A World of Constant Strangers: The Neil Young Results Thread

Both La Lechera and I tipped points toward "Barstool Blues". I can't think of a higher compliment than that it puts me in the mood to listen to it whenever it comes on. Not a lot of songs work that way for me.

For me, Neil might release a masterpiece next week, Dylan can't--not unless he goes back to singing like he did in 1966 (or at least in 1974). But I know hardly anyone agrees, and a separate thread anyway.

nah I agree with you, Dylan's voice is shot.

otoh I consider his Xmas album a masterpiece sooooo

Dylan's voice is shot, but he's released a couple of classic shot-voice records already.

http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil38.jpg

I'm seeing a movie tonight with a friend--think I may look back on that as a big mistake one day, missing the Trout/Harper All-Star Game.

Ah, here's one I voted for. Let the deluge begin!

Barstool Blues. Another doozy. Norah Jones weighed in on it in Rolling Stone.

3.
"Barstool Blues" | Neil Young, 1975
I remember being with friends at the beach, all singing this at the top of our lungs. We put it on repeat. I don't think I ever had so much fun.

Is that CNE Stadium? (the image)

xxxpost

for the turnstiles is unbelievable, such a great lyric that probably took neil an hour to write.

No, just some random minor-league park.

"For The Turnstiles" is the first of my top 10 to make it. Such a killer.

for the turnstiles - RIP Ben Keith

cool list!

i wonder if "hitchhiker" from le noise isn't going to make it? :(

that was on my list but lots of heavyweights have to be coming up.

http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil37.jpg

"Barstool" was my #3. Surprised to see it kinda low; thought it'd be a lock for the top 10.

I've never heard Mirror Ball.

I love this so much. My no.2 in the end (and nearly displaced by another Mirror Ball cut).

I like "I'm the Ocean" fine, but one day you'll all agree with me that "Scenery" is Mirror Ball's masterpiece. (Presently, zero people agree with me.)

I'm a firm believer that Mirror Ball has no masterpieces.

I have a lot of fond memories of listening to my vinyl copy of On the Beach over and over while reading Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon, def has that same sort of sad end of the 60s, stoned out vibe

OK like I'm the Ocean is a good song and all but goddamn I cannot believe it just placed higher than a bunch of Zuma and On the Beach big-timers

some dude? did you only vote for one song?

Mirror Ball was the first Neil Young album I ever owned and, yes, it was 100% due to the Pearl Jam thing. But immediately after I raided my dad's vinyl to hear the Neil he had and it was all over from there. Anyway, I'll always have a soft spot for that one.

"I'm The Ocean" is the most moving song he did in the 90s, imo. he's written a ton of epics, but none of them rage that long, seem like the band might plow over Neil if he doesn't keep up

I thought I'm The Ocean would crack the top ten. Or at least be the highest-charting song from his last 20 years.

i gotta feeling this still might be the highest-charting song from his last 20 years (clemenza, keep yo mouth shut either way - no spoilers!)

it's funny that he was dropping lines like "People my age, they don't do the things I do" in 1995 and now there's almost another 20 years on the odometer

I like "Downtown," too--enough hippie nostalgia to appall hippie-haters everywhere.

xxxpost

ragged glory was 1990 dawg

even though 90 isn't like a "real 90s" year

OK like I'm the Ocean is a good song and all but goddamn I cannot believe it just placed higher than a bunch of Zuma and On the Beach big-timers

otm

http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil36.jpg

You have to look closely for the little Danger Bird.

at least i'm the ocean didn't place above this

Voted for Barstool & Turnstiles--Turnstiles was my #4. That song, Uncle Tupelo's cover of CCR's Effigy, and the Fall's Disneys Dream Debased were the closing trifecta on every mix CD I made for a long while

Didn't clem say #37 was the highest charting position for post-Rust in the voting thread?

listening to "Revolution Blues" now....I think the Laurel Canyon killing part overshadows the lyrics that come just before

I got the revolution blues,
I see bloody fountains,
And ten million dune buggies
comin' down the mountain

^in bold maybe my single favorite image in the history of american songwriting, outside of "the sadness of a falling star lights up a purple sky" by hank williams

Well. I don't particularly care for Danger Bird, but I thought everybody else would.

OK like I'm the Ocean is a good song and all but goddamn I cannot believe it just placed higher than a bunch of Zuma and On the Beach big-timers

oh no there's only going to be 30+ songs from the 70s higher boo hoo

I tried listening to "I'm the Ocean," and I almost made it all the way through, but Jack Irons is so monochromatically ham-fisted that I gave up. His playing actually made me angry.

From La Lechera: "Danger Bird"  - this song is perfect in every way

xpost as opposed to the technicolor spryness of Ralph Molina?

I tried listening to "I'm the Ocean," and I almost made it all the way through, but Jack Irons is so monochromatically ham-fisted that I gave up. His playing actually made me angry

the track is supposed to sound like an ocean!

Ralph is so much better than Irons, the unswinginging-ous drummer ever. At least Molina is sometimes accidentally spry!

^in bold maybe my single favorite image in the history of american songwriting, outside of "the sadness of a falling star lights up a purple sky" by hank williams

agreed. When David Crosby said playing on the song frightened him or some shit I don't know if he's lying or he's sad sack of shit. The song isn't frightening at all; it's unsettling, in part because it's got these perfect images that don't cohere.

I guess Song X probably isn't going to make it now, but it's a real belter too

Jack Irons is so monochromatically ham-fisted that I gave up. His playing actually made me angry

the track is supposed to sound like an ocean!

I'm imagining an ocean of ham, with crispy bacon fat froth on the waves of prosciutto.

Ralph is so much better than Irons, the unswinginging-ous drummer ever. At least Molina is sometimes accidentally spry!

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, July 10, 2012 12:40 PM (59 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah, this. Irons sounds like he has a post-it in front of him that says REMEMBER TO HIT THE CRASH CYMBAL ON "1" EVERY SINGLE TIME.

I'd never heard I'm the Ocean before the voting thread but damn it's great - one of his best verbose, repetitive songs. "People my age/They don't do the things I do."

I have a lot of fond memories of listening to my vinyl copy of On the Beach over and over while reading Inherent Vice by Thomas Pynchon

Sentences like this make me feel a sudden need to send my family away for a long weekend.

I just thought Crosby regarded the Manson impersonation as bad karma

Anyways Barstool Blues and Danger Bird showing up causes me to despair for my favorite song off Zuma's chances of showing up

I guess we're not indicating #1 votes? Not a complaint, just an observation.

Anyway, yeah, "Danger Bird" was my number one. Such a perfect fucking tune.

<i>OK like I'm the Ocean is a good song and all but goddamn I cannot believe it just placed higher than a bunch of Zuma and On the Beach big-timers

oh no there's only going to be 30+ songs from the 70s higher boo hoo

― da croupier, Tuesday, July 10, 2012 11:37 AM (6 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink</i>

for me, if i would have bothered to rank my list, like barstool blues and for the turnstiles and etc would all have been top 10

Mmmmmmmmm....ocean of ham.

imagine Lou Reed giving "Danger Bird" the "Foot of Pride" treatment.

I'll indicate #1s at the end--as I said upthread, the majority of ballots were unranked.