From Joni Mitchell to Nick Cave: The five best covers of Neil Young
Neil Young started making music in the 1960s, releasing his first album in 1968 and has since recorded many more. In writing such a plethora of exciting songs, Young has proven himself to be one of the most influential songwriters in modern music. Whether talking about his spirituality, love, loss, or anything in between, he can put emotions to sound in a way that few can replicate.
You can always see a songwriter’s talent in how often their music is covered. This shows that a song is truly exceptional for a couple of reasons: first, other excellent artists want to be heard playing the material, and second, a song can cement itself as timeless as it transcends the genre it was initially attached to.
This is what happened to a lot of Young’s music, as when people cover his work, they don’t just perform the track as it is; instead, they put their own spin on it. It shows how a song doesn’t just have to stay within the confines of which it was written but can reach people in different forms. Young’s music, subsequently, exists within the world of punk, experimental music, and rock.
There are many great covers of Neil Young songs out there, but these are some of the very best.
The best covers of Neil Young:
Joni Mitchell – ‘Sugar Mountain’
Joni Mitchell is widely celebrated as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. While she might not shred like other rock guitarists, she has the ability to play where the emotion she conveys in her words is equally reciprocated in her instrumentation. Her cover of Young’s ‘Sugar Mountain’ beautifully displays this.
While the recording isn’t the best quality, Mitchell’s guitar playing and stunning voice ring through layers of feedback. Her cover is delicate, stripped-back, and a joy to listen to from start to finish. The way she carries the melody is something Young himself would surely enjoy.
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris – ‘After the Gold Rush’
It is arguably one of Young’s best songs. When people take on a cover where a song already carries so much weight on its own, it can either go incredibly well or disastrously. In the case of ‘After the Gold Rush’, it was the former, as three of the most angelic voices in music do these gorgeous lyrics complete justice.
When you see a line-up of Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris, you know that you are in for a treat. The three team up and almost sound like a choir as they harmonise perfectly in a heavenly way. The instrumentation is stripped back, letting the vocals shine through in the way that they deserve to.
Pearl Jam (featuring Jack White) – ‘Rockin in the Free World’
In complete contrast to Dolly Parton’s angelic performance, Pearl Jam and Jack White deliver a heavy and exuberant version of Young’s ‘Rockin in the Free World’. The full sound that Pearl Jam is famed for comes through with every passing second as the band takes the classic and puts an out-of-this-world spin on it.
Jack White was on hand during this performance to help out with shredding duties. As if the general instrumentation isn’t enough, the way he delivers beautiful blues-infused music on this track is truly inspiring and makes this rock song even heavier.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – ‘Helpless’
Nick Cave is an artist who can approach covers in a multitude of different ways, given how ranged his vocal abilities are and how good the Bad Seeds are at performing styles such as serene beauty and hard rock. With ‘Helpless’, he decides to go down a much more soulful route, and it beautifully matches the delicacy of the track.
The song is a masterclass in knowing when to give all and when to pull back. With a church organ lingering throughout the track, there are moments where it is just that and Cave singing, while on other occasions, he has a big sound run through as instruments are layered and backing vocals are added. The song has a hint of ‘Hallelujah’ in it, really transcending music that is tough to move away from.
Roxy Music – ‘Like a Hurricane’
Roxy Music is another band that has proven time and time again that they can play different styles of music while still having their own unique sound. On ‘Like a Hurricane,’ they go upbeat, with a funky drum kick accompanying synth sounds and bongos.
The sax solo is a true standout, as is the vocal performance throughout the track. Roxy Music really makes the song their own while still maintaining all of the exciting elements that make it one of Neil Young’s.
