Best "obscure" Neil Young song:

[RandomKoolzip]

None of that Heart of Gold/Rockin' in the free world nonsense. I want the album tracks you love that don't get played on classic rock radio.

[Wickerman]

1. Tough task, coming up with a list of obscure NY songs

but, nice work, you made soem good choices. I have little idea of what an obscure Neil song would be - too many years of Neil on the tape deck, turntable and CD player.

edit to say nice rep of Zuma and on the Beach, two of my faves

[RandomKoolzip]

6. That stretch from "Time Fades Away" to "Zuma"

is Neil's best stuff. Plus some songs from "reactor" and "Ragged Glory." Those are my faves.

[Wickerman]

10. Amen

I find myself putting on Times Fades Away a lot, but particularly like the songwriting on the two previous. Powderfinger remains one of my fave Neil songs ever so gotta extend to RNS.

And interesting that you include Reactor - some of that stuff is incredible. Shots. Heard an acoustic version of that the other day, from about 6 years previous of release, imsc. Still a powerful song (some lyric changes) but didn't have the raw emotion or the power of Neil treating it with all the distortion and feedback on the LP.

[RandomKoolzip]

12. Yeah...about "reactor:"

Chuck Eddy, the rock critic, said that it was "underrated, but just as easy to overrate."

[flamingyouth]

19. I concur

Two of my faves as well. :thumbsup:

[John Q. Citizen]

2. "Like An Inca"

And "Welfare Mothers (make better lovers"

[RandomKoolzip]

5. Good choice

[Squeech]

3. Here's an obscurity

The Old Laughing Lady

I like that first album a lot.

I hear you about the cloying familiarity of "Rockin' in the Free World," but when I was growing up, it was "Cowgirl in the Sand" or "Down By the River," 24/7. Turned me off Neil Young for a generation.

[RandomKoolzip]

7. "Rockin' in the Free World" is a great song, but I've heard it too much.

Neil's best work is pretty shadowy.

[Melynn]

4. Those are all great songs

I voted for Drive Back but Tired Eyes is one of my favorites too.

[RandomKoolzip]

11. Another "Zuma" fan!

What a great album.

[Melynn]

22. Absolutely

One of Neil's best. That and Tonight's the Night are probably my favorite albums.

[welshTerrier2]

8. One of these Days

Young wrote that one ...

and I really love his version of "Four Strong Winds" that was written by John Denver ...

[RandomKoolzip]

9. Ian Tyson wrote that.

Of Ian & Sylvia.

[welshTerrier2]

14. don't think so ...

the song refers to "that old country fiddler" when Young was into country music and also refers to his "Canadian prairie home" ... Young is from Canada ... perhaps Ian wrote a song with the same title but I'm pretty sure the one below was written by Young ...

One of These Days

One of these days,
I'm gonna sit down
and write a long letter
To all the good friends I've known
And I'm gonna try
And thank them all
for the good times together.
Though so apart we've grown.

One of these days,
I'm gonna sit down
and write a long letter
To all the good friends I've known
One of these days,
one of these days,
one of these days,
And it won't be long, it won't be long.

And I'm gonna thank,
That old country fiddler
And all those rough boys
Who play that rock 'n' roll
I never tried to burn any bridges
Though I know I let some good things go.

One of these days,
I'm gonna sit down
and write a long letter
To all the good friends I've known
One of these days,
one of these days,
one of these days,
And it won't be long, it won't be long.

From down in L.A.
All the way to Nashville,
From New York City
To my Canadian prairie home
My friends are scattered
Like leaves from an old maple.
Some are weak, some are strong.

One of these days,
I'm gonna sit down
and write a long letter
To all the good friends I've known
One of these days,
one of these days,
one of these days,
And it won't be long, it won't be long.

One of these days,
one of these days,
one of these days,
And it won't be long, it won't be long.

[RandomKoolzip]

16. "Four Strong Winds" is the Ian Tyson song.

Lots of people have covered it, including John Denver and Bob Dylan....THAT's the one I was referring to.

