Neil Young — The Loner
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Length: 3:38
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He's a perfect stranger,
Like a cross of himself and a fox.
He's a feeling arranger
And a changer of the ways he talks.
He's the unforeseen danger
The keeper of the key to the locks.
Know when you see him,
Nothing can free him.
Step aside, open wide,
It's the loner.
If you see him in the subway,
He'll be down at the end of the car.
Watching you move
Until he knows he knows who you are.
When you get off at your station alone,
He'll know that you are.
Know when you see him,
Nothing can free him.
Step aside, open wide,
It's the loner.
There was a woman he knew
About a year or so ago.
She had something that he needed
And he pleaded with her not to go.
On the day that she left,
He died, but it did not show.
Know when you see him,
Nothing can free him.
Step aside, open wide,
It's the loner.
Like a cross of himself and a fox.
He's a feeling arranger
And a changer of the ways he talks.
He's the unforeseen danger
The keeper of the key to the locks.
Know when you see him,
Nothing can free him.
Step aside, open wide,
It's the loner.
If you see him in the subway,
He'll be down at the end of the car.
Watching you move
Until he knows he knows who you are.
When you get off at your station alone,
He'll know that you are.
Know when you see him,
Nothing can free him.
Step aside, open wide,
It's the loner.
There was a woman he knew
About a year or so ago.
She had something that he needed
And he pleaded with her not to go.
On the day that she left,
He died, but it did not show.
Know when you see him,
Nothing can free him.
Step aside, open wide,
It's the loner.
Comments (90)add comment
This is pre-Harvest! And he did Harvest when he was 24 - well that's he 'told us' in the film I saw last night - 'Harvest Time'! - strange because he sings about '24 and so much more...' However he was born in 1945 which made him 26/27? Who cares!! It's the music!
Milano wrote:
More so grunge.
anyone think Neil Young is one of the roots of punk?
More so grunge.
max_p wrote:
I consider beck the tom cruise of rock music
Neil gave us The Loner. Beck the Loser
Sounds like CSNY except without the other hosers… 😝
Appropriate to play Neil after that REM song from the Bridge School Benefit concert :)
Neil gave us The Loner. Beck the Loser
Milano wrote:
No. Roots of punk were the Sex Pistols, Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys, Seven Seconds. I was there and grew up with Seven Seconds guys when I was garage jamming with my own band -- we were skater punks. Neil was definitely not a part of that sound -- not sure how this concept got started.
anyone think Neil Young is one of the roots of punk?
No. Roots of punk were the Sex Pistols, Black Flag, The Dead Kennedys, Seven Seconds. I was there and grew up with Seven Seconds guys when I was garage jamming with my own band -- we were skater punks. Neil was definitely not a part of that sound -- not sure how this concept got started.
Milano wrote:
punks hated Neil in the eighties...but he was doing some weird shit. Grunge called him the godfather...I saw him with Pearl Jam
anyone think Neil Young is one of the roots of punk?
punks hated Neil in the eighties...but he was doing some weird shit. Grunge called him the godfather...I saw him with Pearl Jam
Milano wrote:
Well, he has been called The Godfather of Grunge; not sure about Punk though.
anyone think Neil Young is one of the roots of punk?
Well, he has been called The Godfather of Grunge; not sure about Punk though.
anyone think Neil Young is one of the roots of punk?
1968....shit im having a jurassic moment.
My first Neil Young album, love it!
This song shows the quirky and cleverly bent Barrett-like exuberance that permeates so much of Neil's catchiest stuff. He's still rockin'!
WonderLizard wrote:
These are Juan Munoz's "Last Conversation Piece" in the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. I used to work a couple of blocks from there--great way to spend a lazy lunch hour in the spring and summer.
Yes. They went and changed the displayed cover art on the CD (this happens a lot), so my post does not make any sense any longer. It used to be quite similar to the cover art before they changed it.
These are Juan Munoz's "Last Conversation Piece" in the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. I used to work a couple of blocks from there--great way to spend a lazy lunch hour in the spring and summer.
Yes. They went and changed the displayed cover art on the CD (this happens a lot), so my post does not make any sense any longer. It used to be quite similar to the cover art before they changed it.
A great, if not somewhat lesser-known, NY song.
rdo wrote:
These are Juan Munoz's "Last Conversation Piece" in the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. I used to work a couple of blocks from there--great way to spend a lazy lunch hour in the spring and summer.
These are Juan Munoz's "Last Conversation Piece" in the Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. I used to work a couple of blocks from there--great way to spend a lazy lunch hour in the spring and summer.
one of the few squeal tunes I can stand.......
johnjconn wrote:
Years ago Neil did a version of this for an Adult Film. He called it, "The Boner"
He was much younger back then
He was much younger back then
Most of us were younger, "years ago"!
