Comes a Time cover art

  Studio Album · No. 8

Comes a Time Songwriting Credits by Neil Young

1978 10 tracks 37 min
FolkCountry Rock
90%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 9 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 9 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Neil Young carries a lyricist or composer credit.

90%
9 trackswritten by Neil Young 1 trackoutside writers
Neil Young's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist90%
Composer90%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
2
Lyricists
4
Producers
1978
Released
Data Insight

Comes a Time is one of Neil Young's gentlest acoustic records, built on warm folk and country-rock arrangements rather than the ragged electric attack of his band albums. Young wrote nine of the ten songs himself, including "Lotta Love," which Nicolette Larson turned into a Top 10 pop hit of her own that same year, and "Already One," a frank reflection on a child shared after a breakup. Larson's harmony vocals run through most of the album and she shares the lead with Young on "Motorcycle Mama." The record closes with its only cover, Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds," a Canadian folk standard Young first heard as a teenager.

"Comes a Time" is the 1978 album by Neil Young, a country folk record that returned him to a romantic acoustic style after several experimental years. It features "Goin' Back," the title track, "Lotta Love," "Human Highway," and a cover of Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds." Young produced the album with David Briggs, Ben Keith, and Tim Mulligan, with harmony vocals from Nicolette Larson and contributions from Crazy Horse members, Tim Drummond on bass, Spooner Oldham on piano, and J.J. Cale on guitar. It peaked at number 7 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA, with additional gold and platinum awards in the UK, France, and Australia. Young has described it as one of his best albums.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Goin' Back
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
2
Comes a Time
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
3
Look Out for My Love
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
4
Lotta Love
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
5
Peace of Mind
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
6
Human Highway
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
7
Already One
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
8
Field of Opportunity
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
9
Motorcycle Mama
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
10
Four Strong Winds #61
Ian Tyson Ian Tyson Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithTim Mulligan Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 6 contributors

NP
Neil Percival Young
Writer
On this album9 written
IT
Ian Tyson
Writer
On this album1 written
BK
Ben Keith
Producer
On this album10 produced
DB
David Briggs
Producer
On this album10 produced
NY
Neil Young
Producer · Vocals
On this album10 produced
TM
Tim Mulligan
Producer
On this album10 produced

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Frequently Asked Questions Comes a Time

Who wrote the songs on Neil Young's Comes a Time?
Neil Young wrote nine of the album's ten songs himself, including "Goin' Back," "Comes a Time," "Lotta Love," and "Already One." The only track he did not write is the closer, "Four Strong Winds," a cover of the Ian Tyson folk standard.
What kind of album is Comes a Time?
It is a soft, largely acoustic folk and country-rock record, one of Neil Young's most mellow and accessible releases. It leans on warm harmonies and gentle arrangements rather than the loud electric rock of his work with Crazy Horse.
Who is the female harmony singer on Comes a Time?
Nicolette Larson sings harmony vocals on most of the album and shares the lead vocal with Neil Young on "Motorcycle Mama." Her work on the record began a longer creative association between the two artists.
Did Nicolette Larson record her own version of a song from this album?
Yes. Young's "Lotta Love" appears on Comes a Time, and Nicolette Larson released her own cover of it in 1978. Her version became a major pop hit, reaching the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
What is Four Strong Winds and why did Neil Young cover it?
"Four Strong Winds" is a 1963 folk song written by Ian Tyson of the Canadian duo Ian & Sylvia. Young, a fellow Canadian, had loved the song since his youth and chose it to close Comes a Time. It was released as a single and reached number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979.
What is the song Already One about?
"Already One" is a Neil Young original written about the bond that remains between two parents after a relationship has ended. Young reflects that he and his former partner are "already one" through the child they share, even though the romance is over.
How did Comes a Time perform on the charts?
The album reached number seven on the US Billboard 200 and number four in Canada. It was later certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 copies in the United States.
When and on what label was Comes a Time released?
Comes a Time was released on October 21, 1978, by Reprise Records. It followed Neil Young's 1977 album American Stars 'n Bars and marked a return to a softer, folk-oriented sound.

Sources

Wikipedia: Comes a Time Wikipedia: Comes a Time (song) MusicBrainz: Comes a Time release-group Cover Art Archive: Comes a Time front cover Cover Art Archive: Comes a Time by Neil Young