This list of songs is inspired by lists published by radio station KEXP-FM from Seattle in 2010, as well as the latest poll taken in 2021 by Rolling Stone Magazine. For the most part I will faithfully countdown from their lists, starting at Song #500 and going until I reach Song #1. When you see the song title listed as something like: Song #XXX (KEXP)….it means that I am working off of the official KEXP list. Song XXX (RS) means the song is coming from the Rolling Stone list. If I post the song title as being: Song #xxx (KTOM), it means I have gone rogue and am inserting a song choice from my own personal list of tunes I really like. In any case, you are going to get to hear a great song and learn the story behind it. Finally, just so everyone is aware, I am not a music critic nor a musician. I am a music fan and an armchair storyteller. Here is the story behind today’s song. Enjoy.
RS: The Top 500 Songs in Modern Music History.
Song #457: Like A Hurricane by Neil Young.
In a perfect, Covid-free world, I would be writing this post while drinking a cup of coffee in the sleepy hamlet of Omeemee, Ontario (which is about forty-five minutes northwest of my house). Omeemee was where Neil Young spent much of his childhood. His father, Scott Young, was a prolific journalist/author in these parts and across Canada. Writing that line brings me back to my Cape Breton roots where the oft-asked question, “Who’s yer fodder?” helped define your own identity in the minds of others. But, make no mistake, in the real world in which Neil Young lives, he needs no one to help define his identity. He is very much his own man and always has been. In the annals of modern music history, Neil Young stands out for (1) his longevity (still performing after 60 years!!!), (2) his versatility (as well respected for his Folk music, as he is his Electric period, as he is for his Grunge phase), (3) the company he keeps (he was a member of “Buffalo Springfield”, as well as, super group, “Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young”, his backing bands have ranged from “CrazyHorse” to “Pearl Jam”!), (4) his success (he has over 20 Gold/Platinum records and he has been elected to the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame TWICE!!! Once for his solo work and a second time as a member of “Buffalo Springfield”.), (5) his virtuosity (he plays multiple instruments well but is best known for his acoustic and electric guitars and his harmonica), and finally, (6) he is known for his politics and activism (in particular, he has been pro-environment and anti-corporate rock, which means that he has often refused corporate sponsorship for his tours so that his music can be truer and freer and his connection with fans, stronger). Neil Young appears on this list of the Top 500 songs multiple times so, we can get more into the nitty-gritty details of his career as the list unfolds. For now, let’s talk about the story behind “Like a Hurricane”.
Neil Young is quoted as saying that “Like a Hurricane” was written in the back seat of a friend’s car. The inspiration for the song is as simple as the lyrics imply. It was seeing a beautiful girl “…in a crowded, hazy bar, dancing on the light from star to star.” Apparently, he did not go home with this girl. But, unlike a lot of guys who end up going home alone, Young viewed his longing through a songwriter’s lens and crafted this song, basically, in one night. The lyrics were written in the backseat of the car, the music was created throughout the night in the house he was sharing with a few of his musician buddies. The end result is a song that has become a staple in all of his live shows ever since. “Like A Hurricane” is one of those songs that appeals to a varied audience. On the one hand, the song is filled with romantic-sounding lyrics. Phrases like, “I am just a dreamer and you are just a dream.” seem to roll off of Young’s tongue as they would any romantic poet. On the other hand, “Like a Hurricane” is noted for its two extended guitar solos, which appeal to those who came to rock.
The video I will post below is of a typical, electric guitar-centric performance of this song. I will, also, post a second version that was taken from the MTV Unplugged concert series. In that video, Neil Young replaces the guitar parts with a church organ!!! The effect is to make the song move from a classic rock song to something more ethereal. In any case, “Like a Hurricane” is a terrific song, regardless of format. For anyone who has ever locked eyes with a stranger across a crowded room and felt that lighting bolt of attraction then, this song is for you. But, more than that, you know you have found the one for you if you can look at each other and have the chorus act as the song of your hearts.”You are like a hurricane. There’s calm in your eye. And I’m getting blown away, to somewhere safer where the feeling stays. I want to love you. I’m getting blown away.” Twenty-plus years together and I think this still applies for my wife and me. Maybe a romantic drive to Omeemee is in our future. If so, we’ll give Neil Young a tip of the hat as we enter the township. These may be Covid times but, there is always time for Love. Take care, everyone.
The link to the first music video for “Like a Hurricane” by Neil Young can be found here. ***The lyrics version can be found here.
The link to the acoustic version of Like a Hurricane by Neil Young (from MTV Unplugged) can be found here.
Neil Young’s website is worth checking out. You can do so by clicking on the link here.
Thanks to Rolling Stone Magazine for supporting good music and creative musicians like Neil Young. A link to their website can be found here.
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