Except Neil - Neil's forever younger (is he not already in his later 30's by now)!
lemmoth wrote:
Too bad for you my friend. Just checked, I have 73 which is actually lower than what I have on CD - must remedy that.
Too bad for you my friend. Just checked, I have 73 which is actually lower than what I have on CD - must remedy that.
Do need to check - have them all!
GOD IS FROM CANADA!
WonderLizard wrote:
Yeah, a boxed set would cause hernias everywhere. As prolific and varied as Dylan.
More so than Dylan.
Prolific? Wiki has Dylan's official out put at 35 LP's, Young's at 37 -- 52 if you include CSNY & Buffalo Springfield,
Varied? Old Ways, Rust Never Sleeps, Trans, & Everybody's Rockin', just to name four of dozens that are completely different styles.
Quite an amazing career. Won't ever be topped.
Yeah, a boxed set would cause hernias everywhere. As prolific and varied as Dylan.
More so than Dylan.
Prolific? Wiki has Dylan's official out put at 35 LP's, Young's at 37 -- 52 if you include CSNY & Buffalo Springfield,
Varied? Old Ways, Rust Never Sleeps, Trans, & Everybody's Rockin', just to name four of dozens that are completely different styles.
Quite an amazing career. Won't ever be topped.
This is the 1st Neil Yound song I ever heard back in the 60's, been hooked since!
Neil ROCKS!!!!! and I'm down at the end of the car .......
RobRyan wrote:
Too bad for you my friend. Just checked, I have 73 which is actually lower than what I have on CD - must remedy that.
The only Neil Young song on my iPod.
Too bad for you my friend. Just checked, I have 73 which is actually lower than what I have on CD - must remedy that.
I am listening to the Audiobook of Neil's Autobiography. Very entertaining and highly recommended. https://www.amazon.com/Waging-Heavy-Peace/dp/B009GBUR0C
davidstanford wrote:
Probably, but I read that Carol Kaye played on this album also. There is is a lot of tasty bass work on the album as a whole.
Think Jim Messina played bass on this.
Probably, but I read that Carol Kaye played on this album also. There is is a lot of tasty bass work on the album as a whole.
This is the 1st Neil Young song I heard as a teen back in the day. Been a fan ever since...
wow, this is the first neil young song that didn't trigger an instant repulsion but maybe it's coz i was busy with other stuff :p
johnjconn wrote:
Interesting now I heard as a Canadian he dedicated a version to the Blue Jays called "The Homer"...
Always loved his Harvest album and early stuff.
Years ago Neil did a version of this for an Adult Film. He called it, "The Boner"
Interesting now I heard as a Canadian he dedicated a version to the Blue Jays called "The Homer"...
Always loved his Harvest album and early stuff.
One of my all time favorite Neil Young tunes. I give it an 8.
nagsheadlocal wrote:
Wow, this album (the original Neil Young, not the Decade) was on my turntable all the time my frosh year in college. Great memories!
Hey Nags, hadn't heard NC being the new NJ, but I like it. Somewhat akin to all the people I've ever met from Cleveland OH, who affectionately refer to their hometown as Cleveburg.Saw the new Concert Film "Neil Young Journeys' by Jonathan Demme last night at Slamdance.
One man show at Massey in Toronto. Excellent performance and film - look for it!
One man show at Massey in Toronto. Excellent performance and film - look for it!
FrankMc wrote:
Yeah, a boxed set would cause hernias everywhere. As prolific and varied as Dylan.
Whoops, the eponymous album preceded CSNY (of course.) I guess it was his first "solo" after Buffalo Springfield. Wow, what a body of work. (The Wikepedia discography says there are 33 studio and 6 live albums—granted a good amount of retreads in there but an awesome amount of new materials in various approaches to "Rock." I don't see that there has yet been an omnibus compendium, but that would be a pretty 20-30 disc boxed set.)
Yeah, a boxed set would cause hernias everywhere. As prolific and varied as Dylan.
That first solo album of his is underrated.
gatorade wrote:
That sums it up very succintly. I'd turn this up if it wasn't after midnight and my poor neighbors (who both work at the mines) didn't need their sleep. And I love the album cover. I love Neil Young's music.
So fine, so fine.
That sums it up very succintly. I'd turn this up if it wasn't after midnight and my poor neighbors (who both work at the mines) didn't need their sleep. And I love the album cover. I love Neil Young's music.
So fine, so fine.
Recalls awesome A.M. radio summers from the deep, deep past. (1968, dudes!) Love Neil.
Neil is always great to hear!
DaveInVA wrote:
Artwork by Roland Diehl, 1940 - 2006.
Now they just need to fix the info for this song. Its from his self titled album and was released in 1969 not '77...
Artwork by Roland Diehl, 1940 - 2006.
