Decade (Neil Young album)
Encyclopedia
Decade is a triple album compilation
by Neil Young
, released in 1977, now available on two compact discs. It contains 35 of Young's songs recorded between 1966 and 1976, among them five tracks that had been unreleased up to that point. It peaked at #43 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.
. Of the previously unreleased songs, "Down to the Wire" features the New Orleans pianist Dr. John
with Buffalo Springfield
on an item from their shelved Stampede album; "Love Is a Rose
" was a minor hit for Linda Ronstadt
in 1975; "Winterlong" received a cover by Pixies on the Neil Young tribute album from 1989, The Bridge
; and "Campaigner" is a Young song critical of Richard Nixon
. The track "Long May You Run" is a different mix to that found on the album of the same name
, featuring the harmonies of the full Crosby Stills & Nash before David Crosby
and Graham Nash
left the recording sessions.
For many years, Decade was the only Neil Young compilation album available. A 1993 compilation called Lucky Thirteen was released, but it only covered Young's 1982–1988 output. It was not until 2004 that Reprise Records
released a single-disc retrospective of his best-known tracks, titled Greatest Hits
. Throughout the 1980s and '90s, Young promised fans a follow-up to the original Decade collection, provisionally titled Decade II; eventually, this idea was scrapped in favor of a much more comprehensive anthology to be titled Archives
, spanning his entire career and ranging in size from a box set to an entire series of audio and/or video releases. The first release of archival material since Decade and Lucky Thirteen would appear in 2006, Live at the Fillmore East
, a recording from a 1970 concert featuring Crazy Horse
with Danny Whitten
. Several other archival live releases followed, and in 2009 the first of several planned multi-disc box sets, The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972, was issued.
, from Young's handwritten liner notes:
artist, and as a template for the box set collections that would follow in the 1980s and beyond. However, in the original article on Young from the first edition of the Rolling Stone
Illustrated History of Rock and Roll and a subsequent article in the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide, critic Dave Marsh
used this album to accuse Young of deliberately manufacturing a self-mythology, arguing that while his highlights could be seen to place him on a level with other artists from his generation like Bob Dylan
or The Beatles
, the particulars of his catalogue did not bear this out. The magazine has since excised the article from subsequent editions of the Illustrated History book; a transcription of it can be found at the link below (despite his scathing view of Young's career, Marsh gave the album the highest possible rating).
The CD release combined sides 1-3 onto disc one, and sides 4-6 on disc two.
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, released in 1977, now available on two compact discs. It contains 35 of Young's songs recorded between 1966 and 1976, among them five tracks that had been unreleased up to that point. It peaked at #43 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart.
History
Compiled by Young himself, with his hand-written notes about each track, Decade represents almost every album from his career and various affiliations through 1977 with the exception of Four Way Street and Time Fades AwayTime Fades Away
Time Fades Away is a 1973 live album by Neil Young, consisting of previously unreleased material. It was recorded with The Stray Gators on the tour following 1972's highly successful Harvest and has not been reissued on CD due to Young's dissatisfaction with that particular series of concerts...
. Of the previously unreleased songs, "Down to the Wire" features the New Orleans pianist Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
with Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield is a North American folk rock band renown both for its music and as a springboard for the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina. Among the first wave of North American bands to become popular in the wake of the British invasion, the group combined...
on an item from their shelved Stampede album; "Love Is a Rose
Love is a Rose
"Love Is a Rose" is a song written by Neil Young in 1974 for the unreleased album Homegrown. It was later released in 1977 on the compilation Decade....
" was a minor hit for Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
in 1975; "Winterlong" received a cover by Pixies on the Neil Young tribute album from 1989, The Bridge
The Bridge: A Tribute to Neil Young
The Bridge: A Tribute To Neil Young is a 1989 anthology album that features a variety of alternative rock bands covering songs written by Neil Young. A portion of the profits from the album were donated to The Bridge School, which develops and uses advanced technologies to aid in the instruction of...
