1969 Album of the Week- Neil Young’s self titled debut album. The album was released on January 22, 1969- well sort of. It was first released on November 12, 1968 but was partially remixed and re-released on 1/22/69. The album never made the Billboard Top 200 album chart.
Neil Young was a member of Buffalo Springfield from 1966-68- who were pioneers in the folk rock/ country rock–Americana music genres. Buffalo Springfield released three albums- and Young had wrote some of their most memorable songs- From Buffalo Springfield- the debut- Nowaday’s Clancy Can’t Even Sing and Burned, from Buffalo Springfield Again- Mr. Soul, Expecting To Fly and Broken Arrow and from their last album – Last Time Around- I Am A Child.
Neil Young’s debut is kind of a disappointment- especially when compared to what would soon come afterwards. Neil would later dismiss it as ‘ overdubbed not played.” Its not that bad- just mediocre. There are three great songs on it. The ten songs on the album clock in at 35:32. The album was produced by Neil, David Briggs, Jack Nitzsche, and Ry Cooder. It was released on Reprise Records.
- THE EMPEROR OF WYOMING
- THE LONER
- IF I COULD HAVE HER TONIGHT
- I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU
- THE OLD LAUGHING LADY
- STRING QUARTET FROM WHISKEY BOOT HILL
- HERE WE ARE IN THE YEARS
- WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY LIFE?
- I’VE LOVED HER SO LONG
- THE LAST TRIP TO TULS
The three key songs on the album- 1- The Loner. Some believe it was written about Stephen Stills there are others who think it is autobiographical. The Loner was released as an A-side single backed by Sugar Mountain- it never even cracked the Hot 100. The Loner was written by Neil in the last days of Buffalo Springfield. The single version is 50 second shorter than the album version. A song that Neil still plays today in concert- and Stephen Stills has also played it with or without Neil. Back in the day it was covered by Three Dog Night, Stills, Richie Havens and as recently as last year on Ty Segall’s album of covers. 2. The Old Laughing Lady- Two of Neil’s early classics- written in his early 20’s- The Old Laughing Lady and Old Man. Some think it had something to do with his future wife Pegi who recently passed- but it couldn’t have been they didn’t meet for another five years. A fan favorite that is still played by Neil. It was never released as a single. Included on his late 70’s anthology- the great Decade album. 3-Sugar Mountain. Strange, it was released back then as a b-side to The Loner but not included on the album. It wouldn’t make an appearance on an album until the Decade anthology in 1977. It should have been included. Neil reportedly wrote this on his 19th birthday in 1964. This has always been a favorite of mine- maybe because I first heard the song at age 17 or 18. A song I related to at the time about one losing the idealism of youth. This song inspired Neil’s friend Joni Mitchell into writing “The Circle Game.” When Neil wrote the song he had 126 verses to it before pairing it down to four. A great song- would have made this album a lot better.
slicethelife 
The Loner is a great great song. 126 verses…that is some editing job.
Very sad about Pegi…I didn’t hear about that.
Pegi died of cancer maybe a month ago.
Sugar Mountain has become one of my fondest Neil Songs. I will be obtaining Decade!
Oh, god, the words no one wants to hear: “There are three great [fill in the blank] in it.” If I wrote a book of short stories and had three great ones, the rest mediocre….oof. That would hurt. But that kind of observation can also be helpful…for the next book, the next album.
I don’t think Neil himself thought much of the album himself. But the three songs were great from that period.