Hawks & Doves

Last updated
Hawks & Doves
Neil Young Hawks Doves.jpg
Studio album by
Neil Young
ReleasedOctober 29, 1980 (1980-10-29)
RecordedDecember 11, 1974 – July 5, 1980
Studio
Genre
Length29:47
Label
Producer
Neil Young chronology
Live Rust
(1979)		Hawks & Doves
(1980)		 Re·ac·tor
(1981)
Singles from Hawks & Doves
  1. "Hawks & Doves" / "Union Man"
    Released: September 1980
  2. "Stayin' Power" / "Captain Kennedy"
    Released: January 1981

Hawks & Doves is the eleventh [3] studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young. [4] [5] It was released on October 29, 1980, through Reprise Records. [6] It was produced by Young along with Tim Mulligan and Elliot Mazer. The first side of the album consists of previously unreleased folk-centric material recorded from 1974 through 1977, while the second side features heavily country-styled songs recorded specifically for the album in July 1980.

Contents

Both contemporary and retrospective reception to Hawks & Doves has been mixed. The album's short length, disjointed styles and, in some places, seemingly patriotic lyrical content was met with confusion from fans and critics alike, especially after the critical and commercial success awarded to its predecessors, Rust Never Sleeps and Live Rust (both released in 1979).

Hawks & Doves was moderately successful, reaching the top 30 in the US. However, it only reached number 50 in Canada and its two singles, the title track and "Stayin' Power", failed to chart in either country. The album remained unavailable on CD until it was reissued in 2003 as part of the Neil Young Archives Digital Masterpiece Series.

Background

In 1979, Young released the album Rust Never Sleeps to critical acclaim. [7] [8] The previous year, Young's second son Ben was born, who was unable to speak and required the use of a wheelchair due to severe cerebral palsy. [9] In an effort to assist Ben, Neil and then-wife Pegi Young engaged in an intense program which Neil described as taking up "13, 14 hours a day, seven days a week". [9] Due to this personal stress, it has been long understood [9] that the scattershot nature of Hawks & Doves was a consequence of Neil's inability to give as much attention to a consistent recording schedule while also participating in the program. Shares Young's manager Elliot Roberts in the biography Shakey: "I wasn't allowed to tell people that Neil was involved in therapy with Ben 18 hours a day, and that's why he could not promote anything. I could never use that as an excuse, because it would become the story. One thing we didn't want was pity." [10]

Hawks & Doves's two sides were recorded in different circumstances, side one being culled from sessions dating from 1974 to 1977, and side two from sessions set in early 1980 specifically for the album. It is also one of Young's shortest albums, with a running time of just under half an hour.

Writing

Side one, the 'doves' side, includes "Little Wing" and "The Old Homestead", which were recorded during the sessions for 1975's Homegrown .

The allegorical lyrics of "The Old Homestead" reference Young's ambiguity about working with his band-mates CSNY. [11]

"Lost in Space", like the earlier "After the Gold Rush", was inspired by another screenplay by actor Dean Stockwell. [10] The song features studio effects to make it sound like Young is singing underwater. The song was recorded at Triiad studios in September 1977 for an early version of Comes a Time that Young dubbed Oceanside/Countryside.

"Captain Kennedy" recounts events from the life of Lou Kenedy, a Caribbean cargo trader who had his schooner Wawaloam destroyed by a German U-boat in August 1941. [12] Young, along with fellow avid sailor Jimmy Buffett crossed paths with Kenedy in Nassau, Bahamas in the early 1970s and learned of his history there. [13] "Captain Kennedy" was recorded the night of the Hitchhiker recording in August 1976.

Side two, dubbed the 'hawks' side, consists of the recordings intended for the album, being the straightest country and western songs Young had penned to date, even more so than those found on American Stars 'N Bars or Comes a Time . The songs' lyrics seem to reflect a new, harder-edged political perspective from an artist previously seen as a standard bearer for the hippie movement. [14] The album's release within a week of Ronald Reagan's election reinforced this perception. [15]

The song "Union Man" takes a swipe at the musician's union, and a perceived fecklessness of unions in general. [16]

In "Comin' Apart at Every Nail", Young sings about America's economic backsliding. [16]

The song "Hawks & Doves", which features choruses of 'USA!', was in part influenced by the Iran hostage crisis. "I just wish we didn't have to sit there and take it for so long. I was on the edge there." Young would tell Bill Flanagan in 1985. [17]

Release

It was unavailable on compact disc until it was released as a HDCD-encoded remastered version on August 19, 2003, as part of the Neil Young Archives Digital Masterpiece Series .

