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Posted: 21 Jun 2006, 17:37
by Matt Wilson
The Right Scarfie Profile wrote: or the lead-in part on "Down by the River" after each time he sings "I shot a deer...", to take just two examples from Everybody Knows This is Nowhere).


"I shot a deer?" :D
Here's the lyrics to that song:

Be on my side,
I'll be on your side,
baby
There is no reason
for you to hide
It's so hard for me
staying here all alone
When you could be
taking me for a ride.

Yeah, she could drag me
over the rainbow,
send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead.

You take my hand,
I'll take your hand
Together we may get away
This much madness
is too much sorrow
It's impossible
to make it today.

Yeah, she could drag me
over the rainbow,
send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead.

Be on my side,
I'll be on your side,
baby
There is no reason
for you to hide
It's so hard for me
staying here all alone
When you could be
taking me for a ride.

Yeah, she could drag me
over the rainbow,
send me away
Down by the river
I shot my baby
Down by the river,
Dead, oh, shot her dead.

Posted: 21 Jun 2006, 18:33
by brassneck..
I've skipped through this thread and was surprised how few votes Goldrush received. It is, of course, the obvious choice: the one which regularly makes the Top 100s. It was my introduction to Neil as a student. Although he has since become one of my favourite artists, and i love a number of his albums, nothing matches the emotional resonance and wonderful consistency of this meisterwork.

Best song changes regularly. It used to be Don't Let It Bring You Down, but...

Album: After the Goldrush

Song: Powderfinger

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 00:00
by The Write Profile
Matt Wilson wrote:
The Right Scarfie Profile wrote: or the lead-in part on "Down by the River" after each time he sings "I shot a deer...", to take just two examples from Everybody Knows This is Nowhere).


"I shot a deer?" :D
.


Of course it is! :lol: Oops, blame that on a late night or something :oops:

Anyway, my original point still stands, I love the way he leads into that solo after "I shot her dead," it sounds so despondent and tormented, and now I have the right lyrics, it's easy to see why :mrgreen:. It's a really powerful performance, turning the limitations of the solo into its strength. As I said, it gets to the bottom of something

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 00:18
by Bungo the Mungo
What's the big deal about 'Powderfinger'?

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 03:34
by BARON CORNY DOG
I love Neil Young. I saw NY & Crazy Horse and Sonic Youth in San Antonio on my 17th birthday. A seminal event in my life. There was a time in my life (living in Pennsylvania approx. 3 years later) when I felt like I was in some sort of exile and was in a weird funk for a few years. After playing a weird mix of whatever current ambient/techno 12" records there were (spun backwards) and Ravi Shankar's lecture at the beginning of Concert for Bangladesh, I started off my weekly college radio show with "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" and then go off wherever we were to go for the next three hours. A little truculent, but I always relished it. Digging in the record stacks, I found On The Beach and instantly connected with the cover. It's one of the few records where the subject matter really means something to me. It wasn't available on cd and was never written about, so it was my secret. A seminal record in my life. After The Goldrush is almost certainly his best record, but

Album: On The Beach
Song: "Thrasher"

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 03:59
by king feeb
andymacandy wrote:
Short Bald Bloke wrote:And I love the bit in Live Rust where the rain pours down, thunder crackles, and a voice says "Maybe if we all think very hard, the rain will go away."


Im pretty sure that's a sample from the Woodstock movie-not that that diminishes it in any way.


I think it's Neil goofing around- after all, it's an indoor concert!

Anyhow-

Album: Tonight's The Night

Song: "Sedan Delivery"




:P really!

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 10:06
by The Slider
The Legendary John Coan wrote:What's the big deal about 'Powderfinger'?


Great melody line, story-telling lyric, concise song with just enough space for a NY/Poncho workout in the middle.

What the fuck more could you want?
I am thinking (today) it is actually better than Like A Hurricane.
It's always been my second favourite at any rate.

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 10:21
by andymacandy
The Slider wrote:
The Legendary John Coan wrote:What's the big deal about 'Powderfinger'?


Great melody line, story-telling lyric, concise song with just enough space for a NY/Poncho workout in the middle.

What the fuck more could you want?
I am thinking (today) it is actually better than Like A Hurricane.
It's always been my second favourite at any rate.

