Helpless (3:32)
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“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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Shouts
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donblauman wrote:
Great song but technically it is as CSN&Y song off of De Ja Vu
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stanhope13 wrote:
great song
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DeanMurdoch13 wrote:
watched The Last Waltz again and this song was perfect
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shovelheadtim wrote:
I love Neil Youngs music... Especially when some one other than Neil is singing it.
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luckylollyme wrote:
I agree with JAMESisacreep.....
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trackaghost wrote:
One of the most perfect songs ever
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TantoTempo wrote:
As important to me now, as it was then...
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JAMESisCreepy wrote:
i love the massey hall version!
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ziggycaca wrote:
neil young é o mestre dos mestres!
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Nuttybear09 wrote:
Always gets me this one. Lovelly!
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Cherokee52v8 wrote:
Just great.
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chennesoio wrote:
ma è "knoking on haeven's door"! quale nasce prima?
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LeLarsch wrote:
"And in my mind, I still need a place to go". Been an important line for me for a long time. Such a beautiful song. (:
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Thomasmusik wrote:
not helpless - help yourself
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drewthedrifter wrote:
big birds flying across the sky,throwing shadows on our eyes...see ya again in weert(this time) neil.
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BradyMan wrote:
Killer
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foxyluva wrote:
My favourite version is on The Band's The Last Waltz. Joni's background vocals make me tear up...
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TheWolfSings wrote:
paints such a good picture
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star_shaped_man wrote:
Such a great song! So many great versions of it but the version on Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Deja Vu is my favourite.
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AidanSwede wrote:
there's a town in north ontarioooo
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Recent Activity
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pbauw added Helpless to their Loved Tracks. yesterday evening
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worlad added Helpless to worlad’s library. yesterday evening
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JED1KN1GH7, flowerfeeder and tarsha66 loved Neil Young – Helpless. yesterday afternoon
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iamericanperson added Helpless to the playlist I'm Your Man. Thursday evening
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iamericanperson added Helpless to iamericanperson’s library. Thursday evening
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sarum123, theycallmejman, Texasfan50 and 2 other people loved Neil Young – Helpless. Thursday morning
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jf9050 added Helpless to jf9050’s library. Wednesday evening
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blakemccormick, alvin52, GavinHuck and 20 other people loved Neil Young – Helpless. Wednesday morning
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MikeMike100 added Helpless to MikeMike100’s library. Saturday afternoon
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Bhakti2002, mhjrage, loveboatcptn and 15 other people loved Neil Young – Helpless. Saturday afternoon
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