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Neil Young — Cortez The Killer
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justin4kick
(The Netherlands)
Posted: Apr 26, 2013 - 05:56
 
This must be his best, but hey, you can´t just ignore Psychedelic Pill. There are some marvellous tracks on that CD as well.

Antigone
(A house, in a Virginian Valley)
Posted: Mar 26, 2013 - 16:35
 
 NoEnzLefttoSplit wrote:
No one quite manages to take you away into the dreamy spheres of the netherworld like Neil. Might have helped that I was 14 when this came out, but, man, did the world seem so rich and full of mystery back then. I just wanted to explore everything and this was the soundtrack to it.
OK so I came an awful cropper two years later and spent the next ten years listening to Gregorian chants but, hell, I'd do it all again.
 


On_The_Beach
(The Blue Planet)
Posted: Jan 22, 2013 - 22:13
 


jimmpypowder
Posted: Dec 22, 2012 - 13:47
 
the live versions of this song i like better including Gov't Mules version

AndyJ
(Oregon)
Posted: Dec 22, 2012 - 13:45
 
Lots of guitar...Not-so-much Nasal-Neil whining like a drunk with sinus issues... He has the permanent "Been drinking for 8 hours; time to go home alone" voice...

capandjudy wrote:
Zuma is a great Neil Young and Crazy Horse album. Why is this the only song that gets played?
 



capandjudy
(Huntington, WV)
Posted: Nov 21, 2012 - 05:18
 
Zuma is a great Neil Young and Crazy Horse album. Why is this the only song that gets played?

stunix
(Narrowboat nr Caen Locks)
Posted: Nov 21, 2012 - 04:37
 
I'm sorry, but I still just don't get it.  I still feel like I hear better in my local "open mic nite" towards the end of the evening.   a generous 4

Tosko
(Akron, Ohio)
Posted: Sep 19, 2012 - 07:28
 
 NoEnzLefttoSplit wrote:
No one quite manages to take you away into the dreamy spheres of the netherworld like Neil. Might have helped that I was 14 when this came out, but, man, did the world seem so rich and full of mystery back then. I just wanted to explore everything and this was the soundtrack to it.
OK so I came an awful cropper two years later and spent the next ten years listening to Gregorian chants but, hell, I'd do it all again.
 
I love this post, was also about 14 when I first heard "Cortez," and felt exactly the same way about the rich and mysterious world back then.  Don't forget that the world is still rich and full of mystery, no matter what age you are!  Not to sound too cheesy—I know exactly what you meant.  Great comment!

calypsus_1
(East of Eden)
Posted: Aug 27, 2012 - 11:05
 




NoEnzLefttoSplit
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 - 00:27
 
No one quite manages to take you away into the dreamy spheres of the netherworld like Neil. Might have helped that I was 14 when this came out, but, man, did the world seem so rich and full of mystery back then. I just wanted to explore everything and this was the soundtrack to it.
OK so I came an awful cropper two years later and spent the next ten years listening to Gregorian chants but, hell, I'd do it all again.

mineralBOB
(Germany/Saxony)
Posted: Jul 27, 2012 - 00:25
 
I always hated the fade out at the end of the song, because I felt that the guitar solo did not just reach the climax.. I always turn up volume to get the last notes... {#Music}

mandolin
(...drifting...)
Posted: Jul 18, 2012 - 09:21
 
...i think anyone assessing this song's historical accuracy is missing its overt metaphor entirely; this is myth, not fact...

idiot_wind
Posted: Jul 18, 2012 - 09:14
 
God almighty....this is a trip!

And this is 35 years old!

What the @#$%^ happened to rock n roll during that time?

No one is even trying to go off and explore...to just jam any more.   

 

CCinSB
(the west coast)
Posted: Jul 18, 2012 - 09:10
 
Cortez Cortez.....what a killer. {#War}

jgriffin56
Posted: Jun 25, 2012 - 13:58
 
Neil's fantastic guitar far outshines the sometimes oddly revisionist lyric.  Still filled with a number of gems in it like:

"I still can't remember when I lost my way" (me neither)

If you are getting your history from rock songs you will likely be misled or at the very least misunderstood.

lemmoth
(NYC)
Posted: Jun 25, 2012 - 13:57
 
 That_SOB wrote:

I know this may be a revelation but,  Neil is a musician and entertainer and a damn good one to boot.
Young is however, not a history prof at "Yale." The beauty of music is it can go anywhere at anytime in the
mind of the singer/songwriter, and that fantasy is what can endear us to their songs. Musicians have
been storytellers for thousands of years, and believe it or not some of their lyrics were not written for historical
accuracy. Crank it waaaaaay up and relax, the test isn't until Friday.
 
AMEN brother - Crank it up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On_The_Beach
(The Blue Planet)
Posted: Jun 16, 2012 - 19:37
 
 That_SOB wrote:
I know this may be a revelation but,  Neil is a musician and entertainer and a damn good one to boot.
Young is however, not a history prof at "Yale." The beauty of music is it can go anywhere at anytime in the
mind of the singer/songwriter, and that fantasy is what can endear us to their songs. Musicians have
been storytellers for thousands of years, and believe it or not some of their lyrics were not written for historical
accuracy. Crank it waaaaaay up and relax, the test isn't until Friday.
 
Exactly. (Apparently aelfheld doesn't want us to forget what a kind, loving humanitarian Cortez was.)

Dr_Taco
(Vail, CO)
Posted: Jun 16, 2012 - 19:29
 
So incredible.  Neil kowtows to no one.

dew34
(Wisconsin-quite woodsy)
Posted: Jun 16, 2012 - 19:28
 
 meadowwoods wrote:

{#Yes}
 
Agreed!!!!{#Bananajam}

meadowwoods
(Dane County, WI)
Posted: May 24, 2012 - 17:40
 
 ckcotton wrote:
JUST HANDS DOWN AWESOME!
 
{#Yes}

Rmike
(Up a creek down a river)
Posted: May 24, 2012 - 17:40
 
I love to come here and read what all Neil's personal friends have to say {#Angel}

That_SOB
(In at least 2 places at once)
Posted: Apr 14, 2012 - 07:32
 
 aelfheld wrote:
 Young's revisionist claptrap.

 
I know this may be a revelation but,  Neil is a musician and entertainer and a damn good one to boot.
Young is however, not a history prof at "Yale." The beauty of music is it can go anywhere at anytime in the
mind of the singer/songwriter, and that fantasy is what can endear us to their songs. Musicians have
been storytellers for thousands of years, and believe it or not some of their lyrics were not written for historical
accuracy. Crank it waaaaaay up and relax, the test isn't until Friday.


old_shep
(Iowa)
Posted: Apr 14, 2012 - 07:17
 
I use to fly a small plane alone, a lot. I always dreamed of listening to this ( live version ) while gently plowing through low cloud layers, busting out to see from ground to sky.  Well, that didn't work out, but I still think of it every time I hear this song..

Bobert_ParkCity
(Park City Utah)
Posted: Apr 14, 2012 - 07:14
 
Killer, Killer, Killer.

Got to see and meet Neil (w Jonathan Demme)  at his documentary premiere at Slamdance this year. Lotta inside information in that film, fans should see it. 

mrdak
(Middle GA)
Posted: Mar 22, 2012 - 07:06
 
Crazy Good!

Larry_Rosenow
(Bend, OR)
Posted: Mar 13, 2012 - 15:43
 
Bought this album in 1975 while living on the land in southern Oregon.....around the firepit we would all sing with Neal....and imagine such a time and place that might of been.  Of course we knew it was a bit fictitious but still the same..I truly enjoy this song...yeah, I gave it a 10.   

Johnny-smooth
(On my bicycle)
Posted: Mar 13, 2012 - 15:42
 
 keenevision wrote:
Here's a song that has just grown on me over the years. I have always liked Young's style of a 2 minute intro. Flew in the face of corporate radio "Hit Song" formulae.
 
Neil has never ever given into the record labels and their desire for pop pablum for the masses. Neil continues to hold true to his core morals and desire to produce his music and not what some marketing firm says should be produced. Extremely few rock n' roll artists can claim such, especially when one considers how long Neil has been at it!

ckcotton
(Adding snarky comments since 2007)
Posted: Mar 13, 2012 - 15:38
 
JUST HANDS DOWN AWESOME!

CCinSB
(the west coast)
Posted: Mar 13, 2012 - 15:37
 
The Best

icemang
(Boston & DC, mostly)
Posted: Feb 19, 2012 - 13:08
 
If you like this (and if you don't, I don't know what to say...) you simply have to hear the live Built To Spill cover of it. Absolutely astonishing and inspiring interpretation of an already-great song. Dave Martsch is a genius. Of course NY is too.

edit: to the history buffs below, lighten up, it's a rock song. Neil is not a historian. Besides, much of it sounds ironic to my ears anyways.


buddy
Posted: Feb 19, 2012 - 13:06
 
One of my favorite Neil songs from one of my favorite albums.  No one does it like this.

linzie
Posted: Jan 18, 2012 - 19:09
 
Saw him during the summer a year back @ Hard Rock. A little disappointed he had no backing band, but any Neil is good Neil!

GrooVy
(Planet Earth, Mainly...)
Posted: Jan 10, 2012 - 01:36
 
I still wish i could play like that.   I'm not a big Neil Young fan but who cares?  For my ears, i'd say this is 1 of his better songs... =P

GreggH
Posted: Dec 18, 2011 - 02:45
 
Next time you are at a loss and start programming another Neil song, I suggest Motown. A wealth of material there not heard much these days.    My falsetto is a bit rusty, but I will probably sing along anyways.


lily34
(lexvegas)
Posted: Dec 09, 2011 - 06:25
 
cortez, cortez...

Ears_of_Stone
(Crushed under the hooves of the herd)
Posted: Nov 16, 2011 - 09:10
 
 abbey_normal wrote:

I'm guessing what most people (including myself) have a problem with, is mixing history (or fact) with fiction.

