"Harvest" is a song written by

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...

that was the title song of his 1972 album ''

Harvest Harvesting is the process of gathering a ripe crop from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper. On smaller farms with minimal mechanization, harvesting is the most labor-i ...

''.

Music and lyrics

"Harvest" is a slow

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

dance tune. It has a slow tempo, and ''

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'' magazine contributor Graeme Thomson describes it as having a "calm, strangely hypnotic quality." Young is backed on the song by the Stray Gators, with the addition of John Harris on piano. The piano plays a prominent role in the instrumentation. ''

Sound on Sound ''Sound on Sound'' is an independently owned monthly music technology magazine published by SOS Publications Group, based in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The magazine includes product tests of electronic musical performance and recording devices, a ...

'' editor Sam Inglis describes the drumming as "minimalist," with drummer

Kenny Buttrey Aaron Kenneth Buttrey (April 1, 1945 – September 12, 2004) was an American drummer and arranger. According to Country Music Television, CMT, he was "one of the most influential session musicians in Nashville history". Buttrey was born in Nashvi ...

using only one hand and playing only the

snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...

and

bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...

. The lyrics of "Harvest" are obscure. Music critic

Johnny Rogan John Rogan (14 February 1953 – 21 January 2021) was a British author of Irish descent best known for his books about music and popular culture. He wrote influential biographies of the Byrds, Neil Young, the Smiths, Van Morrison and Ray Davies. ...

describes the lyrics as presenting rhetorical questions about a relationship with a woman. To Rogan, the singer wonders how much love he will receive from the relationship and the extent to which we will be able to accept – or harvest – that love. Music journalist Nigel Williamson regards the lyrics as reflecting Young's "inability to accept happiness at face value." Williamson sees the refrain of "Dream up, dream up/Let me fill your cup" as another reference to the "harvest" in the title. Another interpretation of the lyrics is that they reflect the passage of time. Yet another interpretation is that the lyrics are about "maturing out of adolescence." Young biographer Jimmy McDonough interprets lyrics such as "Did she wake you up to tell you that/It was only a change of plan" as referring to his then mother-in-law's previous suicide attempts. Inglis also interprets the line "Did I see you down in a young girl's town/With your mother in so much pain" as referring to this situation. Young biographer

David Downing David Downing (born 1946) is a British author of mystery novels and nonfiction. His works have been reviewed by ''Publishers Weekly'', ''The New York Times'', and ''The Wall Street Journal''. He is known for his convincing depictions of World Wa ...

feels that the song works like a dream, being "so full of recognition, yet so short on sense." Young has stated that this song, as well as "

Out on the Weekend "Out on the Weekend" is a song written by Neil Young that was the opening song of his 1972 album '' Harvest''. Music and lyrics "Out on the Weekend" is a country ballad. Music lecturer Ken Bielen describes it as an "easy-flowing pop song". The S ...

" and " Heart of Gold" from the same album, were inspired by his then blossoming love for actress

Carrie Snodgress Caroline Louise Snodgress (October 27, 1945 – April 1, 2004) was an American actress. She is best remembered for her role in the film ''Diary of a Mad Housewife'' (1970), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award as w ...

Recording

"Harvest" was recorded in April 1971. Unlike most of the songs on ''Harvest'', which required a lot of mixing work, the released version of "Harvest" is a live two-track mix.

Reception

Inglis describes "Harvest" as one of Young's best confessional songs where he expresses his guilt about being unable accept and reciprocate all the love that a woman wants to give him. Thomson describes "Harvest" as "underrated" and "the prettiest song on 'Harvest''" ''

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'' critic Matthew Greenwald described it as having a "retrained, artless grace that is truly timeless." McDonough regards it as "the one truly great moment on ''Harvest''." In 2014 the editors of ''

Rolling Stone Magazine ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its cov ...

'' described "Harvest" as a "lesser-known gem." On the other hand, in his initial review of the ''Harvest'' album, ''Rolling Stone Magazine'' critic John Mendelsohn criticized the Stray Gators playing as a "flaccid imitation" of Young's other backing band of the period,

Crazy Horse Crazy Horse ( lkt, Tȟašúŋke Witkó, italic=no, , ; 1840 – September 5, 1877) was a Lakota war leader of the Oglala band in the 19th century. He took up arms against the United States federal government to fight against encroachment by wh ...

. Young himself declared that "'Harvest' is one of my best songs. That is the best thing on ''Harvest''."

References

{{authority control Neil Young songs 1971 songs Songs written by Neil Young Song recordings produced by Elliot Mazer Song recordings produced by Neil Young