Heart of Gold ( Neil Young song ) - wikipedia Heart of Gold ( Neil Young song ) For other uses, see Heart of Gold. `` Heart of Gold '' Heart of Gold by Neil Young Single by Neil Young from the album Harvest B - side `` Sugar Mountain '' Released January 1972 ( U.S. ) Format 45 RPM Record Recorded Quadrafonic Sound Studios, Nashville, TN, February 6 -- 7, 1971 Genre Folk rock, country rock Length 3 : 07 Label Reprise Songwriter ( s ) Neil Young Producer ( s ) Elliot Mazer, Neil Young Neil Young singles chronology `` When You Dance I Can Really Love '' ( 1971 ) `` Heart of Gold '' ( 1972 ) `` Old Man '' ( 1972 ) `` When You Dance I Can Really Love '' ( 1971 ) `` Heart of Gold '' ( 1971 ) `` Old Man '' ( 1972 ) Audio sample file help `` Heart of Gold '' is a song by Canadian singer - songwriter Neil Young. Released from the 1972 album Harvest, it is so far Young 's only U.S. No. 1 single. In Canada, it reached No. 1 on the RPM national singles chart for the first time on April 8, 1972, on which date Young held the top spot on both the singles and albums charts. Billboard ranked it as the No. 17 song for 1972. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked it No. 297 on their list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Contents 1 Description 2 Willie Nelson version 3 Recognition 4 Chart performance 5 Personnel 6 References 7 External links Description The song, which features backup vocals of James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, is one of a series of soft acoustic pieces which were written partly as a result of a back injury. Unable to stand for long periods of time, Young could not play his electric guitar and so returned to his acoustic guitar, which he could play sitting down. He also played his harmonica during the three instrumental portions, including the Introduction to the song. `` Heart of Gold '' was recorded during the initial sessions for Harvest on February 6 -- - 8 1971 at Quadrafonic Sound Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. Ronstadt ( who herself would later cover Young 's song `` Love is a Rose '' ) and Taylor were in Nashville at the time for an appearance on Johnny Cash 's television program, and the album 's producer Elliot Mazer arranged for them to sing backup for Young in the studio. Young played this song in 1971 solo shows before recording it. At a January 19 concert ( preserved on Live at Massey Hall 1971, released in 2007 ) he played it on piano, starting with `` A Man Needs a Maid '' and then segueing into this song. By the time of Harvest he had separated the two songs and played `` Heart of Gold '' on guitar and harmonica. Young wrote in the liner notes of his 1977 compilation album Decade : `` This song put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there. '' This statement was in response to the mainstream popularity that he gained as a result of the number - one status of `` Heart of Gold ''. In 1985, Bob Dylan admitted that he disliked hearing this song, despite always liking Neil Young : The only time it bothered me that someone sounded like me was when I was living in Phoenix, Arizona, in about ' 72 and the big song at the time was `` Heart of Gold ''. I used to hate it when it came on the radio. I always liked Neil Young, but it bothered me every time I listened to `` Heart of Gold. '' I think it was up at number one for a long time, and I 'd say, `` Shit, that 's me. If it sounds like me, it should as well be me. '' Willie Nelson Version A cover by Willie Nelson peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1987. Recognition In 2005, `` Heart of Gold '' was named the third greatest Canadian song of all time on the CBC Radio One series 50 Tracks : The Canadian Version. It ranked behind only Barenaked Ladies ' `` If I Had $1,000,000 '' and Ian and Sylvia 's `` Four Strong Winds '', the latter covered by Young on his 1978 album Comes a Time. Chart performance Chart ( 1972 ) Peak position U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Billboard Easy Listening 8 Canadian RPM Top Singles Ireland ( IRMA ) 12 New Zealand ( Listener ) 10 