Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
1975
Album Summary
Tonight's the Night is the sixth studio album by Canadian / American songwriter Neil Young. It was recorded in August–September 1973, mostly on August 26, but its release was delayed until June 1975. It peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard 200. In 2003, the album was ranked number 331 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, moving up to number 330 in the list's 2012 edition and climbing further to number 302 in the 2020 update. The album is the third and final of the so-called "Ditch Trilogy" of albums that Young released following the major success of 1972's Harvest, whereupon the scope of his success and acclaim became so difficult for Young that he subsequently experienced alienation from his music and career.
WikipediaIf I ever wanted to be in a shitty bar in the 70s, this is what it would sound like. I don’t want to be in that bar
I really don't like Neil Young. Like... I really don't. This release from '75 has an undeniable disco stank on 'em. On top of the unappetizing disconess, Neil's voice is... raw and unrefined. Again, not in a good way. More in a, "Oh buddy, maybe you shouldn't try to hit those notes" way. It makes me appreciate the earlier Neil Young album that I reviewed a bit more. That said, after reading the wikipedia article on this album, I think I understand it a bit more. Apparently, this album was written in a time of grief and recorded over the course of two days while Neil was processing the loss of his friends. This DOES have an exceptionally raw feel to it and, for all that I don't think these songs and recordings stand on their own, the album really does communicate the almost nihilistic grief of post-Vietnam era young man.
Tonight's the Night is a spectacle of raw, unfiltered tragedy. The opener is emotionally devastating, as Neil Young's voice croons and squeaks, soaring and collapsing through a set of lyrics about his dead friend Bruce Berry. Speakin' Out is wistful, melancholic, and evokes a sense of the band playing to dull the pain. World on a String works surprisingly well either in spite of or due to its roughness, but it's not as necessary as some of the other cuts. Borrowed Tune sketches a portrait of a sad, questioning, regretful artist wasted out of his mind at night's end. Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown is bright and bouncy and painful, as Danny Whitton who was instrumental in Neil Young's previous efforts delivers a posthumous performance that brings the house down. It reminds us what has been lost (the light that no longer shines) and provides a respite from the album's downtrodden tunes. Mellow My Mind is initially the least notable cut here, but its longing search for harmony and tranquility really sticks in the soul. To start side two, Roll Another Number is musically ambitious and describes Young's sense of anger at the industry that stifled the release of this album for so long. After deaths of those close to us, we often view our own lives through different lenses, and systems that once seemed necessary are now just a burden. Albuquerque picks up on the same thread, as Young seeks an escape from it all on what might be the best song he’s ever made. The tenderness and surprising sweetness of New Mama clash with the aggression of Lookout Joe with its wailing guitar riffs. Tired Eyes is delicate, full of regret and calm. Its placid yet beautiful sound is incredible to witness. The second rendition of Tonight’s the Night that closes the album is a necessary resolution to this abrasive, soothing, cynical, mourning, visionary record. Rest in peace, Bruce and Danny.
La coqueluche de Robert, l'homme le plus représenté de la liste faisait son apparition aujourd'hui. Et on peut dire qu'il frappe fort du poing sur la table. En effet, Neil Young va passer la totalité de l'album à invectiver le serveur du bar au sein duquel il enchaîne les whisky depuis l'ouverture, en matraquant son poing solide sur le bar, un grave "un autre" s'esquivant de sa bouche. Nous finirons cette écoute par quelques vomissements, ainsi qu'un leger coma pour le Neil. Comme on dit de par chez nous, pose la bouteille si tu sais pas boire.
Darn Spotify & Rogan! Now Neil isn't on Spotify anymore had to listen on Jeff Bezos's baby instead. Neil is a musical; hero of mine so I am definitely up for this one! Probably Neil at his most bluesy and most Blue as well. Not a happy album but with real passion for his lost friends. Music at it's most powerful. Love it throughout but tops has got to be the title track, a eulogy for friends. So I love the whole album really but "Tonights The Night", Nils Lofgren's guitar solo on "Speakin' out" "Tired Eyes" and the wonderful live version of "C'mon Baby Lets Go Downtown" great album rightfully on this list I believe.
Vous avez sûrement comme moi constaté à quel point la voix de Neil Young semble alcoolisée tout au long de cet enregistrement. Le morceau d'introduction "Il est des nôtres..." donne d'ailleurs le ton d'un album qui connaîtra son pic émotionnel avec le titre "Viens boire un p'tit coup à la maison".
Neil Young is like horseradish. It can really make a dish if it's used right and played to its strengths, but far too often it's either diluted to being pointless or coming on faaaaaar too strong. But man, when it hits right.... it hits RIGHT.
