"There's a World," the Neil Young original or the Sufjan Stevens cover?

Probably frustrated by the announcement that the "loner's" next European tour won't be coming to us, we started listening again to the essential Harvest from which this song is taken. Not necessarily, one of those that we remember first and foremost in this Canadian classic where Out of the Weekend, Heart of Gold or The Needle and the Damage Done encouraged an entire generation to strum the guitar while puffing on a chilom (in moderation). Logical since There's a World is characterized by its arrangements developed for the London Symphony Orchestra. Wedged between the acoustic Old Man and the electric Alabama, it's a real oddity that Neil Young fans willingly skip when listening to Harvest. The song is even often considered a stain on his repertoire. We won't be so harsh.

It's at the very end of his latest album Javelin that we spot this beautiful cover. The original is barely recognizable. Gone are the terribly dated arrangements (but they were already dated at the time) by Jack Nitzsche, who we have known to be more inspired, co-mastermind notably with Phil Spector of the famous "Wall of Sound". It is with great delicacy that the American from Detroit takes hold of Neil Young's song to raise it to the stars with his diaphanous choirs and minimal orchestration. We almost have the impression of dealing with a piece written and composed by Stevens , an intimate genius whose particular register nevertheless addresses the greatest number. A striking interpretation where the words "We are leaving, we are gone, come with us to all alone" resonate particularly when we know that this album is dedicated to her boyfriend Evans Richardson, who died in April 2023, at just 43 years old, a few months before the release of Javelin.