The last verse is semi-redeeming, but it's hard to overcome "The people worked together/And they lifted many stones."
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:31 (eleven years ago) link
Honestly not sure why you'd say that about "Cortez"'s lyrics--weird, cryptic, allusive, and druggy is a great description, and I think "Cortez" fits into that perfectly.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:31 (eleven years ago) link
The version he played in June '03 during the Greendale was spectacular, I gotta say.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:32 (eleven years ago) link
I'll retreat; it's hard for me to start breaking down a song I've listened to ten million times line by line. The lyrics just float by, carried along by everything else.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:33 (eleven years ago) link
^ this.
― Chuck? Chuck? It's me, your cousin, Marvin D (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:34 (eleven years ago) link
"Numbers Add up to Nothing"= alternate poll title.....
Terrific work, clemenza--enjoyed the hell out of it!
xp: hmmmm--fair question? ok: it's a kind of abstract mythmaking, it doesn't persuade me that it has anything to do with NY's own perspective or experience, but rather seems like a distillation of the usual stuff about "primitive peoples"...
― theStalePrince, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:34 (eleven years ago) link
Didn't Neil say something like, "Eh, I never liked that verse anyway"?Yeah, apparently. Not that I trust anything much he says about the merits of what he writes. (cf. previous discussions itt)
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:35 (eleven years ago) link
http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil1.jpg
― clemenza, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:35 (eleven years ago) link
Thought "Cortez" would be super high, though I had Danger Bird and Down By The River much higher, but did not expect the #1 at all.
― grandavis, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:35 (eleven years ago) link
it's hard for me to start breaking down a song I've listened to ten million times line by line. The lyrics just float by, carried along by everything else.
my sense about most Young epics...? I'm surprised (in a good way) that you guys remember lines. All I can remember about "Cortez" is NY going cod reggae on DANCING UPON DA WATAH MAN
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:35 (eleven years ago) link
I take issue with the notion that "Powderfinger" is long, rambling, or wasted.
― boxall, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:36 (eleven years ago) link
whoops! you were retreating while I was editing....no need to retreat! people's tastes in NY lyrics are very subjective; I mean, I have jr high school friends who love him as much as I do and we would all but come to blows over certain lines that allegedly "sucked"
― theStalePrince, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:36 (eleven years ago) link
I didn't vote for it, but I'm okay with it at #1--it's a great song, and an unpredictable #1 (within reason) is not a bad thing.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:37 (eleven years ago) link
so what I'm taking away from this is that people prefer long, rambling, wasted Neil to all his other incarnations.
The rest of the top 5 maybe, but I don't think this is fair to "Powderfinger" at all.
xposts!
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:37 (eleven years ago) link
DANCING UPON DA WATAH MAN - what version is this from?
― boxall, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:37 (eleven years ago) link
iirc, that faux-reggae bit is only on Live Rust (and in the film). I've never heard any other version of "Cortez" where that happens.
― Chuck? Chuck? It's me, your cousin, Marvin D (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:38 (eleven years ago) link
Powderfinger is perfect. His best lyrics, his best riff, his best solo, his best singing. His best song.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:38 (eleven years ago) link
Not before or since have I heard epics as contained, purposeful of motion, bracing, and intelligent as "Powderfinger" and "Sedan Delivery." I can't think of anyone making music this loud, allusive, and elusive, not even from the punks.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:38 (eleven years ago) link
iirc, that faux-reggae bit is only on Live Rust
yep
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:39 (eleven years ago) link
I've often heard Neil's epics be described as a slog. I disagree for the most part, except for when it comes to "Powderfinger". he single reason why I don't rate Rust as high as most people.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:39 (eleven years ago) link
Really surprised at the no.1 - it doesn't stand out for me, and never even considered longlisting it. No idea the rest of you would.
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:39 (eleven years ago) link
Had Powderfinger at #5, but I could easily have had it at #1. My whole top 10 was pretty interchangable in my mind, honestly.
