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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09. The Needle and the damage
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I love you, baby, can I have some more?
Ooh, ooh, the damage done
I hit the city and I lost my band
I watched the needle take another man
Gone, gone, the damage done
I know that some of you don't understand
Milk-blood to keep from running out
I've seen the needle and the damage done
A little part of it in everyone
But every junkie's like a settin' sun
In Neil Young's classic song "The Needle and the Damage Done," he reflects on the tragic consequences of drug use. The opening lines of the song, "I caught you knockin' at my cellar door, I love you, baby, can I have some more?" express the powerful hold that heroin can have on an individual. The song's title refers to the repetitive cycle of heroin use: the needle delivers the drug, but over time the drug takes a toll on the body and mind. Neil Young sings about how he hit the city and lost his band, due to drug use, and how he's seen the needle take another man. The lyrics express his heartbreak about the damage that drugs have caused, not just to himself but also to others.
In the second verse, Neil Young sings, "I sing the song because I love the man, I know that some of you don't understand, Milk-blood to keep from running out," referring to the use of drugs as a means of coping and escaping. This song is a warning to anyone who feels the lure of heroin, to all music lovers and to anyone who feels the lure of fame, that the cost of that lifestyle can be high. Young sings that he's seen the needle and the damage done and that every junkie is like a setting sun, implying that the lives of those who succumb to drugs will inevitably come to an end.
Overall, "The Needle and the Damage Done" is a poignant and powerful song that highlights the dangers of drug use. Neil Young sings with heartfelt emotion about the destruction that drugs wreak in the lives of musicians and people in general. The song serves as a warning to those who may be tempted by drugs and also as a tribute to those who have lost their lives to addiction.
Line by Line Meaning
I caught you knockin' at my cellar door
Someone tried to come into my private, personal space uninvited
I love you, baby, can I have some more?
Addressing heroin, a powerful addiction that numbs pain and provides a temporary sense of love and safety
Ooh, ooh, the damage done
Expressing regret and sadness for the harm caused by addiction
I hit the city and I lost my band
Going to the big city led to the end of the artist's musical career
I watched the needle take another man
Witnessing the destructive power of addiction, which ruins lives and takes them away
Gone, gone, the damage done
Repeating the sentiment expressed earlier about the damage caused by addiction
I sing the song because I love the man
The singer is expressing his love for the person he once was and is trying to help him return
I know that some of you don't understand
The artist acknowledges that not everyone will appreciate or comprehend his message
Milk-blood to keep from running out
Taking drugs to avoid the withdrawal symptoms that result from addiction
I've seen the needle and the damage done
The artist has experienced the harm caused by addiction firsthand
A little part of it in everyone
The destructive influence of addiction can be found in anyone, not just those who struggle with it firsthand
But every junkie's like a settin' sun
Comparing the trajectory of addiction and eventual decline to the inevitable setting of the sun every day
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@neilyoungchannel
Hi, this is Neil. Link to the NYA info-card for this song with press, documents, manuscripts, photos, videos. Look around NYA for fun and listening! ALL my music in high resolution at https://neilyoungarchives.com/info-card?track=t1993_0207_07
@user-hf9hf6hw8j
@Ronnie Sutton Ok boomer.
@lrosiererosiere3396
All of it 💘 Love it 😀
@jamesholland70
Thankyou Neil. ♡
@andrewp9290
Thanks Neil. True hero of song writing imo.. and you’re music has helped in many occasions.
@andrewp9290
Ronnie Sutton Sounds like you want a cookie. Good for you.. you’ll think about this later in life and be floored. Who cares who’s making money right now. For you to hate on anyone right now is far from necessary. Imagine you in his shoes... what does he have for income right now? What he is doing could be needed for him.
@dannycrow1096
My Dad once sung some lyrics from this song to me when he found out i was on heroin at 17. Im 37 now and 17 months clean. My Dad died of cancer on Friday. Happy he got to see me conquer my addiction.
@yaja_nowakowski
Congratulations, Danny. No small feat that takes great courage and commitment. It's great your dad got to see this achievement. Wishing you all the very best. Stay committed and live long and well.
@dannycrow1096
@Yaja eN Thank you Yaja. Lovely comment. And the same to you. God bless.
@garydergut4741
I'm glad your clean and so sorry for your father.