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Rating: In Neil Young's now forty-year career, the '80s represent the crossing of the desert. The troubled transition between the previous decade, in which he was the undisputed leading actor, and the '90s, when Neil would happily ride the grunge wave, inaugurating an artistic revival that lasts up to the present day.
Following the triumph of “Rust Never Sleeps,” Neil began his most unhappy decade in 1980 with the controversial “Hawks & Doves.” The Canadian's mind was occupied with serious family problems due to his children's illnesses, and there was also a contract to respect. “Hawks & Doves” is therefore put together in haste, in a decidedly schizophrenic manner, which affects its success.
The first side is entirely acoustic, and Neil revisits 4 tracks from the sessions of the golden period 73-76, even from the legendary and never-released “Homegrown.” The quality present is therefore quite high, although it sounds somewhat outdated. “Little Wings,” “Captain Kennedy,” and “Lost In Space” are three exquisitely crafted folk gems, and they serve as bridesmaids to the masterpiece “The Old Homestead,” a long and superb composition. Here Neil darkens the atmospheres of “Last Trip To Tulsa,” portraying a lone cowboy traveling in the Heart of Darkness of the '70s and its broken myths, with a strong cryptic and vivid lyricism. A piece that would have been perfect in the grooves of “Brokeback Mountain.”
The second side unfortunately is not of the same level. Accompanied by Ben Keith’s steel guitar and a brand-new group, Neil traverses the paths of a ramshackle and formulaic country-rock. While “Coastline” and “ Stayin’ Power” represent tender portraits of the family troubles of the period, the other tracks - particularly the title track - turn out to be quite annoying, paradoxically sounding like the soundtrack of that Southern imagery that Neil previously lampooned in memorable tracks like “Southern Man” or “Alabama.”
The controversial nature mentioned at the beginning is due to the political dimension that the record was meant to have according to its author’s intentions, but it did not fully materialize due to the little time dedicated to it. “Hawks and Doves” indeed, referring to the American political context of the period, from the transition from the dove Carter to the hawk Reagan, in a tumultuous international context. Tracks like “Union Man,” “Comin’ Apart At Every Nail,” or the title track mock Reaganite stereotypes, although some disconcerting statements from "crazy horse" Neil even had him included among the supporters of the cowboy in the White House. Trivialities that Neil Young truly does not deserve.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
04 Captain Kennedy (02:51)
I am a young mariner headed to war
I'm thinkin' 'bout my family and what it was for
There's water on the wood and the sails feel good
And when I get to shore I hope that I can kill good.
My father was a sailor named Captain Kennedy
He lost his wooden schooner to the Germans on the sea
Exploded on the water for everyone to see
And humiliate that American Captain Kennedy.
I saw him in Nassau in 1971
His strength was failin' but he still ran a run
He worked 'til his fingers wore to the bone
To buy that wooden schooner and sail on his own.
He was known in the islands as hundred foot iron
That steel hull freighter was passin' its time
And time flew by faster with life on the sea
And the days grew shorter for Captain Kennedy.
I am a young mariner headed to war
I'm thinkin' 'bout my family and what it was for
There's water on the wood and the sails feel good
And when I get to shore I hope that I can kill good.
06 Coastline (02:27)
Down on the coastline, Highway One
People headin' out for the sun
That's where I found you,
long time ago.
You're my angel, you're my queen
You're my best friends in between
We don't back down from no trouble
We do get up in the mornin'.
Oooweee, baby, what a night
That old moon sure is shinin' bright
We'll be dancin'
'til the mornin' comes.
High on the mountain top
above the clouds
No wonder we get a little loud
We don't back down from no trouble
We do get up in the mornin'.
09 Hawks & Doves (03:26)
Ain't getting old,
ain't getting younger though
Just getting used
to the lay of the land
I ain't tongue-tied,
just don't got nothin' to say
I'm proud to be livin' in the U.S.A.
Ready to go, willin' to stay and pay
U.S.A., U.S.A.
So my sweet love can dance
another free day
U.S.A., U.S.A.
In history we painted pictures grim
The devil knows
we might feel that way again
The big wind blows,
so the tall grass bends
But for you don't
push too hard my friend.
Ready to go, willin' to stay and pay
U.S.A., U.S.A.
So my sweet wife can dance
another free day
U.S.A., U.S.A.
Got people here
down on their knees and prayin'
Hawks and doves
are circlin' in the rain
Got rock and roll,
got country music playin'
If you hate us, you just
don't know what you're sayin'.
Ready to go, willin' to stay and pay
U.S.A., U.S.A.
So my sweet love can dance
another free day
U.S.A., U.S.A.
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