Having success on his own for a bit, he later joined the folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash as a fourth member in 1969, thus forming Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. He forged a successful and acclaimed solo career, releasing his first album in 1968. His career has since spanned over 40 years and 34 studio albums, with a continual and uncompromising exploration of musical styles; his musical vision is notably referred to by his autobiographical tune"The Loner". Music critics have often called him one of the best single artists of all time, and several tunes such as "Heart of Gold" and "Rockin' in the Free World" remain popular on rock radio.
According to the Don't Be Denied Songfacts, the 16-year-old Neil was raising chickens and selling the eggs, with plans to go to Ontario Agricultural College and be a farmer. Only his leisure activities foretold his future, when he would hide from his family problems in his room with his transistor radio playing local station CHUM. From this, Young experienced a growing admiration for rock n roll originators such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and, of course, Elvis Presley. In 1958, his father bought Neil his first music instrument, a plastic ukulele. His father would later recall, "He would close the door of his room... and we would hear plunk, pause while he moved his fingers to the next chord, plunk, pause while he moved again, plunk."
In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Neil started his professional music career in the mid-60s with a number of bands in Canada, including the Squires and later the Mynah Birds, which also included fellow future Buffalo Springfield bassist Bruce Palmer and future funk star Rick James. When the Mynah Birds broke up, Young and Palmer headed to California to meet Stephen Stills, whom he had met in Thunder Bay, and the result was Buffalo Springfield. That band split up after releasing three critically acclaimed albums, particularly achieving international fame for their tune "For What It's Worth".
Showing his strengths as a cynical yet experimental songwriter in the group, he also sung prominently in some of the band's songs such as the biting satire of 'rock star' life "Mr. Soul". Neil soon started his solo career with the release of 'Neil Young' on November 12, 1968. The album did not do very well commercially, but it included several strong tracks, including "The Loner", said to be a portrait of Stephen Stills but also being deeply auto-biographical.
On May 14, 1969, he recruited members of Crazy Horse and made the critically acclaimed 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere'. This was a much more consistent album, being the first to introduce longstanding collaborators Crazy Horse and beingbuilt around the balanced interplay between the guitar playing of Young and the talented Danny Whitten. The album also featured two lengthy classics, "Down by the River" and "Cowgirl in the Sand". The critically acclaimed solo album "After the Gold Rush" came out in 1971, featuring such classic songs as "Southern Man'", "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and "Don't Let it Bring You Down". Harvest followed in 1972 with the hit"Heart of Gold".
During this time he also enjoyed considerable success as a quarter of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
Neil's subsequent work has zig-zagged across genres - dabbling in country rock on "Old Ways"; electronics on "Trans"; hooking up with the Shocking Pinks in a homage to old-time Rock 'n' Roll on "Everybody's Rockin'"; creating a wall of feedback on the live Arc-Weld; and cementing his status as Godfather of Grunge when collaborating with Pearl Jam on Mirror Ball.
His idiosyncratic approach to genre even led to him being sued by his record company (Geffen) in the 80s for making "uncharacteristic" music.
Young has also dabbled in film, most recently on the album/concert series/dvd Greendale.
Young is often known by the nickname "Shakey." According to his biographer Jimmy McDonough, the name was given by his friends after noticing very unsteady results holding a camera for home movies.
Young founded Pono Music, whose mission was to bring a digital player, download store, and streaming service devoted to hi-res music. It was a commercial flop and was shut down in 2016. Young has stated that the labels would not agree that "All songs should cost the same, regardless of digital resolution."
The film Canadian Bacon includes the line "Canadians are always trying to figure out a lot of ways to ruin our lives. The metric system, for the love of God! Celsius! Neil Young!"
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03 I'm the Ocean
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was driving way too fast
Couldn't stop though
So I let the moment last
I'm for rollin'
I'm for tossin' in my sleep
It's not guilt though
It's not the company I keep
People my age
They don't do the things I do
They go somehwere
While I run away with you
I got my friends
And I got my children too
I got her love
She's got my love too
I can't hear you
But I feel the things you say
I can't see you
But I see what's in my way
Now I'm floatin'
Cause I'm not tied to the ground
Words I've spoken
Seem to leave a hollow sound
On the long plain
See the rider in the night
See the chieftain
See the braves in cool moonlight
Who will love them
When they take another life
Who will hold them
When they tremble for the knife
Voicemail numbers
On an old computer screen
Rows of lovers
Parked forever in a dream
Screaming sirens
Echoing across the bay
To the old boats
From the city far away
Homeless heroes
Walk the streets of their hometown
Rows of zeros
On a field that's turning brown
They play baseball
They play football under lights
They play card games
And we watch them every night
Need distraction
Need romance and candlelight
Need random violence
Need entertainment tonight
Need the evidence
Want the testimony of
Expert witnesses
On the brutal crimes of love
I was too tired
To see the news when I got home
Pulled the curtain
Fell into bed alone
Started dreaming
Saw the rider once again
In the doorway
Where she stood and watched for him
Watched for him
I'm not present
I'm a drug that makes you dream
I'm an aerostar
I'm a cutlass supreme
In the wrong lane
Trying to turn against the flow
I'm the ocean
I'm the giant undertow
I'm the ocean
I'm the ocean
I'm the giant undertow
I'm the ocean
I'm the giant undertow
I'm the ocean
I'm the ocean
I'm the ocean
I'm the ocean
I'm the ocean
I'm the ocean
The lyrics of Neil Young's "I'm the Ocean" paint a picture of a person who is constantly on the move, who has no ties that hold them back. They are driving fast, rolling and tossing in their sleep, and floating above the ground. However, they are not without love and relationships - they have friends, children, and a lover who reciprocates their feelings. They are aware of the world and its troubles, with references to homeless people, violence, and the media. Perhaps there is an undercurrent of guilt - they describe themselves as an accident, and the words they've spoken seem hollow.
