Neil Young News: Friday Afternoon Insanity: Yes, This Is Still A Neil Young Blog

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Friday, April 27, 2012

Friday Afternoon Insanity: Yes, This Is Still A Neil Young Blog

As we promised yesterday, here's some Friday afternoon craziness. And, yes, this is still a Neil Young blog.

Yesterday, we posted a cult classic YouTube video of "Venus" by Shocking Blue which is based off of the Americana tune "Oh! Susannah" and its riffs. "Venus" was written by Robbie van Leeuwen and originally recorded by Shocking Blue for their 1969 album, "At Home".

As we mentioned recently, with all of the anticipation for the upcoming album Americana by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, there's been a lot of focus on the song "Oh! Susannah".

And just as we were reminded about The Byrds version of "Oh Susanna" and James Taylor with Johnny Cash's version of "Oh Susanna" along comes another "Oh Susanna" version.

Here's the video of Bananarama's "Venus" from 1986 album, "True Confessions".

Ahhh, those '80's....

Check it out.

Set for a June 5th release, you can now pre-Order "Americana" on Amazon.com (Thanks! You'll be helping to support us.)

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6 Comments:

At 4/27/2012 10:16:00 PM, Sandy Horne said...: Oh Yes!! The 80's in all its glory!!
At 4/28/2012 12:33:00 AM, D. I. Kertis said...: It's good to see Neil back with the Horse finally. I'm not one of those fans who's in love with Crazy Horse to the exclusion of all else, but it's inspiring good vibes nonetheless. I was a bit surprised when I first found Neil's new album was going to be folk/protest songs, and I'm not surprised it's gotten some pre-release flak (haven't most of Neil's albums lately?), but as for me, I'm trying to keep an opened mind to it. A new NY album will certainly be a nice way to begin the summer, and while I never specifically wished for Neil to play "Oh! Susannah" or "Clementine", I'm rather intrigued to hear what the Neil Young/Crazy Horse take on these songs will be. (Remember, Neil's Crazy Horse albums don't always sound just like the Crazy Horse we all know and love--I'm think especially of "Sleeps with Angels" here.)

Although it makes me even more curious about this album's "sound", I certainly have no qualms with the children's choir. Indeed I find the concept somewhat endearing. Chrome Dreams II's "The Way", which featured a kids' choir, keeps coming back to me in a good way (one of my favorite of the relatively recent albums, too), and it's really cool that Neil, as an older rock musician, seems to be interested in reaching out to children. I also look at it, perhaps even more importantly, from the perspective that this is, after all, *folk* music: songs (if you'll pardon the reference) by the people, of the people, for the people. Most of them are probably in public domain at this stage, many are universally recognized at least within the US, and, being in essence commonly owned, are intended to be singable bay anyone anywhere, including children. So perhaps the inclusion of the children's choir on this album serves to highlight the universal nature of the kind of music Neil is essaying here. That's just a thought before actually hearing how 'Americana' plays out, but we shall see what we shall hear in not too long.

What absolutely do not understand, though, is the talk of imperialism (and even, in one post I saw somewhere, fascism) over the inclusion in the track list of 'God Save the Queen'. I don't want to get too deeply into things here, but suffice to say that, as well know, 'God Save the Queen' is the British national anthem (also the tune for the American patriotic song 'My Country 'Tis of Thee, by the way), and if anyone seriously believes that 21st century England is oppressively imperialistic or "fascist" simply for continuing to have a reigning monarch, that just strikes me as gross ignorance of the world beyond one's own borders. I'm not saying any country is completely idyllic or perfect; I think England has its issues just like anywhere else. But just because a nation does not have all of its leaders elected like in the US, that doesn't mean the people are being oppressed or that the ideology is necessarily wrongheaded. So I do strongly take exception to remarks of that nature. Other than that, I'd prefer for the most part to sit back and give 'Americana' a fair chance. There's no use in a knee-jerk reaction, and nothing positive to be gained by rushing to judgement here. I'm sure 'Americana' will be as controversial as anyone Neil Young release, but I think it should at least be allowed a chance to reveal itself before we get too far into the complaints and nitpicking.

P.S. I saw my "comment of the moment" spot; thanks . I probably don't come here that often because writing comments of the moment takes so much time and energy, but it's nice to feel wanted. I'm sure I'll have more to say on 'Americana', the Linc-Volt, and other matters in the coming weeks and months.
At 4/28/2012 01:18:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Here's a completely different take: this video reminds me that the 80's, where you had to choose between crap like this or big hair metal, was the worst decade of music, (and the worst decade of Neil's recorded music), and thankfully Neil and this guy named Kurt from Seattle set it back on its proper course with the best decade of music (sorry, but 90's destroys 70's and 60's IMHO). At least I got laid a lot in the 80's, and the hash oil was remarkable.
At 4/28/2012 05:23:00 AM, Anonymous said...: In reply to D.I Kertis you are well and truely living on another planet with your comments about "god save the queen" i feel gutted that neil young has put this on his soon to be new cd,and for you to say that England and America is not imperialistic is total utter crap you silly man!both countries are being controlled
in a stealth facscism way as are many other so called free democratic countries around the globe,have you never heard of the new world order ? open your eyes fella and smell the coffee! Iwas born in liverpool which last i checked was in England though many people who have open eyes and a brain cell or two can see through the lies and propoganda that manipulates people on many different levels,John lennon,Mlk,Gandi,JFK and many,many others up to the present day could see through all the crap and what happens if you stand up to these tyrannts ? thats right they kill you!and you really made me laugh my arse off with your comments about America having its leaders elected HA!HA! you really are living in cloud cookoo land mate.
At 4/28/2012 05:27:00 PM, D. I. Kertis said...: Thrasher, is there a a way to ban paranoid idiots who buy into baseless conspiracy theories? (And then probably also don't believe global warming while they're buying into horse dung.)
At 4/28/2012 07:37:00 PM, Anonymous said...: DI Kertis thats better mate show your true colours does the truth hurt fella?why would you want to ban a peace loving neil young fan from a neil young fans site?if you had a small sense of reality and just a few brain cells working you
would see that what i am saying is the truth about the way the world is really run,dont be ashamed of your countries behaviour and try to attack a normal level headed person who can see through the bullshit in this world,stand up to these people instead of trying to suck up to your fellow americans and other neil young fans and making out that people who dont agree with your world view are insane or crazy because when your country starts ww3 you will be crying like a little girl when the nukes start flying and your god wont be around to save you mate and he wont be around to save the queen of england!Thank god for that lol!

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