Studio Album · No. 14
Old Ways Songwriting Credits by Neil Young
Holds writing credit on 9 of 10 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 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
Old Ways is a full country record on which Neil Young wrote nine of the ten songs, recording in Nashville with the International Harvesters and pedal-steel player Ben Keith. Country veterans Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings sit in as duet partners, Nelson on "Are There Any More Real Cowboys?" and Jennings across several tracks including "Get Back to the Country." The lone outside song is the opener "The Wayward Wind," a 1955 standard by Stanley Lebowsky and Herb Newman that Young recasts as a string-laden country ballad. Young singled out "My Boy" as one of his most personal recordings, and the album frames his originals in straight Nashville production rather than the rock idiom of his Geffen contract.
"Old Ways" is the 1985 album by Neil Young, released on Geffen Records as a country and country rock record reflecting his desire to grow old gracefully outside the pressures of rock music. It features "Get Back to the Country," "Once an Angel," "My Boy," a cover of "The Wayward Wind," and the duets "Are There Any More Real Cowboys?" with Willie Nelson and "Bound for Glory" with Waylon Jennings. Young produced the album with David Briggs, Ben Keith, and Elliot Mazer, backed by session players including Keith on pedal steel and Dobro, Tim Drummond on bass, Rufus Thibodeaux on fiddle, and Spooner Oldham on piano. It peaked at number 75 on the Billboard 200 and number 24 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. The album recorded across Nashville and Texas studios later fed into Young's involvement with Farm Aid alongside Nelson.
Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Wayward Wind
|
Herb NewmanStanley Lebowsky | Herb NewmanStanley Lebowsky | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 2 |
Get Back to the Country
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 3 |
Are There Any More Real Cowboys?
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 4 |
Once an Angel
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 5 |
Misfits
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 6 |
California Sunset
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 7 |
Old Ways
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 8 |
My Boy
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 9 |
Bound for Glory
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |
| 10 |
Where Is the Highway Tonight?
|
Neil Percival Young | Neil Percival Young | Neil YoungDavid BriggsBen KeithElliot Mazer | Neil Young (Lead Vocals, Guitar) |