On This Day – February 1, 1972: Neil Young releases his fourth studio album, ‘Harvest’

On this day: February 1, 1972

Neil Young released his fourth studio album, Harvest, which went on to be a classic and signature album for him. The record peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart and became the bestselling album of 1972.

Harvest featured two classic Young songs, “Heart of Gold,” which went to number one on the Hot 100, and “Old Man,” which landed in the Top 40. Other songs on the album include “The Needle and the Damage Done” and “A Man Needs a Maid.”

The album featured special appearances by London Symphony Orchestra, as well as background vocals from guests like David Crosby, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Stephen Stills and James Taylor.

In December 2022, Young released a 50th anniversary edition of Harvest that included, among other things, a previously unseen two-hour documentary filmed in 1971 that focuses on the making of the album.