xp it's pretty? beautiful, heartfelt lyrics that i can only imagine neil young pulling off? the pet shop boys do it?
― tylerw, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:02 (eleven years ago) link
sold!
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:03 (eleven years ago) link
There's a number of blistering live takes on "Southern Man" that are great, and I love the treatment that Neil puts on his voice for that last verse, but it still missed my ballot -- didn't even make the shortlist. It is just too heavy handed for me, along with "Alabama."
― hutlock, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:03 (eleven years ago) link
I think "Southern Man" is a hamfisted snooze.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:03 (eleven years ago) link
"Cocaine Eyes" I only discovered about 18 months ago. I'm a sucker for the late eighties Niko Bolas sound.
Alfred, I'm surprised you didn't stan for Philadelphia -- it's such a fantastic weepy ballad. Just listen to it and put Tom Hanks out of your mind.
― hutlock, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:04 (eleven years ago) link
i'm a big fan of the insane southern mans on the crazy horse 1976 tour -- the band seems barely able to figure out the tempo changes, neil is skronking up a storm, and the whole thing just lurches.
― tylerw, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:04 (eleven years ago) link
"Southern Man" is exactly what kept me away from Young for years. I've held my nose so long that I think I'm ready for another shot.
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:05 (eleven years ago) link
tom hanks never left my mind
― Mad God 40/40 (Z S), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:05 (eleven years ago) link
I was a little too young, but I think "Southern Man" probably benefited from the immediacy of the moment.
― clemenza, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:05 (eleven years ago) link
Have you heard "Alabama"?
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:06 (eleven years ago) link
seriously "Southern Man" is so much better than "Southern Man II"
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:07 (eleven years ago) link
I agree. I really think "Ohio" is the only one of his Big Statements on the United States Wrongdoing songs that still holds up, but then again, I live here, have walked on that hill at Kent State, etc. so I'm massively biased.
― hutlock, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:07 (eleven years ago) link
the studio southern man is pretty interesting -- that scratchy vocal effect on the "crosses" verse, the oompah piano, the ultra minimalist guitar solo. as 70s guitar jamz go, it's kind of weird.
― tylerw, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:08 (eleven years ago) link
^^ the pi-anner is the best part
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:08 (eleven years ago) link
I hope Neil Young will remember
― Brad C., Monday, 9 July 2012 18:09 (eleven years ago) link
actually, "hamfisted snooze" sums up my thoughts on SM p neatly (though it's kind of like all of Kansas' career in pre=prog embryo tbh).
iirc I left off all of the first side of Gold Rush except for one song; the second side was an awesome surprise after first hearing it, and I still prefer it
― t. s. idiot (loves laboured breathing), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:09 (eleven years ago) link
"Southern Man" is Walking Tall, an effective cartoon you can appreciate the agit-prop craft of if you're not too turned off by the message. "Alabama" is Walking Tall Part II with Bo Svenson replacing Joe Don Baker.
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:09 (eleven years ago) link
Wow, that is a perfect metaphor, actually. Nice.
― hutlock, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:10 (eleven years ago) link
"Alabama" placed 76th; because it's played so less frequently on the hard-rock station here, I prefer it right now (but realize Neil's going over ground he already covered). Suddenly, I want to defend both songs...
― clemenza, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:11 (eleven years ago) link
http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil64.jpg
^^ a good song I always forget about
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:12 (eleven years ago) link
They're both pretty lame. "Crime int he City" is really cool, though. The bass on that is buried but nuts.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:12 (eleven years ago) link
maybe the only successful song with non-trad Neil instrumental flourishes in his catalog.
WOAH! Guess I was wrong about "Ordinary People" being the preferred Blue Notes jam. Voted for this, totally didn't expect it to place.
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:12 (eleven years ago) link
too low! (even tho I coudnt afford it many points)
― t. s. idiot (loves laboured breathing), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:13 (eleven years ago) link
"Crime in the City" is one of the very few instances where I prefer the non-Crazy Horse version to the Crazy Horse version. And I looove the Crazy Horse version.
― Chuck? Chuck? It's me, your cousin, Marvin D (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:13 (eleven years ago) link
voted for that crime in the city. love the freedom version, love the weld version, but the best version is the 20-minute live version.
― tylerw, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:14 (eleven years ago) link
Great song, yet another that I just couldn't find room for. Agreed that the epic live take is the best too.
― hutlock, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:14 (eleven years ago) link
yeah I think I specified on my ballot that I was voting for one of the bootleg versions, and all my boots have come courtesy of doomandgloom
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:14 (eleven years ago) link
I immediately gravitated to the two ballads I love on Freedom, so except for the hit and "On Broadway," the truth is that I don't remember much else.
― clemenza, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:15 (eleven years ago) link
is it too late to add "Wish I never put the hose down...wish I never got POLLED" to the thread title?
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:16 (eleven years ago) link
I voted both Southern Man and Alabama highly - they rock imo. The intro riff on Alabama especially. I don't get the hate, but then I ain't from round these parts.
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:17 (eleven years ago) link
1. A++ for the images, clemenza
2. Hey, I made a difference: voted for 75, 74 and 73 (and three others so far)
3. Countdown's going by real fast. I think I'll come back tomorrow and do the comments thing then.
― Jeff W, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:18 (eleven years ago) link
yeah the images are great, very neil
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:19 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks. I initially read that as "Hey, I made a difference: voted in 75, 74, and 73"...I thought you were re-living the Nixon meltdown.
― clemenza, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:21 (eleven years ago) link
http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil63.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:22 (eleven years ago) link
That's somebody who lives just down the road from Neil's Broken Arrow ranch. I don't know, I've just never been a big fan of this song...very arty.
― clemenza, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:23 (eleven years ago) link
My very last cut. Surpised it is this low, but I think we'll see more BS to come...
― hutlock, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:23 (eleven years ago) link
it's kind of hilarious he ended a bunch of shows with "A Day in The Life" when he had this in his bag
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:24 (eleven years ago) link
Meant in a good way, of course. (xpost)
― clemenza, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:24 (eleven years ago) link
I'd really love that to have happened. Could imagine that slotting nicely at the end of 'Behaviour'.
― fun loving and xtremely tolrant (Billy Dods), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:24 (eleven years ago) link
i love "Broken Arrow" - def arty as hell but beautiful and the non-song parts move pretty quickly
― da croupier, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:25 (eleven years ago) link
It really did happen--the PSB have done an excellent cover of "Philadelphia."
― clemenza, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:26 (eleven years ago) link
xp! the pet shop boys do it, for real
― tylerw, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:26 (eleven years ago) link
I have no use for Buffalo Springfield. Try and try and try and yuck.
― EZ Snappin, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:26 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbamhAYwyJ4
woah way too low! Thought this would be more of a crowd-pleaser...
― recordbreaking transfer to Lucknow FC (seandalai), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:27 (eleven years ago) link
"Broken Arrow" is my first to place so far. Have always loved the cut-up nature. And its beauty.
― grandavis, Monday, 9 July 2012 18:27 (eleven years ago) link
xxpostWhy didn't I know about this until now!
― fun loving and xtremely tolrant (Billy Dods), Monday, 9 July 2012 18:28 (eleven years ago) link