Joseph Beach A Lotta Love Rhetorical Analysis

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Joseph Beach
Professor Blouch
ENG 1201.517
21 February 2021
A Lotta Love
Music by its very nature is subjective, and songs and their lyrics are often open for
individual interpretation. Covering, or “re-doing,” a song allows a musician to put their own spin
on previously written and performed material, expanding upon and sometimes complicating an
original message by presenting it in a new light. One such example is the song “Lotta Love.”
Originally written and recorded by Neil Young, it was later recorded by Nicolette Larson, who
adapted the song to fit mainstream trends of the time to her breakout success. “Lotta Love”
exemplifies how a song can retain its original message while its mood and musical arrangement
is altered to appeal to differing audiences.
“Lotta Love” was first featured on Neil Young’s 1978 album “Comes a Time.” Already
established as a successful folk musician, Young found himself in a changing musical landscape.
Disco and funk were becoming mainstream, and the characteristics of those genres were being
adopted by many. However, Young remained undeterred and unwavering in his style. “Comes A
Time” was in many ways a country-folk record in which “Lotta Love” fit nicely, with relatively
sparse and typical instrumentation that allowed Young’s vocals and lyrics to take center stage.
Many supporting musicians were featured on “Comes A Time,” including Nicolette
Larson, who provided background vocals on a few songs but notably not “Lotta Love.” It is
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speculated that Young and Larson had an affair during this period, and that she first heard the
song after finding it on a tape on the floor of Young’s car. Recognizing her interest in the song,
Young offered it to her to do a version if she wished. She did, and “Lotta Love” was included on
her own album “Nicolette” later in 1978.
The video of Neil Young’s version of this song is from his “Rust Never Sleeps” tour in
1978 and features Crazy Horse as the backing band. The arrangement is much the same as the
recorded version – acoustic guitar, piano, drums, bass – and is performed with accuracy and
sentimentality. Again, Young’s vocals are the focus, and he sings about love being necessary to
resolve disputes and work through difficulties in a relationship. He begins the song sitting on a
stool, eyes partly closed, his fragile yet commanding voice captured by small microphones
attached to his harmonica holder. He is not bound to a fixed position at a microphone stand and
is soon up on his feet as the song takes him. With a near-constant scowl and a strain to hit the
high notes, it seems obvious that the song has profound personal meaning. His performance
conjures feelings of melancholy and loneliness contrasted with an understanding of the need to
face those feelings and connect with those who may be the cause of such anguish.
Nicolette Larson’s rendition can be seen as a cultural appropriation of Young’s lyrics and
melody arranged and performed as what might be referred to as a disco ballad. The
instrumentation is more contemporary for the time, including elements such as strings, horns,
and even a flute solo. The bassline is more complex and employs funk-inspired articulations that
play with a more prominent, yet light and airy drum beat. On top of this, Larson seems more in
control of the lyrics, even though they are unchanged, and provides an optimistic perspective that
is appropriately suited for the intended audience. She is seen dancing along, offering the
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occasional smile, and singing with power and fluidity. Her version reached number eight on the
Top Pop Singles Chart in 1978, which helped to propel her career.
How the two versions of “Lotta Love” differ, both being recorded and released in 1978,
is a matter of the audience to which each artist appealed. Neil Young’s rendition is meant for
folk music fans who do not always follow popular trends. It is a relatively sparse song that uses
traditional arrangement and does not necessarily offer anything new in the way of genre
advancement and evolution. On the other hand, Nicolette Larson capitalized on applying
components of a burgeoning new genre to a song that would have perhaps never gained pop
success and that subsequently captured the ears of a wider and more mainstream audience. While
they both use pathos as their main rhetorical device, their difference in approach and execution
of the song has a distinct impact on the viewer’s interpretation of the message that reinforces and
justifies how the same song can be altered to appeal to a myriad of audiences.
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Works Cited
Larson, Nicolette. “Lotta Love.” WarmerMusicVideos. Youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMpUMBfrkeE. Accessed 14 February 2021.
Young, Neil. “Lotta Love.” Leovis Simoes. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ELakJxPiieU. Accessed 14 February 2021.

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is altered to appeal to differing audiences.

Many supporting musicians were featured on “Comes A Time,” including Nicolette

her own album “Nicolette” later in 1978.

Larson, Nicolette. “Lotta Love.” WarmerMusicVideos. Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMpUMBfrkeE. Accessed 14 February 2021.

Young, Neil. “Lotta Love.” Leovis Simoes. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=ELakJxPiieU. Accessed 14 February 2021.

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