Significant longplayers from yesteryear

20 June 2025

NEIL YOUNG released his dark masterwork TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT,
his 6th album, on 20 June 1975, 50 years ago today. It peaked at #25
in the US.

It was a direct expression of grief. Danny Whitten, guitarist of Young‘s band
Crazy Horse, Young’s friend and roadie Bruce Berry had both died of drug
overdoses in the months before the songs were written.

Whitten wrote the song I Don’t Want To Talk About It
made famous by Rod Stewart

Young: “At S.I.R. we were playing, and these two cats who had been a close part of our
unit, of our force and our energy – were both gone to junk. Both of them O.D.’d, and we’re playing in a place where we’re getting together to make up for what is gone and try to make ourselves stronger and continue. Because we thought we had it with Danny Whitten, at least
I did.

I thought that I had a combination of people that could be as effective as groups like
the Rolling Stones had been. Just for rhythm, which I’m really into. I haven’t had that rhythm for a while and that’s why I haven’t been playing my guitar; because without that behind me I won’t play. I mean you can’t get free enough. So I’ve had to play the rhythm myself ever since Danny died”.

Back sleeve

Rolling Stone wrote: “Tonight’s the Night finds Neil Young on his knees at the top of the heap, struggling to get back to his feet. The musical difficulties of last year’s On the Beach have been resolved as directly as possible by a return to recording with Crazy Horse and Nils Lofgren, with whom Young recorded his 1970 masterpiece, After the Gold Rush… Crying over the death of his real and imagined friends, Neil Young seems at once heroic and mock heroic, brave and absurd. Like the best of both, he leaves us as he found us, ravaged but rocking.”

I regularly return to that bone-chilling LP. It has an inexplicable magic.

Key tracks: Tonight’s The Night / World On A String / Come On Baby
Let’s Go Down Town / Albuquerque / New Mama / Lookout Joe / Tired Eyes

ALBUM

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Website – All Albums