Decade

Neil Young | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Reprise Records
• ASIN: B000002KCS
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (137 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,122 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #20 in Music > Box Sets
  • #32 in Music > Rock > Singer-Songwriters

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The first stop for anybody new to Neil Young's music, this 34-song set (originally released in 1977) traces his growth from Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young to Crazy Horse to his Harvest band, the Stray Gators. The album defined Young to rock radio the way Hot Rocks determined which Rolling Stones songs would become classics, but this is more than a quickie greatest-hits collection. Rarities and hits--Springfield's "Mr. Soul," CSNY's "Ohio," and Young's "Cinnamon Girl," "Heart of Gold," and the closing "Long May You Run"--develop in thematic and chronological patterns. --Steve Knopper

Product Description

A fantastic 2-CD collection of Neil's best-from Buffalo Springfield through CSNY to his own enigmatic solo career-featuring Southern Man; Down by the River; Helpless; Ohio; Sugar Mountain; Like a Hurricane; Heart of Gold; After the Gold Rush , and lots more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything in its right place September 30, 2002

By Clare Quilty

Format:Audio CD

Ordinarily, I'm not much of a believer in greatest hits packages. Yeah, they're good for the car or for slapping on the stereo at parties. But I tend to feel they're bad mojo, particularly when you're talking about an artist as talented and multi-faceted as Neil Young. In a world where, say, The Rolling Stones have created perfect, self-contained units like "Beggar's Banquet," "Let it Bleed," "Sticky Fingers," "Between the Buttons" and others, why would anyone want to mainline their music with something like "Hot Rocks." It's like watching ONLY the shoot 'em up scenes in "The Wild Bunch" without the color and exposition of the less-well-known but equally satisfying scenes.

Neil Young's "Decade," however, is one place where I make a serious exception to my music-geek inflexibility. And I think it's because Young has covered so much ground and gone in so many directions that this collection kind of gives the new listener a good road map.

Since all of the various aspects of Young's career are fairly complicated and completely engrossing in their own right, "Decade" allows you to focus on just the touchstones. With "Decade" you get a sampling of Buffalo Springfield, solo work, CSN&Y tunes, his forays into symphonic walls of sound as well those made from guitar workouts with Crazy Horse.

And, also, I just simply can't begrudge a collection of music with 34 great frickin' songs on it (yes, I know this has 35 songs -- I've never, ever been able to stomach "A Man Needs A Maid" but that's my problem and I can handle it).

54 of 60 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This 38 yr old Deadhead's Favorite album of all time. July 31, 2001

By frank villareal

Format:Audio CD

I first bought Neil Young-Decade Circa 1978 or should I say I begged my mom to buy it for me. First I had the 8-track and when that got snagged and ruined I got the LP. A few year's later in college I bought the double Cassette. This past spring 2001, almost a quarter century later, I bought the CD and Wow!!!what a treasure chest of music history. I always knew Neil Young is a great songwriter and performer, but at age 38 I realize his musical genius.

Decade covers a wide range of musical styles, from heavy duty distortion ballads ( Cowgirl In The Sand and Like A Hurricane), to clean country rock (Cinnamon Girl, Heart of Gold, I Am a Child)....Political statements are obvious on "Ohio" and "Campaigner". A good example of Young's haunting vocals are best demonstrated on the love song "I Believe In You". "Winterlong" reminds me of love in a honky tonk saloon somewhere far away from the stress of urban life.

My favorite part of the collection are the first 5 songs (Down to the Wire, Burned, Mr. Soul, Broken Arrow, and Waiting to Fly) it is soaked in psychedelia and the essence of another time. It reminds me of my youth when Jimmy Carter was President and we were all happy.

Decade is fun to get stoned to on your day off or when you want to play hooky from work.

P.S. the only other recording I've owned in record, 8-track, Cassette and CD is Led Zep's Physical Graffitti

76 of 87 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An inscrutable collection except for one thing... October 8, 1999

By D. Mok VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

...that is, Neil Young's career can't be represented just by two CDs. Hopefully, the upcoming boxed set will do him justice because, even if he has clear ups (Buffalo Springfield, Deja Vu-era CSNY, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Zuma, Tonight's the Night, After the Gold Rush, Freedom...) and downs (Trans, Re-actor, '80s CSNY) in his career, an overview is absolutely essential for him at this point.

But the music itself on Decade? What can you say to these songs? "Down to the Wire", "Mr. Soul", "Expecting to Fly", "Southern Man", "Down by the River", "I Am a Child", "Ohio", "Helpless", "Old Man", "Heart of Gold", "Like a Hurricane", "The Needle and the Damage Done", "After the Gold Rush", "Tonight's the Night", "Cortez the Killer", "Winterlong", "Soldier", "Long May You Run", "Cinnamon Girl"...

This set belongs on any collection. Even if you own the whole Young catalogue already, it's still amusing to read his liner notes. Besides, greatest-hits sets provide for great utility listens, when you don't feel like going through all 50 or so releases that Young was instrumental in creating (including Buffalo Springfield, CSNY, solo, with Crazy Horse). Dig in.