Song of the Day 9/5: Neil Young, “Like a Hurricane”

Yeah, Dorian is just a flimsy excuse to play one of my favorite Neil Young songs. It was written in 1975, recorded for “American Stars and Bars” for release in 1977, and has been part of virtually every Neil Young concert ever since.

Not many people have covered the tune, perhaps because it’s such a signature song for Young, but Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit did a killer cover during their 2015 tour, using it as the final song of the night.

Another band that has covered the song in concert pretty steadily over the decades is, believe it or not, Roxy Music, because nobody knows what tune will catch Bryan Ferry’s fancy next. Here’s a 1972 version, featuring a long solo by Andy McKay on the saxophone.

An even more surprising cover was authored by Adam Sandler, of all people, who does a decent Neil Young impersonation for most of the song, and guest guitarist Waddy Wachtel is the only guitarist I’ve ever heard duplicate Young’s fluid relationship with the beat.