Now they just need to fix the info for this song. Its from his self titled album and was released in 1969 not '77...
RobRyan wrote:
That would make the song title quite apt.
The only Neil Young song on my iPod.
That would make the song title quite apt.
Great Song! I saw him do this live many, many moons ago.....The LP still gets played
RobRyan wrote:
Jeez, he's not that bad, is he? I love playing his stuff in my bands - Cinnamon Girl, Down By the River, Like a Hurricane, Rockin'
in the Free World, For the Turnstiles, Out on the Weekend, etc. Yeah, we like Neil!
The only Neil Young song on my iPod.
Jeez, he's not that bad, is he? I love playing his stuff in my bands - Cinnamon Girl, Down By the River, Like a Hurricane, Rockin'
in the Free World, For the Turnstiles, Out on the Weekend, etc. Yeah, we like Neil!
FrankMc wrote:
No, only a 10-disc set - The Neil Young Archives, Vol. 1. Probably a few more volumes to come!
Whoops, the eponymous album preceded CSNY (of course.) I guess it was his first "solo" after Buffalo Springfield. Wow, what a body of work. (The Wikepedia discography says there are 33 studio and 6 live albums—granted a good amount of retreads in there but an awesome amount of new materials in various approaches to "Rock." I don't see that there has yet been an omnibus compendium, but that would be a pretty 20-30 disc boxed set.)
No, only a 10-disc set - The Neil Young Archives, Vol. 1. Probably a few more volumes to come!
Yes,,step aside,here we go,,,,,
Whoops, the eponymous album preceded CSNY (of course.) I guess it was his first "solo" after Buffalo Springfield. Wow, what a body of work. (The Wikepedia discography says there are 33 studio and 6 live albums—granted a good amount of retreads in there but an awesome amount of new materials in various approaches to "Rock." I don't see that there has yet been an omnibus compendium, but that would be a pretty 20-30 disc boxed set.)
This song (when I heard it on Young's eponymous "solo" album — i.e., after CSNY) made me realize he wasn't just good, he was Neil Young. Absolutely, utterly confirmed by Crazy Horse, but the eponymous album preceded Crazy Horse (I checked), and it was something else. (I still think The Old Laughing Lady is way up the list of Young's stuff.)
Decade is an awesome compilation of his early stuff. If you don't own it, hop on that link, cop one from Amazon, and do yourself and Bob a favor.
Decade is an awesome compilation of his early stuff. If you don't own it, hop on that link, cop one from Amazon, and do yourself and Bob a favor.
Wow is right — I had nearly forgotten this song, but it immediately came back to me with the opening chords. Obvious Buffalo Springfield sound still present at this point.
Wow, this album (the original Neil Young, not the Decade) was on my turntable all the time my frosh year in college. Great memories!
neil is great unless he is talking..........
RobRyan wrote:
The only Neil Young song on my iPod.
You need to down load much more, trust me.
davidstanford wrote:
I love Neil Young as i have always felt a depressed kindred spirit in him since my youth
Think Jim Messina played bass on this.
The only Neil Young song on my iPod.
mread wrote:
Neil Young at his best. 
Who played bass on this song? It was Jim Messina or someone interesting like that, but my old brain has lost that trivium.
Think Jim Messina played bass on this.
Who played bass on this song? It was Jim Messina or someone interesting like that, but my old brain has lost that trivium.
Neil Young at his best.
Who played bass on this song? It was Jim Messina or someone interesting like that, but my old brain has lost that trivium.
Who played bass on this song? It was Jim Messina or someone interesting like that, but my old brain has lost that trivium.
TheLuggage wrote:
When good songs go bad.
The live version from Live Rust is great.
Indeed! Especially the added guitar break!
thewiseking wrote:
The undying humanity of Neil Young shines through on this. Contrast this with "crippled inside" by the equally brilliant John Lennon.
Unlike the narcissistic Beatle, Neil Young is capable of empathy.
Interesting observation. For a country boy, Young sure understands how loners act in the city --
I haven't heard this in so long and almost thought it was Kansas from the intro. Oh, and now the break too.
Ah yes but does he leave his back door unlocked?
When good songs go bad.
The live version from Live Rust is great.
The undying humanity of Neil Young shines through on this. Contrast this with "crippled inside" by the equally brilliant John Lennon.
Unlike the narcissistic Beatle, Neil Young is capable of empathy.
vandal wrote:
Delete the orchestral portion of the bridge and this would get a 10. . .
An unfortunate consequence of Sgt Pepper (which came out a year before this was recorded) was that rock musicians decided to add lots of orchestration to songs that shouldn't have it.
Cool, this is the first Neil Young song I bought back "in the day".
I love this album!!!
Neill is House God here,this early one almost a 9.
buckskin wrote:
Bold from a couple folk who lack either the
intelligence or the balls {likely both} to fill-in
their profiles.
