Neil Young ‘After the Gold Rush’ Gets 50th Anniversary Edition
by Best Classic Bands Staff
Neil Young continues to celebrate his vast catalog of recordings. Less than two weeks after he announced a limited edition of Neil Young Archives II: 1972-1976, the legend formally announced a 50th anniversary edition of his 1970 studio album, After the Gold Rush. The original, which includes such Young classics as “Southern Man,” “Don’t Let it Bring You Down,” and “Only Love Can Break Your Heart,” is being modestly expanded.
The title was released on December 11 on CD and can be ordered via the links below. A deluxe vinyl box edition is coming March 19, 2021.
Listen to “Southern Man”
On October 30, the day of the announcement, Young shared the previously unreleased original take of “Wonderin’,” recorded with Crazy Horse. Listen to it below.
The vinyl box set features a variant of the artwork, originally created by Young’s long-time art director, Gary Burden, made in collaboration with artist Jenice Heo, of a solarized image by photographer Joel Bernstein of Young walking in New York against a brick backdrop.
The vinyl set includes a 7″ single in a picture sleeve with two versions of album outtake “Wonderin’.” Side A, originally included in Vol. 1 of his Archives box set, was recorded in Topanga, Calif., in March 1970. The previously released Side B was recorded at Sunset Sound in Hollywood in August 1969. The vinyl edition also includes an exclusive litho print of the album’s front cover.
Individually and collectively, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were all over the charts when Atlantic Records placed this ad in the July 10, 1971 issue of Record World
After the Gold Rush, originally released on September 19, 1970, and its follow-up, 1972’s Harvest, were the two most commercially successful albums of Young’s early career. Gold Rush was Young’s third studio album and it arrived amidst a burst of creative activity. Young’s bandmates in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young would each soon follow with a studio LP of their own, after the March 1970 release of the quartet’s Déjà Vu. Young was signed to Warner Bros. Records’ Reprise label; the others were all with Atlantic.
[Déjà Vu is also expected to be receiving an expanded 50th anniversary edition.]
After the Gold Rush 50th Anniversary Edition Tracklist
Tell Me Why
After the Gold Rush
Only Love Can Break Your Heart
Southern Man
Till the Morning Comes
Oh, Lonesome Me
Don’t Let It Bring You Down
Birds
When You Dance I Can Really Love
I Believe in You
Cripple Creek Ferry
[Break]
Wonderin’
Wonderin’ (prev. unreleaed version)
Listen to the earlier take of “Wonderin'”
[The upcoming set, Neil Young Archives II: 1972-1976, was so limited, in fact, that its entire 3000-piece run sold-out in just two days. A second edition is being made.]
Related: 1970 – The year in 50 classic rock albums
1 Comment so far
Jump into a conversationNice to see 50th anniv. .editions of After The Goldrush and Deja vu. I hope the sound quality will prove to be worthy, especially for Deja vu. Perhaps 2021 will see 50th anniv.editions of Badfinger’s Straight up, Nillson Schmillson, America’s first lp, Alice Cooper Love It To Death, and Free-Fire and Water.