Neil Young – “Who’s Gonna Stand Up? (And Save The Earth)”
Neil Young has been talking up the documentary Under The Influence — about the debilitating influence and consequences of corporate sprawl — and recently he posted a link to the film’s site on his website. Today he added a new song, “Who’s Gonna Stand Up? (And Save The Earth),” which shares the message of the movie. Young’s statement about the film was pretty direct:
People, please go to this link and share. This is how I feel about what is going on in OUR world. You can learn here. –NY
So here’s the link, and here’s the song:
This version of “Who’s Gonna Stand Up?” was recorded live in Liverpool in July.
UPDATE 9/21: Young has shared two more versions of the song, one solo acoustic and one featuring a 92-member orchestra and choir, to his site in honor of today’s People’s Climate March in New York City. He writes:
I’m giving you permission to please use this music in videos, clips and communications, or in any way you see fit during this critical time. I hope this music can assist you in the important work we do to reach out for understanding and action in the world.
thanks,
Neil Young
There is also some background:
September 20, 2014
What started as a live Crazy Horse song and was introduced to thousands of audience members wearing organic cotton EARTH shirts this fall in Europe has now been recorded live on the old MGM Sound Stage, (Now SONY), in Hollywood. With over sixty of the music industry’s finest musicians and a thirty-voice choir, this epic version resonates with a sound that has never been heard on a protest song before.
Neil Young and all of these ninety musicians and singers recorded the song live together with no overdubs. Arrangement is by Christopher Walden. Mix is by Al Schmitt, who is one of the great “eminences grises” of the American music world, the most decorated engineer/mixer in Grammy history, and the recording is produced by “The Volume Dealers.”
Listen to all the versions below.
UPDATE 9/25: Warner Bros confirms this song will appear on Neil Young’s rumored orchestral LP Storeytone, out in November.
