Like a Hurricane (Neil Young song)
Encyclopedia
"Like a Hurricane" is a song written by Neil Young
in 1975 and first released on the album American Stars 'N Bars in 1977
.
neighbor Taylor Phelps in the back of his car, (a DeSoto Suburban
), when Neil Young was unable to sing due to an operation on his vocal cords. Driven by Young's trademark fierce guitars, the song has been played on nearly every tour Neil Young has done since. It has also appeared on the compilations Decade
and Greatest Hits
and on the live albums Live Rust
, Weld
and Unplugged
(this last rendition is played almost entirely on a pump organ).
An edited version of "Like a Hurricane" was released as a single on August 8, 1977, with "Hold Back the Tears" as B-side.
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...
in 1975 and first released on the album American Stars 'N Bars in 1977
1977 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1977.-January–February:*January 1 – The Clash headline the gala opening of the London music club, The Roxy....
.
History
The song was written in July 1975 with friend and La HondaLa Honda, California
La Honda is a census-designated place in southern San Mateo County, California, United States. The population was 928 at the 2010 census. It is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains between Silicon Valley and the Pacific coast of California...
neighbor Taylor Phelps in the back of his car, (a DeSoto Suburban
DeSoto Suburban
The DeSoto Suburban is an automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation and sold under its DeSoto automotive brand from 1946 through the 1954 model year...
), when Neil Young was unable to sing due to an operation on his vocal cords. Driven by Young's trademark fierce guitars, the song has been played on nearly every tour Neil Young has done since. It has also appeared on the compilations Decade
Decade (Neil Young album)
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...
and 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...
and on the live albums Live Rust
Live Rust
Live Rust is a live album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, recorded during his fall 1978 Rust Never Sleeps tour. The show at the Cow Palace, San Francisco was filmed and was the performance used in the concert film, Rust Never Sleeps; however, the album Live Rust was composed of performances...
, Weld
Weld (album)
Weld is a live album and concert video by Neil Young & Crazy Horse released in 1991, comprising performances recorded on the tour to promote the Ragged Glory album...
and Unplugged
Unplugged (Neil Young album)
Unplugged is a 1993 live album by Neil Young. It contains a previously unreleased song "Stringman", that dates from 1976. The taping of the show was also released on VHS....
(this last rendition is played almost entirely on a pump organ).
An edited version of "Like a Hurricane" was released as a single on August 8, 1977, with "Hold Back the Tears" as B-side.
Cover versions
- New Orleans singer Theresa AnderssonTheresa AnderssonTheresa Andersson is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-General:Andersson came to New Orleans in 1990 to play violin with fellow singer-songwriter and Swede, Anders Osborne. Nine years later, she left the band...
sings it in the 2006 film New Orleans Music in ExileNew Orleans Music in ExileNew Orleans Music in Exile is a documentary/ music film that was made in 2006 and released on DVD on August 7, 2007. It was directed by Robert Mugge.-Summary:...
which follows the events after Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. - Roxy MusicRoxy MusicRoxy Music was a British art rock band formed in 1971 by Bryan Ferry, who became the group's lead vocalist and chief songwriter, and bassist Graham Simpson. The other members are Phil Manzanera , Andy Mackay and Paul Thompson . Former members include Brian Eno , and Eddie Jobson...
covered the song, and released it on its live albums The High RoadThe High Road (album)The High Road is Roxy Music's second live release with only four over-five minute tracks, two of them cover songs and one a Ferry solo effort originally release on The Bride Stripped Bare. It was recorded at the Apollo in Glasgow, Scotland on and released in 1983 after Roxy Music disbanded for the...
and Heart Still BeatingHeart Still Beating (album)Heart Still Beating is the third live album by Roxy Music and was released on October 30, 1990. While the album's sleeve states that this album was recorded at Fréjus, France, it is actually a mixture of shows from several dates in Europe in 1982, touring with King Crimson, mixed together as one show...
. - The song was also covered by The Mission on their 2nd single, the double A side Garden Of Delight/Like A Hurricane. It was later included on the compilation album First Chapter (a compilation of their first singles) and Ever After - Live.
