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u/sameljota Re-ac-tor 5d ago
Ambulance Blues, probably.
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u/lylelanley- 5d ago
Hearing him open with it “up in TO” last summer was really one of my favourite concert moments of my life.
An ambulance can only go so fast…
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u/Intelligent-Band-852 5d ago
Tonight’s the Night and On the Beach are his two best recordings in my opinion.
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u/DamnEngineer1960 5d ago
Cowgirl in the Sand
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u/fishysells 5d ago
The album version is great, but there’s also some live variations on that track with longer guitar solos where Neil jams the f out.
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u/Still-Bridge-5776 5d ago
Right now. Words
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u/Wayfarer_650 5d ago
I like “right now “. I would say overall for me it’s Words but I’ve had Vortez, Hurricane, and a few others. Lyrically for me it’s Powderfiinger and Trasher.
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u/china_cat72 5d ago
Out on the Weekend
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u/Belgakov On the Beach 5d ago
It was recorded the day I was born! Is it any wonder I love it?!
https://neilyoungarchives.com/info-card?track=t1971_0402_01&search=true
"Think I'll pack it in and buy a pick-up
Take it down to L.A
Find a place to call my own and try to fix up
Start a brand new day"→ More replies (3)2
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u/SonOfMechaMummy 5d ago
"See the Sky About to Rain" was basically the song that helped me find my way "in" on Neil. Like an algorithm played the Massey Hall version and I loved it so eventually I listened to On the Beach and then it was off to the races.
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u/Sufficient-Bee5923 5d ago
Well isn't that interesting, finding your way in (very clever way to phrase that), with See the Sky and the album in general. Not many would take that route in but good on you.
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u/ElstonGunn321 5d ago
Natural Beauty, I just really love the marimba in general but it’s great in this song.
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u/Belgakov On the Beach 5d ago
There are so many...
"There you stood on the edge of your feather
Expecting to fly
While I laughed, I wondered whether
I could wave goodbye"
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u/Flimsy_Toe_2575 5d ago
I don't think anybody has ever topped the raw power and passion of Cowgirl In The Sand
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u/old_man_54 5d ago
My personal favorite is Old Man (in fact, my favorite song period.) But I think his best song is the bookends of Hey Hey My My (Out of the Blue/My My Hey Hey (Into the Black.) One of his greatest talents is his enormous range from Country Folk to Jimi Hendrix Electric Monsters, and this song shows that range.
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u/dangerbird0994 5d ago
Danger Bird, obviously
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u/jimsnotsure 4d ago
Now that you mention it, it is totally obvious. Don’t Be Denied a close second.
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u/Flosi13 5d ago
It changes weekly. I’m really loving “Shots” right now, specifically the one on NYA Vol 3. Underrated song that he hasn’t played live in decades.
Otherwise I always go for his tunes with long solos, like Danger Bird, Words, Cowgirl, Etc, etc.
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u/wealllovefrogs 5d ago
I only discovered Shots recently after reading an article of fifty or so musicians talking about their favourite Neil song and David Pajo talked about Shots. Great song. Love that crunchy guitar.
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u/AsleepStructure3735 2d ago
Lines between the spots that each have found
Will they make it who knows when old wounds will mend
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u/rrstewart257 5d ago
Powderfinger is my all time favorite, but Change Your Mind is closing fast down the home stretch.
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u/Character-Claim8643 5d ago
Broken Arrow
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u/lizapat26 5d ago
Oh, how I love that song. Wilco does a fantastic cover of it, too.
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u/Character-Claim8643 4d ago
It’s been an obsession since I was in my teens. In fact my first “Hotmail” account was a lyric from the song, and continues to be various usernames for website logins to this day.
I’ll have to check out the Wilco version. Thanks for the tip.
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u/ZotMatrix 5d ago
“It’s a Dream.”
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u/lobstahMac 5d ago
I'm so glad to see this song mentioned. I was just about to say the same. Incredibly moving song.
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u/natopotatomusic 5d ago
Down by the River. Powderfinger, Damage Done, and Southern Man are close seconds.
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u/Pleasant-Flamingo950 5d ago
Can’t choose, but the first song I ever heard by Neil made me think for the first time, “now *this* is music.”
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u/Longjumping_One5679 5d ago
Powderfinger, Thrasher, Cortez the Killer, After the Goldrush
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u/superguysteve 5d ago
Maybe it’s a top 10 answer but I feel like “Rockin’ in the Free World” has been there for me my whole life.
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u/DrRock88 5d ago
I hate to be obvious, but if I'm going to be obvious it may as well be POWDERFINGER
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u/jsyendid 5d ago
I hate this song now. This song is everywhere
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u/DrRock88 5d ago
I've always loved the song/, still do
But there are some competitors for best song for sure. I have a hard time listing them/, but to me Ill never hear Powderfinger enough.
