Does anyone else hate Neil Young as much as I do?

For as far back as I can remember I've disliked this guy. His whiney voice is like nails on a chalkboard. His guitar playing sucks. And his lyrics are almost embarrasing. Anyone else not get the fame of Neil Young?

His voice is an acquired taste for some; I can see why some don't care for it. It's not classically melodic, that's for sure!
But then neither is Dylan, I like 'em both...

the difference is that, while both voices are, at best, "acquired tastes" (i've yet to "acquire" either), dylan obviously has tremendous talent, whereas neil young seems, well, just lucky to be there.

I don't really like Dylan's voice. But the man can write.

i never got it. maybe it's just that neil young sheet music is so easy to play.

lame voice, lame music, ugh.

and make the World's Most Obnoxious Sound.

"Ohio"

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago.
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?

Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own.
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio.

You must have missed it.

Consider me hoodwinked.

I don't think his lyrics are all that bad, but he definitely shouldn't be singing.

There are a few others about whom I feel the same, their voices being too annoying to sing...Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Iris Dement, and often times Lucinda Williams.

Listen to Union Man sometime


DDQM

4-way Street Medley
A Dream That Can Last
A Man Needs A Maid
Act Of Love
After Berlin
After The Goldrush
Ain't It The Truth
Alabama
Albuquerque
Already One
Amber Jean
Ambulance Blues
American Dream
Are There Any More Real Cowboys?
Are You Passionate?
Are You Ready For The Country
Around The World
Back To The Country
Bad Fog Of Loneliness
Bad News
Bad News Beat
Barefoot Floors
Barstool Blues
Be With You
Beautiful Bluebird
Better Than Silver And Gold
Big Green Country
Big Parade
Big Room
Big Time
Birds
Bite The Bullet
Blue Eden
Born To Run
Borrowed Tune
Bound For Glory
Box Car
Bridge
Bright Sunny Day
Broken Arrow
Buffalo Springfield Again
Burned
California Sunset
Campaigner
Can't Believe Your Lyin'
Captain Kennedy
Change Your Mind
Changin' Highways
Cinnamon Girl
Citizen Kane Jr. Blues
Coastline
Cocaine Eyes
Color By Numbers
Come Along And Say You Will
Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown
Comes A Time
Comin' Apart At Every Nail
Computer Age
Computer Cowboy
Cortez The Killer
Country Girl (Medley)
Country Home
Coupe De Ville
Cowgirl In The Sand
Crime In The City (Sixty To Zero Part 1)
Crime Of The Heart
Cripple Creek Ferry
Cry, Cry, Cry
Cryin' Eyes
Daddy Went Walkin'
Dance, Dance, Dance
Danger Bird
Day And Night We Walk These Aisles
Days That Used To Be
Deep Forbidden Lake
Depression Blues
Differently
Distant Camera
Do I Have To Come Right Out And Say It
Doghouse
Don't Be Denied
Don't Cry
Don't Cry No Tears
Don't Let It Bring You Down
Don't Pity Me Babe
Don't Say You Love Me
Don't Say You Win, Don't Say You Lose
Don't Spook The Horse
Don't Take Your Love Away From Me
Down By The River
Down Down Down
Down To The Wire
Downtown
Dream Machine
Dream That Can Last
Dreamin' Man
Drifter
Drive Back
Driveby
Drivin' Thunder
Eldorado
Evening Coconut
Everybody I Love You
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Everybody's Alone
Everybody's Rockin'
Expecting To Fly
Extra, Extra
Fallen Angel
Farm Aid Song
Farmer's Song
Feel Your Love
Field Of Opportunity
Find Another Shoulder
Fingers
Flying On The Ground (Is Wrong)
Fonda Wanda
Fontainebleau
Fool For Your Love
For The Turnstiles
Friend Of Mine
From Hank To Hendrix
Fuckin' Up
Gateway Of Love
Get Back On It
Get Gone
Give Me Strength
God's Perfect Plan
Goin' Back
Goin' Home
Good Phone
Good To See You
Goodbye Dick
Great Divide
Greatest Song On Earth
Grey Riders
Guilty Train
Hangin' On A Limb
Hard Luck Stories
Harvest
Harvest Moon
Hawaiian Sunrise
Hawks & Doves
Heart Of Gold
Heavy Love
Hello Lonely Woman
Hello Mr. Soul
Helpless
Here We Are In The Years
Hey Babe
Hey Hey
Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)*
High Heel Shoes
High School Graduation
Highway Of Our Love
Hillbilly Band
Hippie Dream
Hitchhiker
Hold Back The Tears
Hold On To Your Love
Hold You In My Arms
Homefires
Homegrown
Honey, I Got The Blues
Horseshoe Man
Human Highway
I Ain't Got The Blues
I Am A Child
I Believe In You
I Got A Problem
I Wonder Why
I'm Goin'
I'm Just A Passenger