Norwegian Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 9 UK Singles Chart 10 Personnel Neil Young -- lead vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica Teddy Irwin -- guitar Ben Keith -- pedal steel guitar Tim Drummond -- bass Kenny Buttrey -- drums James Taylor -- backing vocals Linda Ronstadt -- backing vocals References Jump up ^ `` Harvest ''. Discogs. Retrieved 2015 - 07 - 21. Jump up ^ List of Canadian number - one albums of 1972 Jump up ^ Billboard Year - End Hot 100 singles of 1972 Jump up ^ Rollingstone.com, Issue 963, December 9, 2004 ( subscription required ). See also Wikipedia article Jump up ^ McDonough, Jim, Shakey, Random 2002, pp. 352 - 354, 370. Jump up ^ Crowe, Cameron, Neil Young, the Last American Hero. Rolling Stone, February 8, 1989, webpage found 2007 - 11 - 29. Jump up ^ See video recording on YouTube Jump up ^ `` Thrasher '', Neil Young 's Heart of Gold, web page found 2007 - 11 - 29. Jump up ^ Elliot Mazer, Neil Young 's Heart of Gold Archived 2004 - 11 - 22 at the Wayback Machine... In Mix, 2001 - 05 - 01, webpage found 2007 - 11 - 29. Jump up ^ December 1985 Spin archive, Bob Dylan : Not Like a Rolling Stone Interview Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 2013 ). Hot Country Songs 1944 -- 2012. Record Research, Inc. p. 238. ISBN 978 - 0 - 89820 - 203 - 8. Jump up ^ ' 50 Tracks ' list of essential Canadian music, 2005 Jump up ^ Whitburn, Joel ( 1993 ). Top Adult Contemporary : 1961 -- 1993. Record Research. p. 263. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- Heart of Gold ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017. Jump up ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 15 May 1972 External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Preceded by `` Without You '' by Nilsson US Billboard Hot 100 number - one single March 18, 1972 Succeeded by `` A Horse with No Name '' by America Preceded by `` Cotton Jenny '' by Anne Murray Canadian RPM 100 number - one single April 18, 1972 Succeeded by `` A Horse with No Name '' by America Preceded by `` Puppy Love '' by Donny Osmond Canadian RPM 100 number - one single May 13, 1972 Succeeded by `` The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face '' by Roberta Flack Neil Young Crazy Horse The Stray Gators Promise of the Real Studio albums Neil Young Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere After the Gold Rush Harvest On the Beach Tonight 's the Night Zuma American Stars ' n Bars Comes a Time Hawks & Doves Re ac tor Trans Everybody 's Rockin ' Old Ways Landing on Water This Note 's for You Freedom Ragged Glory Harvest Moon Sleeps with Angels Mirror Ball Broken Arrow Silver & Gold Are You Passionate ? Greendale Prairie Wind Living with War Chrome Dreams II Fork in the Road Le Noise Americana Psychedelic Pill A Letter Home Storytone The Monsanto Years Peace Trail Hitchhiker The Visitor EPs Eldorado Live albums Time Fades Away Rust Never Sleeps Live Rust Life Arc Weld Unplugged Year of the Horse Road Rock Vol. 1 Earth Soundtracks Journey Through the Past Where the Buffalo Roam Philadelphia Dead Man Compilations Decade Lucky Thirteen Greatest Hits Archives series The Archives Vol. 1 1963 -- 1972 Archives Performance series Live at the Fillmore East Live at Massey Hall 1971 Sugar Mountain -- Live at Canterbury House 1968 Live at the Riverboat 1969 Dreamin ' Man Live ' 92 A Treasure Live at the Cellar Door Bluenote Café Unreleased albums Homegrown Chrome Dreams Songs `` Mr. Soul '' `` Broken Arrow '' `` Expecting to Fly '' `` Sugar Mountain '' `` The Loner '' `` I 've Been Waiting for You '' `` Cinnamon Girl '' `` Down by the River '' `` Cowgirl in the Sand '' `` Helpless '' `` Ohio '' `` Tell Me Why '' `` After the Gold Rush '' `` Only Love Can Break Your Heart '' `` Southern Man '' `` Do n't Let It Bring You Down '' `` When You Dance I Can Really Love '' `` Bad Fog of Loneliness '' `` A Man Needs a Maid '' `` Heart of Gold '' `` Are You Ready for the Country ? '' `` Old Man '' `` The Needle and the Damage Done '' `` Cortez the Killer '' `` Will to Love '' `` Like a Hurricane '' `` Love Is a Rose '' `` Lotta Love '' `` Hey Hey, My My ( Into the Black ) '' `` Pocahontas '' `` Powderfinger '' `` Sedan Delivery '' `` Rockin ' in the Free World '' `` No More '' `` Wrecking Ball '' `` Downtown '' `` Let 's Impeach the President '' `` Angry World '' `` A Rock Star Bucks a Coffee Shop '' Films and Videos Journey Through the Past Human Highway Neil Young in Berlin Solo Trans Year of the Horse Neil Young : Silver and Gold Greendale Neil Young : Heart of Gold CSNY / Déjà Vu Neil Young Trunk Show Neil Young Journeys Books Waging Heavy Peace : A Hippie Dream Related Discography The Squires The Mynah Birds Buffalo Springfield Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young The Stills -- Young Band The Bridge : A Tribute to Neil Young Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi Pono Old Black Farm Aid Bridge School Benefit Pegi Young ( former wife ) Carrie Snodgress Portal Willie Nelson singles discography 1950s and 1960s 1957 `` No Place For Me '' / `` Lumberjack '' 1959 `` Man With the Blues '' / `` The Storm Has Just Begun '' 1960 `` What a Way to Live '' / `` Misery Mansion '' `` Nite Life '' / `` Rainy Day Blues '' 1961 `` The Part Where I Cry '' / `` Mr. Record Man '' 1962 `` Willingly '' / `` Chain of Love '' `` Touch Me '' / `` Where My House Lives '' `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' / `` There 's Gonna Be Love In My House '' `` You Dream About Me '' / `` Is This My Destiny '' 1963 `` Half a Man '' / `` The Last Letter '' `` Take My Word '' / `` Feed it a Memory '' 1964 `` How Long is Forever '' / `` You Took My Happy Away '' `` Am I Blue '' / `` There 'll Be No Teardrops Tonight '' `` River Boy '' / `` Opportunity to Cry '' `` I Never Cared For You '' / `` You Left Me ( A Long Time Ago ) '' `` Pretty Paper '' / `` What A Merry Christmas This Could Be '' 1965 `` She 's Not For You '' / `` Permanently Lonely '' `` Healing Hands of Time '' / `` One Day at the Time '' `` I Just Ca n't Let You Say Goodbye '' / `` And So Will You, My Love '' 1966 `` One In A Row '' / `` San Antonio Rose '' `` Colombus Stockade Blues '' / `` He Sits at my Table '' `` I 'm Still Not Over You '' / `` I Love You Because '' 1967 `` The Party 's Over '' / `` Make Way for a Better Man '' `` Blackjack County Chain '' / `` Some Other World '' `` San Antonio '' / `` To Make a Long Story Short '' 1968 `` Little Things '' / `` Sweet Memories '' `` Good Times '' / `` Where Do You Stand '' `` Johnny One Time '' / `` She 's Still Gone '' 1969 `` Bring Me Sunshine '' / `` Do n't Say Love or Nothing '' `` I Hope So '' / `` Right or Wrong '' 1970s 1970 `` Once More With Feeling '' / `` Who Do I Know in Dallas '' `` Laying My Burdens Down '' / `` Truth Number One '' 1971 `` I 'm a Memory '' / `` Fire and Rain '' `` Yesterday 's Wine '' / `` Me and Paul '' 1972 `` Words Do n't Fit the Picture '' / `` A Moment '' 1973 `` Shotgun Willie '' ( mono ) / `` Sad Songs and Waltzes '' `` Stay All Night ( Stay a Little Longer ) '' / `` Devil in a Sleepin ' Bag '' `` I Still Ca n't Believe You 're Gone '' / `` Heaven and Hell '' `` Bloody Mary Morning '' / `` After the Fire is Gone '' ( with Tracy Nelson ) `` Sister 's Comin ' Home '' ( mono ) / `` Pick Up The Tempo '' `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' / `` Bandera '' 1976 `` Remember Me ( When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming ) '' / `` Time of the Preacher '' `` I 'd Have to Be Crazy '' ( mono ) / `` Amazing Grace '' `` If You 've Got the Money I 've Got the Time '' / `` The Sound in Your Mind '' 1977 `` Uncloudy Day '' / `` Precious Memories '' `` I Love You A Thousand Ways '' / `` Mom and Dad 's Waltz '' 1978 `` Georgia on My Mind '' / `` On The Sunny Side Of The Street '' `` Blue Skies '' / `` Moonlight in Vermont '' `` All of Me '' / `` Unchained Melody '' 1979 `` Whiskey River '' / `` Under the Double Eagle '' `` September Song '' / `` Do n't Get Around Much Anymore '' `` White Christmas '' / `` Blue Christmas '' 1980s 1980 `` Help Me Make It Through the Night '' / `` The Pilgrim, Chapter 33 '' `` My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys '' / `` Rising Stars '' `` Midnight Rider '' / `` So You Think You 're A Cowboy '' `` On