Monday, May 18, 2009

Oh, hello Mr. Soul

Has Neil Young ever made bad music? The obvious answer (to this Neil Young fan) is NO! A couple weeks ago I bought Buffalo Springfield's 2nd album Again from 1967. It kicks off with a less-than-3-minute early Neil Young rocker called "Mr. Soul". This song not only showcases Neil's talent on the guitar it also foreshadows the future of his fantastic facility. In other words, the man can write!

The song essentially tells of his disgust with stardom and star-struck fans, which is amazing since he had literally just become a star! I think the story is that he had an epileptic fit on stage and then sat in the hospital for a few days and penned this song while reflecting on being 'a rock star'.

Everything about this song - from the way he sings to what he sings and the way he plays to what he plays is staggering. Both his voice and his guitar are full of angst and drive straight to the brain.

The driving song fades out with these words repeating: "Is it strange I should change? I don't know, why don't you ask her!" If you know it, you know it. If you don't, find it!

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