I'm The Ocean
I'm Your Kind Of Guy
I've Been Waiting For You
I've Loved Her So Long
If I Could Have Her Tonight
If You Got Love
In The Great Divide
In Tune With You
Inca Queen
Interstate
It Might Have Been
It's A Crime Of The Heart
It's So Hard To Wait
Jellyroll Man
Johnny
Journey Through The Past
Kansas
Keep On Rockin' In The Free World
Keep The Homefires Burning
Kinda Fonda Wanda
L.A.
Lady Wingshot
Last Dance
Last Of A Dying Breed
Last Of His Kind (The Farm Aid Song)
Last Trip To Tulsa
Leavin' The Top 40 Behind
Let It Shine
Let Your Fingers Do The Walking
Let's Roll
Life In The City
Light Of Love
Like A Hurricane
Like An Inca
Little Thing Called Love
Little Wing
Live To Ride
Lonely Weekend
Loner
Long May You Run
Long Walk Home
Look Out For My Love
Lookin' For A Love
Looking Forward
Lookout Joe
Loose Change
Losing End
Lost In Space
Lotta Love
Love And Only Love
Love Art Blues
Love Hotel
Love In Mind
Love Is A Rose
Love To Burn
Mansion On The Hill
Married Man
Maui Mama
Mediterranean
Mellow My Mind
Mideast Vacation
Midnight On The Bay
Misfits
Modern World
Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)
Motion Pictures (For Carrie)
Motor City
Motorcycle Mama
Mr. Soul
Mr.Disappointment
Music Arcade
My Boy
My Heart
My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)
Name Of Love
Natural Anthem
Natural Beauty
Needle And The Damage Done
New Mama
Night Song
No More
No One Seems To Know
Nothing Is Perfect
Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing
Ocean Girl
Oh Mother Earth
Ohio
Old Country Waltz
Old Hillbilly Band
Old Homestead
Old King
Old Laughing Lady
Old Man
Old Ways
On The Beach
On The Way Home
Once An Angel
Once I Was In Love
One More Sign
One Of These Days
One Thing
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Open Road
Opera Star
Ordinary People
Out Of Control
Out Of My Mind
Out Of The Blue
Out On The Weekend
Over And Over
Pardon My Heart
Passenger
Payola Blues
Peace And Love
Peace Of Mind
People On The Street
Philadelphia
Pictures In My Mind
Piece Of Crap
Pocahontas
Politician
Powderfinger
Pressure
Price That You Pay
Prime Of Life
Prisoners Of Rock 'n' Roll
Pushed It Over The End
Queen Of Them All
Railroad Town
Rainin' In Paradise
Rapid Transit
Razor Love
Red Sun
Rent Is Always Due
Revolution Blues
Ride My Llama
Road Of Plenty
Rock Rock Rock
Rockin' In The Free World
Roll Another Number (For The Road)
Round & Round (It Won't Be Long)
Round And Round And Round
Run Around Babe
Running Dry (Requiem For The Rockets)
Sad Movies
Saddle Up The Palomino
Sail Away
Sample And Hold
Saturday Night
Scattered (Let's Think About Livin')
Scenery
Sea Of Madness
Sedan Delivery
See The Sky About To Rain
Sell Out
Separate Ways
Sharpshooter
She's A Healer
Shots
Silver And Gold
Sixty To Zero
Sleeps With Angels
Slip Away
Slowpoke
So Tired
Soldier
Someday
Something More Tame
Song Of Love
Song X
Soul Of A Woman
Southern Man
Southern Pacific
Speakin' Out
Spud Blues
Standing In The Light Of Love
Star Of Bethlehem
Stayin' Power
Stringman
Stupid Girl
Such A Woman
Sugar Mountain
Sunny Inside
Surfer Joe And Moe The Sleaze
Sweet Joni
T-Bone
Tell Me Why
Ten Men Workin'
Thank God I'm On The Road Tonight
There Goes My Babe
There's A World
This Note's For You
This Old House
This Town
Thrasher
Through My Sails
Throw Your Hatred Down
Till I Pass This Way Again
Till The Morning Comes
Time Fades Away
Time Off For Good Behavior
Tired Eyes
Tonight's The Night
Too Far Gone
Too Lonely
Touch The Night
Traces
Train Of Love
Trans Am
Transformer Man
Truth Be Known
Turbine
Twilight
Two Old Friends
Union Man
Unknown Legend
Vampire Blues
Violent Side
Walk On
Walking After Midnight
War Of Man
War Song
Ways Of Love
Wayward Wind
We Never Danced
We R In Control
We're Gonna Rock Forever
Weight Of The World
Welcome To The Big Room
Welfare Mothers
Western Hero
What Did You Do To My Life?
What Happened Yesterday
Whatever Happened To Saturday Night
When I Hold You In My Arms
When It Falls, It Falls All Over You
When You Dance I Can Really Love
(When You're On) The Losing End
When Your Lonely Heart Breaks
Where Is The Highway Tonight?
Whiskey Boot Hill
White Line
Will To Love
Winter Winds
Winterlong
Without Rings
Wonderin'
Words (Between The Lines Of Age)
World On A String
Wrecking Ball
Yonder Stands The Sinner
You And Me
You're My Girl
Your Love
Your Love Again

Hardly solid criticism. If you don't like 'Like a Hurricane' or 'Cortez' fair enough, but I think you're way off.