― hutlock, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:39 (eleven years ago) link
I first heard "Powderfinger" in the Cowboy Junkies' cover (which is pretty good), and was completely baffled by it. It's still mysterious to me -- the basic narrative tracks pretty clearly, but there's so much left out. It feels very detailed on the one hand but also enigmatic and allegorical.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:40 (eleven years ago) link
holy shit @ powderfinger being #1, ya'll are cool ppl
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:40 (eleven years ago) link
The line goes on to mean something else, but "think of me as one you'd never figured" is pretty definitive as a career statement.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:40 (eleven years ago) link
My top 10 (out of 30) all got 15 pts, but Powderfinger was #1.
― exclusive to this pledge group - pleasure (weatheringdaleson), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:41 (eleven years ago) link
"Powderfinger" wasn't high on my list (#39 out of 40), but as Horse epics go, I'll take it above "Hurricane" in a heartbeat.
― Chuck? Chuck? It's me, your cousin, Marvin D (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:41 (eleven years ago) link
And clemenza, brilliant job on the poll, especially with the photos.
find it kinda hilarious/appropriate that the number 2 song features some pretty glaring mistakes
xp
― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:41 (eleven years ago) link
Listen to it again!
― cwkiii, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:42 (eleven years ago) link
Huge kudos and thanks clemenza. Lots of fun.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:42 (eleven years ago) link
I've heard the song a million times, but "When the first shot hit the dock, I saw it comin'" still gets me every time.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:42 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks clemenza. Loved the images too - will shamelessly rip off if I ever do another of these.
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:42 (eleven years ago) link
like of COURSE Neil's best song features dropped beats and flubbed bass notes
― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:42 (eleven years ago) link
I will xps
― Ismael Klata, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:43 (eleven years ago) link
Many thanks to Clemenza and his brilliant images. There will always be a place for this poll in the Deep Forbidden Lake of my heart.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:43 (eleven years ago) link
When the first shot hit the dock, I saw it comin'
hmm always heard this as DOG, not dock - which seems more tragic somehow
― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:43 (eleven years ago) link
Also, I don't think I would consider "Powderfinger" one of NY's "epics" -- I mean, it's under 6 minutes and doesn't have a giant-ass solo section or anything. "Cortez" is in that epic style, as are the obvious "Cowgirl" and "DBTR" but I think of "Powderfinger" as a story song more than anything else.
― hutlock, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:43 (eleven years ago) link
Neither "Cortez" nor "Powderfinger" ever did much for me, didn't vote for either, but someone must like them and evidently Neil does since those are concert staples. OTOH am I the only vote for "You and Me"? (that was "our song" for, well, someone I really liked and me).
Thx for the great poll and great images Clemenza!
― Lee626, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:43 (eleven years ago) link
And yes, awesome job all around, Clemenza!
― hutlock, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:44 (eleven years ago) link
Exemplary roll-out, clemenza. Bar raised.
― Jeff W, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:44 (eleven years ago) link
fabulous job!
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:44 (eleven years ago) link
Seriously, I didn't "get" "Powderfinger" for the LONGEST time, but it crept up on me over time and once it hit me, it revealed itself to be just the perfect song. It really is SO simple that it could sneak by if you let it.
xposts to Ismael
― cwkiii, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:44 (eleven years ago) link
Powderfinger is 6 minutes that feel like 10. Great lyrics, but slog, slog, slog.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:44 (eleven years ago) link
Powderfinger would have been a fantastic Skynyrd song.
― Three Word Username, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:46 (eleven years ago) link
That was the idea; supposedly Van Zant was up for recording it.
― Chuck? Chuck? It's me, your cousin, Marvin D (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:46 (eleven years ago) link
That's why it's the epigraph to Shakey! :)
― cwkiii, Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:46 (eleven years ago) link
Clemenza, this entire thing, from your original post to the screencaps to the post-mortems which haven't even happened yet, has been welcoming, challenging, informative and fun. Not enough superlatives. Thanks.
― exclusive to this pledge group - pleasure (weatheringdaleson), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:47 (eleven years ago) link
Neil has routinely stretched that song over the 6 minute mark live - I totally consider it in the same class as Like a Hurricane, Down by the River, Cowgirl, Cortez, etc.
― the alternate vision continues his vision quest! (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:47 (eleven years ago) link
Yeah, high fives Clemenza, great poll.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 11 July 2012 18:48 (eleven years ago) link