Just think of him as one you never figured: Neil Young's "Powderfinger"

Neil Young Week Part I
Rock Turtleneck wishes a happy birthday to Neil “62 Years” Young, born November 12, 1945. This week, we celebrate the life of this maverick genius by recounting some favorite Neil Young moments from over the years. (Thanks to RT field reporter Richard Hauck for the suggestion.)

What makes Neil Neil? A voice and guitar that howl from the hinterlands. The thunderous thump of the low-E string on his Martin D-45. A never-wavering, never-optional intensity. The utmost beauty and epic majesty from the simplest of chords and melodies. Tales of innocence lost. Of North American myths and legends. Of life-and-death stakes. Of respect, responsibilities and regrets passed from one generation to the next. Plus he freakin' rocks.

It’s a lot of ground to cover. But what’s most remarkable is that all of this magnificent Neilness can be found in a single song: “Powderfinger.” The Side-B opener of his decade-closing Rust Never Sleeps, “Powderfinger” elegantly summarized all the terrain Neil had explored in Everybody Knows This is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush, Harvest, the “Ditch Trilogy” (Tonight’s the Night/Time Fades Away/On the Beach) and even Comes a Time.

Neil has recorded both acoustic and howling electric versions of "Powderfinger" – what we at Rock Turtleneck call “the Yin and Yang o’ Young.”

Herewith, three versions of “Powderfinger”: the acoustic version from 1974’s unreleased prequel Chrome Dreams; the electric 1979 Rust Never Sleeps take; and a live clip from the 1991 Arc/Weld tour. Look out, mama.

MP3: “Powderfinger” (Chrome Dreams version)
MP3: “Powderfinger” (Rust Never Sleeps version)

YouTube: “Powderfinger” from 1991 Arc/Weld tour