Sad, dramatic, apocalyptic, superb, amazing, outstanding. A truly masterpiece
Lovely piano work. Borrowed Tune is one of my favourite slow songs. World on a String is a romping rock stomper.
There are no tears for Danny Whitten or Bruce Berry here, only a wised-up, hard-bitten rue. But there is some consolation amidst the loss, and it builds across the tuneful Mellow My Mind/Roll Another Number/Albuquerque heart of the record, which gave me a lifelong love of the pedal-steel guitar. I have listened to this record more than any other by a wide margin.
An amazing album, one of Neil Young's best. Its sad and poignant and powerful, The title track is the highlight of course but there are other great songs too. 5 stars
While I’m a Neil Young fan, I had never listened to anything from this album, and was pleasantly surprised with the raw intensity of this album. Rock and blues, guitar and piano. Emotional lyrics. Will listen again.
Beautiful album. Neil Young sounds like he shouldn't be able to sing but it fits perfectly with the impeccable songwriting. Big fan of the harmonica parts and the more upbeat tracks.
I’ve heard otherwise kind, generous people express their concerns about giving homeless folks money. What if they take it and buy alcohol or drugs instead of food? An easy solution, if that’s your problem, is to keep some packaged peanut butter crackers handy and give those out instead. Problem solved. Everyone’s happy. But I actually give money regardless, and I do it 'with' the understanding that maybe a little weed or booze might possibly be the most charitable act you could offer on that particular occasion, assisting someone to just make it through one very cold, lonely night after an unsuccessful job search. Yes, I’m fully aware that this is hardly a long-range sustainable strategy for turning one’s life around. But you also never really know what may come of one merciful deed, do you? Nor do you know what the result could potentially be by taking the tough stance, and refusing to be an enabler, even when it’s the seemingly appropriate time to do so. When Neil Young canned guitarist Danny Whitten, because of his continual abuse of heroin, I’m sure he felt as if he was doing the best thing for his friend. And in some instances, that works. On this occasion, however, Whitten went on to die of an overdose. That’s not Neil’s fault, but you can understand how one might feel in his place. That’s got to be a sucker punch to one’s emotional center. Then, a short while later, when roadie Bruce Berry also died of a heroin overdose… how much can one friend take? 'Tonight’s The Night' is the bitter fruit of these fallen seeds, an LP I’m sure Neil wished he never would have had to write and record. I’ve seen him in concert, playing most of his historic catalogue, and I don’t recall him performing one of the songs off this LP. He wrote in the early original vinyl liner notes: ‘I’m sorry. You don’t know these people. This means nothing to you.’ But, of course, he’s only partially correct. While we don’t know his two lost compadres, we are more than familiar with grief. And that’s really what 'Tonight’s The Night' is mostly about: the universal experience of loss, and the struggle through the aftermath of grief. Not too long ago I reviewed Soundgarden’s 'Superunknown,' a fundamentally bleak reaction to life’s more painful moments. Lead vocalist Chris Cornell wrestled with his own drug demons for years and eventually committed suicide by hanging. I hate that LP, despite the talented musicians that comprise Soundgarden, and the hard rock sound that I usually like. I hate it for the exact opposite reason that I love Neil Young’s 'Tonight’s The Night.' Not because Chris Cornell is any less moral than Neil Young, or because his life was any less difficult or painful. I love Neil Young and this particular LP because Neil, pain and grief notwithstanding, is a survivor. He’s an artist of tremendous courage, refusing to completely give up or in. Listen to his heartrending, raw-throated vocals on the title song: ‘When I... heard that he DIED out on the mainline.’ Listen to his intense cry for someone to make the pain stop on ‘Mellow My Mind,’ or his desperate plea on ‘Tired Eyes’ for folks like Danny and Bruce, headed the wrong way down the one-way path to ruin, to open up those eyes before the light in them is extinguished by death. Most other artists would have re-recorded or excised all three of those songs altogether from their LP because of the rough vocals and miscued instrumentals. But Neil just leaves it all in, because he’s so much more concerned about getting the mood of the song right, about offering something authentic, than getting a clean take void of emotion. There’s a good chance anyway that these songs might just be too personal for more than one take. Incidentally, this is one of the reasons I love classic punk rock so much, too. Passion over proficiency. And hey, if you can pull off both, even better. (‘New Mama’ contains passion along with pitch perfect, wonderfully balanced- ala CSNY- harmonies, and a rested, tender, beautiful vocal from Neil.) But, if I was forced to choose one or the other, then I’d choose passion every time. But back to my point regarding the contrast between 'Superunknown' and 'Tonight’s The Night'- there are two songs that standout on this LP that really cement my love for it: ‘Speakin’ Out’ and ‘Borrowed Tune,’ both important additions to understanding that within the grieving heart of Neil Young hope still beats. As he plays a piano part that would’ve made Fats Domino proud (and accompanied by Nils Lofgren’s super blues guitar solos) he sings to his wife, ‘I’m hoping for your love to carry me through. You’re holding my baby, and I’m holding you.’ A testimony to the healing power of love. But ‘Borrowed Tune,’ with just solo Neil on piano is maybe the best number on this whole thing. When he strikes the bottom chords on the third verse making the whole sound swell with richness, the song enters into its second half, and ultimately ends with the same verse it began with, but with one notable absence. The first verse begins with ‘I’m climbin’ this ladder, my head in the clouds. I hope that it matters. I’m havin’ my doubts.’ If you’ve never uttered this you’re probably too young yet to have experienced any significant loss (of a loved one, or a dream, or meaning, etc.) But on the last verse when he repeats this he ends simply on the ‘I hope that it matters’ lyric, and leaves out the ‘I’m havin’ my doubts.’ Is this still implied? Or, maybe, has Neil reconsidered. Maybe his doubts are now giving way to the greater strength of his hope? I like to think it’s the latter. Thank God for Ben Keith, whose pedal steel gave this entire LP that necessary and uniquely heart aching sound of the pedal steel. It’s THE instrument of sorrow, as opposed to the accordion, the instrument of joy. And thank God for Neil’s tried and true buddies from the rest of the Stray Gators, The Santa Monica Flyers, and as always, Crazy Horse. These three combos have always been Neil’s truest and purest and highest band mates, much more so than Crosby, Stills, and Nash (as wonderful as they are.) CSN belong together. Neil belongs elsewhere. Finally, what an interesting insertion of the LPs only live cut (something Neil often does on his albums): Danny Whitten sharing lead vocals on ‘Come on Baby, Let’s Go Downtown,’ a joyful, raucous song remembering better times, the good ol’ days of the late 60s. No coincidence, I’m certain, that this particular song was about going downtown to, specifically, buy some drugs! Well, everyone deals with grief in their own unique fashion. There is no right or wrong way. There’s just your way. And 'Tonight’s The Night' is Neil’s way.
I knew we were going to listen to a lot of Neil Young in this project and, to be honest, I wasn't looking forward to it. I've never been a big fan of his voice and hadn't given him much of a chance (outside of CSN&Y). Today this pushed all the right buttons. This record is full of feelings and story and musicianship and I love it. Now I'm looking forward to hearing more.
Álbum emocionalmente denso e bem diferente de Harvest. Destaque pra World on a String e Mellow my Mind
Enjoyed this more the second time after reading up a on a bit of context. Certain songs 'hit harder', as the kids says. I'm now willing to give this a hefty promotion to a 3.5. I reckon there's probably a better Neil Young album out there, though.
Не, без Хэй Хэй, Май Май вообще не катит. Хоть и понятная, но очень скучная вещь. И даже оставайся она такой и приятно играй на фоне, я бы принял. Вокальные партии к тому же порой относительно оригинальные. Но за несколько прослушиваний эти примитивные нецепляющие мотивы просто раздражать сильно стали. В итоге имею альбом, в котором ни один трек по уху не пришёлся, но несколько в ухо кольнули дилдаком. Тод в Тенях вроде бы высмеивал регулярное повторение в треках слова Tonight. Я тогда просто кекнул, но тут это пиздец какой-то. Я, конечно, понимаю, что альбом называется Tonight's The Night, но за 2 титульных трека, что длятся в общей сложности 9,5 мин, мы слышим название альбома 64 раза. Я ебал, сука, туна-айтс зе най-т тю-дю-тю-дю-дю, туна-айтс зе на-айт... Здесь даже рифмы нет! Фу блять, фу нахуй.
Dark as fuck. Love it. Best Tracks: Tonight's The Night, Albuquerque, Tired Eyes
Ist groß bleibt groß auch wenn es nicht zu einem schönen Sommertag passt. Ist das Problem des Sommertages und nicht des albums
An amazing album, one of Neil Young's best. Its sad and poignant and powerful, The title track is the highlight of course but there are other great songs too. 5 stars
I'd heard of Neil Young, but my only real knowledge of him was that he's referenced in Sweet Home Alabama. With that being said, I adored this album! I was actually disappointed with how short it was! Enough that I'd happily buy this on vinyl. The last album that did that for me on this generator was the Bongo Band, that was a 5/5 so... A 5/5 for me.
Took a while for this album to click for me, but now it’s one of my favorite Neil Young records. The beginning of Neil doing whatever the fuck he wants at all times.