- Jay FarrarJay FarrarJay Farrar is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. Louis, Missouri. A veteran of two critically acclaimed music groups, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, he began his solo music career in 2001...
, backed by country-rock band Canyon, covered this song on his live album Stone, Steel, & Bright Lights. - Heather NovaHeather NovaHeather Nova, is a Bermudian singer-songwriter and poet. She has released eight full-length albums and has found lasting success in Germany where two of her albums South and Storm have made their way into the Top-5 of German official album chart.-Biography:Heather Nova was born in Bermuda...
recorded the song at a 1995 concert in Hiroshima, released on import-only CDs Maybe An Angel (Japan) and Truth & Bone (Germany). - PlaceboPlacebo (band)Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
covered a part of the song on a few occasions (live) as a part of the Placebo song 'English Summer Rain'. - Jeff HealeyJeff HealeyNorman Jeffrey "Jeff" Healey was a blind Canadian jazz and blues-rock vocalist and guitarist who attained musical and personal popularity, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
covered the song on his 2008 album Mess of Blues. - Adam SandlerAdam SandlerAdam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
covered the song on the Late Show with David LettermanLate Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, promoting the 2009 release of Covered, A Revolution in SoundCovered, A Revolution in SoundCovered, A Revolution in Sound is a tribute album produced and released by Warner Bros. Records to commemorate its 50th anniversary as a record label. The album consists of some of the greatest hits from previous and current artists from the late 20th century, while the songs featured on the album...
, of Warner Brothers artists performing cover songs. - The Coal PortersCoal PortersThe Coal Porters are a British-American bluegrass band headquartered in London and led by Sid Griffin and Neil Robert Herd The other members are Carly Frey , John Breese , and Andrew Stafford...
covered the song on the 2010 album Durango. - Randy BachmanRandy BachmanRandolph Charles "Randy" Bachman, OC, OM is a Canadian musician best known as lead guitarist, songwriter and a founding member for both the 1960s–70s rock band The Guess Who, and the 1970s rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive...
and Burton CummingsBurton CummingsBurton L. Cummings, OC, OM is a Canadian musician and songwriter.He was the lead singer and frequent keyboardist for the Canadian rock band The Guess Who...
perform the song on their album of cover songs "Bachman-Cummings Jukebox" released 2008 - Widespread PanicWidespread PanicWidespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
covered the song at Verizon Amphitheater in Atlanta, GA 9/25/2010 - The MissionThe Mission- Film and theater :* The Mission , 1986 film by Roland Joffé* The Mission , a.k.a. Cheung fo, by Johnnie To* The Mission , 1980 German play by former East German playwright Heiner Müller, also known as The Task- Music :* The Mission , the original score album of the 1986 film by Ennio Morricone*...
covered the song for their album The First Chapter in 1987. - Dave Matthews BandDave Matthews BandDave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
covered the song at the Dave Matthews Band CaravanDave Matthews Band CaravanDave Matthews Band Caravan is a series of concert festivals headed by the Dave Matthews Band. The four festivals, occurring during the summer of 2011, will take the place of DMB's usual summer tour, after the band announced its intentions to take time off from touring last year. The first festival...
on 8/26/11 at Governors Island, NY due to Hurricane Irene cancelling their next two shows. Irene hit New York that weekend.
Personnel
- Neil YoungNeil YoungNeil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
- Lead guitar and lead vocals - Frank "Poncho" Sampedro - Stringman synthesizer and background vocals
- Billy TalbotBilly TalbotBilly Talbot is an American singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the bassist of Crazy Horse.-Music career:Born in New York City, Talbot started his musical career singing on street corners at the age of 14. He moved to New Jersey with his family the next year, and by 17 he had moved to...
- Bass guitar and background vocals - Ralph MolinaRalph MolinaRalph Molina is an American musician, best known as the drummer for Neil Young's backing band Crazy Horse.Born in Puerto Rico, Molina has been a member of Crazy Horse since they were formed in 1962 as Danny & the Memories. He has remained throughout the band's many personnel changes, and has...
- Drums and background vocals
External references
- Like a Hurricane at MySpace (streamed copy)