October 20th, 2004

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Music
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A Neil Young Cover Band

I’m slowly assembling the rest of my list of 100 things to do before I die. One item I’ve added today is ‘play in a band, again’. I briefly and poorly played guitar in various bands in high school (best band name: Hey, that’s not your goat!).

What kind of band would I want to play in? A Neil Young cover band, of course. Why? His songs are easy to play and anybody can sing better than he can. Plus, he’s had such a lengthy and varied career, it’d be easy to have a very eclectic set list.

That got me thinking of covers of Neil Young songs. Here are my top-seven best and top-five worst Neil Young covers:

  1. "Powderfinger" – Cowboy Junkies.
  2. "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" – The Rheostatics and the Bourbon
    Tabernacle Choir
  3. "Don’t Let It Bring You Down" – Weeping Tile
  4. "Harvest Moon" – Cassandra Wilson
  5. "Pocahontas" – Crash Vegas
  6. "Tired Eyes" – Cowboy Junkies
  7. "Cortez the Killer" – 54-40
  1. "Heart of Gold" – Tori Amos
  2. "Don’t Let It Bring You Down" – Annie Lennox
  3. "Fuckin’ Up" – Junkhouse
  4. "After the Gold Rush" – Natalie Merchant
  5. "Helpless" – Ryan Adams

Comments: 8 Responses so far

niall
October 21st, 2004
11:06 am

I’m quite partial to the Pixies version of ‘Winterlong’

Reply

Darren
October 21st, 2004
11:11 am

It wouldn’t crack my top-7, but I know that song and it’s quite good. It’s a standout on that tribute album.

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Kevin Y
March 30th, 2007
8:58 am

It was never released as a single (nor never recorded actually) but my wife likes to get on my case with a kick ass version of hers where she belts out Neil’s “A Man Needs A Maid”.

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John Gallaher
March 30th, 2007
9:53 am

Jay Farrar’s version of “Like a Hurricane” from Stone, Steel and Bright Lights would be in my top 10.

I agree about Tori Amos, but I liked the Lennox version of “Don’t Let it Bring You Down.”

FWIW

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Kevin Y
March 30th, 2007
10:19 am

Aren’t we all forgetting Nicolette Larson’s cover of “Lotta Love” from Comes A Time, where she also did lots of back up vocals. Lotta Love was a little hoakey, and very pop like for the time but I always liked her voice-very much like Emmylou Harris kind of sound.

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Bert Steen
July 13th, 2007
1:39 pm

looks like you’ve already been told.
Nicolette Larson, “Lotta Love”, Great, as is Annie Lennox on “Don’t let it bring you down”
Having a Neil Young cover band myself, eliminates the use of the name “Harvest Moon” should you get to that point on your things to do list. Sorry Darren.
but “Hey, that’s not your Goat” is a great name
Best of luck
Bert Steen, Harvest Moon band

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jacob
January 3rd, 2008
2:10 pm

Hello, I would like to do the vocals for your Neil Young tribute band. I would be available this coming summer. If you want to get together for a demo in maybe may or so I’m all for it. I’m out of town right now. Will be back then. Contact me if interested.

We will need a kicking bass, drummer, guitarist. What do you play? I can play a little acoustic and harp along with the vocals if needed but prefer to just do the vocals. You will see that I’m a good fit for a NY tribute band….

Jacob

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bryant
January 31st, 2008
12:03 pm

i actually LOVE ryan’s cover of “helpless.”
i’ve heard several notable covers of “harvest moon” as well. one in particular being elliott smith.

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