You think Ashlee Simpson can't sing? That's because she sounds like she took singing lessons from Neil Young. There's a guy who can't sing if his life depended on it. Yet, how did he become so respected an artist? Not for his singing.
It's for his song writing. I saw Neil Young perform on Saturday Night Live! last night. Despite my stomach tightening up as he sang, I recognized the song he did as beautiful, even though I don't know the song. And in its own weird way, the song was beautiful because it required a thin, vulnerable voice, only as Neil Young can sing it. His is not particularly a pleasant voice - it's nasally and grating even, and he has limited range. But the fact he can hold a note without quivering suggests strength, in an underdog Canadian kind of way.
One of my favourite songs is Young's Harvest Moon. I downloaded different versions of that song. I can't stand them. Yet, I love Young's original. Not because I'm used to it, but because he evokes a tenderness in the autumn air with that whiny voice, and despite the vulnerability of passing feelings in the changing season, he grounds us with hope (the offering of unencumbered love) and clarity (the harpsicord-like notes in the song). It's the feeling of renewed bounty and hope as only can be found under a harvest moon.
I think Neil Young is my romantic hero. One of them anyway.
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I like Neil a lot. But I also like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, both of whom, like Neil, have a raspy, non-crooner voice. I think there's something about the rich texture of all of their voices that makes them so good to listen to. It makes me focus on the words.
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