; and "Campaigner" is a Young song critical of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. The track "Long May You Run" is a different mix to that found on the album of the same name
Long May You Run
-Side two:-Personnel:* Neil Young – vocals, guitars, piano, harmonica, synthesizer* Stephen Stills – vocals, guitar, piano* Jerry Aiello – organ, piano* George "Chocolate" Perry – bass, backing vocals...
, featuring the harmonies of the full Crosby Stills & Nash before David Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
and Graham Nash
Graham Nash
Graham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
left the recording sessions.
For many years, Decade was the only Neil Young compilation album available. A 1993 compilation called Lucky Thirteen was released, but it only covered Young's 1982–1988 output. It was not until 2004 that Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
released a single-disc retrospective of his best-known tracks, titled Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits (Neil Young album)
Greatest Hits is Neil Young's third compilation album after Decade and Lucky Thirteen. Eleven of the first twelve tracks appear on Decade, and the disc spans his solo career from 1969 through 1992...
. Throughout the 1980s and '90s, Young promised fans a follow-up to the original Decade collection, provisionally titled Decade II; eventually, this idea was scrapped in favor of a much more comprehensive anthology to be titled Archives
Neil Young Archives
The Neil Young Archives is a series of archival releases by singer-songwriter Neil Young which feature previously released as well as unreleased studio and live recordings. The project has been long in the making – work began in the late 1980s...
, spanning his entire career and ranging in size from a box set to an entire series of audio and/or video releases. The first release of archival material since Decade and Lucky Thirteen would appear in 2006, Live at the Fillmore East
Live at the Fillmore East (Neil Young album)
Live at the Fillmore East is a live album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse featuring guitarist Danny Whitten. In February and March 1970, Young and Crazy Horse went on tour to support Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Live at the Fillmore East, released in 2006, features performances from the tour...
, a recording from a 1970 concert featuring Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse (band)
Crazy Horse is an American rock band best known for its association with Neil Young. It has been co-credited on a number of albums throughout Young's career and has released five albums of its own.-Early years:...
with Danny Whitten
Danny Whitten
Daniel Ray Whitten was an American musician and songwriter best known for his work with Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and for the song "I Don't Want To Talk About It", a hit for Rita Coolidge, Rod Stewart and Everything but the Girl.- Biography :Whitten was born on May 8, 1943, in Columbus, Georgia....
. Several other archival live releases followed, and in 2009 the first of several planned multi-disc box sets, The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972, was issued.
Alternate early version
Initially, Decade was to be released in 1976, but was pulled at the last minute by Young. It was shelved until the following year, where it appeared with two songs removed from the original tracklist (a live version of "Don't Cry No Tears" recorded in Japan in 1976, and a live version of "Pushed it Over The End" recorded in 1974). Also removed were the following comments on those two songs and Time Fades AwayTime Fades Away
Time Fades Away is a 1973 live album by Neil Young, consisting of previously unreleased material. It was recorded with The Stray Gators on the tour following 1972's highly successful Harvest and has not been reissued on CD due to Young's dissatisfaction with that particular series of concerts...
, from Young's handwritten liner notes:
Reception
The album has been lauded in many quarters as one of the best examples of a career retrospective for a rockRock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
artist, and as a template for the box set collections that would follow in the 1980s and beyond. However, in the original article on Young from the first edition of the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
Illustrated History of Rock and Roll and a subsequent article in the 1983 Rolling Stone Record Guide, critic Dave Marsh
Dave Marsh
Dave Marsh is an American music critic, author, editor and radio talk show host. He was a formative editor of Creem magazine, has written for various publications such as Newsday, The Village Voice, and Rolling Stone, and has published numerous books about music and musicians, mostly focused on...
used this album to accuse Young of deliberately manufacturing a self-mythology, arguing that while his highlights could be seen to place him on a level with other artists from his generation like Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
or The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, the particulars of his catalogue did not bear this out. The magazine has since excised the article from subsequent editions of the Illustrated History book; a transcription of it can be found at the link below (despite his scathing view of Young's career, Marsh gave the album the highest possible rating).
