Studio Album · No. 16
Life Songwriting Credits by Neil Young
Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Neil Young carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Neil Young wrote all nine songs on Life, his final album for Geffen Records and his last with the label that had pushed him toward genre experiments earlier in the decade. Reuniting with Crazy Horse, Young built the record from a hybrid of live and studio work, cutting most backing tracks live at the Universal Amphitheatre in November 1986 and then layering studio overdubs, while "Cryin' Eyes" and "We Never Danced" were recorded entirely at Record One. The writing leans openly political, with "Mideast Vacation" and "Long Walk Home" framing American foreign policy and deployed troops through dreamlike narrative, and "Prisoners of Rock 'n' Roll" reading as a defiant jab at Geffen's interference. The album closes Young's contentious Geffen era before he returned to Reprise.
"Life" is the 1987 album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse, a synth-rock and hard rock record that was Young's final release for Geffen Records. It includes "Mideast Vacation," "Long Walk Home," "Inca Queen," and "Prisoners of Rock and Roll." David Briggs and Young produced most of the album, with Jack Nitzsche and Young producing one track, backed by Crazy Horse members Frank Sampedro on guitar and keyboards, Billy Talbot on bass and keyboards, and Ralph Molina on drums. Most tracks were recorded live at the Universal Amphitheatre in November 1986 with studio overdubs added later, an approach similar to the 1979 album "Rust Never Sleeps." It peaked at number 75 on the Billboard 200.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Mideast Vacation
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 2 |
Long Walk Home
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 3 |
Around the World
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 4 |
Inca Queen
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 5 |
Too Lonely
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 6 |
Prisoners of Rock 'n' Roll
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 7 |
Cryin' Eyes
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 8 |
When Your Lonely Heart Breaks
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 9 |
We Never Danced
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | David BriggsNeil YoungJack Nitzsche | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |