Cortez the Killer

This article is about the song. For the person upon which the song is based, see Hernán Cortés.
"Cortez the Killer"
Song by Neil Young
from the album Zuma
ReleasedNovember 10, 1975
RecordedMay 22, 1975
StudioPoint Dume, California
Genre
Length7:29
LabelReprise
Songwriter(s)Neil Young
Producer(s)

"Cortez the Killer" is a song by Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young from his 1975 album, Zuma. It was recorded with the band Crazy Horse. It has since been ranked No. 39 on Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos and No. 329 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[2]

Young has stated in concert that he wrote the song while studying history in high school in Winnipeg. According to Young's notes for the album Decade, the song was banned in Spain under Francisco Franco; according to Xavier Valiño, when Zuma was released in Spain following Franco's death, the song was listed as "Cortez, Cortez".[3][4]

  1. ^ "Neil Young Discography: Zuma". neilyoung.com. Archived from the original on 2006-02-07. Retrieved 2015-07-23.
  2. ^ "Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. April 7, 2011. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  3. ^ Manrique, Diego A. (2012-01-20). "Los discos prohibidos del franquismo". El País.
  4. ^ "Neil Young with Crazy Horse - Zuma". Discogs. Retrieved November 13, 2023.