Given that today is Canadian Thanksgiving, I’m going to be thankful for Neil Young. He is a rock icon, a Canadian legend, and an inter-generational influence.
And I’ve never really liked his music.
I can’t even give a satisfactory explanation for it. I think it might be his voice – an acquired taste that combines a slow, wavering vibrato with the approximate tonal quality of a Canadian goose.
But even though Young’s voice isn’t my thing, I can admit that he’s got a lot going for him. He’s a great storyteller. He’s managed to stay relevant through various musical eras. He’s never licensed any of his songs for commercial purposes.
He’s also got a quirky side that’s hard not to like. He’s a devoted model train fan, and in 1995 he became part owner of the Lionel toy train brand. His 1991 album Arc is a 35-minute collage of guitar feedback and random instrument noise from various live concert recordings.
Then there’s his obsession with the moon. It’s mentioned in at least thirty of his songs, and when asked about it, Young once gave this bizarrely endearing response:
“Before there was organized religion, there was the moon. The Indians knew about the moon. Pagans followed the moon. I’ve followed it for as long as I can remember, and that’s just my religion […] It can be dangerous working in a full moon atmosphere, because if there are things that are going to go wrong, they can really go wrong. But that’s great, especially for rock ‘n’ roll.”
Neil Young seems like the kind of guy who would approach you late at night as you cut through a park on your way home. I can imagine him popping out from behind a tree, wide-eyed and spouting obscure moon facts while looking up from under his signature hat, a harmonica in one hand and a model train in the other.
As strange as his moon obsession might be, we can be – in the spirit of Thanksgiving – grateful for it, because it gave us his 1992 classic “Harvest Moon.” A simple, timeless song about growing old with someone you love, it’s sweet, melodic, and was beautifully covered in 2018 by Brian Fennell, aka SYML.
What makes this a beautiful song:
1. Unlike most of the countless other covers of this song, SYML’s does away with the guitar, opting instead for the piano as its main instrument. Where Young’s guitar part was slow and soothing, SYML’s piano part is staccato and insistent.
2. This version also changes the chord structure, spending most of its time on the fourth and fifth degrees of the scale, rather than the first. Where Young’s chord structure is relaxed and homey, SYML’s is filled with tension – until the very last moment, when it finally resolves.
3. Like all good covers, it makes me appreciate the original. It helps me get past my strange aversion to Neil Young and engage with the lyrics, which cover a lifelong relationship in just a few simple lines: “When we were strangers / I watched you from afar / When we were lovers / I loved you with all my heart / But now it’s getting late / And the moon is climbing high / I want to celebrate / See it shining in your eye.”
Recommended listening activity:
Enjoying some maple syrup by the light of the moon.