A new, unreleased version of "Powderfinger" from the 1975 Dume Sessions from Neil Young Archives Vol. II is streaming now on http://neilyoungarchives.com.
"Powderfinger"
What does the song mean?
Monday, November 02, 2020
New Unreleased Version of "Powderfinger": 1975 Dume Sessions | Neil Young Archives Vol. II - Streaming Now
"Powderfinger"
What does the song mean?
17 comments:
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It feels like a sketch, but the song is all there between a fade in and a fade out.
ReplyDeleteIt's missing the characteristic RNS guitar sound but still an essential addition to this set. Sounds a bit like the studio version of Sedan Delivery, which we'll probably see in Vol. III as part of Chrome Dreams.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, another song from Chrome Dreams (Rust Edition), River of Pride (White Line) recorded on 11/27/75 with Crazy Horse, during the same season as Like a Hurricane is missing. Maybe it'll be released as an outtake on Neil's website?
Fascinating version and cut at the same time as Zuma.
ReplyDeleteOne of my all time favorite songs, and I love how it feels so raw and unfamiliar for everyone. Definitely an early version with some interesting lyrics that were rearranged or discarded over time. A beautiful work in progress.
ReplyDeletePeace 🙏
Silence me from the powder and the finger!
ReplyDeleteIt's great how the life of a new song transforms itself over time.
And really, it only sounds different due to hearing the updated tune
over and over again. Like he says, first or second take usually has
the total vibe. It can grow, like the child born, yet only resembles
the original. Volume II is gonna be a treat.
SONY
Just listened to this on NYA; one of my favourite songs. Incredible sound. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAmazing!! How did this song stay in the boxes for 3 years before being performed in concert in 1978 and only released on a LP in 1979...
ReplyDeleteBut of all the versions, the one on Hitchhiker is my favourite... Very powerful.
Brilliant, early version. Slower more downbeat and different notes at the end of each line. One of, if not my favourite NY song!
ReplyDeleteI too am a huge fan of Powderfinger, a song I feel is my single favorite song also. This version to me is a work in progress. I am so glad Neil polished it onto a diamond. I am thrilled to hear it the version! Alan in Seattle
ReplyDeleteGreat song.
ReplyDeleteAs a side note, finally got my NYA membership 15% discount processed on my order of NYA Vol.2. Looking forward to the Greendale deluxe box arriving today and NYA vol.2 in two weeks.
Off topic I know but just received my Greendale box. The limited edition number on it is 5866. I'm am gobsmacked that they've printed this volume and only 3,000 NYA Vol.2. Someone somewhere has seriously miscalculated, I would have thought the Greendale box is very niche and for die hards like me. Think they'll have these on shelves for years.
ReplyDeleteGot to say its a beautiful package, and the vinyl sounds superb. Just annoyed there's no code to download the HiRes from the Greedy Hand seeing as I bought it from my local record shop.
definitely interesting to hear this work in progress PF version from ZUMA era. fascinating
ReplyDelete@ Andrew- yeah, wow?! doesn't seem to make sense at all relative to NYA V#2
Don't recall that it was ever established what the actual Limited Edition Greendale was limited to?
So 6K? 7K? 10K?
anyone else got a LE #?
Andrew - I went back and forth with the Greedy Hand folks several times and eventually they assured me that I would get a free download with my Return To Greendale purchase. I don't know how it will work. I guess I will find out when it comes out officially on Nov 6.
ReplyDelete@zuma11 I've just purchased the HiRes from the Greedy Hand store. It's taken about 8 emails and two weeks to get the 15% discount on my NYA Vol.2 sorted. Haven't got the will power to go through that again to get a HiRes download of RTG.
ReplyDeleteI'm catching up a bit here, after being driven to distraction for the past week... This is a fascinating version I will be sure to revisit. It does sound a little raw and tentative, which may be partly down to the slower tempo. However, Neil's guitar passages are strong and affecting. With the song slowed down, the licks sound less ferocious but a clear melodic sense comes through. This quality seems to get lost a bit in Neil's (in)famous, string-shredding "one-note" solos but is fully on display here.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I seem to recall that Neil was supposedly planning to offer this song and Sedan Delivery to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Then the tragedy hit. One wonders how the Neil/Syknyrd narrative could have been different, had Ronnie and friends lived longer. Interestingly, it took Neil another couple of years after that to decide to put the songs out on RNS.
~Om=Shanti.
The volume 2 box set on ebay in England sold for £2260............well done warner reprise / neil / whoever.....what a monumental mess has been made of this!
ReplyDeleteThat’s $2,970.66 in US dollars with 89 bids. The real stinger here is the seller isn’t even offering free shipping, after making a gigantic profit.
ReplyDeletePeace 🙏