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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Big Green Country
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Leather bang pounding on his back
Above the clouds the moon was climbing higher
A pack of wolves wanted their money back
With folded arms the chief stood watching
Painted braves slipped down the hill
In his ears the spirit talking
For an easy kill
At the house the door was wide open
Wind blew curtains off the rod
She was waiting and hoping
She was praying to her god
He was luckier than most men
He was barely in his prime
As she stood their in the doorway
Her long dress flowing
Would he make it this time
Over the hill in the big green country
That's the place where the cancer cowboy rides
Pure as the driven snow before it got him
Sometimes I feel like he's all right
Sometimes I feel like a piece of paper
Sometimes I feel like my own name
Sometimes I feel different later
Sometimes I feel
I feel just the same
The lyrics in Neil Young's song "Big Green Country" tells the story of a lone cowboy who is being chased by a pack of wolves, and his lover who is waiting and hoping for his safe arrival. The opening lines of the song set the scene of the cowboy riding across the plain with the moon rising above him. The imagery of the leather bang pounding on his back and the wolves chasing him create a sense of urgency and danger. The chief stands with folded arms, watching, and the painted braves slip down the hill. The cowboy's fate seems uncertain as he faces an easy kill.
The song then shifts to the woman waiting in the house. The wind blows the curtains off the rod, adding to the sense of unease. She is hoping and praying for the safe return of her lover. The lyrics create a sense of tension between the danger and uncertainty outside and the hope and longing of the woman inside. As the song progresses, the lyrics become more introspective, with the cowboy reflecting on his mortality and his place in the world.
The final lines speak to the human experience of feeling both unique and like just another nameless person. The phrase "Sometimes I feel like a piece of paper" speaks to the feeling of insignificance that we all experience at times. The song captures the human experience of facing danger, longing for connection, and reflecting on the meaning of one's existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Across the plain flew the lone grey rider
A rider is racing across an open plain by himself.
Leather bang pounding on his back
The leather of his jacket is hitting his back while he's riding.
Above the clouds the moon was climbing higher
The moon was rising higher in the sky beyond the clouds.
A pack of wolves wanted their money back
Wolves are pursuing the rider for some reason, perhaps because they feel owed something.
With folded arms the chief stood watching
A Native American chief is standing with crossed arms observing what's happening.
Painted braves slipped down the hill
Native American warriors quietly descended a hill, covered in paint.
In his ears the spirit talking
The chief hears the voice of a spiritual entity speaking to him.
As they closed in For an easy kill
The warriors are closing in on someone or something for an easy kill.
At the house the door was wide open
A house door is open, perhaps inviting people in.
Wind blew curtains off the rod
The wind caused curtains to move off the rod they were hanging from.
She was waiting and hoping She was praying to her god
Someone inside the house is waiting and hoping, and praying to their god.
He was luckier than most men
A man, perhaps the rider, is considered lucky compared to others.
He was barely in his prime
The man is young and hasn't yet reached his full potential.
As she stood their in the doorway Her long dress flowing Would he make it this time
The person inside the house is watching someone coming and hoping they will arrive safely.
Over the hill in the big green country
There is an area over a hill with lush greenery.
That's the place where the cancer cowboy rides
This is where a character known as the cancer cowboy is known to travel.
Pure as the driven snow before it got him
The cancer cowboy was once pure, but something corrupted him.
Sometimes I feel like he's all right
The singer sometimes feels that the cancer cowboy is doing well.
Sometimes I feel like a piece of paper
The singer sometimes feels fragile and insignificant.
Sometimes I feel like my own name
The artist sometimes experiences an identity crisis or a lack of self-recognition.
Sometimes I feel different later Sometimes I feel I feel just the same
The artist notes that their emotions and outlook can change or remain the same over time.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVID BYRNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind