A Different Side of Neil Young: Broken Arrow and Country Girl

There are two songs, compositions perhaps, done early on by Neil Young that are just unlike anything else in his entire career- or by anyone else, for that matter.

And that is the two epic compositions, 'Broken Arrow', from his Buffalo Springfield years, that closes out their great second album 'Buffalo Springfield Again', and 'Country Girl' which brings the great 1970 CSNY album Deja Vu almost to a close.

These are quite unlike anything else in Neil Young's career.

Cinematic, complex, multi-sectional folk epics, more like a great epic indie film than a song, closer to something like Strawberry Fields Forever or Brian Wilson's SMiLE and the great indie Beach Boys epic art albums from the early 70's that SMiLE inspired, such as Surf's Up, Sunflower, and Holland.

But completely unique.  Complex and grand with sophistocated storytelling and poetry like Strawberry Fields Forever or Brian Wilson's great song Surf's Up from SMiLE, but in a completely different way.

Folksy, cinematic, quite different from any other, similar kind of complex song by anyone else.

This is a side of Neil Young that, as far as I know, we only saw twice- just on these two songs.

Broken Arrow and Country Girl.

If you love things like Strawberry Fields Forever or Brian Wilson's SMiLE, and want to see that kind of sophistocation and experimentation done in a completely unique way, seek out these two songs.

And don't be afraid to seek out the entire albums as well.  Buffalo Springfield and early Crosby, Stills and Nash did an awful lot of great stuff!

God loves you!

Sincerely,

David S. Annderson