Studio Album · No. 32
Americana Songwriting Credits by Neil Young
Holds writing credit on 0 of 11 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 0 / 11 documented
Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Neil Young carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Americana contains no Neil Young originals. The album is built entirely from traditional American folk songs, 19th-century standards, and a doo-wop number, which Young and Crazy Horse drag through loud, distorted garage-rock arrangements. The credits reflect this: "Oh Susannah" carries Stephen Foster's name and a Tim Rose arrangement, "This Land Is Your Land" is credited to Woody Guthrie, "Get a Job" comes from the doo-wop group The Silhouettes, and most of the rest are traditionals arranged by Young. Young's stated aim was to restore neglected or darker verses to songs most listeners knew only as children's tunes, which is why familiar melodies like "Clementine" and "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain" turn grim in his hands.
"Americana" is a 2012 album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse spanning rock, country rock, folk rock, and Americana, on which Young reworked traditional folk standards to surface the darker original meanings later cleaned up for popular audiences. Neil Young produced the record with John Hanlon and Mark Humphreys at Broken Arrow Ranch in late 2011, with Crazy Horse providing the backing and Pegi Young and Stephen Stills adding vocals to the closing track. The album reinterprets standards including "Oh Susannah," "Clementine," "Tom Dula," "This Land Is Your Land," and "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain," retitled "Jesus' Chariot." The record peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200, number 2 in Canada, and topped the Top Rock Albums chart, and critic Robert Christgau named it the best album of 2012. It marked Young's first Crazy Horse collaboration since 2003's "Greendale."
Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Oh Susannah
|
Stephen Collins Foster | Stephen Collins Foster | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 2 |
Clementine
|
Traditional | Traditional | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 3 |
Tom Dula
|
Traditional | Traditional | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 4 |
Gallows Pole
|
Traditional | Traditional | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 5 |
Get a Job
|
Richard LewisEarl BealRaymond EdwardsWilliam Horton | Richard LewisEarl BealRaymond EdwardsWilliam Horton | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 6 |
Travel On
|
Traditional | Traditional | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 7 |
High Flyin' Bird
|
Billy Edd Wheeler | Billy Edd Wheeler | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 8 |
Jesus' Chariot (She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain)
|
Traditional | Traditional | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 9 |
This Land Is Your Land
|
Woody Guthrie | Woody Guthrie | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 10 |
Wayfarin' Stranger
|
Traditional | Traditional | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 11 |
God Save the Queen
|
Thomas Augustine Arne | Thomas Augustine Arne | Neil YoungJohn HanlonMark Humphreys | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |