Album of the Week: Neil Young’s Harvest

Harvest is the fourth studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released on February 1, 1972, through Reprise Records. This milestone album (catalog number MS 2032) is celebrated for its fusion of country rock, folk, and orchestral elements, making it a unique entry in Neil Young's discography. The album includes contributions from the London Symphony Orchestra on two tracks and features vocal harmonies by David Crosby, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Stills, and James Taylor.

The album's success was immediate and far-reaching, topping the Billboard 200 chart for two weeks and producing two hit singles: "Old Man," which reached No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Heart of Gold," which climbed to No. 1. Notably, Harvest was the best-selling album of 1972 in the United States, solidifying Neil Young's place in music history.

Harvest remains Neil Young's signature album and his best-selling work, earning a place in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.

Background:

Harvest came at a time of significant change in Neil Young's life. In 1970, he released Déjà Vu with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and his third solo album, After the Gold Rush. He toured extensively that year, both solo and with CSNY and Crazy Horse. He also divorced his wife, Susan Acevedo, and purchased Broken Arrow Ranch in Redwood City, California, which became his home for the next four decades.

During the renovation of his new home, Young injured his back, limiting his ability to play electric guitar. This setback, along with his budding relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress, greatly influenced the direction and tone of Harvest.

In an August 1975 interview with Rolling Stone's Cameron Crowe, Young reflected on how this injury and subsequent recovery shaped the mellow sound of Harvest:

“I was in and out of hospitals for the two years between After the Gold Rush and Harvest. I recorded most of Harvest in a brace. That’s a lot of the reason it’s such a mellow album. I couldn’t physically play an electric guitar. ‘Are You Ready for the Country’, ‘Alabama’, and ‘Words’ were all done after I had the operation. But for the most part, I spent two years flat on my back.”

Recording:

Harvest was recorded in various sessions throughout 1971. Tracks like "The Needle and the Damage Done" were recorded live at UCLA during a solo acoustic tour. In February and April, Young recorded additional songs with Nashville studio musicians, assembled by producer Elliot Mazer.

In London, Young collaborated with Jack Nitzsche and the London Symphony Orchestra to record "A Man Needs a Maid" and "There's a World." These tracks were recorded at Barking Town Hall and incorporated into the album, despite some criticism for their orchestral grandeur.

In September, Young recorded additional tracks at his ranch in California, using a remote recording system. The barn sessions produced "Are You Ready for the Country," "Alabama," and "Words," with musicians Kenny Buttrey, Tim Drummond, Ben Keith, and Nitzsche. This group, known as The Stray Gators, accompanied Young on tour in 1973.

Writing:

Young's songwriting on Harvest was deeply personal, reflecting his life at the time. Several tracks, including "Heart of Gold," "Harvest," and "Out on the Weekend," were inspired by his relationship with Snodgress.

"A Man Needs a Maid" also reflects this relationship, with Young later explaining it was inspired by both Snodgress and an incident in a hotel where he saw a light switch with buttons labeled "MAN" and "MAID."

"The Needle and the Damage Done" was inspired by the tragic overdose of Young's bandmate Danny Whitten, as well as other musicians affected by heroin addiction.

"Words (Between the Lines of Age)" captures Young's early doubts about fame and his relationship with Snodgress, as he later detailed in his memoir Waging Heavy Peace.

Release:

Harvest was released to mixed critical reception, with some reviewers seeing it as a retread of Young's earlier works. However, over time, it gained recognition as one of his defining albums. It was later remastered and re-released in 2002 on DVD-Audio and again in 2009 as part of the Neil Young Archives Original Release Series. The album also earned several accolades, including induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015 and rankings on various "greatest album" lists.

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