"The economy was getting so bad I had to lay myself off"

The title of this post is actually a lyric from the title track of OLD WAYS (1985). Apparently, the album was actually recorded in 1983. However, Geffen had no interest in releasing a country album by Neil Young at that time (or any other, probably). As the story goes, Neil was asked to make a “rock and roll” album instead. Naturally, he gave them EVERYBODY’S ROCKIN’ (1983). It would seem that move did not help his relationship with his label! (Some people just have no sense of humor when it comes to the business of making money.) Eventually, after some serious arguing, OLD WAYS was released in 1985.

In any event, here are the songs:

The Wayward Wind (3:13)
Get Back to the Country (2:51)
Are There Any More Real Cowboys? (3:04)
Once an Angel (3:56)
Misfits (5:07)
California Sunset (2:57)
Old Ways (3:08)
My Boy (3:37)
Bound for Glory (5:48)
Where is the Highway Tonight? (3:03)

Two of country music’s heaviest hitters in the late '70s/early '80s make guest appearances: Willie Nelson appears on one song, and Waylon Jennings appears on six songs. It is often stated that these guys helped give Neil "credibility" in the country music world. What I do know is this: this is a country album. I mean, pure freakin' country. My stepfather used to listen to Waylon & Willie albums (when they used to record together) when I was a young kid. My father took me with him to see Willie Nelson perform live on two separate occasions (I was probably 10 years old the first time and 12 the second time). So, although I'm not much of a country music fan, I know it when I hear it. OLD WAYS sounds like '70s country (i.e., not quite Hank Williams, Sr., but certainly not Hank Williams, Jr.).

"The Wayward Wind" is a country standard, written by Stan Lebowsky and Herbert Newman. Waylon plays electric guitar. Neil plays acoustic, and sings duet with Denise Draper (sounds more than a bit like Dolly Parton). "Get Back to the Country" is an upbeat number, and includes these lyrics, "When I was a younger man/Got lucky with a rock 'n' roll band/Struck gold in Hollywood/All that time I knew I would/Get back to the country/Back where it all began". It's good-natured enough, although many listeners will be annoyed by the constant "boing-boing-boing" of the Jew's Harp.

Neil asks "Are There Any More Real Cowboys?" with Willie Nelson ("Not the one that's snortin' cocaine/When the honky-tonk's all closed/But the one that prays for more rain/Heaven knows/That the good feed brings the money/And the money buys the clothes/Not the diamond sequins shining on TV/But the kind the working cowboy really needs").

"Once an Angel" is a bit twangy for my tastes (Again, I'm far from the world's biggest country fan). "Misfits" is rather slow, plodding, and heavy on the strings (another of my less-favorite features). "California Sunset" is a decent tune.

"Old Ways" is twangy, but upbeat and good-natured ("It's hard to teach a dinosaur a new trick/Lately I've been finding out/I'm set in my ways/Old ways, can be your ball and chain"). "My Boy" struck me as somewhat maudlin at first. However, after several listens, I've really warmed up to it. Neil plays banjo, electric guitar, and harmonica on this mellow, sweet tune. "Why are you growin' up so fast/My boy?/Oh, you'd better take your time/Why are you growin' up so fast/My son?" When taken in the context of Neil's sons' disabilities, this one is a downright country tear-jerker.

Waylon reappears to help close out the album with "Bound for Glory" and "Where is the Highway Tonight?". The former is the story of a man who leaves his wife and two kids to run off with a woman he picked up hitchhiking. The latter seems to tell the story of a man who's stepped out on his woman before, been forgiven and taken back, promised to be faithful, yet still hears the "haunting melody" calling him back to the highway.

Bottom line: My wife, who is much more of a country music fan than I (though she tends to newer, Garth Brooks-and-beyond-style country), overheard me listening to OLD WAYS. She inquired, "What's up with this old-school country?" I explained it was part of my personal Neil Young re-discovery project. Her follow-up question was, "This is Neil Young?!?" My response was a nod of the head, to which she replied, "Wow. He really sounds good at whatever he does." I think that speaks for itself. Just remember, before buying OLD WAYS, that it is a COUNTRY MUSIC ALBUM (Have I mentioned that yet?). Don't come crying to me later that it doesn't sound like Crazy Horse Neil.

PS - I read a rumor that Neil added a lot of production and instrumentation to these songs during the time he was trying to get it released. I'm not sure if that's true or not. However, if it is true, then I'd like to hear the original versions. Also, the lyric that follows the lyric used as the title of this post: "Well, working was a habit I had/So I kept showin' up anyway/Then one day things turned around/I got my back pay/Old ways comin' through again".