Added: 3 years ago
From: gablen23
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  • my favourite Neil Young song nobody ever mentions this song, i love it!!

  • To jrock2264, this song was on the Live Rust movie but not incluuded on the Live Rust album. A different version is on Rust Never Sleeps.

  • Nice hair cut Mr Neil young !

  • What a great song.Its amazing the pictures he can draw with words .

  • Dang, he actually messed up at 2:46....I don't remember that on the album version.....but this IS the album version, isn't it?

  • I love this song. It really touches me powerfully. Neil is always good at songwriting, this is the one for me, though. It's like a post card or a letter home about the end of the '70's.

  • oops, neil forgot the words at 2:48, but he's adorable none the less. first time i heard this song, i was moved to tears. such poetic song

  • Man, he looks young....

  • @jrock2264 30 years will make you look older. :-) Trust me on this one.

  • @jp7794 Believe me, I know...I was 15 in 1979....

  • Crap, find someone playing a 12 string and write a song like this. Neil is the the best there is , there was,, and the best there ever will be.

  • Brilliance verse and notes fucking brilliant

  • Fuck, this is a young Neil

  • We're all blessed to have Neil Young on this earth with us..."Life is great"

  • this is so good

  • Lyrically, it's one of the best songs: period.

  • fantastic. i wish i had seen neil back in those days. this is one of my favorits from him

  • Christopher McCandless

  • Too KooL!!! Memories............

  • @BillyBones92 NO...mc cartney doesnt make the cut sadly.

  • Too bad it was cut out of the CD.

  • @Pinkertism I think it`s either because he screws up the lyrics or that the performance is very similar to the studio version that came out the same year

  • Bernard Shakey > Everyone.

    Case closed.!

  • @BillyBones92 I would have said Dylan, Young, Lennon/McCartney, Robert Hunter and Paul Simon (all equal)

  • This can make you cry.

  • One of the best songs ever written! And I have a hard time thinking that I will ever hear a better and more convincing singer/songwriter song about himself and the world at the same time.

  • Someone made fun of me awhile back because I said Neil was strumming a Martin. Sorry, but the narrative is still worth the time!!!!!!!!!!!

  • @shawndaven Neil Young p;lays Martins?! WTF?

  • @BillyBones92 Have to include Paul Simon in that mix. He has written some real gems...

  • Comment removed

  • Respond to this video...  +Townes Van Zandt, Rick Danko, Ryan Adams, Van Morrison..it's useles..there are plenty of musician gems.

  • My favorite NY song...An early version from the final album cut. Love how he forgets the words at 2:48 into the song...His ODE to CSN. "They had the best protection,they poisoned with selection. " And when the Thrashers come and I'm stuck in the sun like the Dinosaurs enshrined, then I'll know the time has come to give what's mine...

  • Love that he forgot the words and left it in the movie. Neil rules!

  • @BillyBones92 Add Leonard Cohen and Townes Van Zandt and you're okay with me.

  • Thur thr years from boy to man Neil has helped in my asension to the roads I choose .I LOVE the man his music an his mind thank you neil The birdman

  • God yeah.

  • i love this song

  • to all of you who think the new generation is artless, it is your fault for not looking hard enough. you can't generalize like that.

    look up adam carroll for a start

  • @BillyBones92 i wish we didn't have to make lists of "best evers".

  • Like After The Goldrush, an 'environmental' song. Also like After the Goldrush, a warning.

    Everyone should have at least one Neil Young lp in their collection. The argument as to who is greater/lesser a songwriter is futile as no-one will ever agree - critic or layman. And it misses the point - the music you enjoy regardless of origin.

  • @BillyBones92 I'd kick Paul McCartney anytime for Jagger/Richards. The Wings just make me heave.

  • @BillyBones92

    I would replace McCarthney with Dave Matthews. (No contest)

  • If you don't have the whole album "Rust Never Sleeps" do yourself a favor and buy it today. You can't find most of it on Youtube...songs like Pocahontas, Ride My Llama, Sail Away, Powderfinger. Truly one of the all time great albums.

  • 6 people with head up ass

  • Neil, your song is more than wonderful but boy, you dress like a bum !

  • An historic song. I can sing it along to the end, but the last line always makes me choke and I must stop. Weird how a generation which was on heroins and such 20/7 could produce some of the best modern music ever. Today pop artists are just as drugged, but they produce crap. The quality has gone down? The older generation had more interesting values then the last phone app? They just seemed so much more human and less plastic.

  • @MariannaNYC09 I think people then lived life to the fullest and had some interesting experiences to write about. Now young people just play on the internet and play video games. Nothing to draw from.

  • @YoungDylanFan yeah damn kids these days with their hip hop and their computers and their lady gaga and their snoop doggy dogg and their r & b and their justin beiber and their xbox 360s and their video games and their lack of inspiration... come on man, you sound like and old person! each generation creates for itself, you may favor one over the other, but they're all the same

  • @tattleboad dude No need to mention anyone else here

  • thank you, friends ...