[welshTerrier2]

17. ahhh, thanks ...

that makes more sense ...

[argyl]

23. Bobby Bare recorded it over 40 years ago. The best cover,IMHO.

[Elidor]

13. The entire Trans album

Love that stuff. Computer Age. We R in Control. Transformer Man. Computer Cowboy.

[RandomKoolzip]

15. Honestly, I've never had a copy of "Trans."

Apart from sampling some of the stuff my dad had in his record collection, I stayed away from Neil's Geffen years for the most part....I've heard "Computer Age" and "Sample and Hold," and must say it was pretty ballsy of him to make that kind of music.....


Ooooooh, I forgot: "Arc" should be on the list (the whole album).

[Magrittes Pipe]

34. You're in my sigline, too, jagoff.

:evilgrin:

[Liberal_Andy]

18. "The punches came fast and hard,...

lyin' on my back in the schoolyard."

[RandomKoolzip]

27. That song's a true tearjerker....

Neil wrote it the night he found out Danny Whitten died.

[kodi]

20. days that used to be. (stole some dylan riffs on that one)

you knows it when you hears it.

[CanuckAmok]

21. The "New Wave" version of Mr. Soul.

I think it's great.

And anything off the highly underrated "Everybody's Rockin'", by Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks.

[RandomKoolzip]

28. I could never bring myself to buy it...

I HEARD it, though, and wondered why he bothered...maybe I need to hear 'Everybody's Rockin'" again.

[CanuckAmok]

29. Everybody's Rockin' is great.

And you can usually find it in a delete bin for $2.00.

The highlight is "Payola Blues".

I wish they'd do another album.

[Bossy Monkey]

24. I'm The Ocean. Also the best overall. nt

[gmoney]

25. "Everybody's Rockin'"

The Neil Young and the Shocking Pinks rockabilly album, featuring Wonderin', Betty Lou's Got a New Pair of Shoes, and maybe my favorite, Kinda Fonda Wanda...

[bif]

26. "Almost Washed My Hair Today"

[bloom]

30. Hey Babe

is a sentimental fave that probably nobody else thinks about.


Also like Hurricane - I don't know if it gets played or not - I don't listen to rock radio.

I should listen to the Zuma album....

[4_Legs_Good]

31. Fuckin' Up is fantastic live...

I think there's a great version on "Year of the Horse" IIRC.

david

[norml]

32. "Roll Another Number (For The Road)" off of "Tonight's The Night"

"Roll Another Number (For The Road)"

It's too dark
to put the keys
in my ignition,
And the mornin' sun is yet
to climb my hood ornament.
But before too long I might
see those flashing red lights
Look out, mama,
'cause I'm comin' home tonight.

Think I'll
roll another number
for the road,
I feel able to get under any load.
Though my feet
aren't on the ground,
I been standin' on the sound
Of some open-hearted people
goin' down.

I'm not goin' back
to Woodstock for a while,
Though I long to hear
that lonesome hippie smile.
I'm a million miles away
from that helicopter day
No, I don't believe
I'll be goin' back that way.

Think I'll
roll another number
for the road,
I feel able to get under any load.
Though my feet
aren't on the ground,
I been standin' on the sound
Of some open-hearted people
goin' down.

[MnFats]

33. "Mr. Soul"

as in
"Hello Mr. Soul I dropped by to pick up a reason."

[MrScorpio]

35. Not a big Neil Young fan

he's cool

[khashka]

36. Favourite Obscure Neil Young Song

I'm cheating here, big time, but Tori Amos's cover of Heart of Gold? Yeah, it's his most famous song and maybe his worst but she gives it a pretty cool twist.

I'm not convincing anybody am I?

OK, as God is my witness I would gladly suck the sweat out of that man's socks.

Still no dice, huh?

The one that really really fuckin' gets inside of me and tears my heart out and makes me thankful he did that to me? Probably not obscure enough, but, The Needle And The Damage Done.