Side one
- "Down to the Wire" – 2:25
- previously unreleased; performed with Buffalo SpringfieldBuffalo SpringfieldBuffalo Springfield is a North American folk rock band renown both for its music and as a springboard for the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina. Among the first wave of North American bands to become popular in the wake of the British invasion, the group combined...
members Stephen StillsStephen StillsStephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
and Richie FurayRichie FurayRichie Furay is an American singer, songwriter, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member who is best known for forming the bands Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Bruce Palmer, and Dewey Martin, and Poco with Jim Messina, Rusty Young, George Grantham and Randy Meisner...
along with Dr. JohnDr. JohnMalcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
- previously unreleased; performed with Buffalo Springfield
- "Burned" – 2:14
- performed by Buffalo Springfield; appears on the album Buffalo SpringfieldBuffalo Springfield (album)Buffalo Springfield is the self-titled debut album by folk rock band Buffalo Springfield, released in late 1966. It was originally released in both mono and stereo versions as Atco 33-200, but when the single "For What It's Worth" became a hit, the album was re-released as Atco 33-200A and added...
- performed by Buffalo Springfield; appears on the album Buffalo Springfield
- "Mr. SoulMr. Soul"Mr. Soul" is a song written by Canadian rock musician Neil Young, and first recorded by folk rock band Buffalo Springfield and released on their second album, Buffalo Springfield Again...
" – 2:41- performed by Buffalo Springfield; recorded live in the studio in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, with guitar overdubs added subsequently; appears on the album Buffalo Springfield AgainBuffalo Springfield AgainBuffalo Springfield Again is the second 1967 folk rock album by Buffalo Springfield.-Production:The recording has been stated by some as tense and protracted, because Young was often absent and the band was unable to keep a permanent bass player...
- performed by Buffalo Springfield; recorded live in the studio in New York City
- "Broken ArrowBroken Arrow (song)"Broken Arrow" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young and recorded by Buffalo Springfield on their 1967 album Buffalo Springfield Again. It was recorded in August and September 1967 at Columbia Recording Studios and Sunset Sound Recorders...
" – 6:13- performed by Buffalo Springfield; appears on the album Buffalo Springfield AgainBuffalo Springfield AgainBuffalo Springfield Again is the second 1967 folk rock album by Buffalo Springfield.-Production:The recording has been stated by some as tense and protracted, because Young was often absent and the band was unable to keep a permanent bass player...
- performed by Buffalo Springfield; appears on the album Buffalo Springfield Again
- "Expecting to Fly" – 3:44
- appears on the album Buffalo Springfield AgainBuffalo Springfield AgainBuffalo Springfield Again is the second 1967 folk rock album by Buffalo Springfield.-Production:The recording has been stated by some as tense and protracted, because Young was often absent and the band was unable to keep a permanent bass player...
but no band member other than Neil Young appears on the track
- appears on the album Buffalo Springfield Again
- "Sugar MountainSugar Mountain (song)"Sugar Mountain" is a song by Canadian folk rock singer and composer Neil Young. Young composed the song on his 19th birthday in 1964, and its lyrics are reminiscences about his youth in Winnipeg, Manitoba.- Meaning of the lyrics :...
" – 5:43- recorded live in concert on November 10, 1968 at the Canterbury House, Ann Arbor, Michigan; released as the b-side to "The LonerThe Loner (song)"The Loner" is a song by Neil Young. It was released on his solo debut album in November 1968, and then an edited version as his debut solo single three months later on Reprise Records. It missed the Billboard Hot 100 chart completely, but over time has become a staple of his performance repertoire...