I tried but my scrotum kept pushing down the keys adjacent to the ones I wanted.
I also got some pubes stuck between my teys. I mean keeth. I mean keys. see?it sticks.
Posted: Jan 05, 2007 - 06:54 < Reply >
bokey wrote:
Yeah-Wasn't there another weirdo that realized it was good to "Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar"?
Anyway Neils a Canadian,what does he know about politics?I mean it's not even a real country anyway.Hmm where have I heard that?We need some SP tunes here occasionally.Anyway,he should stick to trains,prairies and guitars(NO piano!!)
--------------------------------------------------
ThePoose wrote:
Canada is more real (read = sane) that the United Snakes. Remember who won the War of 1812. Hell, our troops in that conflict were even able to take and occupy the White House and eat the dinner that had been prepared for the President. Not even Osama has managed that. Further, the UN has repeatedly ranked Canada No. 1 on a list of the best places to live in the world.
Bold from a couple folk who lack either the
intelligence or the balls {likely both} to fill-in
their profiles.
Neil, how about trying sign language instead of singing!woozurdaddy wrote:
One of the best from Neil - still fresh all these years later.
Have to agree with that, this is one of the best and freshest Neil Songs...the energy back then was just so different than the Songs he puts out today. Great to hear it.
THIS WAS THE FIRST NEIL YOUNG SONG I HAD HEARD BACK IN THE 60'S. NO RUST ON THIS BABY
catsoup wrote:
Wow. Neil Young that doesn't completely suck.
Spot On!
Delete the orchestral portion of the bridge and this would get a 10. . .
ThePoose wrote:
Remember who won the War of 1812. Hell, our troops in that conflict were even able to take and occupy the White House and eat the dinner that had been prepared for the President.
Don't think we've forgotten. Do you think the long line of expatriates from Shatner and Neil to Pamela Anderson and the Monteal Expos is a coincidence?Think Werner Von Braun to get the big picture.
You guys are a just bad Bush moment away from speaking English anyway so watch yourselves.
bokey wrote:
Yeah-Wasn't there another weirdo that realized it was good to "Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar"?
Anyway Neils a Canadian,what does he know about politics?I mean it's not even a real country anyway.Hmm where have I heard that?We need some SP tunes here occasionally.Anyway,he should stick to trains,prairies and guitars(NO piano!!)
Canada is more real (read = sane) that the United Snakes. Remember who won the War of 1812. Hell, our troops in that conflict were even able to take and occupy the White House and eat the dinner that had been prepared for the President. Not even Osama has managed that. Further, the UN has repeatedly ranked Canada No. 1 on a list of the best places to live in the world.
Wow. Neil Young that doesn't completely suck.
buckskin wrote:
Don't always agree w/his politics but Neil is Neil & Neal rocks 
Yeah-Wasn't there another weirdo that realized it was good to "Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar"?
Anyway Neils a Canadian,what does he know about politics?I mean it's not even a real country anyway. Hmm where have I heard that?We need some SP tunes here occasionally. Anyway,he should stick to trains,prairies and guitars(NO piano!!)
Not often you hear violins on Neil's stuff.
Neil recycled the hook in this song for the hook in Powderfinger--with minor modifications.
buckskin wrote:
Don't always agree w/his politics but Neil is Neil & Neal rocks
You really nailed it perfectly.
Don't always agree w/his politics but Neil is Neil & Neal rocks
I left home at 15 with a Red/White and Blue Buck Owens
Special guitar and went to Canada. Sang a lot of Neil
Young songs (badly probably) but always liked his stuff. Except for Southern Man. I'm a Southern Man:)
I was the orginal loner back then.
Raminocs wrote:
I always wanted to be 'the loner' ...
Isn't it funny how we do that?
Eventually, if you follow the river far enough, the rules of "loner" kick in, and you are faced with the reality of the decision.
Awesome segue, Bill! You know that Neil has said that Country Feedback was his favorite REM tune, and mine too, and now you rolled right into one of my favorite Neil tunes. yeah baby!
I've followed this guy from the biginning of his career (almost). His ecclectisism shows in the changes in this song. I love his willingness to experiment.... too bad he became so political... dumbass.
steeler wrote:
I love Neil Young, but this one always seemed to me to be an example of his mailing it in. Sometimes, in the world of rock lyrics, it is a fine line between trite and thought-provoking. This, to me, lands squarely in the camp of the former.
Agreed. Certainly not one of Neil's better efforts.
I love Neil Young, but this one always seemed to me to be an example of his mailing it in. Sometimes, in the world of rock lyrics, it is a fine line between trite and thought-provoking. This, to me, lands squarely in the camp of the former.
I always wanted to be 'the loner' ...
I like the version on Live Rust better.
Love this song.
(Yep. Already voted it 10.)