 
With this I agree.


BigIslandBlues
Posted: Nov 16, 2011 - 09:09
 
What a killer....of a song. {#Guitarist}

DanFHiggins
(Mid Maryland)
Posted: Nov 16, 2011 - 09:06
 
Ahhh, a tab and an album or two. It just did not get better in 1975 {#Meditate}

apd
(Toronto, On)
Posted: Nov 07, 2011 - 14:27
 
 aelfheld wrote:
Painting the Aztecs as peace-loving, noble savages is an amazing exercise in obfuscation, especially when talking about a people constantly at war so as to provide thousands of captives for sacrifice on their pyramids (and meat for the stewpots).  Cortés couldn't have conquered Tenochtitlan and brought down the Aztec empire were it not for the help of the Tlaxcalans, century-long enemies of the Aztecs.

Hate was just a legend
And war was never known

What nonsense.

Bernal Díaz del Castillo, while not an uninterested party, gives in The True History of the Conquest of New Spain a clear, readable, and rather accurate description of the various peoples encountered - and their behaviours.  Certainly more accurate and objective than Young's revisionist claptrap.
 

I've always assumed the lyric was ironic, no? The juxtaposition with the song title would indicate so.

abbey_normal
Posted: Nov 07, 2011 - 14:24
 
 On_The_Beach wrote:

Oh, and by the way, the last time I checked, this was a song, not a history textbook. Relax, people.

 
I'm guessing what most people (including myself) have a problem with, is mixing history (or fact) with fiction.


keenevision
(Near Boston)
Posted: Nov 07, 2011 - 14:21
 
Here's a song that has just grown on me over the years. I have always liked Young's style of a 2 minute intro. Flew in the face of corporate radio "Hit Song" formulae.

siandbeth
(Santa Cruz California)
Posted: Nov 07, 2011 - 14:21
 
 dklmoore wrote:
I wish there was something higher than godlike! :) for people like Neil!
 
"Neil-like"?

calypsus_1
Posted: Oct 18, 2011 - 18:36
 

Neil Young - Cortez The Killer

Neil Young live at Avery Fisher Hall, NYC 4/25/11

Alla sua rispettabile età e con i suoi acciacchi s'è pure permesso un memorabile SOLO tour, il grande Neil !     gnirogniro

Neil, here presents itself only with his guitar 1953 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop. Nicknamed "Old Black", and voice, but without visualization, we'd say that was a whole Band on stage. Another remarkable thing is that Neil keeps, after all these years, 66 years old, the characteristics of your voice almost untouchable. Impressive!





Cynaera
(In a hammock under my own vine and fig tree.)
Posted: Oct 15, 2011 - 19:49
 
 On_The_Beach wrote:

Agreed. And "Pardon my Heart" is one of his best ballads, as is "Through my Sails" with Crosby & Nash on bg vocals. Never liked the lame cover "art" though.
Oh, and by the way, the last time I checked, this was a song, not a history textbook. Relax, people.
 
{#Clap}  Didn't Neil himself do the artwork? Even if not, I love it because it makes the CD easy to find among my collection... I DO love "Pardon My Heart" - so intimate and unpolished. In fact, that's what I love about this whole CD - it's not so slickly-produced that the flubs are mixed out. It's as if Neil and the band went into the studio and just cut the tracks as one-takes.

Still my favorite NY album.


MiracleDrug
(Earth)
Posted: Sep 14, 2011 - 06:26
 
one of the handful of Neil Young songs NOT mute button inducing...



dklmoore
Posted: Sep 05, 2011 - 16:05
 
I wish there was something higher than godlike! :) for people like Neil!

calypsus_1
Posted: Sep 02, 2011 - 20:23
 

Dave Matthews Band & Warren Haynes - N.Youngs´ Cortez the killer, Live

Live from The Central Park Concert.

"I have to admit that I was one of the few who voted thumbs down. I can not support this for if this goes on, the universe is going to collapse under the unrelenting and exhausting awesomeness of this performance."    Ylviste

 




HazzeSwede
(Vinyl Land)
Posted: Aug 05, 2011 - 06:29
 
If anything,the drumming is God-like ! {#Drummer}

aelfheld
Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 12:59
 
Painting the Aztecs as peace-loving, noble savages is an amazing exercise in obfuscation, especially when talking about a people constantly at war so as to provide thousands of captives for sacrifice on their pyramids (and meat for the stewpots).  Cortés couldn't have conquered Tenochtitlan and brought down the Aztec empire were it not for the help of the Tlaxcalans, century-long enemies of the Aztecs.

Hate was just a legend
And war was never known

What nonsense.

Bernal Díaz del Castillo, while not an uninterested party, gives in The True History of the Conquest of New Spain a clear, readable, and rather accurate description of the various peoples encountered - and their behaviours.  Certainly more accurate and objective than Young's revisionist claptrap.


cc_rider
(Austin Texas. Y'all.)
Posted: Jul 13, 2011 - 12:34
 
Cranked up to drown out my coworkers.