I knew I had to listen to him eventually, but after hearing this I wish I did sooner
Some positively insane guitar tone. Classic Neil Young songwriting. As always, the Canadian songwriter makes me relish in Americana.
No surprise I really liked it. It's bluesy, it's scratchy, it sounds... desperate and quietly resigned to sadness? Honestly at this point, the only album I haven't super liked has been my first one, the Bob Dylan one. I would listen to it again, but I wouldn't seek it out, I don't think. This one I will come back to for sure.
I enjoyed this wasn't available on Spotify so i had to youtube it. But still a good one. I didn't know i like him but i do.. shhh dont tell anyone.
His masterpiece. A man haunted by the death of close friends and his culpability in those deaths. Meanwhile, he struggles with his fame and stardom and desire to be left alone. Imperfect and emotionally raw.
Pleasant even if it is an album about grief. As you'd expect from Mr. Young, a good blend of folk, blues, and outright rock n' roll. Can't say I'm a huge Neil Young fan, but I do enjoy his work quite a bit. Favorite tracks: "World on a String", "Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown", "Albuquerque"
Das ist mein zweites Album von Neil Young, und hier habe ich direkt das titelgebende erste Lied als eines aus dem Theaterstück erkannt - das war dann auch das Lied, was mir am besten gefallen hat.
I do have a soft spot for Neil Young, although I imagine his cracked wobbly voice is an acquired taste. Fave track - "Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown" is a stormer, but also have a lot of love for "Roll Another Number (For The Road)", "Tired Eyes", and "Tonight's The Night"!
This guy- no line towing in sight, always doing his own thing and not giving a shit. Very enjoyable
Raw, weird, and good. Cool story about the recording too - they didn’t really let the band that recorded with him practice the songs too much, so none of them really knew them that well. Also didn’t know that the lyrics in Passenger Side from Wilco were making a reference to a song from this album.
Takiego Younga jeszcze nie znalem, album o wiele surowszy niz harvest czy everybody know this is no where, a potem wikiuje i podobno wiekszosc nagrana zostala podczas jednej sesji, caly material siedzial ponad 2 lata w szafie, albumik ktorego trzeba przesluchac w calosci od poczatku do konca, cos jak w przypadku dylanowych albumikow, nie tylko przez harmonijke ktora sie pojawia na kilku trackach, bo to wlasnie z dylanowa krwia na torach sie mi kojarzy ten albumik, oba sa przepelnione smutkiem, tutaj smutek po stracie przyjaciol, ktorzy przedobrzyli z niebezpiecznymi substancjami, album swietnie oddaje bol po stracie, na plejke leci tytulowy tonight is the night oraz mellow my mind
Pretty enjoyable listen- I was happy to hear some familiar songs. Tonight's the Night Part II is a great jam.
Not going to lie. Expected to poo poo on this one. I NEED to be in a NY mood and I was NOT yesterday. Surprisingly, this was beyond expectations and actually PUT me in a Neil Young mood. I am a lyrics guy, stripped that from my normal listening routine and really enjoyed this one.
Not my favorite Young album by a long shot, but still a fantastic collection of blues-rock tracks! The title track is incredible!
It's Neil Young, so of course it's good. Not his best, but still pretty good. But if you've heard Unplugged, then this version of World on a String is disappointing. New Mama is great, not heard that before.
mega fajny álbum, super klimacik bardzo mi się podobał, co prawda bardzo prosty ale to właśnie sprawia ze super lekko się tego słucha
I don't think I had heard any of these songs from him before - really enjoyed the more bluesy sound
pretty good! predictably, the songs with the most plays were my favorites.
Aika raaan ja rosoisen kuuloista matskua. Toisaalta Neilin ääni kuulostaa ärsyttävältä, mutta sitten taas persoonalliselta ja kärsivältä. Tämäkin levy on sellaista tunnelmakamaa. Mieleen jäi tonights the night ja mellow my mind
A songwriter with a questionable voice. He sounds…old on some of the upper register stuff Speakin’ Out was more country than I realized Neil Young can be. Albuquerque is fantastic.
I hadn't heard most of this album before. Neil Young's vocals are always a little grating, but he mostly makes it work for me.
I'm usually not a big Neil Young fan, I don't care for his voice, but I liked this
i'll probably always think neil young is boring, but nothing against him!
I legitimately love whenever the singer for a band is low key kind of shite cause it's like they're saying "fuck you, even if I can't hit all the notes this is the music that's in my heart and I'm going to sing it anyway"
This album has all the elements you would expect from a Neil Young album, great songwriting, great instrumentals especially guitar, but the singing on this one is rough.