He's not my favorite musician in the world. This is what I like about him:

1. Kept his band together (Crazy Horse) even though they weren't the most professional-sounding group in the world, and even though all of the record companies he's been signed to wanted to keep CH out of the studio.

2. He has a totally unique lead guitar style. You can sonically I.D. Neil's leads within 5 seconds. Most guitarists try to sound like everybody else. Plus, his use of reverb and open spaces/silence in his style is all his own.

3. He's a huge superstar, but he does not play by the rules. He was SUED by his own record company for not sounding like himself in the early 80's! Somebody with a media profile as big as his usually doesn't dress like a homeless person....

4. "Revolution Blues."

5. He was once in a band with Rick James. Have YOU ever been in a band with Rick James? I didn't think so.

Now, having said all that, yes, a lot of his music pisses me off, his latest album SUCKS, I don't care who says its' great. Neil's voice can get a little abrasive sometimes. He endorsed Reagan in the 80's in a misguided attempt to court the country audience. I can take or leave his folky acoustic stuff, but I love his nutty overdriven electric stuff ("Time Fades Away," "Arc," side two of "Rust Never SLeeps".)

but I think he's great

but I think his writing is fab. He says things in a way that is very simple and makes you wonder why someone hadn't thought of saying it that way before.

I like most of his music, Especially the album "Harvest".

Oh, and his electric guitar solos are almost always amazing. Odd, but amazing.

So I can't listen to him.

I think he badly needs an editor.

Sometimes he does transcend his obvious limitations. I like his work with Buffalo Springfield a lot, and his first solo album. But I come from the generation where every garage band in the world, including my own, played "Down By the River," and it really got on my nerves-- both the numbing relentlessness of the so-called groove, and the affectless keening that passed him for a vocal style.

That said, I've been known to say nice things about Zuma, Ragged Glory, and sometimes even Tonight's the Night. And you've got to admire the cojones on a songwriter who'd release Arc (although Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music is way better).

Is a classic.

"Alabama"

Oh Alabama
The devil fools
with the best laid plan.
Swing low Alabama
You got spare change
You got to feel strange
And now the moment
is all that it meant.

Alabama, you got
the weight on your shoulders
That's breaking your back.
Your Cadillac
has got a wheel in the ditch
And a wheel on the track

Oh Alabama
Banjos playing
through the broken glass
Windows down in Alabama.
See the old folks
tied in white ropes
Hear the banjo.
Don't it take you down home?

Alabama, you got
the weight on your shoulders
That's breaking your back.
Your Cadillac
has got a wheel in the ditch
And a wheel on the track

Oh Alabama.
Can I see you
and shake your hand.
Make friends down in Alabama.
I'm from a new land
I come to you
and see all this ruin
What are you doing Alabama?
You got the rest of the union
to help you along
What's going wrong?

He had some good songs in the mid 70's, but I haven't really like him as of late. I liked him better with CSNY.

But I used to like his music -- know no reason I wouldn't still.

Does it really matter?

I was just curious if I was the only one who can't stand him.

not to my ear, it doesn't. The live version of Cortez the Killer has one of my all-time favorite guitar licks played by anyone, anywhere.

I like how he doesn't take the easy road. I am reading his biography and it is quite an eye opener. I like This Notes for You a lot and many of his other songs. Had no idea he was so prolific. He is at times willing to be anti-corporate and that is rare these days. I do like his guitar playing and Crazy Horse has a great simple groove.

In terms of singers with annoying voices, Iris Dement gets to me. I like her songs but can't stand her voice. I've tried to like it. Now, Lucinda. That is another matter. I love both her songs and her gritty voice!

He's a genius, and his playing is as emotive as anyone's. I find myself getting inside the notes. "Cortez" is a keeper. Which live version? The one from "Live Rust", "Weld" or "Year Of The Horse"?

I go with the version from "Weld". Perhaps because the song was more timely with the Gulf War going on... or just the improved live album recording technology...

Aw fuck it, lol. He is the REAL Neil Young, and I will gladly add my voice of dissent in this thread.

I couldn't find a needle for the turn table so I thought it was a good time to replace some of my classic albums. I got Buffalo Springfield, Hair, Joni Mitchell, a few Beatles such as Rubber Soul, Sgt Peppers and Revolver... I also purchased James Taylor, 4 Way Street and After the Gold Rush.
The only one that disapointed me was Neil Young. I really did not like his music like I had in the early 70s.

albums like "After the Gold Rush" and "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" are long-time favorites . . . though his later output didn't match his earlier stuff, imo, he has a legitimate place in music history and has created some extremely listenable tunes, imo . . . not my all-time favorite, but I do appreciate his work . . .