A World of Constant Strangers: The Neil Young Results Thread

I think "Needle" works for me still cause it is so short. And I really love the guitar playing on it, but that is a muso thing. Cool turnarounds etc.

Steve Jordan on drums and Charley Drayton on bass (X-Pensive Winos rhythm section, both producers/multi-instrumentalists now), and Frank.

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Agreed on the guitar playing on "Needle" -- really awesome stuff, and just the right length IMHO.

http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil20.jpg

That seems about right. Not on my list, but it'd be weird if it were absent from the Top 20.

catching up, in reverse order
heart of gold - cool tune! fun to play around a campfire
needle and damage done -- good song, but don't need to hear it again. unless he does an electric arrangement w/ crazy horse
don't let it bring you down -- didn't vote for it, but classic, love that it's an acoustic song that still sounds heavy.
hey hey my my - that high note he hits in the guitar solo, holy shit, like tectonic plates shifting
rockin in the free world - the first song i ever learned to play on guitar
pocahontas - one of my all time faves, just a perfect set of lyrics, perfect melody. this song runs through my head daily.

Yeah, glad lots of songs will place higher than Heart of Gold, but cannot deny its status as a Neil bonafide, just not the version I turn to these days. I do admire the moment when the backup singers really let go on the very last chorus though. Gets me through the whole song every time. Like the drumming a lot to, cool hi-hat work.

good tunes! glad to see "rockin" made the list after all - i get why people might be sick, but i still think it's the best thing he's done post-Rust.

Solo on hey hey my my gets me through that song, find it to be a slog most of the time.

oh of course "Rockin" was always gonna make the list

funny to see so many of the big hits cleared out in quick succession, i wonder if any will be left by the time we get to the top 10

Compare Heart of Gold to the other radio shit in 1972 and it kills it DEAD. STILL.

That said, I had it at 18, so I guess 20 isn't far off from that.

oh of course "Rockin" was always gonna make the list

(very) early on in the ballot collection period, clemenza implied nothing post-rust had broke the top 30 yet, and also suggested a key later track might get slighted

Like the drumming a lot to, cool hi-hat work.

agreed about the hi-hats! i doubt many people notice it, but it subtly helps to defines the feel of the verses.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSAz1Vc4U34

Still alot of my picks that haven't placed yet despite being either canonical or big fan faves (or so I thought), but there's also a few I was sure would not place, so who knows?

Heart of Gold didn't make my list.

I've been mishearing a lyric for 40 years: always thought it was "I've been in my mind/It's such a fine mind..."

For what it's worth, when I made that post-Rust comment, I think just over half the ballots had come in.

I've been listening to the Bronco Bowl boot (1/14/89) and the Restless are doing a great job. Love the versions of "Don't Cry" and "Mr. Soul".

http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil19.jpg

thought that'd be higher

Actually found a great image of a guy lying in a burned-out basement, but the dimensions weren't right.

Thought it would be higher too, but I didn't chart it.

K.D. Lang's cover got a vote too.

Called it! "After The Gold Rush" was #19 on my ballot.

xxxp This pic made me laugh anyway

I forget the context, but Christgau had a great line about not understanding something or other until you'd been in an arena filled with hippie burnouts when Neil gets to the "And I felt like getting high" line.

i think i've finally come round to "hey hey, my my". used to see it as little more than discordant slop, but now i'm totally on board as that monster riff buzzes and slices like a chainsaw. it all sounds so perfect and right.

Tyler can probably answer this: does any footage survive from the would-be film?

Wow, much lower than I expected. As much as I love "After the Gold Rush," I always found the cheers when Neil sings "And I felt like gettin' high" on the (otherwise great) Live Rust version to be a stadium rock nadir.

You're breakin' my heart.

footage from after the gold rush? i don't think it ever amde it past the stoned screenplay stage.

Wasn't sure...I suppose it's all documented in Shakey. Having marvelled at the insanity of Journey, I sure wish they'd left something behind.

http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil18.jpg

"Tired Eyes" sounds exactly like coming down from bad drugs in bad company.

Bruce Berry's actual van.

sweet! this song is ... something else! wow.

My third highest Tonight song. My highest didn't make the list.

footage from after the gold rush? i don't think it ever amde it past the stoned screenplay stage.

Yeah, I'm almost positive it was just a (Dean Stockwell-penned) screenplay.

My ONLY TTN song - had it at #21 but I'm all good with it placing this high.

When people describe TTN as "harrowing," this is the song I always think of.

"Tired Eyes" is a great song but I can't remove it from the record for some reason, did not make my ballot. Was sure it would place high though (i.e., didn't need my help).

http://phildellio.tripod.com/neil17.jpg

Really happy to see "Albequerque" this high, love that song a lot.

My #2 Tonight favourite. The Canadian band Treble Charger recorded an excellent cover for one of the tribute albums.

Wow, TTN fans hitting the top 20 hard.

They're more harrowing to listen to than anything. Yes, TTN sounds like a bad comedown. But I'm not sure these tunes tell me anything about bad comedowns I didn't already know.

Tired Eyes and Albuquerque were the only two on my ballot from TTN. like a lot of other people i have trouble isolating certain songs from the rest of the album.

ilm is basically the ditch trilogy fanclub, i knew that well before this poll

just watched Ace in the Hole last night and had albuquerque running through my head. Such a good song, so downbeat, but not depressing. Kind of amazing that he pulls off singing such a weird word "al-al-al-allll - ba-kirky."

From La Lechera: "Albuquerque" - man, I sure do identify with the spirit of this song, minus the fried eggs and country ham (I prefer scrambled eggs and bacon)