Neil Young – Decade (1977) A triple-album time capsule of an artist who never stayed put—sprawling

Neil Young – Decade (1977)
A triple-album time capsule of an artist who never stayed put—sprawling, scrappy, and endlessly revealing.

Decade isn’t just a greatest hits album—it’s a roadmap through Neil Young’s first wild ten years, packed with hits, unreleased cuts, and deeper tracks that tell the story behind the legend. Across 35 songs, you hear him switch gears, shed skins, and burn bridges, all in the service of staying honest.

Folk, country, rock, proto-grunge, solo acoustic meditations, and ragged band workouts—it’s all here. If you’ve never been deep into Neil, Decade is the perfect crash course. If you’re already on the bus, it’s a reminder of just how far he was willing to go to stay true to himself.

Track-by-Track Highlights (Selected)
Down to the Wire – 4.5/5
A Buffalo Springfield outtake and a perfect place to start. Fuzzy, melodic, and loaded with Young’s early ache.

Cinnamon Girl – 5/5
Garage rock perfected. Tight, tough, and still thrilling. That one-note solo? Iconic.

I Believe in You – 5/5
One of his most tender ballads—quiet devastation with no excess.

Like a Hurricane – 5/5
Electric Neil at his peak. Swirling, romantic, and loud enough to level a cornfield.

Helpless – 5/5
A country-folk masterpiece. Every time he sings “There is a town in North Ontario…” you believe it all over again.

Star of Bethlehem – 4.5/5
Gorgeous and ghostly. Country rock with a spiritual hangover.

Long May You Run – 4/5
Not his strongest chorus, but full of warmth. A farewell song to a car that sounds like it’s for a friend.

Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) isn’t here—but you feel it coming.
Shining Star: “Like a Hurricane”
No song captures his ragged electric glory better. It’s a storm of sound wrapped around a love letter in ruins.

Final Verdict: 9.5/10 – One man, many faces, no compromises.
Decade is the sound of Neil Young becoming Neil Young—a constantly evolving artist who made peace with contradiction. Whether acoustic or electric, political or personal, whispering or wailing, he always means it.

Some greatest hits albums are just collections. This one? It’s a reckoning.

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