Neil Young - On The Beach

in this land of conditions i am not above suspicion

all the bush league batters
are left to die on the diamond
in the stands the hometown scatters
for the turnstiles

This album is so, so good. I heard it for the first time only a couple months ago. Neil Young was always one of those classic rock guys in the canon who I sort of respected but didn't really feel strongly about - until I heard this album. The mood is so perfectly expressed.

Used to prefer After The Goldrush to this, but these days? Definitely OTB. Don't know if I mentioned this upthread, but this album reminds me very clearly of a time about 6 or 7 years ago, working on a tiny commercial estate in a small town, and going to a sandwich shop in my lunchbreak, looking out the window and watching the rain drizzle down while the cars rolled past. It's not an important memory, in fact it's rather mundane, but On The Beach fit the situation perfectly.

I would like to see Vampire Blues played in Breaking Bad in a scene where Walt takes a long monotonous drive through the desert.

you know what is surprisingly good? neil playing "Ambulance Blues" with REM at one of those Bridge benefit things in the late 90s.

The thing I especially love about this version is the way he changes the Nixon verse into a Clinton/Lewinsky verse. Totally in the moment, totally great.

whenever discussion of this album comes up, i feel it is my duty to point people in the direction of this bootleg: http://gratefulbreed.blogspot.com/2011/01/neil-young-citizen-cane-junior-blues-05.html

Is that the one where Neil talks about "honey slides"? Great set if so.

yeah, it's the bottom line 1974 show, where he debuts a bunch of on the beach

Okay, thats what I thought after glancing at the tracklist. I think I originally got that from your blog. Such a great, great set.

DAMN DAMN DAMN good album. First time I heard it was last week. It was halfway through a 2-week tour and we were exhausted and it was a hot summer night and we were driving through Virginia or something. I found this cassette at a thrift store that had this dubbed from vinyl, and it was a little slower than what is on the remasters, so it ended up sounding even heavier. Plus yeah we were pretty buzzed, so it really hit the spot.

Woulda voted for "Ambulance Blues" slightly over "Motion Pictures".

nice that someone is discovering this record. if i made a 10 favorite albums ever list, this would be near the top

Unbelievable album for a drive in the middle of nowhere. Heard it while driving through Utah two months ago and it was religious.

DAMN DAMN DAMN good album. First time I heard it was last week. It was halfway through a 2-week tour and we were exhausted and it was a hot summer night and we were driving through Virginia or something. I found this cassette at a thrift store that had this dubbed from vinyl, and it was a little slower than what is on the remasters, so it ended up sounding even heavier. Plus yeah we were pretty buzzed, so it really hit the spot.

Next time you drive around fucked up to this record, please don't do it in my neck of the woods.

Let's assume the driver was not high.

This album sounds so good when you're sick in bed.

& when yer sick in the head, tbh

Some dissent: compared to the albums in close proximity, I don't think this is nearly as good as Tonight's the Night or Zuma, and I'd also take Time Fades Away over it. "Ambulance Blues" is a masterpiece, and there are a few good weird ones if you're in the right mood. I think there are three songs that are among his most mediocre of the decade. Maybe his greatest album cover, though.

I was not driving.

I don't think this is nearly as good as Tonight's the Night or Zuma

Agree with this

me too. plus i've always felt it's the weakest of the doom trilogy. 'time fades away' is still underrated

Sorta agree -- the 2nd side is a complete masterpiece, first side has a couple that I might skip if I wasn't listening on vinyl. Tonight's the Night is quite a bit better IMO.

"I went to the radio interview/But I ended up alone at the microphone"

Love that line. Probably my favorite of his, such a great image.

The mood/vibe of the title track is just incredible. It takes you somewhere else, far away.

I love when this thread is revived when I need this album the most & don't even realize it.