," 1968
- recorded live in concert on November 10, 1968 at the Canterbury House, Ann Arbor, Michigan; released as the b-side to "The Loner
Side two
- "I Am a Child" – 2:17
- appears on the Buffalo Springfield album Last Time AroundLast Time AroundLast Time Around is the third and final album by folk rock band Buffalo Springfield, released in 1968 . The members included Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, Dewey Martin, Bruce Palmer, and Jim Messina.- History :...
but features no members of the band other than Neil Young and drummer Dewey Martin
- appears on the Buffalo Springfield album Last Time Around
- "The Loner" – 3:50
- appears on the album Neil YoungNeil Young (album)Neil Young is the self-titled debut studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, which was his debut release as a solo artist following his departure from the band Buffalo Springfield...
- appears on the album Neil Young
- "The Old Laughing Lady" – 5:59
- appears on the album Neil YoungNeil Young (album)Neil Young is the self-titled debut studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, which was his debut release as a solo artist following his departure from the band Buffalo Springfield...
- appears on the album Neil Young
- "Cinnamon GirlCinnamon Girl (Neil Young song)"Cinnamon Girl" is a song by Neil Young. It debuted on the 1969 album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, which was also Young's first album with backing band Crazy Horse...
" – 2:59- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album Everybody Knows This Is NowhereEverybody Knows This Is NowhereEverybody Knows This Is Nowhere is the second studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released on Reprise Records catalogue RS 6349...
- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
- "Down by the RiverDown by the River"Down by the River" is a song composed by Neil Young. It was first released on his 1969 album with Crazy Horse, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Young explained the context of story when introducing it in New Orleans on September 27, 1984. It depicts a man who catches his woman cheating on him,...
" – 9:16- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album Everybody Knows This Is NowhereEverybody Knows This Is NowhereEverybody Knows This Is Nowhere is the second studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released on Reprise Records catalogue RS 6349...
- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Side three
- "Cowgirl in the Sand" – 10:01
- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album Everybody Knows This Is NowhereEverybody Knows This Is NowhereEverybody Knows This Is Nowhere is the second studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released on Reprise Records catalogue RS 6349...
- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
- "I Believe in You" – 3:27
- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album After the Gold RushAfter the Gold RushAfter the Gold Rush is the third studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young. Released in August 1970 on Reprise Records, it was one of the four high-profile albums released by each member of folk rock collective Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their chart-topping 1970 album Déjà Vu...
- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album After the Gold Rush
- "After the Gold RushAfter the Gold Rush (song)"After the Gold Rush" is a song written by Neil Young from the 1970 album of the same name. In addition to After the Gold Rush, it also appears on Decade, Greatest Hits and Live Rust....
" – 3:45- appears on the album After the Gold RushAfter the Gold RushAfter the Gold Rush is the third studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young. Released in August 1970 on Reprise Records, it was one of the four high-profile albums released by each member of folk rock collective Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their chart-topping 1970 album Déjà Vu...
- appears on the album After the Gold Rush
- "Southern ManSouthern Man"Southern Man" is a song by Neil Young from his album After the Gold Rush. The album was released in 1970.The lyrics of "Southern Man" are vivid, describing the racism towards blacks in the American South. In the song, Young tells the story of a Southern white man and how he mistreated his slaves...
" – 5:31- appears on the album After the Gold RushAfter the Gold RushAfter the Gold Rush is the third studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young. Released in August 1970 on Reprise Records, it was one of the four high-profile albums released by each member of folk rock collective Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their chart-topping 1970 album Déjà Vu...
- appears on the album After the Gold Rush
- "HelplessHelpless (song)"Helpless" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young, most famously recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their 1970 album Déjà Vu....
" – 3:34- performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; appears on the album Déjà Vu
Side four
- "Ohio" – 2:56
- performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; released as a single, 1970
- "SoldierSoldier (Neil Young song)"Soldier" is a song by Neil Young from the 1972 soundtrack album, Journey Through the Past. It was the only new track included on the album, and was later released on the 1977 compilation Decade, although it was slightly edited....
" – 2:28- edited from the album Journey Through the PastJourney Through the PastJourney Through the Past is a soundtrack album from the film of the same name by Neil Young, released in November of 1972 on Reprise Records, catalogue 6480. It peaked at #45 on the Billboard 200, and since its initial release on vinyl, cassette tape and 8-track tape cartridge it has remained out...