Recording

Side two was recorded in a single week in July 1980 at Gold Star Studios, Hollywood. The sessions featured longtime collaborators Ben Keith and Rufus Thibodeaux as well as the rhythm section of Dennis Belfield and Greg Thomas, and backing vocalist Hillary O'Brien.

Promotion

Young performed a single concert with the band from the recording sessions featured on side two. In October 1980, the group appeared at the Bread and Roses Festival of Acoustic Music held at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley. The concert featured the songs on side two of the album plus new songs "Winter Winds" and "Motor City". "Motor City" would later be recorded for 1981's Re·ac·tor .

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide A− [18]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [19]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [20]
Pitchfork 5.7/10 [21]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Spin Alternative Record Guide 5/10 [2]

Record World wrote that the title track has "straycat guitar leads, cranky fiddle colors and smart chorus fills." [22] Tulsa World noted that "the performances are loose and spontaneous... Everything sounds as if it were made in one take." [23] The Courier-News concluded that "what unifies this record and makes it so powerful a statement in this particular year is its musical conservatism." [24]

The Spin Alternative Record Guide opined that "the well ran dry on the folkish Hawks & Doves," but praised "The Old Homestead". [2]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Neil Young.

Side one

  1. "Little Wing" (2:10)
  2. "The Old Homestead" (7:38)
  3. "Lost in Space" (4:13)
    • Neil Young – 6 and 12 string guitar, vocal, vibes
    • Recorded at Triiad Recording Studios, Ft. Lauderdale, 9/15/1977.
  4. "Captain Kennedy" (2:50)
    • Neil Young - guitar, vocal
    • Recorded at Indigo Ranch Recording Studio, Malibu, 8/11/1976 for Hitchhiker.

Side two

  1. "Stayin' Power" (2:17)
  2. "Coastline" (2:24)
  3. "Union Man" (2:08)
  4. "Comin' Apart at Every Nail" (2:33)
  5. "Hawks & Doves" (3:27)
    • Neil Young - guitars, harmonica, piano, vocals; Greg Thomas - drums; Dennis Belfield - bass; Ben Keith – steel and Dobro, harmony vocals; Rufus Thibodeaux – fiddle; Ann Hillary O'Brien – harmony vocals
    • Side two recorded at Gold Star Recording Studio, Hollywood, 7/2 ("Coastline"), 7/3 ("Stayin' Power"), 7/4 ("Hawks & Doves") and 7/5/80 ("Union Man", "Comin' Apart at Every Nail")

Personnel

"Little Wing"

Recorded at Village Recorders, Los Angeles, 1/21/1975 for Homegrown

"The Old Homestead"

Recorded at Quadrafonic Sound Studio, Nashville, 12/11/1974

"Lost in Space"

Recorded at Triiad Recording Studios, Ft. Lauderdale, 9/15/1977

"Captain Kennedy"

Recorded at Indigo Ranch Recording Studio, Malibu, 8/11/1976 for Hitchhiker

"Stayin Power", "Coastline", "Union Man", "Comin' Apart at Every Nail", and "Hawks & Doves"

Recorded at Gold Star Recording Studio, Hollywood, 7/2-5/1980

Additional roles

Charts

Chart (1980)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [25] 10
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [26] 50
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [27] 30
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [28] 4
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [29] 15
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [30] 22
UK Albums (OCC) [31] 34
US Billboard 200 [32] 30

Related Research Articles

<i>Decade</i> (Neil Young album) 1977 compilation album by Neil Young

Decade is a compilation album by Canadian–American musician Neil Young, originally released in 1977 as a triple album and later issued on two compact discs. It contains 35 of Young's songs recorded between 1966 and 1976, among them five tracks that had been unreleased up to that point. It peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, and was certified platinum by the RIAA in 1986.

