Harvest (Neil Young song)
| "Harvest" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Neil Young | |
| from the album Harvest | |
| Released | February 1, 1972 |
| Recorded | April 1971 |
| Genre | Country rock |
| Length | 3:11 |
| Label | Reprise |
| Songwriter(s) | Neil Young |
| Producer(s) | Elliot Mazer, Neil Young |
"Harvest" is a song written by Neil Young that was the title song of his 1972 album Harvest.
Music and lyrics
"Harvest" is a slow country dance tune.[1][2] It has a slow tempo, and Uncut magazine contributor Graeme Thomson describes it as having a "calm, strangely hypnotic quality."[3] Young is backed on the song by the Stray Gators, with the addition of John Harris on piano.[2][4] The piano plays a prominent role in the instrumentation.[4] Sound on Sound editor Sam Inglis describes the drumming as "minimalist," with drummer Kenny Buttrey using only one hand and playing only the snare drum and bass drum.[4]
The lyrics of "Harvest" are obscure.[4] Music critic Johnny Rogan describes the lyrics as presenting rhetorical questions about a relationship with a woman.[5] To Rogan, the singer wonders how much love he will receive from the relationship and the extent to which we will be able to accept – or harvest – that love.[5] Music journalist Nigel Williamson regards the lyrics as reflecting Young's "inability to accept happiness at face value."[2] Williamson sees the refrain of "Dream up, dream up/Let me fill your cup" as another reference to the "harvest" in the title.[2] Another interpretation of the lyrics is that they reflect the passage of time.[1] Yet another interpretation is that the lyrics are about "maturing out of adolescence."[6] Young biographer Jimmy McDonough interprets lyrics such as "Did she wake you up to tell you that/It was only a change of plan" as referring to his then mother-in-law's previous suicide attempts.[4][7] Inglis also interprets the line "Did I see you down in a young girl's town/With your mother in so much pain" as referring to this situation.[4] Young biographer David Downing feels that the song works like a dream, being "so full of recognition, yet so short on sense."[8]
Recording
"Harvest" was recorded in April 1971.[7] Unlike most of the songs on Harvest, which required a lot of mixing work, the released version of "Harvest" is a live two-track mix.[4]
Reception
Inglis describes "Harvest" as one of Young's best confessional songs where he expresses his guilt about being unable accept and reciprocate all the love that a woman wants to give him.[4] Thomson describes "Harvest" as "underrated" and "the prettiest song on [Harvest]."[3] Allmusic critic Matthew Greenwald described it as having a "retrained, artless grace that is truly timeless."[1] McDonough regards it as "the one truly great moment on Harvest."[7] In 2014 the editors of Rolling Stone Magazine described "Harvest" as a "lesser-known gem."[9] On the other hand, in his initial review of the Harvest album, Rolling Stone Magazine critic John Mendelsohn criticized the Stray Gators playing as a "flaccid imitation" of Young's other backing band of the period, Crazy Horse.[10]
Young himself declared that "'Harvest' is one of my best songs. That is the best thing on Harvest."[7][9]
References
- ^ a b c Greenwald, Matthew. "Harvest". Allmusic. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
- ^ a b c d Williamson, N. (2002). Journey Through the Past: The Stories Behind the Classic Songs of Neil Young. Hal Leonard. p. 39. ISBN 9780879307417.
- ^ a b Thomson, Graeme (2017). "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere". The Ultimate Music Guide: Neil Young. Uncut. p. 24.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Inglis, Sam (2004). Harvest. Continuum. pp. 76–79. ISBN 9780826414953.
- ^ a b Rogan, Johnny (1996). The Complete Guide to the Music of Neil Young. Omnibus Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-0711953994.
- ^ Bielen, Ken (2008). The Words and Music of Neil Young. Praeger. p. 21. ISBN 9780275999025.
- ^ a b c d McDonough, Jimmy (2003). Shakey: Neil Young's Biography. Anchor. pp. 299–302, 739. ISBN 9780679750963.
- ^ Downing, D. (1994). A Dreamer of Pictures: Neil Young, the Man and His Music. Da Capo. pp. 87–88. ISBN 9780306806117.
- ^ a b "The 100 Greatest Songs". Neil Young. Rolling Stone. 2014. p. 88.
- ^ Mendelsohn, John (March 30, 1972). "Harvest". Rolling Stone Magazine. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