  • @BillyBones92

    add Ray Davies to that list please...!

  • @BillyBones92 good list, forgot paul simon

    

  • Neil....the master.

  • @markre60 I agree, and Neil said that about Dylan so :))

  • @gablen23  Neil Young, among the most talented men who ever lived.

  • @gablen23  Bob Dylan, a legend.

  • Nice recovery @ 2;47 The sign of a true professional.

  • Dear Mr Young. I "stole" the line "just another mind in the field of time" to a song I wrote. I hope that's okay with you

    Best regards

  • @billbones92 Dude, get a clue. Sure Waters wrote the majority of the songs, but you gotta give Gilmour credit. Did you know that "lazy bugger" Gilmour played most of Water's bass parts on their songs because Waters really had no bass abilities? It took the genius combination of Waters and Gilmour to make Pink Floyd legendary.

  • @nobodysfault76 What about Syd Barrett? I have always felt his writing was more poetic and dreamlike than anything those two ever did. No offense intended.

  • My goodness. It is lovely to hear REAL music again.

  • @BillyBones92 Roger Waters. He deserves so much more recognition than what he generally gets. He wrote 95% of Pink Floyd's material, post-Barrett. He carried the other lazy buggers through the 4-album success period. He did the movie and the stage show for The Wall. Gilmour and his one overrated, overplayed Numb solo? Laughable. No wonder Roger left, forcing Gilmour to write music of no consequence with his no-talent girlfriend..

  • what is the thrasher? a metaphor for technology?

  • @ArtandDesire10 yes its a machine pulled behind a tractor used for harvesting corn, wheat , hay, ect.

  • @gtarz40ful I see, so its not connected in any other way. Just an inspirational sight for Neil representing the country life. Thanks.

  • @ArtandDesire10 Yes, "thrasher" is a metaphore for technology; it's also a metaphor for failure, for chaos, and ultimately for death.

  • @BillyBones92 Not a single woman? I nominate Ani DiFranco

    

  • speechless, wow

  • LOL!

  • This song is about skateboarding to me. I don't know what the real meaning is behind it. Roll on Thrashers.

  • The bar for songwriting below

    Young

    Dylan

    Springsteen

    _________________________

    Everyone Else

  • @BillyBones92

    Well said man

  • Looks and sounds like a Martin 12 string. Any other opinions.??

  • @Malloyism A Guild 12 strings, i guess.

  • @MOCHIZUKIJAIR I think is just a Taylor 12 strings. I own one very similar.

  • @Malloyism I think is just a Taylor 12 stirngs. Old Grand Concert 12 strings.

  • Dylan

    Young

    Lennon/McCartney

    Roger Waters

    **Pete Townshend**

  • Hes way beyond american idol dumbass ,

  • something tells me neil young would never make it on American Idol. Thank God

  • Thank you for uploading this. Away from my home and my turntable and really needed to hear this song.

  • @BillyBones92 Pls take McCartney out+i'll give you my two cents!!!!Still each to his own.....

  • great Neil..........

  • @BillyBones92 silly billy, you missed out robbie robertson and Richard Manuel. and mick jagger and keith richards

  • this bout tears me up.........oh the memories man what a great time in my life..

  • @BillyBones92 sean ryder?

  • This is one of the greatest songs of all time

  • so i got board and left them there

    they were just dead weight to me.

    fuckin brilleant

  • @BillyBones92 agreeed. gonna have to add morrison though too. love him

  • @destiny439207 Morrison's great forgot about him, I actually want to add Stephen Sills now to.

  • greatest songwriters:

    young

    dylan

    lennon/mc

    leonard cohen

    bruce springsteen

    that s my five o

  • @mormoonimikko Those are terrible, terrible. You're a knucklehead.

  • Omg h

  • @BillyBones92

    Agree totally. The other I'd add would be David Byrne of The Talking Heads. I do think in years to come, Neil is going to be recognised as a songwriter up there with Bob Dylan.

    Ha, watching this just now, I forgot that Neil totally fucked up the lyrics in this cut. Sign of a professional though; just grin and keep going.

  • @BillyBones92

    Agree totally. The other I'd add would be David Byrne of The Talking Heads.  I do think in years to come, Neil is going to be recognised as a songwriter up there with Bob Dylan.

  • My favourite Neil Young song in terms of lyrics, never get tired of it.

    ''When the aimless blade of science chopped the Pearly Gates...'' love it!

  • @BillyBones92 Ray Davies?

  • @BillyBones92 VanWyngarden/Goldwasser

  • @BillyBones92 I agree, but maybe we should add Tom Waits and Springsteen what you think? :)

  • @gablen23 If that is your preference I can understand why, Springsteen and Waits are each great in their own right, but they don't compare to so many other great artists in my opinion, and those 5 can't be matched.