<i>Harvest</i> (Neil Young album) 1972 studio album by Neil Young

Harvest is the fourth studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released on February 1, 1972, by Reprise Records, catalogue number MS 2032. It featured the London Symphony Orchestra on two tracks and vocals by guests David Crosby, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Stills, and James Taylor. It topped the Billboard 200 album chart for two weeks, and spawned two hit singles, "Old Man", which peaked at No. 31 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and "Heart of Gold", which reached No. 1. It was the best-selling album of 1972 in the United States.

<i>Tonights the Night</i> (Neil Young album) 1975 studio album by Neil Young

Tonight's the Night is the sixth studio album by Canadian / American songwriter Neil Young. It was recorded in August–September 1973, mostly on August 26, but its release was delayed until June 1975. It peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard 200. The album is the third and final of the so-called "Ditch Trilogy" of albums that Young released following the major success of 1972's Harvest, whereupon the scope of his success and acclaim became so difficult for Young to handle that he subsequently experienced alienation from his music and career.

<i>After the Gold Rush</i> 1970 studio album by Neil Young

After the Gold Rush is the third studio album by the Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released in September 1970 on Reprise Records. It is one of four high-profile solo albums released by the members of folk rock group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their chart-topping 1970 album Déjà Vu. Young's album consists mainly of country folk music along with several rock tracks, including "Southern Man". The material was inspired by the unproduced Dean Stockwell-Herb Bermann screenplay After the Gold Rush.

<i>American Stars n Bars</i> 1977 studio album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

American Stars 'n Bars is the eighth studio album by Canadian-American folk rock songwriter Neil Young, released on Reprise Records in 1977. Compiled from recording sessions scattered over a 29-month period, it includes "Like a Hurricane", one of Young's best-known songs. It peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200 and received a RIAA gold certification.

<i>On the Beach</i> (Neil Young album) 1974 studio album by Neil Young

On the Beach is the fifth studio album by Canadian-American musician Neil Young, released by Reprise Records in July 1974. The album is the third of the so-called "Doom Trilogy" of albums that Young recorded following the major success of 1972's Harvest, whereupon the scope of his success and acclaim became apparent; On the Beach was inspired by his feelings of retreat, alienation, and melancholy in response to this success.

<i>Comes a Time</i> 1978 studio album by Neil Young

Comes a Time is the ninth studio album by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young, released by Reprise Records in October 1978. The album is largely performed in a quiet folk and country style. It features backing harmonies sung by Nicolette Larson and additional accompaniment by musicians that had accompanied Young on his commercial pinnacle, Harvest. Like Harvest, the lyrics to many of its songs are inspired by relationships. In his memoir, Waging Heavy Peace, Young describes Comes a Time as one of his best albums ever.

<i>Rust Never Sleeps</i> 1979 studio album with live recordings by Neil Young with Crazy Horse

Rust Never Sleeps is the tenth album by Canadian American singer-songwriter Neil Young and his third with American band Crazy Horse. It was released on June 22, 1979, by Reprise Records and features both studio and live tracks. Most of the album was recorded live, then overdubbed in the studio, while others originated in the studio. Young used the phrase "rust never sleeps" as a concept for his tour with Crazy Horse to avoid artistic complacency and try more progressive, theatrical approaches to performing live.

<i>Long May You Run</i> 1976 album by the Stills-Young band

Long May You Run is a studio album credited to the Stills–Young Band, a collaboration between Stephen Stills and Neil Young, released in 1976 on Reprise Records. It peaked at #26 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold in the United States by the RIAA. The album is the sole studio release by Stills and Young as a duo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heart of Gold (Neil Young song)</span> 1972 single by Neil Young

"Heart of Gold" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young. From his fourth album Harvest, it is Young's only U.S. No. 1 single. In Canada, it reached No. 1 on the RPM national singles chart for the first time on April 8, 1972, on which date Young held the top spot on both the singles and albums charts, and No. 1 again on May 13. Billboard ranked it as the No. 17 song for 1972.

<i>Re·ac·tor</i> 1981 studio album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse

Re·ac·tor is the twelfth studio album by Canadian-American folk rock musician Neil Young, and his fourth with American rock band Crazy Horse, released on November 2, 1981. It was his last album released through Reprise Records before he moved to Geffen for his next five albums.

<i>Old Ways</i> 1985 studio album by Neil Young

Old Ways is the 15th studio album by Canadian-American musician and singer-songwriter Neil Young, released on August 12, 1985, on Geffen Records.

<i>Homegrown</i> (Neil Young album) 2020 studio album by Neil Young

Homegrown is the 42nd studio album by Canadian-American Neil Young. It was released on June 19, 2020, by Reprise Records. The album consists of material recorded between June 1974 and January 1975. The album was recorded after the release of On the Beach and before the sessions for Zuma. Like those two albums, much of the material was inspired by Young's relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress, which was deteriorating in 1974. The album was compiled and prepared for release in 1975. Instead, Tonight's the Night was released, and Homegrown remained unreleased for 45 years. It was finally set for release as part of Record Store Day 2020, amid Neil Young's ongoing Archives campaign. Its release was again delayed by Record Store Day's postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, before finally seeing release on June 19.

<i>Chrome Dreams</i> 2023 studio album by Neil Young

Chrome Dreams is the 46th studio album by Neil Young. It was first compiled as an acetate for consideration as an album for release in 1977. A copy of the acetate widely circulated as a bootleg in the decades prior to its release. The album was officially released on August 11, 2023, to universal acclaim from critics.

<i>The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972</i> 2009 box set by Neil Young

Neil Young Archives Vol. 1: 1963–1972 is the first in a planned series of box sets of archival material by Canadian-American musician Neil Young. It was released on June 2, 2009, in three different formats - a set of 10 Blu-ray discs in order to present high-resolution audio as well as accompanying visual documentation, a set of 10 DVDs, and a more basic 8-CD set. Covering Young's early years with The Squires and Buffalo Springfield, it also includes various demos, outtakes and alternate versions of songs from his albums Neil Young, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, After the Gold Rush, and Harvest, as well as tracks he recorded with Crazy Horse and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young during this time. Also included in the set are several live discs, as well as a copy of the long out-of-print film Journey Through the Past, directed by Young in the early 1970s.

<i>From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60s Masters</i> 1993 box set by Elvis Presley

From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters is a five-disc box set compilation of studio master recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1960s; it was released in 1993 on RCA Records, catalogue number 66160-2. In its initial long-box release, it included a set of collectable stamps duplicating the record jackets of every Presley LP on RCA Victor, and those of the singles pertinent to this box set. The set also includes a booklet with an extensive session list and discography, as well as a lengthy essay by Peter Guralnick. It was certified Gold by the RIAA on November 30, 1993, and Platinum on January 6, 2004. This set followed an exhaustive box set of Presley's 1950s output and was followed by a collection of his soundtrack work a more selective box set of his work in the 1970s.

<i>Command Performances: The Essential 60s Masters II</i> 1995 compilation album by Elvis Presley

Command Performances: The Essential 60s Masters II is a two-disc compilation of studio master recordings by American singer and musician Elvis Presley during the decade of the 1960s, released in 1995 on RCA Records, catalogue number 66601-2. It also includes a booklet with session details and an essay by Susan M. Doll.

<i>Hitchhiker</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Neil Young

Hitchhiker is the 39th studio album by Canadian / American singer-songwriter Neil Young, issued September 8, 2017, on Reprise Records. It is the ninth release in Young's ongoing archival release series and the first of the Special Release series.