the Road Again '' / `` Jumpin ' Cotton Eyed Joe '' ( performed by Johnny Gimble ) 1981 `` Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground '' / `` I Guess I 've Come to Live Here in Your Eyes '' `` Mona Lisa '' / `` Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star '' `` I 'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter '' / `` Over the Rainbow '' `` Heartaches of a Fool '' / `` Uncloudy Day '' 1982 `` Always on My Mind '' / `` The Party 's Over '' `` Let It Be Me '' / `` Permanently Lonely '' `` Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning '' / `` Old Fords and a Natural Stone '' `` Little Old Fashioned Karma '' / `` Beer Barrel Polka '' `` Why Do I Have to Choose '' / `` Would You Lay with Me ( In a Field of Stone ) '' `` Take It to the Limit '' / `` Till I Gain Control Again '' `` Without a Song '' 1984 `` City of New Orleans ( Unedited version ) '' / `` Why Are You Pickin ' On Me '' 1985 `` Forgiving You Was Easy '' / `` You Would n't Cross the Street '' `` Me and Paul '' / `` I Let My Mind Wander '' 1986 `` Living in the Promiseland '' / `` Bach Minuet in G '' `` I 'm Not Trying to Forget You '' / `` I 've Got the Craziest Feeling '' `` Partners After All '' / `` Home Away From Home '' `` Heart of Gold '' / `` So Much Like My Dad '' `` Island in the Sea '' / `` There Is No Easy Way '' `` Nobody There But Me '' / `` Wake Me When It 's Over '' `` Spanish Eyes '' ( with Julio Iglesias ) / `` Ole Buttermilk Sky '' `` Twilight Time '' / `` Ac - Cent - Tchu - Ate the Positive '' `` Nothing I Can Do About It Now '' / `` If I Were a Painting '' `` There You Are '' / `` Spirit '' `` Is The Better Part Over '' / `` Mr. Record Man '' 1990s `` The Highway '' / `` Spirit '' `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' / `` I Never Cared For You '' ( `` Ai n't Necessarily So '' also on CD Single ) 1991 `` The Piper Came Today '' / `` ( I Do n't Have a Reason ) To Go To California Anymore '' ( `` The Piper Came Today '' also on CD Single ) `` Ten With a Two '' / `` You Decide '' `` Graceland '' `` Still is Still Moving to Me '' / `` Valentine '' 1995 `` Turn Me Loose and Let Me Swing '' 1998 `` I Never Cared for You '' 2000s and 2010s 2002 `` Mendocino County Line '' ( with Lee Ann Womack ) / `` Maria ( Shut Up and Kiss Me ) '' ( Both single tracks released on CD and 7 '' record ) 2003 `` Wurlitzer Prize '' ( with Norah Jones ) `` Beer for My Horses '' ( with Toby Keith ) 2005 `` I 'm a Worried Man '' ( with Toots Hibbert ) `` The Harder They Come '' 2006 `` You Do n't Know Me '' `` Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other '' 2008 `` Gravedigger '' `` You Do n't Think I 'm Funny Anymore '' 2011 `` The Scientist '' 2012 `` Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die '' `` Just Breathe '' `` Come On Back Jesus '' 2013 `` From Here to the Moon and Back '' ( with Dolly Parton ) `` Grandma 's Hands '' ( with Mavis Staples ) `` It Wo n't Be Long '' ( with The Secret Sisters ) `` Somewhere Between '' ( with Loretta Lynn ) 2014 `` The Wall '' `` Bring It On '' `` Laws of Nature '' `` Who 'll Buy My Memories '' `` Summer of Roses '' / `` December Day '' 2015 `` It 's All Going to Pot '' `` Alice in Hulaland '' 2016 `` Lay Me Down '' 2017 `` Still Not Dead '' 2018 `` Last Man Standing '' Book : Willie Nelson Category : Willie Nelson Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heart_of_Gold_(Neil_Young_song)&oldid=813426734 '' Categories : 1971 singles 1987 singles Neil Young songs Willie Nelson songs Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles RPM Top Singles number - one singles Songs written by Neil Young Reprise Records singles Song recordings produced by Elliot Mazer Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart called without artist Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Ελληνικά Español فارسی Français Italiano Nederlands Norsk nynorsk Русский Suomi Svenska Tiếng Việt 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 3 December 2017, at 17 : 29. 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Question: who sings searching for a heart of gold
Answer: Neil Young