  • @gablen23 Leonard Cohen needs to be on that list somewhere, too. But Young tops all in my opinion. :)

  • @gablen23 I think Fat Mike should be added too .. for the punk side of things

  • @blakepinder7 Fat Mike? There's far better punk songwriters than him. NoFx are a bad imitation of the Rich Kids On LSD with corny lyrics. Now Greg Ginn, that's a punk lyricist. Jello Biafra, Peter Steele written Agnostic Front songs, C.O.C. lyrics etc anybody but Fat Mike. Don't take offense to this im not callin u stupid just sayin that a punk songwriter's gotta tell it like it is; there's no room for toilet jokes or songs about a girl you can't have. There's a bigger picture than that.

  • @gablen23 Joe Strummer..i expect to get basted for that one but i think hes a true poet..

  • @holstpak I completely agree with you. Most people tend to disregard punk song writers, glad to hear that you don't.

  • @gablen23 as long as you add Roy Orbison, I'm okay with this.

  • @gablen23 Springsteen blows.

  • @gablen23 fuck yeah! Waits is immaculate and Springsteen gives me dirty thoughts...Id kiss that dude...not in a gay way or anything, an open mouth kiss of adoration, from one straight dude to another...mmm, yeah.

  • @RuggedZach oh yeah!

  • @gablen23 replace Springsteen with R. Stevie Moore, in my opinion

  • @gablen23 Oberst

  • @gablen23 Oberst

  • @gablen23 No Bruce is a great rocker but not a great songwriter... near great... and he hasn't done much writing for years.. Dylan and Neil's career have spanned 5 decades (since 1963, 1966).

  • 'I searched for my companions, who were lost in crystal canyons' brilliant :)

  • what a guy!

  • This is so amazing, holds so true to my heart.

  • "Thank You Friends"

  • This WILL be played at my funeral... for nostalgia, Americana, and a one-way ticket to the land of truth.

  • What an amzingily poetic brilliantly constructed song.........Thank you so much for uploading this......i had this song in my head all night(just found out some rather shit things in my life)as always i found solice in this,another of Neil's GREAT songs!!!!!

    You help me more than Jesus ever could............THANK YOU MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    God Bless.

  • This tour was, as they say now, epic. I saw it on my birthday; I was 20 years old and he played my favorite song to open: Sugar Mountain. He blew me away. Still does. Thanks for this!

  • Great song - my favorite of his.

  • Great song.

  • Soo Many tearful memories of pain and JOY!

  • Man, I wanna just pick up an acoustic and play when I hear this...

  • @dockie1964 DO IT ! we are all hear with you!

  • Beautiful. Intense. Poetic. Genius.

  • how effortless his music...the guy never spent a minute thinking about writing a song...just comes to him...must be super smart...brillian, genius.....not to use those words lighty...just.amazing what he accomplished before he even turned 30...without ever trying...he makes me feel so stupid

  • @damiensongs

    Well when it comes to this song and this era he was actually in his early 30s...32-33....

  • @BarstoolBlues33 yes..but ingeneral..so many of his songs released post harvest era were written years earlier...(as u probably already know)....can't fathom how many songs he wrote by the time he hit 30...yet or never to be (officially) recorded

  • Comment removed

  • it just shows how good he is....it took 1 bar and he was was back on track.......great song....it inspirered me to pick up a guitar 20 years ago..and i havn't looked back

  • mistakes and all very melodic. a nice journey.

  • I'm one of those people you hear screaming at the end. This was by far one of the best concerts I've been to, and I've been to many. It was a trip, even without drugs. I wish someone would post "Cinnamon Girl," all the Road-eyes were dancing across the stage and in the background. It was so cute, like they just couldn't contain themselves anymore. I love you, Neil Young, long may you run!

  • best part of the song ..2:52..classy!

  • best part of the song ..2:52..classy!

  • Song speaks to me and fills my soul!

  • The best Neil song ever! He is singing the story of my life.

  • Neil is such a powerful singer and guitar player he has more presence on his own than any band i can think of

  • just another line in the field of time

  • Congrats to Neil Young for winning the Grammy!

  • Another of my favorite NY tunes, the whole Live Rust album was great.....

  •  Speechless

  • Neil Young, "Thrasher", I was 18 when I first heard the song. I am 45 now! Well, it´s hard to write and sing a better song about having to depart and go for a change. It´s hard to write and sing a better song about shattered affairs and lost illusions. It´s hard to write a better song!

  • Check out this month's MOJO magazine. Cover story is "Top Fifty Neil Young Songs"... selected by artists...  This is number 45.

    Extensive descriptions of why people chose each song.

    Mag is kinda pricey... $10 USA.... but each issue includes full length CD pertaining to cover article.

    This is a good one ! THX for uploading.

  • @TacomaPaul Your welcome! Thx for the Mojo tip, I'm gonna try to get it, but it costs about $25 for me :S

  • @TacomaPaul 45? Top ten, at the very least.

  • Derrr. Wish I saw this tour but was in the Navy raping and pillaging (kidding)

  • Neil is the greatest of all time for me but this song's melody is just OK. 

  • @11xzxzxz It's all about the lyrics.

  • @Tipperman Thanks I guess I should look at the lyrics too. Usually I just get swept away by Neil's melodies.

  • @11xzxzxz I hear you on that. Neil basically wrote his feelings regarding Crosby, Stills, and Nash (he played with them on and off for some time, as I am sure you're aware) Definitely an excellent song.

  • @Tipperman Thanks for letting me know a partial interpretation of this song. I really never listened. I can now stop hating this. Not saying you but for someone to compare this song to a great song like Powderfinger, Mr Soul, On My Way Home, Expecting to Fly, Love in Mind, Cortex the Killer, Dangerbird, etc seems odd .. this song hasn't the intricacy of guitar playing of Sugar Mountain or I am a Child. The whole song seems likes filler. Sorry for being a hater ! Thank you friends!

  • @11xzxzxz No worries at all. Different strokes for different folks! I agree it's not as good musically as Powderfinger, etc, but the lyrics are beautiful and almost Dylan-esque to me. Lyrically I believe it surpasses Powderfinger by far, as it is a very personal song to Neil from what I have seen. Musically, however, the guitar alone in Powderfinger (or Hey Hey, My My) is better, although I love harmonica. That being said, I find it difficult to pick a favorite Neil Young song.

  • @Tipperman Yeah I was thinking Dylanesque .. but this explains why I don't read poetry but can't get a good lyric/melody out of my head. Perhaps lyrically it might compete with Powderfinger .. but that song has amazing rhyming and is to me more picturesque and haunting. This is more like Neil's personal stuff enlarged to sound so dramatic but Powderfinger is a timeless haunting song that despite a few slightly embarrassing lyrics to some

  • @Tipperman cont. (and my face splashed in the sky) I would (foolishly?) rank Powderfinger Gorgeous. And I like And my face splashed in the sky and Remember me and numbers add up to nothin'.. I can just see everything Neil wants us to see. If this song was tightened up maybe... Yeah it's difficult for me to pick a favorite. Old Man might seem conventional but something great and I used to listen to Mr Soul a hundred times or more .. it was like great rap and I hate rap. Take care my friend.

  • @Tipperman Hey you should get a site up .. with videos or do you and you are just hiding out from the law? ex wife? Just kidding (to those who seem to always misinterpret me). You've been a pleasure to not argue with .. most people fly off the handle. I almost wanted to apologize to Gablen23 but I just do my thing and hope I say "I like this other songs better" and then 1 out of 2 times I do get something like "listen you fuckin' idiot - just shut up".

  • I have this for my ringtone, and I always wait to answer to hear a little bit more of the song...sorry friends!

  • Whenever he says "I'm headin' out to where the pavement meets the sand" I just melt away.

  • Even Neil has problems with the lyrics to this. Makes me feel better about mangling it on my own a couple of times. God, I love this song, tho.

  • A gem....a classic.....Neil, you are the best.

  • it's all one song

  • "Was then I knew that I'd had enough,

    Burned my credit card for fuel,

    Headed out to where the pavement turns to sand.

    With a one-way ticket to the land of Truth,

    And my suitcase in my hand,

    How I lost my friends I still don't understand."

    Nobody has ever summed up the cost of an authentic life better than Neil Young in this song.

  • Long Live The Tweleve String !!

  • they say this is about CSNY who knows .Like Hippie Dream later who knows

    regards

    jimmy

  • There is real Hope for all of us. Despite all the forces of commercialism, profit, fashion and futilty, this song appeals to so many people. Real people, people who can see through the carefully prepared layers of crap to listen to the most beautiful lyrical piece of poetry ever wriiten. Rock on Neil, and keep listening friends. 

  • my father likes this song

  • Selection, protection, you know what he means! This song is a masterpiece! I'm a long time fan who loves Neil!!

  • Thanks Neil for writing perhaps the most poetic song ever...

  • @Lukather1979 SERIOUSLY

    

  • When you get shivers up your back and your scalp tightens up, that's when you know its a good song.

  • my father likes this song very much :D

  • Saw him play this NYC in the 90's.I think everyone was kinda stunned.I sure was.I cover Neils Too Far Gone, if you like check it out on my vids.Ty.

    This man is the greatest songwriter of all time, IMO.

  • I have listened to Neil Young my entire 26 years of life. He is a favorite of my parents, and is my all-time favorite. This is my favorite song.