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About This Track
“Helpless” is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young, most famously recorded by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young on their 1970 album Déjà Vu.
Helpless was originally recorded with Young’s band Crazy Horse in early 1969, before Young’s new CSNY bandmates (he had joined the then-trio in mid-1969) convinced him it would suit them better. The song was simple, at its core effectively the repetition of one melody over a descending D-A-G chord progression, but despite (or perhaps because of) its simplicity the group found difficulty deciding on an arrangement and many different versions of the song were recorded before the group finally decided on the slow-paced version that appeared on the album. On this final version Young was in the foreground, singing the verses and the chorus with his bandmates providing the “helpless” refrain, while the instrumentation came in the form of acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar (or electric guitar with volume pedal), and piano. It became one of the most revered songs from the Déjà Vu album (Q magazine’s Peter Doggett regards it as “one of (the album’s) showpieces”), and has remained a live favorite of Young’s for over thirty years. Experimental rock artist Bill Nelson recorded a version of the song. K.D.
Helpless was originally recorded with Young’s band Crazy Horse in early 1969, before Young’s new CSNY bandmates (he had joined the then-trio in mid-1969) convinced him it would suit them better. The song was simple, at its core effectively the repetition of one melody over a descending D-A-G chord progression, but despite (or perhaps because of) its simplicity the group found difficulty deciding on an arrangement and many different versions of the song were recorded before the group finally decided on the slow-paced version that appeared on the album. On this final version Young was in the foreground, singing the verses and the chorus with his bandmates providing the “helpless” refrain, while the instrumentation came in the form of acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar (or electric guitar with volume pedal), and piano. It became one of the most revered songs from the Déjà Vu album (Q magazine’s Peter Doggett regards it as “one of (the album’s) showpieces”), and has remained a live favorite of Young’s for over thirty years. Experimental rock artist Bill Nelson recorded a version of the song. K.D.
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Albums featuring this track
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Greatest Hits
Neil YoungBuy- Download Album
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- Amazon $10.65
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Unplugged
Neil Young
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $6.99
- 7digital $11.99
- iTunes $10.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $8.90
- eBay Search
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Decade
Neil Young Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $13.99
- 7digital $16.99
- iTunes $15.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon $16.61
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1974-05-16: New York, NY, USA - Citizen Kane…
Neil Young Buy- Download Album
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Shouts
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toto47 wrote:
Aus dem großartigen Film "Blutige Erdbeeren" orig. "The Strawberry Statement" von 1970
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runningear wrote:
Gets better everytime i hear it.Keep going neil.
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ruffi21 wrote:
The Band & Neil Young Helpless http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2z7LXpAX3Q
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oldiesfanjohn wrote:
loved this on bands last waltz,too
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sweetblack88 wrote:
sweetie, sing with me some how.........
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TheFatChocobo wrote:
I love Dylan, but I definitely prefer Neil!
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fancykatya wrote:
I'm glad I finally achieved the maturity to appreciate Neil Young finally, one of my favourite songs~
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petross85 wrote:
I'm having a 'Helpless' sandwich, starting with the Unplugged version, then CSN&Y, and Massey Hall (best til last) TASTY
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Thisbespence wrote:
One of my favorites
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tomvecc wrote:
"Blue blue windows behind the stars Yellow moon on the rise Big birds flying across the sky Throwing shadows on our eyes" so beautiful
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wildflowersmr wrote:
My 1,000th Neil Young scrobble! Probably my favorite Neil song, too. Maybe my favorite song ever.
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Bird_Cooder wrote:
Love it! Just love it!
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thenervetattoo wrote:
Neil Young doesn't get the respect he deserves.
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hanstone wrote:
Neil is brilliant. Dylan is indispensilble.
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daverichards99 wrote:
Looks like Neil 2, Bob 0. God help you all...
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MIKEH3875 wrote:
the last couple years i've listened to quite a bit of bob dylan and neil young and i just seem to prefer neil when it all comes down to it.neil seems to have more emotion in his work.
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fivecent wrote:
knocking on heavens door is neither bob dylans biggest song nor a direct ripoff of this song. there are similarities but they are both fantastic songs in their own right.
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Ljesnjak wrote:
Bob dylan is to me even a bigger prick because his most well known song is a direct rip off of this song. and to think he complained about Heart of Gold sounding too similar to him.
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chefsam57 wrote:
Bernard Shakey best known for his eclectic sweep
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pfdsotmrules wrote:
as of late, ive become more and more of a fan of mr. young
Track Stats
427,117 Scrobbles
110,600 Listeners
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Recent Activity
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Absorbentpoet7, ellia_dreams and maxlharris loved Neil Young – Helpless. yesterday afternoon
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callingcrash added Helpless to callingcrash’s library. Sunday morning
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G0ol3r added Helpless to her Loved Tracks. Saturday afternoon
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ManfredMoon tagged Neil Young – Helpless with monstersong and crosby stills nash and young. Friday evening
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Admac1, randomist, ivo119 and 16 other people loved Neil Young – Helpless. Thursday evening
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ohobrien added Helpless to ohobrien’s library. last month
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dorddave, zappa_99, yearzero1589 and 3 other people loved Neil Young – Helpless. last month
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Waltlegs73 added Helpless to Waltlegs73’s library. last month
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dankempster added Helpless to his Loved Tracks. last month
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