<i>Neil Young Archives Volume II: 1972–1976</i> 2020 box set by Neil Young

Neil Young Archives Volume II: 1972–1976 is a 10-CD box set from American-Canadian folk rock musician Neil Young that was initially released in a limited deluxe box set on November 20, 2020. The release is the second box set in his Neil Young Archives series, following 2009's The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972, and covers a three-and-a-half-year period from 1972 to 1976. The track list was officially announced on the Neil Young Archives site on September 20, 2020, with the first single, "Come Along and Say You Will", being posted to the site as the Song of the Day on October 14. The set then went up for pre-order on October 16, 2020, as an exclusive release to his online store, with only 3,000 copies being initially made available worldwide. After selling out the following day, Young announced several weeks later that a general retail version, as well as a second pressing of the deluxe box set, is expected to be released to market on March 5, 2021. This was followed by the release of a second single, "Homefires", on October 21, and a third, an alternate version of "Powderfinger", on November 3.

<i>Neil Young Archives Volume III: 1976–1987</i> 2024 box set by Neil Young

Neil Young Archives Volume III: 1976–1987 is a 17-CD and 5-Blu-ray disc box set from American-Canadian folk rock musician Neil Young that is planned to be released on CD and vinyl on September 6, 2024. Pre-ordering went live for members of Neil Young Archives on July 25, 2024, with access to a version that came with a CD sampler of 16 tracks and a pin. The release is the third box set in his Neil Young Archives series, following 2009's The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972 and 2020's Neil Young Archives Volume II: 1972–1976, and covers an eleven-year period from 1976 to 1987.

References

  1. 1 2 Ruhlmann, William (1970-11-07). "Hawks & Doves - Neil Young : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-05-27.
  2. 1 2 3 Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. pp. 447, 449.
  3. 1 2 The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 795.
  4. ↑ Thomson, Denny (4 Dec 1980). "Neil Young Hawks and Doves". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 1.
  5. ↑ Niester, Alan (6 Dec 1980). "Hawks and Doves Neil Young". The Globe and Mail. p. F6.
  6. ↑ "Neil Young Archives".
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: Y". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved March 23, 2019– via robertchristgau.com.
  8. ↑ Kot, Greg (18 October 1979). "Neil Young – Rust Never Sleeps". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 "Album of the Week – Hawks & Doves". Neil Young Archives. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  10. 1 2 Mcdonough, Jimmy. 2003. Shakey: Neil Young's Biography. New York: Anchor Books.
  11. ↑ Doggett, Peter. 2019. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young : The Biography. New York: Touchstone.
  12. ↑ Russell, Joe. 2010. The Last Schoonerman. Fine Edge Productions.
  13. ↑ Tuesday, March 24, 2020 "Captain Kennedy": The Story Behind Neil Young's Song. Thrasher's Wheat. http://neilyoungnews.thrasherswheat.org/2020/03/captain-kennedy-story-behind-neil.html
  14. ↑ Durchholz, Daniel, and Gary Graff. 2012. Neil Young : Long May You Run : The Illustrated History. Minneapolis, Mn: Voyageur Press.
  15. ↑ Giles, Jeff. 2015. "When Neil Young Began the Turbulent '80s with 'Hawks & Doves.'" Ultimate Classic Rock. October 30, 2015. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/neil-young-hawks-doves/.
  16. 1 2 Durchholz, Daniel, and Gary Graff. 2012. Neil Young : Long May You Run: The Illustrated History. Minneapolis, Mn: Voyageur Press.
  17. ↑ Flanagan, Bill. 1986. Written in My Soul. McGraw-Hill/Contemporary.
  18. ↑ "Neil Young: Hawk or Dove?". Robert Christgau. 1980-12-01. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
  19. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
  20. ↑ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 754.
  21. ↑ "Neil Young: On the Beach / American Stars 'n' Bars / Hawks & Doves / Re-ac-tor | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. 2003-09-30. Retrieved 2015-06-01.
  22. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. November 1, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  23. ↑ Stefanic, Vern (7 Nov 1980). "Musical Craft, Perception Neil Young's Only Constants". Tulsa World. p. 4B.
  24. ↑ Stodder, John (8 Nov 1980). "Canadian Young focuses United States' 'Hawks & Doves' clearly". Courier-News. p. B5.
  25. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. p. 97. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  26. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0282". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Neil Young – Hawks & Doves" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  28. ↑ "Charts.nz – Neil Young – Hawks & Doves". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Neil Young – Hawks & Doves". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Neil Young – Hawks & Doves". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Neil Young Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.