The chorus declares "I'm the ocean, I'm the giant undertow," a strong symbol of the singer's power, which cannot be contained or tamed. The song is ultimately a celebration of freedom and independence, with a hint of loneliness and questioning whether this way of life is sustainable.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm an accident
I feel like I don't belong and I don't fit in
I was driving way too fast
I'm often reckless and impulsive in my decisions
Couldn't stop though
I have a hard time controlling myself sometimes
So I let the moment last
I enjoy living in the moment and taking risks
I'm for rollin'
I'm carefree and open-minded
I'm for tossin' in my sleep
I have trouble sleeping and resting
It's not guilt though
I don't feel guilty about my lifestyle or choices
It's not the company I keep
It's not my friends or loved ones that influence me to be this way
People my age
Others my age are more settled down and conventional
They don't do the things I do
I don't conform to social norms or expectations
They go somehwere
They have a destination or goal in mind
While I run away with you
I prefer to live in the moment and take risks with my loved ones
I got my friends
I have a close circle of friends
And I got my children too
I have children whom I love and care for
I got her love
I'm in a loving relationship with someone
She's got my love too
My partner reciprocates the love and affection I have for them
I can't hear you
I'm not good at listening to others or paying attention to their needs
But I feel the things you say
I'm intuitive and can sense the emotions of others
I can't see you
I don't always understand or empathize with others
But I see what's in my way
I'm focused on my own journey and goals
Now I'm floatin'
I feel liberated and free from constraints
Cause I'm not tied to the ground
I'm not attached to any particular place or person
Words I've spoken
My words don't always carry weight or meaning
Seem to leave a hollow sound
My words lack emotion or conviction
On the long plain
In a vast and open landscape
See the rider in the night
I see a mysterious figure riding on the horizon
See the chieftain
I see a leader or authority figure
See the braves in cool moonlight
I see brave individuals in a calm, surreal environment
Who will love them
Who will care for them or show them affection
When they take another life
When they commit acts of violence or aggression
Who will hold them
Who will comfort and support them in times of need
When they tremble for the knife
When they're afraid or in danger
Voicemail numbers
Recorded messages left behind by others
On an old computer screen
Displayed on outdated technology
Rows of lovers
Groups of people in romantic relationships
Parked forever in a dream
Frozen in time, living in a fantasy or illusion
Screaming sirens
The loud and jarring sounds of emergency vehicles
Echoing across the bay
Bouncing off the water and reverberating through the environment
To the old boats
Towards the outdated and abandoned vessels
From the city far away
Originating from a distant, bustling metropolis
Homeless heroes
Individuals who are struggling to get by and survive
Walk the streets of their hometown
Roaming around in the place where they were raised
Rows of zeros
Large amounts of nothingness or emptiness
On a field that's turning brown
In a location that's been neglected or abandoned
They play baseball
They find enjoyment and distraction in leisurely activities
They play football under lights
They participate in organized sports at night
They play card games
They gamble and pass the time with games of chance
And we watch them every night
We observe their struggles and hardships from afar
Need distraction
I need to escape from reality and find temporary relief
Need romance and candlelight
I desire intimacy and passion in my relationships
Need random violence
I crave chaos and unpredictability in my life
Need entertainment tonight
I seek diversion and amusement in the present moment
Need the evidence
I require proof or confirmation of something
Want the testimony of
I want to hear others' accounts of events or situations
Expert witnesses
Professionals who are knowledgeable and experienced in a particular field
On the brutal crimes of love
On the harsh or difficult aspects of being in love or in a relationship
I was too tired
I was exhausted and drained
To see the news when I got home
I was too fatigued to watch or listen to current events
Pulled the curtain
I closed off my surroundings and retreated into my own space
Fell into bed alone
I went to sleep without anyone else around
Started dreaming
I started to imagine or visualize things in my mind
Saw the rider once again
I had a recurring dream or vision about a mysterious figure on horseback
In the doorway
Standing in the entrance or opening of a room or building
Where she stood and watched for him
A place where a woman was waiting expectantly for someone
Watched for him
Anticipated someone's arrival or presence
I'm not present
I'm not fully engaged in the current moment or situation
I'm a drug that makes you dream
I have a powerful effect on people's perceptions and imaginations
I'm an aerostar
I'm an adventurous and daring spirit
I'm a cutlass supreme
I'm a powerful and dominant force
In the wrong lane
I'm going against the grain or doing something unconventional
Trying to turn against the flow
Attempting to go against the natural direction or pattern of things
I'm the ocean
I am vast, powerful, and ever-changing
I'm the giant undertow
I am a strong and dangerous undercurrent beneath the surface
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind