But yeah, the line between contemporary album rock and 'classic rock' was pretty blurred at that time.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Thursday, 24 July 2014 04:17 (nine years ago) link
for me he's always been pretty good at conveying a feeling without necessarily saying much
otm.
Jeepers, the solo... right at the edge of really goofy cartooniness here. You could almost believe Petty comes back in with "Yeah, you got cold!" to cover up for the increasingly bum notes he's hitting.
this is one of the things i love most about this thread -- zeroing in on odd little details that lots of people (me, for example) stopped noticing years ago and/or just kind of take for granted without thinking much about them. i assume those bum notes are their own commentary on something or other, or maybe they just thought it was a cool sound, mike campbell going overboard on his whammy bar not in search of notes but in search of sound effects.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 24 July 2014 05:09 (nine years ago) link
for the record, I love almost all of Tom Petty's big radio hits
me too. he's a consummate singles artist for me. i loved virtually every single he released for a good 20 years. there are plenty of album tracks i like, but very few that i really need.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 24 July 2014 05:13 (nine years ago) link
So far this thread is totally tl;dr for me, but based on the rave reviews I think I've got to find a way to catch up one of these weekends.
― I Don't Zing Like Nobody (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 July 2014 05:14 (nine years ago) link
join in anytime! the thread kind of starts over every time we do a new song.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 24 July 2014 05:27 (nine years ago) link
Make up your own words- we did!
― I Don't Zing Like Nobody (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 July 2014 05:40 (nine years ago) link
Sorry, ma, forgot to check out the genre.
written 20 minutes after you posted it.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 24 July 2014 05:46 (nine years ago) link
:)
It's got too many posts.
― I Don't Zing Like Nobody (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 July 2014 05:49 (nine years ago) link
Gowhile you can
― I Don't Zing Like Nobody (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 July 2014 05:50 (nine years ago) link
Have been worried my last couple have been tl;dr with too much excursus on genre. I gotta get back to where it all started - with the music, man. Casino 101.8 is taking you there for the long drive home.
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 24 July 2014 11:24 (nine years ago) link
Re: Petty in the 90s, I could *swear* I heard Mary Jane's Last Dance on the *alt* rock station, but this is all pretty blurry now. I may just be getting video play mixed up here...
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 24 July 2014 11:26 (nine years ago) link
Sorry, tl;dr Dr Casino no reflection on you, more like reflexive long term ilxor snark. Please keep up the good work and do not change your style one whit to satisfy the, um, "critics" such as myself who was only typing stuff to gain a foothold and create a base camp or beachhead on this thread.
― I Don't Zing Like Nobody (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 July 2014 11:30 (nine years ago) link
the sound effects and backup vocals in "Don't Come Around Here…" almost compensate for how awful Petty sounds.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 24 July 2014 11:57 (nine years ago) link
JRatB, no offense taken here, I totally get you. Please expand your beachhead - the more the merrier!
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 24 July 2014 12:25 (nine years ago) link
by the way I think Petty plays a Prophet 5 that accompanies Tench's synth.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 24 July 2014 12:32 (nine years ago) link
I like how Petty's guitar player slings the guitar over his RIGHT shoulder instead of across his chest - like a duffel bag or a purse!
― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Thursday, 24 July 2014 12:47 (nine years ago) link
Albert Collins style. Good if you've got your guitar glued to your hip. I'd be worried about it sliding off my shoulder all the time.
― how's life, Thursday, 24 July 2014 12:58 (nine years ago) link
you did NOT just call Mike Campbell "petty's guitar player"!!!
― resulting post (rogermexico.), Thursday, 24 July 2014 14:30 (nine years ago) link
Mike Campbell is so so great, super nice guy as well.
― Sandy, Thursday, 24 July 2014 15:39 (nine years ago) link
should be noted, for the historical record, that the right shoulder sling is not mike campbell's normal style. also, all claims to his greatness otm.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 24 July 2014 15:55 (nine years ago) link
no need for genre excursus here. back to the '70s and back to classic rock with a capital c and capital r. (well, they would be capital if i could find my shift key.) this was the first of two neil young songs that would inspire lynyrd skynyrd's riposte "sweet home alabama," thus launching the most friendly geographical feud in music history, as of course he loved them and they loved him, even if they did feel the need to let him know a southern man don't need him round anyhow.
SONG #23: NEIL YOUNG "SOUTHERN MAN"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVRxdPWV3RM
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 24 July 2014 16:02 (nine years ago) link
from wikipedia's "sweet home alabama" page:
There is a semi-hidden vocal line in the second verse after the "Well, I heard Mr. Young sing about her" line. In the left channel, you can hear the phrase "Southern Man" being sung lightly (at approximately 0:55). This was producer Al Kooper doing a Neil Young impression and was just another incident of the band members messing around in the studio while being recorded. According to Leon Wilkeson, it was Kooper's idea to continue and echo the lines from "Southern Man" after each of Van Zant's lines. "Better...keep your head"..."Don't forget what your / good book says", etc. But Van Zant insisted that Kooper remove it, not wanting to plagiarize or upset Young. Kooper left the one line barely audible in the left channel.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 24 July 2014 16:03 (nine years ago) link
Also, Doctor Casino, your posts are not tl at all, the attention to detail is what makes them so great, but you make me cry by calling any part of American Girl silly.
