Studio Album · No. 29
Chrome Dreams II Songwriting Credits by Neil Young
Holds writing credit on 10 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 10 / 10 documented
Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Neil Young carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Awards & Recognition 1
Every song here is written by Neil Young, and the album is conceived as a sequel to Chrome Dreams, the sequenced 1977 record he shelved in favor of American Stars 'n Bars. Because of that lineage, several tracks reach back across decades: "Beautiful Bluebird" dates to the 1985 Old Ways sessions, "Boxcar" had been left off both Freedom and Ragged Glory, and the 18-minute "Ordinary People" was cut in 1988 with his Bluenotes horn section and sat unreleased for nearly twenty years. Young set those older recordings beside songs written only months before the album, treating the long gap between writing and release as part of the record's design. The result moves from short folk and gospel pieces to the extended jams of "Ordinary People" and the 14-minute "No Hidden Path," all held together by his own songwriting.
"Chrome Dreams II" is a 2007 album by Neil Young blending heartland rock, country rock, Americana, and hard rock, its title referencing the legendary 1977 album "Chrome Dreams" that was shelved in favor of "American Stars 'n Bars." Neil Young produced the record with Niko Bolas, the two credited as "The Volume Dealers," and recorded it live with minimal overdubs alongside drummer Ralph Molina of Crazy Horse, pedal steel guitarist Ben Keith, and bassist Rick Rosas. The album pairs new compositions with older material and includes the 18-minute single "Ordinary People," the Grammy-nominated 14-minute "No Hidden Path," "Beautiful Bluebird," and "Boxcar." Released October 23, 2007 as Young's 30th studio album, it debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200, selling about 54,000 copies in its first week. The record marked a return to long-form guitar pieces that had defined Young's earlier work.