Or pretty much anything off of Harvest - one of the all-time perfect albums. And Live Rust, well, there aren't any words.

Khash,
and no matter what you say I'll still suck the sweat outa that man's socks - he's a freakin' genius.

[dweller]

37. Will To Love

from American Stars 'N Bars

also 'Stringman' (Unplugged) and just about anything from 'Sleeps with Angels' .


dp

[radwriter0555]

38. Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor comin', sayin' something about

a queen.

There were drummers drumming, and archers arching and the and marching fit the scene...

[GCP]

40. I love that one - although I didn't think it was obscure

I also love "Don't Let it Bring You Down"

[radwriter0555]

49. welll obscure in the sense it's almost 35 years old, right? From 1972

I believe. The "After the Goldrush" album.

[Bonhomme Richard]

39. Powderfinger - Lyrics -Great rocker and.......................

I love the lyrics.

Powderfinger

Look out, Mama, there's a white boat comin' up the river
With a big red beacon, and a flag, and a man on the rail
I think you'd better call John,
'Cause it don't look like they're here to deliver the mail
And it's less than a mile away
I hope they didn't come to stay
It's got numbers on the side and a gun
And it's makin' big waves.

Daddy's gone, my brother's out hunting in the mountains
Big John's been drinking since the river took Emmy-Lou
So the Powers That Be left me here to do the thinkin'
And I just turned twenty-two
I was wonderin' what to do
And the closer they got,
The more those feelings grew.

Daddy's rifle in my hand felt reassurin'
He told me, Red means run, son, numbers add up to nothin'
But when the first shot hit the docks I saw it comin'
Raised my rifle to my eye
Never stopped to wonder why.
Then I saw black,
And my face splashed in the sky.

Shelter me from the powder and the finger
Cover me with the thought that pulled the trigger
Think of me as one you'd never figured
Would fade away so young
With so much left undone
Remember me to my love,
I know I'll miss her.

[AntiCoup2K4]

44. Neil wrote that song for Lynyrd Skynyrd

But unfortunately, they never got a chance to record it, so Neil ended up releasing it himself.

[ghostsofgiants]

41. Is "Powderfinger" obscure enough?

[Bonhomme Richard]

42. LOL, most people I know never heard of it. n/t

[ghostsofgiants]

45. I was raised listening to Neil's music, so I have no real reference point

...when it comes to obscure or not.

[peekaloo]

43. Piece of Crap!

from 'Sleeps with Angels'

[XNASA]

46. "Broken Arrow"

[supernova]

47. What happended to the Dead Man soundtrack?

Hmmm?? *taps foot waiting for an explination of this gross omission*

[last_texas_dem]

48. "What Did You Do to My Life"

from the debut. I tend to love melancholy stuff, and this one has some beautifully sad lyrics.

Also, "On the Way Home" from Buffalo Springfield's Last Time Around. I think the brass adds a really cool touch to that song.

My favorite non-chart hit is probably "Like a Hurricane", but I figure anything on Decade couldn't be considered obscure...

(Though FTR, I should say that I'm not familiar with the majority of his post-seventies work, so I'm probably missing some greats...)

[John Q. Citizen]

50. The Neil and the Blue Notes album had a lot of great stuff too..

This notes for you was the FM play and of course hey hey my my, but most of the the other songs are obscure and great.

I grew up in Sta. Cruz and Neil used to open a lot of his tours there to work out the bugs.

For the Blue Notes tour he played something like 11 nights in a row at the Coconut Grove ballroom at the Boardwalk.

There was also a period of time before that when he played at a little dive bar called the Shaggy Fish (ten 8 ounce beers for a dollar)in a band called the Ducks which included local Sta Cruz musician Jeff Blackburn. That lasted about a couple of months before the word got out that the "Ducks" was a Neil band and the place couldn't handle the crowd. Maximum occupancy must of been like 30 or 40 people at that place.....man those werte the days.

[Zomby Woof]

51. Blue Eden

Although there are too many 'hidden' gems to list.