A great narrative lyric.
"Look out mama, there's a white boat coming up the river............"

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 13:21
by Corporate whore
Today I will change my favourite track to Cowgirl in the Sand.

And Album to Weld.

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 15:06
by Davey the Fat Boy
Corporate Whore wrote:Today I will change my favourite track to Cowgirl in the Sand.

And Album to Weld.


Almost took it too. But which version? Live solo, or the studio take?

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 21:57
by Bungo the Mungo
andymacandy wrote:
The Slider wrote:
The Legendary John Coan wrote:What's the big deal about 'Powderfinger'?


Great melody line, story-telling lyric, concise song with just enough space for a NY/Poncho workout in the middle.

What the fuck more could you want?
I am thinking (today) it is actually better than Like A Hurricane.
It's always been my second favourite at any rate.

A great narrative lyric.
"Look out mama, there's a white boat coming up the river............"


Oh, right, yeh, OK. Fantastic. :roll:

It sacrifices the touch of madness that all the best NY songs have for a rather mundane melody.

It's very mid-paced, the solo is fun but doesn't even remotely catch fire.

It is by no means better than 'Cinnamon Girl', 'Don't Cry No Tears', 'I Believe In You', 'Old Man', 'Down By The River', 'Tired Eyes', or 'Fuckin' Up'.

It's Neil Young's cardigan.

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 22:34
by Carl's Son
I on;y have Decade and a few albums from that decade kindly supplied by Carlisle Wheeling so I don't really feel qualified to pick a favourite album but at the moment my favourite song is Winterlong.

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 22:59
by BARON CORNY DOG
neverknows wrote:
Chris Chopping wrote:at the moment my favourite song is Winterlong.

I recommend the Pixies' version if you've never heard it.


Best thing they ever did.

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 23:02
by Carl's Son
neverknows wrote:
Chris Chopping wrote:at the moment my favourite song is Winterlong.

I recommend the Pixies' version if you've never heard it.

I sure have and I agree it's good. Someone has run off with my Pixies Best of :x

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 23:13
by BARON CORNY DOG
neverknows wrote:
Baron Waterface wrote:
neverknows wrote:
Chris Chopping wrote:at the moment my favourite song is Winterlong.

I recommend the Pixies' version if you've never heard it.


Best thing they ever did.

You know what, you are probably right. Or the third best thing they ever did after that 'IK Surf' version of 'Wave of Mutilation' and 'Cecilia Ann'.


Now that you mention it, you're probably right.

My intention was to take the piss out of the Pixies, a band that has been posthumously overrated to an extent matched only by Pavement. But now that I think about it, you're probably right.

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 23:15
by BARON CORNY DOG
neverknows wrote:Isn't Neil Young difficult to cover? I have a B-side of Supergrass covering 'The Loner' and it's a disappointing note for note remake. In fact I can't think of a Neil Young cover I like, apart from the Pixies'.


There was a great band from Austin. Pork. They did a few great NY covers (circa Zuma, but they were fundamentally incompetent musicians, which helped a lot.

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 23:16
by Snarfyguy
neverknows wrote:Isn't Neil Young difficult to cover?


The Feelies used to do Powderfinger and Sedan Delivery pretty well.

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 23:22
by BARON CORNY DOG
neverknows wrote:
Snarfyguy wrote:
neverknows wrote:Isn't Neil Young difficult to cover?


The Feelies used to do Powderfinger and Sedan Delivery pretty well.

And I'm a Feelies fan! :oops:


Were those on the 12" with the Beatle covers?

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 23:22
by The Slider
There was a good version of Powderfinger by the Beat Farmers, but there is no fundamental point in covering Neil.
Even Cash's Pocahontas seems a bit perfuctuary.

And anyone for that horrible Like A Hurricane by Roxy Music?
Not to mention The Mission's. :lol:

Posted: 22 Jun 2006, 23:40
by Snarfyguy
neverknows wrote:'Sedan Delivery' is on The Good Earth. They did 'Barstool Blues' too, for a French promo CD. 'Powderfinger' I'm not sure.


They used to play it live; it might not have come out on a record.

As Slider notes, there's not much point.

They didn't add anything to the song except the novelty of it being done by them. That's okay in a live setting, but not really for a studio record.