Covering Neil Young isn’t an easy feat. Not just any artist would dare to take on the task. However, several musicians have tried their hand and been successful. Below, find three of the best covers of Young songs, featuring Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and more. Each of these artists took Young’s catalog and made it their own.
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3 of the Best Neil Young Covers–Featuring Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, and More
1. “After The Gold Rush” – Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt
Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt’s version of “After The Gold Rush” brings a sweetness to the Young song. Fans have interpreted this song to be an ode to the environment. Young’s stellar lyrics are the driving force behind that message. Look at Mother Nature on the run, lays Young’s opinion bare. Of course, Young’s version has appeals of its own, but this trio’s lulling harmonies make the message within the lyrics all the more effecting.
I was lying in a burned-out basement
With the full moon in my eyes
I was hoping for replacement
When the sun burst through the sky
There was a band playing in my head
And I felt like I could cry
2. “Sugar Mountain” – Joni Mitchell
We can’t imagine a song that Joni Mitchell wouldn’t be able to cover. Her voice is timeless and makes quick work of whatever song she chooses to sing. She tried her hand at her fellow folkie’s song once, “Sugar Mountain.” Mitchell and Young are similarly beloved in the singer-songwriter community, which makes this cover all the more intriguing. Mitchell’s warping vocals cut through this song like butter. While Young’s version will always be the definitive, Mitchell makes a strong play for that crown.
Oh to live on Sugar Mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons
You can’t be 20 on Sugar Mountain
Though you’re thinking that
You’re leavin’ there too soon
You’re leavin’ there too soon
3. “Helpless” – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave has expressed his love for Young several times. Though Cave’s musicality leans darker at times, Young’s influence is definitely in there. Cave made a nod to Young by covering “Helpless” in 2005. Like all of Cave’s songs, there is something smoky about this cover. It adds an air of mystery to this mid-tempo track.
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Baby, heal me now
Neil Young (Photo by Michael Putland Hulton)
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