Discipline and Restraint: The Genius of Neil Young
Sarah McLachlan Foundation Concert, Vancouver 9/12/09
Photo by Darryl Dyck
The Comment of the Moment is from Elton John's "Unforgettable Moments" with Neil Young by BIGCHIEF:
The genius of Neil Young is discipline and restraint.
With Neil, the whole package beginning with his songwriting, his vocals, and whatever instrument he chooses to express himself, is 'hardwired' directly to his soul. Although his vocal technique would no doubt make a professional trainers eye twitch, any attempt to polish it would surely be at the expense of that raw, honest, emotion-drenched expression of feelings that evokes similar emotions from the listener with an intensity far greater than most singers who merely recite lyrics.
With Rap Music as a possible exception, the success of a song isn't measured by how many words you can fit into a given verse. The same can be said as far as how many notes can one fit into a guitar solo. By Neil's own admission, he never claimed to be one who blistered the fretboard of a guitar. If anything, he's more likely to be known more for his 'one note solo' as heard in the classic stomper 'Cinnamon Girl'.
Once again, his ability to exercise restraint further proved his successful formula that 'less is more'. This same successful formula is not unique to his vocals and guitar playing but extends to his piano playing abilities as well as in his signature harmonica playing style. On whatever instrument he may choose to accompany a particular song, The method that is typical in the structure of the majority of Neil's records is restraint. Whatever it takes to compliment the song. No 'one' instrument should overwhelm, dominate, or become the focal point of the song.
Thanks, as always, BIGCHIEF!
More on the genius of Neil Young.
by thrasher@PermaLink: 2/05/2011 04:41:00 PM
4 comments
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Beautiful, BIGCHIEF, and spot-on. This is why I get irritated with people who call Neil's music - especially his latter-day output - "simplistic." Dare I accuse these people of lacking imagination, of lacking the ability to read between the "words, between the lines of age"? Do they not realize what a gift it is to be able to write something as simple-sounding - and timeless - as "Heart of Gold," or "Love and War"?
Less can indeed be more, be it less instrumentally or less lyrically - or both. Think of the great African American blues artists, who were forced by the societal standards of their time to veil and vex the meaning of their words - and who then then fit them within a simple, particular musical structure, sometimes with only a guitar to accompany them. Think of Hank Williams, the "Hillbilly Shakespeare" who did much the same thing.
This is why I love them, as well as Dylan and Neil: their music is so much more than mere words and notes strung together - it makes me think as well as feel. It's what's implicit - what's between those lines - that counts the most.
Thanks Melanie!
Great comment. Exactly, simplicity is beauty.
Simple is as simple does Melanie.
i think your uncle's genius lays in that unique ability to combine those 'simplistic' lyrics with "simplistic" melody..and creat timeless music..my Neil 'rediscovery' of stuff from the seventies and eighties continues...and with each play of a classic Neil album,comes a new appreciation of the man and his music.
My rediscovery album of the moment?
On the Beach!
forever a fan
doc
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