Harvest is the fourth album by the Canadian musician Neil Young, released on February 14, 1972 on Reprise Records, catalogue MS 2032. It featured the London Symphony Orchestra on two tracks and vocals by noted guests David Crosby, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Stills, and James Taylor. It topped the Billboard 200 album chart for two weeks, and spawned two hit singles, "Old Man", which peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100, and "Heart of Gold", which reached #1. It was the best-selling album of 1972 in the United States. One of the most influential artists of all time, Neil Young has set a standard of artistic integrity and iconoclastic creativity. Before starting his multi-platinum solo career, he was a founding member of the folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield and worked with the groups Crazy Horse and Crosby, Stills and Nash. The Canadian singer-songwriter was recognized by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 for his work as a solo artist and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1982. Young's philanthropic work is as renowned as his musical legacy. His famous Bridge School Benefit Concert has become a yearly tradition since 1986 and continues to boast an incredible line-up of high-profile artists. Each year, Young donates all of the proceeds to the Bay Area's Bridge School, which assists children with severe physical impairments and complex communication needs. He was also one of the original founders of Farm Aid in 1985, and continues to be an active member on the organization's board of directors.
Recognized as one of Young's (and hence one of rock & roll's) finest albums, HARVEST put the singer on the mainstream map with the mega-hit "Heart of Gold," which defined a soft folk-rock style frequently revisited by lesser artists throughout the 1970s. It also features some of his darker compositions, like the entropy-obsessed "Old Man" and the junkie eulogy, "The Needle and the Damage Done," one of Young's most haunting and compelling songs.
Deceptively laid-back-sounding country-rock plaints like "Out on the Weekend" and the title cut caress the ear unassumingly, pulling you into the more ominous subtext that is present even in the rollicking "Are You Ready for the Country." As always, Young has an ear for contrasts, laying down heavy rock ("Alabama") beside his balladry, and even employing the London Symphony Orchestra on the excellent confessional "A Man Needs a Maid." Due to back troubles, Young recorded much of this material while wearing a brace, a fact that seems audible in the tension and unease that underlies the friendly, acoustic surface of this superb release.
- Format: Vinyl
- Genre: Folk, Rock
- Remastered
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Track Listings
Disc: 1
| 1 | Out on the Weekend - By Neil Young with The Stray Gators |
| 2 | Harvest - By Neil Young with The Stray Gators |
| 3 | A Man Needs a Maid - By Neil Young with The London Symphony Orchestra |
| 4 | Heart of Gold - By Neil Young with The Stray Gators |
| 5 | Are You Ready for the Country? - By Neil Young with The Stray Gators |
Disc: 2
| 1 | Old Man - By Neil Young with The Stray Gators |
| 2 | There's a World - By Neil Young with The London Symphony Orchestra |
| 3 | Alabama - By Neil Young with The Stray Gators |
| 4 | The Needle and the Damage Done |
| 5 | Words (Between the Lines of Age) - By Neil Young with The Stray Gators |
