, 1972)
2.02. Foot - Pocahontas (Rust Never Sleeps, 1979)
3.07. Foot - Tell Me Why (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
4.02. Foot - When You Dance I Can Really Love (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
5.07. Foot - Natural Beauty (Harvest Moon, 1992)
6.02. Foot - The Loner (Neil Young, 1969)
7.07. Foot - Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown (Tonight's the Night, 1975)
8.02. Foot - Comes a Time (Comes a Time, 1978)
9.07. Foot - Hold on to Your Love (Trans, 1982)
10.02. Foot - Pardon My Heart (Zuma, 1975)
11.07. Foot - Rapid Transit (Re*ac*tor, 1981)
12.02. Foot - Lotta Love (Comes a Time, 1978; special citation for Live Rust, 1979)

1.08. Lucky - After the Gold Rush (After the Gold Rush, 1970)
2.01. Lucky - The Needle and the Damage Done (Harvest, 1972)
3.08. Lucky - For the Turnstiles (On the Beach, 1974)
4.01. Lucky - F*!#in' Up (Ragged Glory, 1990, special citation for Weld, 1991)
5.08. Lucky - Country Girl (CSNY's Deja Vu, 1970)
6.01. Lucky - Love to Burn (Ragged Glory, 1990)
7.08. Lucky - I Am a Child (Buffalo Springfield's Last Time Around, 1968)
8.01. Lucky - War of Man (Harvest Moon, 1992)
9.08. Lucky - Are You Ready for the Country? (Harvest, 1992)
10.01. Lucky - Last Dance (Time Fades Away, 1973)
11.08. Lucky - Wrecking Ball (Freedom, 1989)
12.01. Lucky - Don't Be Denied (Time Fades Away, 1973)

[Mithrandir]

13.02 - If I could Have her Tonight, Neil Young, 1969

[Erik]

Ha, I genuinely LOVE both "Rapid Transit" and "T-Bone"! You guys go nuts over all the other 13-minute, three-chord Crazy Horse freakouts, but no love for "T-Bone"? It's demented!

But then again, we're probably the only ones here who agree on "Lotta Love". As always, no rhyme or reason to musical taste.

I like the music of T-Bone, but those lyrics, guh.

He actually played T-Bone live twice in 1990. One of those shows, 12/13/90, circulates widely and has a very unique setlist.

Re*ac*tor is a fascinating album. It's CH, but it doesn't sound like their usual stuff at all. It's very repetitive and staccato. Some of that reflects Neil's interest in New Wave from his friendship with Devo (which would become even more pronounced the next year on Trans), but mainly it's a mirror of the training program he and Pegi were going through with their son Ben, who has severe cerebral palsy. They had to spend like 20 hours a day making very repetitive motions in order to try to get him to respond. This is why Neil played all of one gig between 1979 and 1981 -- he couldn't leave the house. By 1982, they had switched to another program that wasn't so taxing on them, and Neil was able to tour again, but not before making the equally traumatic Trans. As Re*ac*tor was a reflection of how he couldn't get his son to move, Trans was a reflection of how he couldn't communicate with him.

[Lucky]

Was this implying you'd participate in a Bowie draft? Just asking since you didn't list him and I want to keep track in case it gets up and running.

Sorry, yes I'd participate in a Bowie draft.

[johnnya24]

11.03. Johnny - Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets) (Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, 1969)

I usually skip this song. It bores me and the violin part gets on my nerves. I guess I wouldn't like Nick Cave.

That is such a difficult question to even guess at ... Nick Cave is pure Marmite ... you either love him of hate him. If you like melancholic, emotionally intense and very eclectic music, you may like him. He is certainly not instantly accessible by any means.

I think he is becoming a better and more interesting musician as he gets older.

[Erik]

If you like melancholic, emotionally intense and very eclectic music, you may like him.

That also describes PJ Harvey, whom I do like and who has worked with him.

[johnnya24]

That also describes PJ Harvey, whom I do like and who has worked with him.

Funny you should say that ... I posted this in the other thread like last week, after not having heard it in 10 years ...



PJ Harvey's most recent record is excellent BTW