Neil Young — we know he’s a genius. He also has a voluminous catalog, akin to Bob Dylan — that you can study on his brilliantly curated website.
Most people think of “Heart of Gold” or “After the Gold Rush,” or Crosby Stills & Nash, but Neil Young encompasses a huge amount of space in the rock canon.
Now he’s dropped a stunningly beautiful 11 minute song. Eleven minutes seemed daunting but once I heard it, I was hooked. It’s like a folk incantation, and a dreamy waltz. What’s even more exciting — “Second Song” is produced with another legend, Lou Adler, who’s 93. Adler is responsible for a huge chuck of rock history, from “Monterey Pop” to Carole King’s “Tapestry” to being there when Sam Cooke recorded “A Change is Gonna Come.”
“Second Song” is also the title of a new album coming out on September 18th. But listen to this now, just take the time with it. We’re so lucky to get something of this magnitude these days.
Two of the verses:
“I dream a way of living
A way of sharing what we find
A way of walking slowly
Through the smokey leaves of time”
“The world needs all her song birds
She needs her music in the sky
Guiding souls both in and out
Showing weakness how to fly”