- edited from the album Journey Through the Past
- "Old ManOld Man (song)"Old Man" is a song written and performed by Neil Young on his 1972 album Harvest.The song was written for the caretaker of the Northern California Broken Arrow Ranch, which Young purchased for $350,000 in 1970. The song compares a young man's life to an old man's and shows that the young man has,...
" – 3:21- appears on the album Harvest
- "A Man Needs a Maid" – 3:58
- appears on the album Harvest
- "Harvest" – 3:08
- appears on the album Harvest
- "Heart of GoldHeart of Gold (song)"Heart of Gold" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young. Released from the 1972 album Harvest, it is so far Young's only U.S. #1 single. In Canada, it reached #1 on the RPM national singles chart for the first time on April 8, 1972, on which date Young held the top spot on both the...
" – 3:06- appears on the album Harvest
- "Star of Bethlehem" – 2:46
- appears on the album American Stars 'n Bars
Side five
- "The Needle and the Damage DoneThe Needle and the Damage Done"The Needle and the Damage Done" is a song by Neil Young that describes the descent into heroin addiction of musicians he knew. It was written about the heroin use of his Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten, and previews the theme of "Tonight's the Night", a song that addresses the heroin overdose...
" – 2:02- recorded live in concert on January 30, 1971 at Royce Hall, Westwood, California; appears on the album Harvest
- "Tonight's the Night" [Part I] – 4:41
- appears on the album Tonight's the Night
- "Tired Eyes" – 4:33
- appears on the album Tonight's the Night
- "Walk On" – 2:40
- appears on the album On the Beach
- "For the Turnstiles" – 3:01
- appears on the album On the Beach
- "Winterlong" – 3:05
- previously unreleased; appeared on certain acetateAcetate discAn acetate disc, also known as a test acetate, dubplate , lacquer , transcription disc or instantaneous disc...
pressings of Tonight's The Night
- previously unreleased; appeared on certain acetate
- "Deep Forbidden Lake" – 3:39
- previously unreleased
Side six
- "Like a HurricaneLike a Hurricane (Neil Young song)"Like a Hurricane" is a song written by Neil Young in 1975 and first released on the album American Stars 'N Bars in 1977.-History:The song was written in July 1975 with friend and La Honda neighbor Taylor Phelps in the back of his car, , when Neil Young was unable to sing due to an operation on...
" — 8:16- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; previously unreleased; different lead vocal dub than version on American Stars 'n Bars
- "Love is a RoseLove is a Rose"Love Is a Rose" is a song written by Neil Young in 1974 for the unreleased album Homegrown. It was later released in 1977 on the compilation Decade....
" — 2:16- previously unreleased
- "Cortez the KillerCortez the Killer"Cortez the Killer" is a song by Neil Young from his 1975 album, Zuma. It was recorded with Young's band Crazy Horse and ranked #39 on Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos and #321 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time....
" — 7:29- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album ZumaZuma (album)Zuma is the seventh studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, his second with Crazy Horse, released in 1975. Some believe the album was named after Zuma Beach in Malibu; however, it seems more logical that the title comes from Montezuma, as he is featured prominently in the song Cortez The...
- performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse; appears on the album Zuma
- "Campaigner" — 3:30
- previously unreleased
- "Long May You Run" — 3:48
- performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; previously unreleased; original mix (without Crosby and Nash) appears on the Stills-Young Band album Long May You RunLong May You Run-Side two:-Personnel:* Neil Young – vocals, guitars, piano, harmonica, synthesizer* Stephen Stills – vocals, guitar, piano* Jerry Aiello – organ, piano* George "Chocolate" Perry – bass, backing vocals...
- performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; previously unreleased; original mix (without Crosby and Nash) appears on the Stills-Young Band album Long May You Run
The CD release combined sides 1-3 onto disc one, and sides 4-6 on disc two.
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Billboard Pop Albums | 43 |