Young wrote the song in July 1975 at a time when he was unable to sing because of an operation on his vocal cords. An edited version of "Like a Hurricane" was released as a single on August 8, 1977, with "Hold Back the Tears" as B-side.[1] Driven by Young's trademark fierce guitars, the song became a landmark of the 'electric side' of his concerts and one of the most famous of Young's songs. The song has been played on nearly every tour Young has done since its release. It has also appeared on the compilations Decade and Greatest Hits and on the live albums Live Rust, Weld, Unplugged (this rendition is played almost entirely on a pump organ) and Way Down in the Rust Bucket.
Composition
The bridge into the chorus of "Like a Hurricane" was inspired by Del Shannon's 1961 song "Runaway".[2]
Reception
Cash Box said that "the melodies are carried by Young's voice and guitar, all brought into focus against a distant landscape of multi-layered string effects."[3]
The song was also covered by The Mission on their second single "Garden of Delight". It was later included on the album The First Chapter (a compilation of their first singles) and Ever After - Live.
Jay Farrar, backed by country-rock band Canyon, covered this song on his live album Stone, Steel, & Bright Lights.
Heather Nova recorded the song at a 1995 concert in Hiroshima, released on import-only CDs Maybe An Angel (Japan) and Truth & Bone (Germany). She also included it in her all-covers 2022 album Other Shores.
In 2018, Pony Boy (the recording pseudonym of Los Angeles singer-songwriter Marchelle Bradanini) covered the song on a split 7-inch single with Australian singer Emma Swift, on which both musicians covered Neil Young songs.[4]
