Neil Young - Homegrown - Love is a POLL

It's settled real cozily into my Neil Top 3, alongside On the Beach and Peace Trail (yeah, I know; I'm a weird guy). I haven't had a Neil bender since the album came out, but I listen to Homegrown regularly. All sadness and vibe, patiently easing into hope. Such great playing too.

"Florida" is a great throwback to that moment in the late 60s where one in every ten rock albums would have a musique concrete track

Vacancy was the standout, the great unreleased Neil song that we didn't know existed.

i listen to the Stills-Young version of "Separate Ways" way more than the HG version. tempted to just go the title track - it has that shaggy Tonight's vibe i'm always game for.

really like levon helm's drumming on separate ways

Shit Mary I can't POLL

Florida one of the best representations of dream logic in song.

really like levon helm's drumming on separate ways

same. he's such a good fit for this era of Neil, wish they'd worked together a lot more

same. he's such a good fit for this era of Neil, wish they'd worked together a lot more

Absolutely. Love me some Neil + Robbie too

Listened to this around time of release, will revisit to try and pick one.

"Vacancy" isn't exactly new territory for Neil but it has an almost uncomfortable edge that really makes it stand out, especially on this album. "Star of Bethlehem" is great too, but it's hard for me to see it as a Homegrown track when I've known it for more than 30 years beforehand.
He obviously has (had) a skill at alchemizing his pain into music, but I feel like his focus was really thrown here. Like "Vampire Blues", worst song on On the Beach, might have been third-best if it were on this record.

love this record, voted "Mexico"

Florida one of the best representations of dream logic in song

...minus the song

On December 11, Levon Helm replaced Buttrey and the group recorded "The Old Homestead"

This was the by far the best song on Hawks and Doves and would have been here as well.

I enjoy this album but I think it’s safe to say NY made the right call of shelving it in favor of TTN.

It's nice to be a relatively recent convert, who can have both. And to whom the canon song placements don't feel as set in stone.

A dedicated thread on the album from five years ago, which veered off into a number of personal, Christgau-styled ratings for Neil's great decade:

Neil Young - Homegrown (June 19, 2020, at long last)

I read over what I wrote about the album then, and doubt I'd feel much differently today.

i used to think the lyric on little wing was "she flies rings around the mall" and found it extremely evocative.. there was a lady riding around the parking lot on a scooter when i picked up new shoes the other day, so i guess i'll vote for it.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Are the poor showings for Star of Bethlehem and White Line due to the fact that these songs were both already familiar to most fans? Because not only do both of those deserve votes, they're both better than the top 3 here imo

I *nearly* chose White Line. Never really cared for the Ragged Glory version and absolutely love Neil's vocals and Robbie's lead here.

maybe because i grew up listening to RG a hell of a lot, but it's jarring to hear people talk about the RG "white line" as if it's just okay or whatever... it's a perfect fucking rock song, imo. the "homegrown" version is nice!!