The album Neil Young called a “subconscious move”
The poetic lyricism of Neil Young helped to establish the Canadian singer-songwriter as a defining name within American music during the 1970s. His command of melody and deeply personal lyrics resonated with fans worldwide, cementing albums like Harvest Moon among the most beloved records of all time. The intricate detailing of Young’s music gives the impression that his records are constructed with painstaking attention to detail, but, according to the man himself, some efforts came to him subconsciously.
Following his relocation from Canada to Los Angeles during the 1960s, Young found fame as a member of the folk-rock outfit Buffalo Springfield. Although the band were fairly successful, it soon became apparent that Young was destined for something greater. This hypothesis was realised within his eponymous debut solo album in 1968 but was confirmed on a wider scale with the release of 1972’s Harvest.
A number one album in the UK, as well as the US and various other countries, Harvest is by far Young’s best-selling work. Heralded as one of the greatest releases of the 1970s, the record was largely written for Young’s infatuation with American actor Carrie Snodgress, with whom he had a son, Zeke. A perfectly crafted product featuring collaborations with the likes of the London Symphony Orchestra, David Crosby, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills, among others, it is no great surprise that Harvest goes down as one of Young’s finest moments.
Following up on the 1972 album was never going to be an easy feat, but Young completely subverted expectations by releasing On the Beach and Tonight’s the Night. Deeply introspective albums tackling themes of alienation and loneliness, the albums were a complete departure from the commercial triumph of Harvest.
Asked about his decision to move away from the sounds of Harvest, Young shared in a 1975 interview with Creem, “It’s odd”, before adding: “I don’t know why. It was a subconscious move. I think Tonight’s the Night is the most grand example of that resistance.”
Tonight’s the Night, despite being released after On the Beach, was the first effort to be recorded following Harvest, as Young revealed, “Everything on Tonight’s the Night was recorded and mixed before On the Beach was started, but it was never finished or put into its complete order till later.”
According to the songwriter, he felt a subconscious need to move away from the sounds explored on Harvest in search of something more profound. “Everybody said that Harvest was a trip,” he claimed. “To me, I’d happened to be in the right place at the right time, in the place to do a really mellow record that was really open ’cause that’s where my life was at the time.”
However, the singer noted, “If I’d stayed there, I don’t know where I’d be right now – if I’d just stayed real mellow. I’m just not that way any more. I think Harvest was probably the finest record that I’ve made. But that’s really a restricting adjective for me. It’s really fine…”
It should come as no shock that Neil Young was not content with merely being ‘fine’. The Canadian musician had his sights set on something much greater than the commercialism of Harvest; he yearned for genuine artistic expression. His unwillingness to capitalise on the mainstream success of his 1972 album is a testament to his unwavering artistic vision.