― Sandy, Thursday, 24 July 2014 16:10 (nine years ago) link
seconded
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 24 July 2014 16:11 (nine years ago) link
thirded. they are tl like a neil young gtr solo, which is to say, not tl at all.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 24 July 2014 16:14 (nine years ago) link
never heard this song before; I don't think it gets played here. good tune though!
― Lewis - J'Agour (crüt), Thursday, 24 July 2014 16:15 (nine years ago) link
fact checking cuz, that is one awesome fact!
― how's life, Thursday, 24 July 2014 16:57 (nine years ago) link
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WHI2rSW1LFo/S6wOFqHlbWI/AAAAAAAADmo/XjqIIBvpdsE/s1600/ronnie-vanzant-neil.jpg
― Brad C., Thursday, 24 July 2014 17:02 (nine years ago) link
Some of us learned a ton of interesting stuff about that song during the great What Key Is It In? debate -every music borad has to have one- and then some not so interesting stuff.
― I Don't Zing Like Nobody (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 July 2014 17:05 (nine years ago) link
<3 ronnie
recommended companion listening for 'Southern Man'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMQ8LMJEOy0
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Thursday, 24 July 2014 17:21 (nine years ago) link
Thanks, y'all! Sorry for the break... been tooling around in Atlantic City and going-out-of-business video store sales. I was figuring on a proper hiatus while some dude rolls out his results, but let me knock out this last one first. CLASSIC ROCK TRACKS POLL: THE RESULTS
Southern Man: Well, this isn't what I was expecting, the piano and stuff. Good sound, good shaking-head sadface groove. Okay, now that there's singing it sounds like CSNY, sounds like "Ohio." Kinda filling some time between the verses. I'm fine by Young's disapproval but that scratchy telephone/megaphone sound on the voice is terrrrible. This quick part is cool, even if the guitar seems kinda noodley and improvised. Wonder if it's just the stereo mix that makes it seem really pasted in on top of everything. Empty though it is, I like the break without guitar better - although this new skronkier part is fine.
Kinda surprised what a 'guitar' song this is, was expecting more of a long Dylanesque ramble about a particular Southern Man character with a lot of damning details or something. Doesn't help that I can't really make out what he's saying a lot of the time. I'm still happy to ride along mainly because of the piano-and-drums rhythm section but, wow, another big solo section? I gotta say, much as I hate "Sweet Home Alabama," Skynyrd seem to kinda be winning this one on craft and tactics - no one's going to be won over by this. And it's over.
Huh. Man, this just wasn't what I was expecting at all. I should try and judge it on its own merits though. Went for a second listen, paying closer attention to the words. But... ehhh, I dunno. I really do dig the outrage, and I think "when will you pay them back?" is fair enough, insists that these old injustices don't just get grandfathered out of existence, makes clearer that this is a present-day protest. But I think a closer look at present-day details would have really strengthened that. It's fine that he's just passing through as an outside observer, but he stops at having seen the shacks and the mansions - Easy Rider gives a better model of rock and rollers from way out of town witnessing poverty, injustice and violence. Hell, I think Travels With Charley does a better job of this. Dylan's "Hurricane," whatever its faults, puts emphasis at a few key points to lay out the story and the wrongs, pouring on the energy for "Don't forget that you are white!" to get the audience's blood boiling, but soberly declaring, as in a summary judgement, "Rubin Carter was falsely tried." Or, hell, "Ohio," which is slightly underwritten (essential to its up-to-the-minute broadcast feel) but still knows which theme to hammer: Four dead in Ohio is fucked-up and crazy and deserves to not be passed over as yesterday's headline.
I dunno, this seems just a little too much wall-to-wall I Am Angry At This Outrage, a good Facebook share but not the best use of anybody's talents towards changing anything. Of course, when you're fighting the good fight, sometimes you need songs that just remind you you're not alone, etc. Kind of a "New Kicks" for old SDCC people losing steam or losing track, a reminder to not drop out entirely when there's still work to be done. I can't really hate on that. And if I treat it just as some song that I'm not paying attention to, I guess it's fine - but I'd be a bit bugged at the length. Tree and a half minute song, padded out two minutes by excessive and not very interesting soloing. Note that I'm really unfamiliar with Young's body of work as a whole; I know people love him, and this album in particular - is there more for me to discover or is this representative?
― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 26 July 2014 16:26 (nine years ago) link
Try listening to "Powederfinger"
― relentlessly pecking at peace (President Keyes), Saturday, 26 July 2014 16:57 (nine years ago) link
If you don't like Young's soloing, maybe steer clear of most of his Crazy Horse records. And his live records. And his electric live shows. And don't see Dead Man.