OTM. I was telling someone how much I love this only on Sunday night and then this. I think this album is my favourite of Young's but it's not an every day record - only special occasions.

looking back on it, On The Beach is definitely what sent 14 year old me down the rabbit hole of music obsession. the fact that it wasn't on CD, the ominous artwork and of course, the incredible music all made me realize that I had to go out and find great music, it wasn't just going to show up on mtv or the radio or wherever. and also that i had to get a record player. thinking about it, it's amazing that neil young -- who was one of the biggest rock stars in the world when OTB was released -- was able to put out such a mysterious, strange record that sort of disappeared from the radar for so long. obviously hardcore fans loved it and it was easy to find in used record shops, but it's only been in the past decade or so that it's been hailed as one of his best, i think.

I snagged this from my local record store while the owner was cleaning it at the checkout counter. I've been trying to find it for 8 years (I don't like to buy used records online). This really is a great rainy October record. During Side A, I was convinced that ILX got it right with Revolution Blues. After hearing the title track, I now have my doubts. Now Ambulance Blues is playing. That's it. Tie-breaking vote for Ambulance Blues.

Best side 2 in the history of rock and roll

otm. "Motion Pictures" vs. "Ambulance Blues" for me but they sort of feel like two sides of the same song.

Reactor was side 2 of the tape i had this on, so those records kind of go together for me.

"Got Mash Potatoes/Ain't Got No Motion Pictures"

For the longest time, I thought that Zuma was the third album in the ditch trilogy. I've never even heard Time Fades Away. Is it as strong as On the Beach and Tonight's the Night?

Ambulance blues vs the title track imo. Motion Pictures is a standout track in Neil's catalog but the other two are v v innaresting man

tbh, the hardest part about rating Ambulance Blues above the title track is the lack of drums. The drums sound so good on the title track and revolution blues imo.

i also want to give a shoutout to the foot taps on For the Turnstiles

you definitely need time fades away. might be third place in the ditch trilogy but it's a masterpiece too.

it has taken over for On the Beach as my new vinyl white whale

I see it around a fair amount, seems like. My buddy has been looking for Zuma for years and can't find it.

I found Zuma at the same record store in town. I bought a Technics 1600 mk II and got Zuma thrown in for free! I think it was reissued in Europe. On the Beach is overdue for reissue imo. On the same day, I also got to see Kenny Loggins' turntable, which was in for repairs. Dude has a linear tracking turntable, fyi.

Actually, I had to pay for Zuma. I got Trans thrown in for free. I love that record too, tbh. I owe the ILX thread for even hearing Trans, though.

Zuma reissue on amazon for $17 in the US, fyfi.

"an ambulance can only go so fast" is a fucking DEVASTATING line

Kinda weird that "Revolution Blues" tied for 1st with this poll.

The drums, bass, and driving rhythm guitar on Revolution Blues are a highlight for me. I can live with it tied for 1st. The Laurel Canyon line is especially great, as Ed III noted above.

Sufjan: I found a vinyl copy of TFA at a garage sale about 10 years ago for nothing. It's in perfect shape and has the poster. I just put it away, since I of course already have it. If you're okay with paying postage, I'll send it out to you--use board e-mail, or click on my username. White-whale status sounds like you really want it.

oh wow, clemenza. you are awesome!

I used board e-mail. I got the captcha right the third time...for my third album of the ditch trilogy. The fates and such.

You need TFA - great album

On The Beach is also great because it reminds us of a time when Neil gave a shit about writing lyrics.

TGA is awesome and raucous and has Don't Be Denied on it

Back in March I was at Flea Market (to work a car show--Neil would approve) and was hitting up one of the record stores. I'd been browsing for awhile, not really finding much to be interested in when the owner comes up to me and drops about 50 lps into my empty arms, telling me he'd just got 'em in and that I'd probably find what I was looking for in there. Lo and behold, about halfway in, I find...Ralf and Florian by Kraftwerk. Also, just a few records later, a nice clean Time Fades Away w/the poster to replace my hissy, poster-less and falling apart sleeved copy at home. Together they were mine for $10.

i wonder if Homegrown is just as good as On The Beach. time will tell..i hope...