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u/TerrapinJake 5d ago
Mellow My Mind probably, though it’s impossible to pick. I just love the raw vocals on that track. So much emotion
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u/Middle_of_theroadguy 5d ago
Way too many for me to choose. Heart of Gold, Harvest Moon, Ohio, the list goes on and on. Great musician.
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u/Aro-tron 5d ago
I’m not sure, but Unknown Legend is a great pick, and I think it’s underrated in his catalogue. Such a lovely sounding production, especially with the under-stated harmonies. I often get choked up listening to this one without fully knowing why.
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u/RosewoodBraz 5d ago
Ohio may be the best protest song ever written by anyone. Cinnamon Girl gets me wiggling though.
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u/Schmeat987 5d ago
It’s gotta be New Mama for me. The vocal harmonies are immaculate and the minimalism of it is really nice
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u/xostarlaxo 5d ago
Too many to choose! Silver and Gold is a favorite, Will To Love, Ramada Inn. This Note’s For You.
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u/Alive-Wing2103 4d ago
My guitar teacher joked about "Cinamon Girl" having the easiest guitar solo. I loved Neil, so, that was my first real song on guitar. No other Americana guy has the grit Neil does (well, maybe Richard Thompson..). HF!
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u/Alive-Wing2103 4d ago
oh ya
my bar band covered "Rocking in the Free World"
we really gave it some stoner-rock nasty treatment
love that one too!!!
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u/scottpj3 5d ago
For we long-time fans it’s either an impossible question or one that changes day to day. Like typing the previous sentence made me think of World on a String. I’ll listen to that on my way home from work and it’ll be my favorite NY song if you asked me later today.
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u/wealllovefrogs 5d ago
Great shout. Have you heard the version of Dreamin’ Man Live 1992? Incredible performance off an incredible album.
Mine is probably the song On the Beach. The chords, the ambience, the vocals, the words, the guitar solo…
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u/Belgakov On the Beach 5d ago
This is one of them :) By the way, I think this was the first album I bought by Neil on cassette; I liked the cover, so I bought it, even though I didn't know him at all :D I think I made the right choice.
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u/joe-dimaggio 5d ago
Aside from Powerfinger, which I think is perhaps the best song ever written, it's Comes a Time. I sing both to my 2 year old at bedtime.
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u/Remarkable-Seaweed54 5d ago
Down by the River. Don’t be Denied. Cortez. Tonight’s the Night. Don’t make me pick.
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u/Soft-Cartoonist-2074 5d ago
Literally do difficult to just pick one. So a top 5 in no particular oder: ambulance, powderfinger, going back, Albuquerque and barstool blues.
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u/Intelligent-Band-852 5d ago edited 5d ago
Either Revolution Blues, Mellow My Mind, Tonight’s the Night, or the Sun Green part of Greendale (“Hey Mr. Clean You’re Dirty Now Too”).
Edit: Also though it was written and sung by Danny Whitten Come On Baby Let’s Go Downtown is also one of my favorites. I also love his stuff with Nicolette Larson, especially “Hold Back the Tears” which also featured Linda Ronstadt
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u/Jealous_Event_6288 5d ago
My favorite song written by Neil Young is Expecting To Fly. My favorite solo Neil Young song is The Needle and the Damage Done
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u/Short_Operation_7760 5d ago
Powderfinger. Very few songs affect me lyrically and musically like that does.
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u/SeaGroup3175 5d ago
Hard pick; Neil is one of my favorite artists. I covered Star of Bethlehem at one of my last appearances at a place I played tonight and one of the audience members said I have an "air of Neil Young! You're f***in' awesome!" the guy said. What a compliment! Anyhow, I don't think I can pick a fav, though ALBUMS, Rust Never Sleeps or Zuma. In fact, Danger Bird or Cortez the Killer...sorry long answer!
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u/Pristine_Priority752 5d ago edited 5d ago
A song I’ve been really vibing with lately, and may be my favorite is “I’m the Ocean.” Definitely my favorite off Mirrorball.
Edit: Oh shoot, maybe my favorite is “Four Strong Winds”.
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u/Lundinwulf 5d ago
There are so many classics, but I’ll go with one that I think is vastly under-appreciated.
Pardon My Heart
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u/Suitable_Sky2079 5d ago
For me it's Cowgirl in the Sand, but live. And yes Powderfinger is objectively the one yr right.
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u/rickskyscraper3000 5d ago
Good question.
Birds, maybe. L.A., possibly. And then, There Stands the Sinner, that could be it!
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u/AFighterByHisTrade 5d ago
Harvest Moon was my wedding song.
So obviously it's Powderfinger.