(I love it myself, but I can see how it might grate on some)
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Saturday, 26 July 2014 16:59 (nine years ago) link
My favourite
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Saturday, 26 July 2014 17:40 (nine years ago) link
Somebody in my high school had as his yearbook quote
It don't look like they're here to deliver the mail - Neil Young
― Sorry Somehow Forgot To Take Out The Trash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 26 July 2014 17:45 (nine years ago) link
I don't like "Southern Man" much either; the groove seems half-assed.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 26 July 2014 17:47 (nine years ago) link
B-b-but the solo came to the guy in a dream!
― Sorry Somehow Forgot To Take Out The Trash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 26 July 2014 17:51 (nine years ago) link
Had to think: "Powderfinger" may be second favorite after "Like A Hurricane," Live Rust version.
― Sorry Somehow Forgot To Take Out The Trash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 26 July 2014 17:53 (nine years ago) link
Roxy Music cover is good too.
― Sorry Somehow Forgot To Take Out The Trash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 26 July 2014 17:58 (nine years ago) link
OK now I imagined Bryan Ferry singing "Southern Man."
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 26 July 2014 18:04 (nine years ago) link
Interesting
― Sorry Somehow Forgot To Take Out The Trash (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 26 July 2014 18:04 (nine years ago) link
"powderfinger" -- which young initially gave to lynyrd skynyrd and they apparently had planned to record -- is great. and it, too, has a couple big solo sections. that's one of the things he likes to do, for sure.
i love love love neil, and i pretty much agree with everything in your review, doctor. (i'm not a big fan of his other southern-man song, "alabama," either, and i'm a huge fan of "sweet home alabama," for whatever that's worth.) "southern man" is typical of one particular side of neil young: big, blustery electric rock with lyrics that are equally evocative and evasive and leave plenty of room for seemingly improvised guitar breaks. it is not, however, especially typical of the album on which it appears, after the gold rush, which is a fairly quiet, folk-rocky affair, and which is absolutely great. "southern man" is a weak link on it for me. i like but don't love the album's one other big rock number, "when you dance i can really love," but everything else is gold. his best electric sides tend to be tighter and punchier than "southern man" except when they're not, and he's capable of being a lot wordier in a way that paints all sorts of color and detail and still leave you wondering what exactly is he saying. a great example of a long, open-ended, guitar-solo-filled ny epic is "cortez the killer."
his two 1975 albums, tonight's the night and zuma, together are a pretty great summation of what he did at his best.
i've always thought of him as a bit of an outlier in the classic rock world, even if he has a handful of songs that hit the classic rock nail on the head.
― fact checking cuz, Saturday, 26 July 2014 18:07 (nine years ago) link
and yeah, this is a great time for a hiatus, dr. c.
but don't go away, 'cause we'll be back, after a few hundred thousand words from our sponsors at CLASSIC ROCK TRACKS POLL: THE RESULTS, with music by elp, elo, reo and lots more.
― fact checking cuz, Saturday, 26 July 2014 18:35 (nine years ago) link
I love "Southern Man." In the Neil Young poll, it got a certain amount of criticism for being too blunt/simplistic, but I think tipsy mothra nailed it with this:
In defense of "Southern Man," I would just like to say that I had every intention of leaving it off my ballot -- for most of the thematic reasons noted above -- until I actually listened to the thing again and remembered what a jam it is. It could be called "Fryin' Pan" or "Cowboy Stan" and it still would've made my ballot.― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Monday, 9 July 2012 20:50 (2 years ago) Permalink
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Monday, 9 July 2012 20:50 (2 years ago) Permalink
― intheblanks, Saturday, 26 July 2014 19:05 (nine years ago) link
Favorite part of southern man is the quick stop-big cymbal crash part.
― intheblanks, Saturday, 26 July 2014 19:06 (nine years ago) link
Also one of the quintessential "one note repeated" Neil Young solo. And the switches in tempo are great too. Just love this song.
― intheblanks, Saturday, 26 July 2014 19:08 (nine years ago) link
CSNY version of "Southern Man" is too long but kind of worth it for Neil vs. Stills guitar fite
― Brad C., Saturday, 26 July 2014 19:09 (nine years ago) link
Also some Nels Lofgren was told to play piano and he'd never played professionally before -- he says the piano part is based on some dimly remembered accordion licks from his childhood (which admittedly was not long before he started working with Neil).
― Three Word Username, Saturday, 26 July 2014 20:11 (nine years ago) link
Great info, fcc, maybe I'll finally check out that record! A solid folk-rock record is right up my alley. I did buy a dollar copy of Night Moves as a result of this thread, but have only listened to side one so far, to avoid spoilers.
Surely, though, it's: ''elp, elo, reo, etc.''
― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 26 July 2014 21:58 (nine years ago) link