Neil Young Recording Guide

Useful links

The Seventies: 1973–1978

c. June, 1973: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA [with CSNY]

Recorded:

  • [O] See The Changes [1]
  • [U] Human Highway [2, 3*]

Sources:

  • [1] CSNY Box Set
  • [4] Rarities [fan compilation CDR set]
  • [5] Chrome Dreams [unreleased LP (* bonus track on remastered Rustie version)]

August 26, 1973: Studio Instrument Rentals, Hollywood, CA

Producer: David Briggs & Neil Young

Engineer: Tim Mulligan

Recorded:

  • [O] Tonight's The Night [1, 2]
  • [O] Speakin' Out [1, 2]
  • [O] Mellow My Mind [1, 2]
  • [O] Tired Eyes [1, 2]
  • [O] World On A String [1]

Sources:

  • [1] Tonight's The Night [unreleased version]
  • [2] Tonight's The Night (Reprise MS 2221; June 20, 1975)

"I would have to say that's the most liquid album I've ever made. You almost need a life preserver to get through that one. We were all leaning on the ol' cactus . . . and, again, I think that it's something people should hear. They should hear what the artist sounds like under all circumstances if they want to get a complete portrait. Everybody gets fucked up, man. Everybody gets fucked up sooner or later. You're just pretending if you don't let your music get just as liquid as you are when you're really high." [1]

"Tonight's The Night is like an OD letter. The whole thing is about life, dope and death. When we played that music we were all thinking of Danny Whitten and Bruce Berry, two close members of our unit lost to junk overdoses. The Tonight's The Night sessions were the first time what was left of Crazy Horse had gotten together since Danny died. It was up to us to get the strength together among us to fill the hole he left. The other OD, Bruce Berry, was CSNY's roadie for a long time. His brother Ken runs Studio Instrument Rentals, where we recorded the album. So we had a lot of vibes going for us. There was a lot of spirit in the music we made. It's funny, I remember the whole experience in black and white. We'd go down to S.I.R. about 5:00 in the afternoon and start getting high, drinking tequila and playing pool. About midnight, we'd start playing. And we played Bruce and Danny on their way all through the night. I'm not a junkie and I won't even try it out to check out what it's like... but we all got high enough, right out there on the edge where we felt wide open to the whole mood. It was spooky. I probably feel this album more than anything else I've ever done." [1]

"I never finished [Tonight's The Night]. I only had nine songs, so I set the whole thing aside and did On the Beach instead. It took Elliot [Roberts] to finish Tonight's The Night. You see, a while back there were some people who were gonna make a Broadway show out of the story of Bruce Berry and everything. They even had a script written. We were putting together a tape for them and in the process of listening back on the old tracks, Elliot found three even older songs that related to the trip, 'Lookout Joe', 'Borrowed Tune' and 'Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown', a live track from when I played the Filmore East with Crazy Horse. Danny even sings lead on that one. Elliot added those songs to the original nine and sequenced them all into a cohesive story. But I still had no plans whatsoever to release it. I already had another new album called Homegrown in the can. The cover was finished and everything. Ah, but they'll never hear that one." [1]

References:

August 22 – September 13, 1973: Studio Instrument Rentals, Hollywood, CA

Producer: David Briggs & Neil Young

Engineer: Tim Mulligan

Recorded:

  • [O] Roll Another Number (For The Road) [1, 2]
  • [O] New Mama [1, 2]
  • [O] Albuquerque [2]
  • [X] Lookout Joe
  • [X] Wonderin'
  • [X] Everybody's Alone
  • [X] One More Sign

Sources:

  • [1] Tonight's The Night [unreleased version]
  • [2] Tonight's The Night (Reprise MS 2221; June 20, 1975)

December 5, 1973: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA

Producer: David Briggs & Neil Young

Engineer: Tim Mulligan

Recorded:

  • [O] Borrowed Tune [1, 2]

Sources:

  • [1] Tonight's The Night [unreleased version]
  • [2] Tonight's The Night (Reprise MS 2221; June 20, 1975)

February–March, 1974: Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Recorded:

  • [O] Winterlong [(Feb. 5): 1, 4]
  • [U] Bad Fog Of Loneliness [(Feb. 5): 1]
  • [O] Walk On [1, 3]
  • [U] Traces [1]
  • [O] Tonight's The Night (Reprise) [2]

Sources:

  • [1] Tonight's The Night [unreleased version]
  • [2] Tonight's The Night (Reprise MS 2221; June 20, 1975)
  • [3] On The Beach (Reprise R 2180; July 19, 1974)
  • [4] Decade (Reprise 3RS 2257; November 14, 1977)

March 8, 1974: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Recorded:

  • [O] For The Turnstiles [1, 2]
  • [X] Greensleaves

Sources:

  • [1] Tonight's The Night [unreleased version]
  • [2] On The Beach (Reprise R 2180; July 19, 1974)

c. Spring, 1974: Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA

Producer: Neil Young & Al Schmitt

Recorded:

  • [O] On The Beach [1]
  • [O] Motion Pictures (For Carrie) [1]
  • [O] Ambulance Blues [1]

Sources:

  • [1] On The Beach (Reprise R 2180; July 19, 1974)

c. April 7, 1974: Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA

Producer: Neil Young & Mark Harman

Recorded:

  • [O] See The Sky About To Rain [1]
  • [O] Revolution Blues [1]
  • [O] Vampire Blues [1]

Sources:

  • [1] On The Beach (Reprise R 2180; July 19, 1974)

c. June 16, 1974: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA

Producer: Neil Young & Tim Mulligan

Recorded:

  • [O] Pardon My Heart [1]
  • [O] Through My Sails [1]

Sources:

  • [1] Zuma (Reprise MS 2242; November 10, 1975)

c. Summer, 1974: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA [with CSNY]

Producer: Neil Young & Elliot Mazer

Recorded:

  • [O] Through My Sails [(overdubs): 1]
  • [X] Little Blind Fish

Sources:

  • [1] Zuma (Reprise MS 2242; November 10, 1975)

November–December 1974: Quadrafonic Sound Studios, Nashville, TN

Producer: Elliot Mazer

Recorded:

  • [X] Frozen Man [early Nov.]
  • [O] Star Of Bethlehem [(Nov./Dec.13?): 1, 2]
  • [X] Separate Ways [Dec. 2]
  • [?] Homeward Through The Haze [(Dec.6): 3]

Sources:

  • [1] Chrome Dreams [unreleased LP]
  • [2] American Stars And Bars (Reprise MS 2261; May 27, 1977)
  • [3] CSNY Box Set

December 1974 – January 1975: Quadrafonic Sound Studios, Nashville, TN & Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA

Producer: Elliot Mazer

Recorded:

  • [X] Love/Art Blues
  • [X] Homefires
  • [X] We Don't Smoke It
  • [X] Vacancy
  • [X] Try
  • [X] Homegrown
  • [X] Give Me Strength
  • [O] Love Is A Rose [1]
  • [O] Deep Forbidden Lake [1]
  • [O] The Old Homestead [2]
  • [O] Little Wing [2]
  • [?] Mediterranean [3]

Sources:

  • [1] Decade (Reprise 3RS 2257; November 14, 1977)
  • [2] Hawks And Doves (Reprise HS 2297; October 29, 1980)
  • [3] ABD.2000 [fan compilation CDR set]

"I had a playback party for Homegrown for me and about ten friends. We were out of our minds. We all listened to the album and Tonight's The Night happened to be on the same reel. So we listened to that too, just for laughs. No comparison... By listening to those two albums back to back at the party, I started to see the weaknesses in Homegrown. I took Tonight's The Night because of its overall strength in performance and feeling. The theme may be a little depressing, but the general feeling is much more elevating than Homegrown. I'm sure parts of Homegrown will surface on other albums of mine. There's some beautiful stuff that Emmylou Harris sings harmony on. I don't know. That record might be more what people would rather hear from me right now, but it was just a very down album. It was the darker side to Harvest. A lot of the songs had to do with me breaking up with my old lady. It was a little too personal . . . it scared me." [1]

References:

Late January 1975: Village Recorders, Los Angeles, CA

Producer: Neil Young & Ben Keith

Recorded:

  • [X] Kansas
  • [X] Mexico
  • [X] Florida

March 1975: home studio, Pt. Dume, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Recorded:

  • [O] Don't Cry No Tears [1]
  • [O] Dangerbird [1]
  • [O] Barstool Blues [1]
  • [O] Stupid Girl [1]
  • [O] Drive Back [1]
  • [O] Cortez The Killer [1]
  • [X] Ride My Llama
  • [X] Born To Run

Sources:

  • [1] Zuma (Reprise MS 2242; November 10, 1975)

"I think I'll call it My Old Neighborhood. Either that or Ride My Llama. It's weird, I've got all these songs about Peru, the Aztecs and the Incas. Time travel stuff. We've got one song called 'Marlon Brando, John Ehrlichman, Pocahontas and Me'. I'm playing a lot of electric guitar and that's what I like best. Two guitars, bass and drums. And it's really flying off the ground too. Fucking unbelievable. [1]

References:

September 1975: Indigo Recording Studio, Malibu, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Recorded:

  • [U] Powderfinger [1]
  • [U] Pocahontas [(basic track): 1]
  • [O] Captain Kennedy [1, 2]
  • [?] Ride My Llama

Sources:

  • [1] Chrome Dreams [unreleased LP]
  • [2] Hawks And Doves (Reprise HS 2297; October 29, 1980)

November 1975: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Recorded:

  • [U] White Line [(Nov. 22): 1*]
  • [O] Like A Hurricane [(Nov. 29): 1, 2, 3]
  • [O] Homegrown [1, 3]

Sources:

  • [1] Chrome Dreams [unreleased LP (* bonus track on remastered Rustie version)]
  • [2] Decade (Reprise 3RS 2257; November 14, 1977)
  • [3] American Stars And Bars (Reprise MS 2261; May 27, 1977)

February 16 – June 7, 1976: Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, FL

Producer: Stephen Stills, Neil Young and Don Gehman

Recorded:

  • [O] Midnight On The Bay [1]
  • [O] Ocean Girl [1]
  • [O] Let It Shine [1]
  • [O] Fontainebleau [1]
  • [O] Long May You Run [1, 2]
  • [O] Long May You Run [(CSNY vocals): 2*]

Sources:

  • [1] Long May You Run (Reprise MS 2253; September 10, 1976)
  • [2] Decade (Reprise 3RS 2257; November 14, 1977) [* original vinyl version only]

May 1976: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA & Indigo Recording Studio, Malibu, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Engineer: Richard Kaplan

Recorded:

  • [O] Will To Love [1, 2]

Sources:

  • [1] Chrome Dreams [unreleased LP]
  • [2] American Stars And Bars (Reprise MS 2261; May 27, 1977)

c. late Summer, 1976: Indigo Recording Studio, Malibu, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Recorded:

  • [X] Hitchiker [Aug. 11]
  • [?] Campainger [(unedited): 1 > (3, 4, 5*)]
  • [?] Campainger [2]

Sources:

  • [1] Decade (Reprise 64037; November 1977 [German 1st pressing])
  • [2] Decade (Reprise 3RS 2257; November 14, 1977)
  • [3] Hard To Find (Westwood One RAD-HTF-94-27; 1994) [in-house/promo CD]
  • [4] Rarities [fan compilation CDR set]
  • [5] Chrome Dreams [unreleased LP (* bonus track on remastered Rustie version)]

"The other one [of my most openly autobiographical song]'s called 'Hitchiker'. It's a contemporary of 'Don't Be Denied' from 1975 and it was all about all the different drugs that I took. I started at the beginning and ran right through my years of drug usage up to that time, drawing parallels with other stuff. It's a very interesting song... Eventually I mutated it partly into a song called 'Like An Inca'. Only the chorus lived, though. All the verses were gone. 'Hitchiker' is now probably bootlegged 'cos I played it six or seven times on some acoustic tour I did in the '70s." [1]

References:

November 1976: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Engineer: Tim Mulligan

Recorded:

  • [U] Sedan Delivery [1]
  • [U] Hold Back The Tears [1]
  • [U] Too Far Gone [1]
  • [O] Look Out For My Love [1, 2]
  • [?] Lotta Love [2]

Sources:

  • [1] Chrome Dreams [unreleased LP]
  • [2] Comes A Time (Reprise MSK 2266; October 21, 1978)

"Sometimes there isn’t a good reason [for an LP being left unreleased]... It just passed me by. I did [Chrome Dreams], I got to a certain place, and then something would happen and distract me, and I would get into something else and forget what I was doing before. That’s happened a lot." [1]

References:

April 4, 1977: Broken Arrow Ranch, Woodside, CA

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Engineer: Tim Mulligan

Recorded:

  • [O] The Old Country Waltz [1]
  • [O] Saddle Up The Palomino [1]
  • [O] Hey Babe [1]
  • [O] Hold Back The Tears [1]
  • [O] Bite the Bullet [1]

Sources:

  • [1] American Stars And Bars (Reprise MS 2261; May 27, 1977)

c. September 12, 1977: Triad Recording Studio, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

Recorded:

  • [O] Human Highway [(basic track): 1]
  • [O] Goin' Back [(basic track): 1]
  • [?] [other Comes A Time basic tracks] [1]
  • [O] Sail Away [(basic track): 2]
  • [O] Pocahontas [(overdubs): 2]
  • [O] Lost In Space [3]

Sources:

  • [1] Comes A Time (Reprise MSK 2266; October 21, 1978)
  • [2] Rust Never Sleeps (Reprise HS 2295; June 22, 1979)
  • [3] Hawks And Doves (Reprise HS 2297; October 29, 1980)

late 1977: Woodland Sound Studios, Nashville & Sound Shop, Nashville, TN

Producer: Neil Young, Ben Keith and Tim Mulligan

Recorded:

  • [O] Goin' Back [1]
  • [O] Comes A Time [(Nov. 2): 1]
  • [O] Peace Of Mind [1]
  • [O] Human Highway [1]
  • [O] Motorcycle Mama [1]
  • [O] Four Strong Winds [1]
  • [O] Sail Away [(overdubs): 2]
  • [?] Already One [1]
  • [?] Field Of Opportunity [1]

Sources:

  • [1] Comes A Time (Reprise MSK 2266; October 21, 1978)
  • [2] Rust Never Sleeps (Reprise HS 2295; June 22, 1979)

May 29, 1978: Different Fur [with Devo]

Producer: Neil Young & David Briggs

Recorded:

  • [O] Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) [1 > 2]
  • [?] Worried Man Blues [1 > 2]

Sources:

  • [1] Human Highway [video]
  • [2] Rarities [fan compilation CDR set]