NeilTest™ Vol. 8 – Cortez the Killer

1975, Zuma – It was Neil's seventh studio album, and it's co-credited to his longtime backing band, Crazy Horse.

Zuma peaked at #25 on the Billboard 200.

Extra credit: Zuma is contained in the name "MonteZUMA," which is found in the lyrics to "Cortez the Killer":

On the shore lay Montezuma
With his coca leaves and pearls
In his halls he often wondered
With the secrets of the world

#39 – Neil is in good company. Some other notable solos floating in the same rarefied air include "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by the Beatles (featuring Eric Clapton) at #42 and Dickey Betts' work in the Allman Brothers' "Jessica" comes in at #47.

Warren Haynes – He's delivered many a monster "Cortez" solo, and this one with the Dave Matthews Band is no exception.

Warren can do it all. Not only does he lay down sick guitar solos, he'll on occasion take lead vocals as well.

The audio above is from 2011 at the Gorge.

Gold treasures – The other references are contained in the following lines:

He came dancin' across the water
With his GALLEONS AND GUNS

Lookin' for the NEW WORLD
In that palace in the sun

In their clothes of many colors
For the ANGRY GODS to see

Young has said in concert that he wrote "Cortez the Killer" while studying history in high school up in his native Canada.

Grace Potter – Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are a fixture on the summer music-festival circuit, and they've been known to cover "Cortez" from time to time.

Extra credit: The guitarist is Joe Satriani, who has toured with Mick Jagger as well as Deep Purple (after the departure of Ritchie Blackmore). Satriani began his career as a guitar instructor, teaching future stars like Steve Vai and Kirk Hammett.

Spain – According to Young, the song "Cortez the Killer" was banned in Spain under the military dictator, General Francisco Franco, who ruled from 1939 until his death in 1975.

Cortez, of course, was a Spaniard, and we can only assume that General Franco did not take kindly to Mr. Young calling his celebrated ancestor a "killer."

Zuma was released in Spain in its entirety following Franco's death.

Extra credit: For the album's release in Spain, "Cortez the Killer" was renamed simply "Cortez."

Built to Spill – It's an indie band out of Boise, ID, formed in 1992. Singer Doug Martsch and the rest of the band channel their best Neil – and it sounds eerily similar to the original.

The live audio is (fittingly) from Built to Spill's album, Live (2000). This particular version runs more than 20 minutes (Neil would approve).

Allman Brothers Band & Widespread Panic – It's an embarrassment of riches with guitar greats Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks and Jimmy Herring teaming up.

The audio is from Saturday, October 17, 2009, at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Texas.

Extra credit: Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Jimmy Herring and John Bell.

Aztec Empire, Mexico – Cortés, one of the most famous conquistadors, conquered the Aztec Empire for Spain in 1521.

He came dancin' across the water
With his galleons and guns
Lookin' for the new world
In that palace in the sun

Neil Young – Yep, that's the Godfather of Grunge himself.

Extra credit: The audio is from Neil's double album, Live Rust (1979).