"Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" is a song by the Canadian-American folk rock band Buffalo Springfield, released as the group's debut single in August 1966.

The lyrics reflect metaphorically on Young's frustration toward his stalled career in music, and was inspired by Ross "Clancy" Smith, an aberrant classmate who incited awe in his school.

In 1968, Fever Tree arguably was the earliest artist to cover a Young song with their orchestrated pop interpretation of "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing"; another version was recorded by the Carpenters.

Buffalo Springfield biographer John Einarson has written of Neil Young experiencing a phase of creativity following his time spent performing as a solo musician in Toronto in 1965.

[2] While his former Squires bandmate Ken Koblun found immediate success as an in-demand bass guitarist, Young's career stalled amid stinging criticism of his concerts and material.

[9] Young contributed on guitar and played harmonica, and provided backing vocals to Buffalo Springfield's recording of the song at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood, featuring Furay singing lead.

Originally, the intention had been to release "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" as the B-side of the lead single from Buffalo Springfield, until Atco Records persuaded the band Young's song was the most obvious choice.

[10] In addition, Charlie Greene and Brian Stone, Buffalo Springfield's management team, bartered an advance tape of the Beatles' "A Day in the Life" to KHJ radio; in exchange, the station became the first to give "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" substantial airplay.

[15] On the single's lackluster commercial performance, Furay later suggested "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" was "too deep" and "too ambitious" of a choice for the A-side, and considered "Do I Have to Come Right Out and Say It" and "Sit Down I Think I Love You" as songs better suited for pop radio.

[16] The song was issued on Buffalo Springfield in December 1966, providing evidence, in music historian Richie Unterberger's words, of Young already arriving as "a songwriter of great talent and enigmatic lyricism".