Hawks & Doves cover art

  Studio Album · No. 10

Hawks & Doves Songwriting Credits by Neil Young

1980 9 tracks 30 min
FolkCountry rock
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Neil Young carries a lyricist or composer credit.

100%
9 trackswritten by Neil Young 0 tracksoutside writers
Neil Young's roles on this album

Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

9
Tracks
1
Lyricists
3
Producers
1980
Released
Data Insight

Every track on Hawks & Doves was written by Neil Young, but the record splits into two distinct halves. Side one assembles previously unreleased folk recordings cut between 1974 and 1977, including "The Old Homestead" and "Captain Kennedy," giving that half an archival, acoustic character. Side two, recorded in a single July 1980 session at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood, leans into terse country-rock, with the title track shaped in part by the Iran hostage crisis. The contrast in styles and recording eras is what gave the album its reputation as one of Young's most fragmented releases.

"Hawks & Doves" is the 1980 album by Neil Young, his eleventh studio record and a short country and folk collection running roughly 30 minutes. Its first side draws on previously unreleased folk material from 1974 to 1977, while the second side gathers country-styled songs recorded in July 1980, including the title track, "Stayin' Power," "The Old Homestead," and "Captain Kennedy." Young produced the album with Tim Mulligan and Elliot Mazer, backed by Ben Keith on steel guitar and Dobro, Rufus Thibodeaux on fiddle, Dennis Belfield on bass, and Greg Thomas on drums. It peaked at number 30 on the Billboard 200 and drew mixed reviews, with its release coinciding with Ronald Reagan's election and prompting debate over its seemingly patriotic themes. The album remained unavailable on CD until a 2003 reissue.

Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Little Wing
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
2
The Old Homestead
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
3
Lost in Space
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
4
Captain Kennedy
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
5
Stayin' Power
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
6
Coastline
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
7
Union Man
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
8
Comin' Apart at Every Nail
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)
9
Hawks & Doves
Neil Percival Young Neil Percival Young Neil YoungTim MulliganElliot Mazer Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 4 contributors

NP
Neil Percival Young
Writer
On this album9 written
EM
Elliot Mazer
Producer
On this album9 produced
NY
Neil Young
Producer · Vocals
On this album9 produced
TM
Tim Mulligan
Producer
On this album9 produced

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Frequently Asked Questions Hawks & Doves

Who wrote the songs on Neil Young's Hawks & Doves?
Neil Young wrote every song on Hawks & Doves himself, across both the archival folk side and the country-rock side.
Why does Hawks & Doves sound like two different albums?
The two sides were recorded years apart. Side one collects previously unreleased folk material from 1974 to 1977, while side two was cut in a single week in July 1980, which gives the record its split personality.
When was "The Old Homestead" recorded?
"The Old Homestead" was recorded December 11, 1974 at Quadrafonic Sound Studio in Nashville, and it features Tim Drummond on bass, Levon Helm on drums, and Tom Scribner on saw.
What is the song "Captain Kennedy" about?
"Captain Kennedy" recounts events from the life of Caribbean cargo trader Lou Kenedy, whose schooner was destroyed by a German U-boat in 1941. Young learned the story while sailing near Nassau, Bahamas, and recorded the song in 1976 during the Hitchhiker sessions.
What inspired the title track "Hawks & Doves"?
Young said the title track was influenced in part by the Iran hostage crisis, expressing frustration that the United States had to endure the standoff for so long. It was recorded at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood in July 1980.
Did Hawks & Doves produce any hit singles?
No. Reprise issued "Hawks & Doves" backed with "Union Man" in 1980 and "Stayin' Power" backed with "Captain Kennedy" in 1981, but neither single charted in the US or Canada.
How long is the album Hawks & Doves?
Hawks & Doves runs about 30 minutes, making it one of Neil Young's shortest studio albums.
Where does Hawks & Doves fall in Neil Young's discography?
It was released October 29, 1980 on Reprise Records as Young's eleventh studio album, following the acclaimed Rust Never Sleeps from 1979.
Why did Neil Young record so little for Hawks & Doves in 1980?
Young's time was limited because he was devoting long days to an intensive therapy program for his son Ben, who has cerebral palsy. That constraint is part of why side two was recorded quickly and the album drew on older archival material.

Sources

Wikipedia: Hawks & Doves MusicBrainz release group: Hawks & Doves Cover Art Archive: Hawks & Doves Cover Art Archive: Hawks & Doves by Neil Young