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 Time
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna leave the fools in line
Gonna take the magic potion
Gettin' in an old black car
Gonna take a ride so far
To the land of sun tan lotion
Gonna take it state by state
Til I hit the golden gate
I'm still living in the dream we had,
For me it's not over...
Walkin on the bridge on day
Lookin out across the bay
I saw a rippling in the water
Once a big ship had passed
I borrowed a traveler's glass
And focused on the ocean's daughter
Kind of like a wave confused
Dancing in the sunset hews
She waved to me and called me over
I'm still living in the dream we had,
For me it's not over...
Talkin' bout a friend of mine
Talkin' bout a gold mine
Richest vein in any mountain
Talkin' bout the enemy
Inside of me
Talkin' bout that youthful fountain
Talkin' bout you and me
Talkin' bout eternity
Talkin' bout the big time
I'm still living in the dream we had,
For me it's not over...
The lyrics of Neil Young’s song, 'Big Time', are filled with a sense of freedom, and liberation. The lines "Gonna leave the pain behind, Gonna leave the fools in line, Gonna take the magic potion" express the singer's desire to break away from the monotony of life and finding the courage to start afresh. He wants to take a ride to the land of sun tan lotion, which could be symbolically seen as an escape from the everyday mundane routine. He further talks about going state by state until he reaches the golden gate, wanting to get his feet wet in the ocean, which could represent a new beginning, a rebirth.
The singer also talks of still living in the dream he had, perhaps referring to a time when everything was possible and the world was new. The dreamlike state is emphasized again when he narrates an experience of walking on the bridge and looking out across the bay, where he saw a rippling in the water. He then borrowed a traveler's glass, which could be representative of gaining a new perspective, and he focused on the ocean's daughter - a wave confused and dancing in the sunset hues. The wave then waves to him and calls him over, bringing forth the idea of the unknown, mystery and excitement that is part of any new adventure.
The final verse sees the singer switch to a personal tone and talks about a friend, a gold mine, the enemy inside of him, the youthful fountain, eternity and the big time. These are all metaphors for the different paths that life can take, the riches and obstacles that one may encounter, with the big time being the ultimate goal that the singer is striving for. The song, therefore, encapsulates the dreams and hopes of anyone who is desirous of venturing into the unknown, unafraid to take risks, and seek the rewards of a life well-lived.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna leave the pain behind
Leaving behind the hurt and sadness that burdens me
Gonna leave the fools in line
Not following or conforming to the ways of foolish people
Gonna take the magic potion
Taking something that has the power to transport me and leave the past behind
Gettin' in an old black car
Hopping into an old vehicle for this journey
Gonna take a ride so far
Going on quite a long trip
To the land of sun tan lotion
Venturing to a place where the weather is nice and the focus shifts from pain to relaxation
Gonna take it state by state
Traveling and exploring state by state
Til I hit the golden gate
Until I reach a significant landmark on the West Coast
Get my feet wet in the ocean
Dipping my feet into the calming waters of the ocean
I'm still living in the dream we had,
I am still holding on to the dreams we once shared
For me it's not over...
For me, our shared dream still has relevance and meaning
Walkin on the bridge one day
Strolling on a popular bridge in the Bay Area
Lookin out across the bay
Gazing out over the waters of the bay
I saw a rippling in the water
I noticed a disturbance in the usually calm water
Once a big ship had passed
An enormous ship had recently traveled through the area
I borrowed a traveler's glass
I used a magnifying device that belonged to someone else to see better
And focused on the ocean's daughter
Looking intently at a particular area of the ocean that was captivating
Kind of like a wave confused
It appeared like a wave that was uncertain of where it should be going
Dancing in the sunset hews
Moving in a fluid way and blending with the colors of the sunset
She waved to me and called me over
The wave seemed to signal to me and beckon me to come closer
Talkin' bout a friend of mine
Referencing someone close to me
Talkin' bout a gold mine
Speaking of something of great value and wealth
Richest vein in any mountain
The most abundant and valuable resources in any location
Talkin' bout the enemy
Mentioning the internal struggle or battle within me
Inside of me
Deep within my being
Talkin' bout that youthful fountain
Remembering a time in the past when I was carefree and full of life
Talkin' bout you and me
Reflecting on the relationship between two specific people
Talkin' bout eternity
Contemplating the concept of forever and limitless time
Talkin' bout the big time
Discussing the most significant and impressive achievements or events in one's life
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER YOUNG, FRANK MEYERS, ANTHONY SMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind