Neil Young “The Needle and the Damage Done” released on Harvest

The Needle and the Damage Done Neil Young

Writer(s): Neil Young (see lyrics here) Released: February 14, 1972 (album cut on Harvest) Released: April 17, 1972 (B-side of “Old Man”) First Charted: July 17, 1993 Peak: 7 CL, 75 UK, 3 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 36.37 video, 47.68 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Neil Young’s fourth solo album, Harvest, was his best seller, hitting four million in sales in the U.S. and topping the Billboard album chart. In addition to the #1 song “Heart of Gold,” the album featured “Old Man” and “The Needle and the Damage Done.” The latter wasn’t released as a single, but was the B-side for “Old Man” and would eventually chart in 1993 when it was featured on Young’s Unplugged album. It was also featured on the 1977 Decade compilation and 2004’s Greatest Hits. “The Needle” is “one of his most powerful songs to date.” AS Musician Debra Devi called it “one of the most perfect songs ever written.” DD It deals with Young’s first-hand observation of drug abuse, painting a "picture of the destructive patterns he witnessed.” AS “The song is one of the most famous anti-heroin songs because it is so simple and direct.” TC “Young was not used to being so prosaic in his lyrics, but when he does he’s very forceful.” TC Young recorded a live version of the song in January 1971 at the University of California SF which featured him singing and playing acoustic guitar. This was the version featured on Harvest. WK He wrote it about Danny Whitten, his friend and bandmate in Crazy Horse, who was “spiraling from the effects of heroin addiction.” AS Young had to fire him when the band went on tour in 1971 because Whitten was so high he couldn’t hold up his guitar during rehearsals. SF Whitten died from a drug overdose that year, although it was after the song was released. Young said, “I felt responsible. But really there was nothing I could do. I mean, he was responsible. But I thought I was for a long time. Danny just wasn't happy. It just all came down on him. He was engulfed by this drug. That was too bad. Because Danny had a lot to give.” SF Gregg Allman, Tori Amos, Jake Bugg, Pete Doherty, Duran Duran, Green River, Dave Matthews, Our Lady Peace, the Pretenders, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea, Seether, Simple Minds, and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam are among those who have covered the song. Resources: AS AmericanSongwriter.com (2023). “The Meaning Behind Neil Young’s Devastating ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’” by Lorie Liebig TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Page 298. DD DebraDevi.com (3/24/2016). “Story Behind the Song: ‘The Needle and the Damage Done’” SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 4/28/2024.

Neil Young “Cinnamon Girl” released

Cinnamon Girl Neil Young

Writer(s): Neil Young (see lyrics here) Released: April 20, 1970 First Charted: June 19, 1970 Peak: 55 US, 56 CB, 36 GR, 52 HR, 1 CL, 25 CN, 34 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 10.50 video, 22.13 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: After Neil Young’s departure from Buffalo Springfield, he released his first solo album in 1968. The self-titled debut failed to dent the charts, but the follow-up, 1969’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, logged 98 weeks on the Billboard album chart, peaking at #34 and reaching platinum status. The album ranks as one of the top 1000 albums of all time. Lead single “Down by the River” failed to chart, but the second single – “Cinnamon Girl” – was a top 40 hit in Canada and Australia and got to #55 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is sung as a duet between Young singing the low harmony and Danny Whitten singing the high harmony. WK Whitten was a songwriter and guitarist in Young’s backing band, Crazy Horse. Beck called the guitar riff on “Cinnamon Girl” his all-time favorite. WK The British magazine New Musical Express (NME) ranked it one of the 50 greatest guitar riffs of all time. WK Some have speculated that the song refers to Jim Morrison’s common-law wife, Pamela Courson, who had reddish-brown hair. WK Young has denied that, never confirming who the cinnamon girl is, SF although there is a reference in the song to ‘60s folk singer Jean Ray via the bit about finger cymbals. SF Young has also confirmed he had a crush on her. SF Lyrically, the song is about the singer daydreaming about having someone to love. Critic Johnny Rogan said the lyrics are “exotic and elusive without really saying anything at all.” WK Author Toby Creswell called them “cryptic love-song lyrics over the cruching power of Crazy Horse.” TC Critic John Mendelsohn sees it as a message of “desperation begetting brutal vindictiveness.” WK The song has been recorded and/or performed by Big Head Todd & the Monsters, the Dream Syndicate, John Entwistle, the Gentrys (#52, 1970), Hole, Phish, the Pretty Reckless, Radiohead, the Smashing Pumpkins, Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Type O Negative, and Wilco. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Neil Young TC Toby Creswell (2005). 1001 Songs: The Great Songs of All Time. Thunder’s Mouth Press: New York, NY. Page 267. SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia Related Links: First posted 3/9/2023; last updated 4/26/2024.