Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cortez The Killer, live version from Weld 1991

RandallFlagg · October 2016

I am a bit on and off with Neil Young and I find a lot of his studio guitar tones lacking but things were just captured right on the Weld live double album from 1991. In particular I love the tone on Cortez The Killer from this album. Guitar sounds fat and huge just on the edge of feedback, some gentle playing and some fierce with a lovely shortish delay throughout and occasional use of the octaver, reverb and just about every other effect he has. A great version:

Not sure what's going on with the Max Wall haircut though!

Lew · October 2016

Yep that's the tone and playing isn't it :-)

shaunm · October 2016

Yeah, his Les Paul tone is the best example of what that guitar can do and what a 5e3 can do.

dindude · October 2016

With you 100%, one of my all time fav live recordings, and Cortez has THE tone with beautiful and ugly guitar playing all rolled into one.

ICBM · October 2016

I love the tone on the playing on that, but I HATE the song. Awful cringeworthy lyrics.

shaunm · October 2016

ICBM said:

I love the tone on the playing on that, but I HATE the song. Awful cringeworthy lyrics.

That is exactly what I think. It's such a poor song. I think that is true about quite a few of his songs.

ICBM · October 2016

shaunm said:

ICBM said:

I love the tone on the playing on that, but I HATE the song. Awful cringeworthy lyrics.

That is exactly what I think. It's such a poor song. I think that is true about quite a few of his songs.

Yes, although that's one of the worst. I detest Pocahontas as well for the same reason. It's shame when he plays so well on them, that you have to listen to the words.

Gagaryn · October 2016

ICBM said:

shaunm said:

ICBM said:

I love the tone on the playing on that, but I HATE the song. Awful cringeworthy lyrics.

That is exactly what I think. It's such a poor song. I think that is true about quite a few of his songs.

Yes, although that's one of the worst. I detest Pocahontas as well for the same reason. It's shame when he plays so well on them, that you have to listen to the words.

I love Neil Young and the racket he makes with an electric guitar and I admire his passion but (being as kind as I can be), his lyrics have always been "patchy".

Iamnobody · October 2016

Gagaryn said:

ICBM said:

shaunm said:

ICBM said:

I love the tone on the playing on that, but I HATE the song. Awful cringeworthy lyrics.

That is exactly what I think. It's such a poor song. I think that is true about quite a few of his songs.

Yes, although that's one of the worst. I detest Pocahontas as well for the same reason. It's shame when he plays so well on them, that you have to listen to the words.

I love Neil Young and the racket he makes with an electric guitar and I admire his passion but (being as kind as I can be), his lyrics have always been "patchy".

Didn't he write the lyrics to Cortez When still at school?

SRich · October 2016

Iamnobody said:

Didn't he write the lyrics to Cortez When still at school?
I think it was during the double History class on a Thursday..........

shaunm · October 2016

SRich said:

Iamnobody said:

Didn't he write the lyrics to Cortez When still at school?
I think it was during the double History class on a Thursday..........

Bet that is true

Gagaryn · October 2016

shaunm said:

SRich said:

Iamnobody said:

Didn't he write the lyrics to Cortez When still at school?
I think it was during the double History class on a Thursday..........

Bet that is true

He got a C - must try harder.

ICBM · October 2016

I'd have given him an F for Fail on the basis of that song. I think he must have been smoking hash behind the bike sheds when they covered the Spanish Conquest.

mburekenge · October 2016

There are lyrics to this song?

i was just listening to the unbelievable guitar tone... some of the best ever record imo

dindude · October 2016

The song and lyrics really aren't that bad.

I could rattle off several hundred songs with shit lyrics before I got to this one.

And anyway, did anyone mention the epic guitar playing and tone.

RandallFlagg · October 2016

dindude said:

The song and lyrics really aren't that bad.
I could rattle off several hundred songs with shit lyrics before I got to this one.
And anyway, did anyone mention the epic guitar playing and tone.

Yes, I did and for the record, I like the lyrics, don't care whether the level of gravitas is suitable, the imagery is wonderful

On the shore lay Montezuma
With his coca leaves and pearls
In his halls he often wandered
With the secrets of the worlds

His subjects gathered 'round him
Like the leaves around a tree
In their clothes of many colors
For the angry Gods to see

MagicPigDetective · October 2016

I love the song, including lyrics, especially the Live Rust (plenty badman) version.

Cabicular · October 2016

We used to do a version of it
I loved it
here is a live rec of it with some inexplicable holiday snaps over it

NeilYoungFan · October 2016

"Weld" is the most impressive live album I've ever listened to.

RandallFlagg · October 2016

NeilYoungFan said:

"Weld" is the most impressive live album I've ever listened to.

It's a good one for sure, in my Top 10 along with The Who's Live At Leeds, Led Zeppelin's How The West Was Won among others

monquixote · October 2016

Awesome playing, awesome tone.

The lyrics have never struck me as that bad.

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Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Cortez The Killer, live version from Weld 1991

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