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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America the Beautiful
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain
America!
America!
And crown thy good
With brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
The lyrics of Neil Young's "America the Beautiful" are a moving tribute to the breathtaking natural beauty of America. The opening line, "O beautiful for spacious skies," sets the tone for the rest of the song, invoking images of expansive and open skies that seem to go on forever. The second line, "For amber waves of grain," pays tribute to America's vast agricultural landscape, with endless fields of wheat and corn stretching as far as the eye can see. "Purple mountain majesties" conjures up images of majestic and imposing mountain ranges, while "above the fruited plain" speaks to the fertile lands that provide bountiful harvests of fruits and vegetables.
The refrain of the song, "America! America! God shed his grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood, From sea to shining sea!" further underscores the unbridled and unwavering patriotism that is at the core of this song. It speaks to a deep and abiding love for America and all that it represents - freedom, opportunity, and the pursuit of happiness. The final lines of the song envision a unified, brotherly society where all Americans live harmoniously, side by side, from the east coast to the west coast.
Line by Line Meaning
O beautiful for spacious skies
Oh bountiful and attractive country, known for its vast, expansive blue skies that stretch to the horizon.
For amber waves of grain
Renowned for its fertile land and plentiful harvests, producing a wealth of crops like wheat with a golden, amber color.
For purple mountain majesties
Recognized for its striking and beautiful mountain ranges, displaying awe-inspiring and awe-inspiring peaks with shades of purple.
Above the fruited plain
Looking down upon the fertile and prosperous lowlands of the country from the majestic mountains above.
America!
Addressing the nation, the United States of America, as a symbol of American pride and patriotism.
America!
Continuing to address the country and emphasizing its significance with a repeated call to action.
God shed his grace on thee
May the country be blessed and favored by a higher power, with the grace of the divine showered upon it.
And crown thy good
May all the virtuous deeds, accomplishments, and achievements of the country be recognized and celebrated.
With brotherhood
Let there be unity and togetherness among all the people of the country, regardless of their differences.
From sea to shining sea!
From the Atlantic to the Pacific, may the glory of the country extend to all corners, and be seen by all.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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