We Can’t Get Enough Of Neil Young’s Smash Hit “Heart Of Gold”. Here’s Why:

Farm Aid, 1998

Featured on Neil Young’s 1972 album Harvest, the lazy, acoustic driven “Heart Of Gold” is one of our absolute favorites from the legend’s song catalog. It’s sweet, sentimental and deeply introspective without being over the top, and Neil’s talent as a lyricist, singer and multi-instrumentalist never cease to tug at our hearts and put a catch in our throats the moment we hear that harmonica kick in. A staple of many of Young’s concerts since the early 70s, “Heart Of Gold” is never an attention getter more than when it’s performed at Farm Aid – an event fiercely close to Young’s heart – and this performance from 1998 is no different!

Neil Young always manages to pack a lot of emotion into the short time that “Heart Of Gold” runs but for some reason, the sight of a grizzled Young pouring his heart out during this performance with the same kind of quiet vulnerability he did as a young man in his 20s is particularly jarring in the best of ways.

Fun Fact: The album version of “Heart Of Gold” features backing vocals from James Taylor and the lovable Linda Ronstadt.

It’s as if after all these years, Neil’s still searching for the same “Heart Of Gold” he set out to find a lifetime ago, and it’s because of that vulnerability (and fantastic musicianship), we simply cannot get enough of this classic. See for yourself by reliving the magic of the moment in the footage below!