There are songs that are over played via radio (back when that was a thing) or pop culture. And then there are songs that are overplayed via covers – we all know the tired trope of “Freebird” requests from a crowd, or how about that classic Wayne’s World denial. But if you go back to traditional jazz, blues, bluegrass, or gospel, the idea of certain songs becoming “standards” is common and widely accepted. Beyond this being a more accepted part of certain genres, I think there’s something to the idea that some songs are not just beautifully written, but they have a fundamental structure that makes them a willing palette for others to build off of or dig deeper into.
I’m not a very good Neil Young fan. His impact on music is undeniable and I have huge respect for his music and his vision. However, I’ve never really been sucked into all of his music. I think that adds a certain layer of magic into how “Cortez the Killer” became one of my favorite songs, and a song that can easily be argued as one of the few accepted rock “standards.”
I know I heard the Neil Young version on classic rock stations growing up, although probably not very much given it’s non-radio-friendly format. But of course (obvious for those who know my music history) it’s the 20-minute Built to Spill version that generated my love for this song and put it into my pantheon of real classics. Since then, my ears have remained tuned to the sound of that opening guitar riff, always interested to hear a new artist’s take- and why I got excited when I saw Squirrel Flower recently dropped a live cover. (All covers have to be done live, it’s a rule. I’m not sure where this rule is written down, or who enforces it, but I’m in full agreement.)
So, in honor of another great version being added to the tome of Cortez, I thought I’d share that track along with a few of my other favorite interpretations.
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