Because I’m still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I’m still in love with you
On this harvest moon
Could this be Neil Young’s most beautiful love song? If so, it shows that sometimes we get better with age. It’s from his 1992 album Harvest Moon, which came out when he was 47, after an already legendary career.
When we were strangers
I watched you from afar
And when we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart
Usually I like rich, deep male voices. Neil’s an alto tenor, and his voice is thin and reedy. But there is something plaintive and pure about it that thrills me every time I hear him sing.
But now it’s getting late
And the moon is climbing high
I want to celebrate
See it shining in your eyes
Neil’s not the most photogenic of guys (and wins the prize for worst hair), but I love this picture. Click for image source, and a good essay about Neil and his music.
Another charming oddity of Harvest Moon: it’s the only song I know that uses a broom as a musical instrument. You can see how it works in the video.
Many of Neil’s songs are dreamy and hypnotic. My other favorite is Helpless (1969) a truly exquisite pairing of word and melody.
Blue, blue windows behind the stars,
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us
Helpless, helpless, helpless
Neil Young singing Helpless with The Band, in The Last Waltz:
Usually I can’t bear Joni Mitchell, but when she sings backup on this song, she’s all right!
Linnet Moss 
Young’s thin and weedy voice put me off for a long time. And then I discovered Hurricane. Great stuff – interesting character. I saw him in concert in Dublin a couple of years ago and he was fantastic.
You saw him in concert? OMG, I am so envious! I’ve always been attracted to his talent, but I notice that it’s usually men who are most enthusiastic about him.
It was a great concert, although I was really pissed off with the Irish. Somehow, the volume of the music was not very high, and the sociable Irish were chatting so loudly over it that I had trouble hearing the music at all. It was a concert in an outdoor venue, and people were sipping their pints of beer, talking, with their backs to the stage. I just didn’t get it – why pay 65 Euro only to then rabbit on with your friends? And ruining it for the others in the process… Sorry. Rant over. Young himself was great, played only the stuff that he wanted to play – no old hits, no Rockin in Free World, or even Hurricane, or, another favourite of mine, Cortez the Killer.
I’m with you–I hate it when audiences are not respectful of the performer or each other. It’s extremely rude! But maybe there is some cool person concert etiquette that we don’t know about (she said sarcastically)… I don’t think it’s an “Irish” thing. I’ve seen it all too often on this side of the pond.
You are right – happens everywhere. And I have no problem with people making the occasional comment and enjoying the moment *together*. But when the chatter drowns out the music something is wrong 😉
If you put a fringe on him, his hair would be exactly like mine right now 🙂
Ha! Neil has kind of a problem with split ends 🙂
I’m looking forward to my first German hairdressing experience 😉
Looking forward to hearing about it. Perhaps a braided style, Fräulein?
Ooh, I’ll need a Dirndl to go with it 😉
No Joni! What? Tell me you like Joan Baez at least…
Yes, I know my aversion to Joni Mitchell is nuts, but when she hits those high notes it is for me the aural equivalent of fingers scratching a blackboard. Joan Baez is better. Basically I am drawn to male voices. My favorite ladies of song tend to have somewhat lower-pitched voices: Diana Krall, for example and the divine Ella Fitzgerald. I also like Doris Day 🙂
Haha, yeah…her high notes are pretty high. Whenever I try to sing along with her I feel like I could pass out.
I must confess that I have never paid much attention to Neil Young. Those lyrics are beautiful.
If that happens with Neil Young (the concert-comments) after paying all that money for the ticket you can imagine when hubby plays in pubs in front of people who couldn’t care less 😦 . Curiously enough, the most participating audience he’s ever had were Scottish rugby fans 😀
I bet pubs can be very tough audiences! Love the idea of the Scottish rugby fans getting into it 🙂
Love this song, I have never seen it in a video clip. The ten year old and I were entranced by the broom. He has a romantic wistful quality. Thanks LM.
He loves to sing about the moon–sign of a true romantic 🙂
A long time since I’ve heard this beautiful song. Thanks for bringing it back to my ears 🙂
Glad you liked it!
Oh, this is wonderfully soporific. This is dancing in the kitchen with a glass of wine kind of music. It’s got a line of chord progressions that’s not likely to leave me alone for a week. I’m hooked.
And .. I love the broom. Totally creative.
This guy is going on repeat for an hour or two.
It is mesmerizing! Usually I don’t play things over and over, but with this one, I keep coming back to it.
I love that rendition of Helpless. I’m a relative newcomer to Neil Young and to The Band. I blind bought the DVD of The Last Waltz a couple of years ago and my mind was blown. Especially by this song and “The Weight” performed by The Band and The Staple Singers.
Oh yes, the Staple Singers! I agree about “The Weight.” I do love Levon Helm!