What's The Story?
Odds are pretty good you've heard this one; from 1972's rock landmark Harvest, this track appeared alongside such timeless gems as Old Man, Heart of Gold and The Needle & The Damage Done.
Who's To Blame?
An always-laughing nautical engineer whose positive vibes are unmatched.
Why ♥ It?
The song opens sounding like a guitar riff from a rough cut jam session, but there's a realization that it's actually quite intentional once the clean, bright piano plays. I love the rough, uncut sound of the guitar that's persistent throughout.
The real draw of this tune for me is the chorus. The lyrics could be a metaphor for anything, and the whine of Neil's voice and fiery wail of the guitar sounds make it feel heavy and serious. A quick Wikipedia visit (or general knowledge of Neil Young; for me it was the former) reveals that the song is actually a stark condemnation of racism that pissed Lynyrd Skynyrd off enough to write Sweet Home Alabama. The idea of an anti-racist country tune is still something that doesn't come up all that often.
More on the chorus; the song is laid out in a way that's not entirely by the book. There's a chorus after the first verse, and then nothing until post-solo, when the track goes chorus-verse-chorus. It's a great way to convey a message and stick that part in your head. Rather than a chorus creating anticipation for a solo, the solo creates anticipation for another chorus. It's not unheard of, but it's not an everyday occurrence, and both the intrigue and the message of the song are enhanced by that.
This one's worth a reconsideration if you've never noticed any of the above before.
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