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!"
For recent news see: http://www.neilyoung.com/
Blowin
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Before you call him a man
How many seas must the white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand
Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they are forever banned
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
Yes, and how many years can a mountain exist
Before it washed to the sea
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry
Yes, and how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
Neil Young's song "Blowin in the Wind" is a cover of Bob Dylan's original song. The lyrics are an ode to the civil rights movement and pose several questions that call for reflection on the current state of society. The song opens with the question, "How many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?" This question is a rhetorical one that suggests that society has set certain markers that demonstrate one's maturity and capability in society. Additionally, it highlights the idea that societal constructs such as race, gender, and class are crucial determinants of one's place in society, and questions the legitimacy of these constructs.
The second verse continues with more questions, "How many seas must the white dove sail before she sleeps in the sand? Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly before they are forever banned?" These lines are metaphorical, with the white dove representing peace, and the cannonballs representing war. This verse alludes to the global tension at the time - the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union.
The song's final verse refers to the struggle of marginalized groups. It poses the question, "How many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?" This line specifically references the Vietnam War, and how many people had to die before society realized that the war was morally unjustified.
Overall, Neil Young's cover of "Blowin in the Wind" honors Dylan's original work while bringing to light some of the issues that are still relevant today.
Line by Line Meaning
How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man
How much effort and struggle must a man go through before society deems him a worthy and mature person?
How many seas must the white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand
How much wandering and searching must one undergo before finding a place to call home and rest?
Yes, and how many times must the cannonballs fly
Before they are forever banned
How many times must people experience war and destruction before learning to avoid and prevent them?
The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind
The answer is blowing in the wind
The answer to all these questions is elusive and intangible, like the wind itself, and you can only sense it without grasping it.
Yes, and how many years can a mountain exist
Before it washed to the sea
How long can something seemingly permanent and unchanging last before being overtaken by forces of nature?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free
How much oppression and injustice must some groups face before gaining basic human rights and dignity?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head
And pretend that he just doesn't see
How much indifference and denial can one have towards societal issues and suffering before facing reality?
Yes, and how many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky
How much distraction and preoccupation can cloud one's vision and prevent appreciation of simple beauty?
Yes, and how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry
How much empathy and connection with others does one need before recognizing and responding to their pain and needs?
Yes, and how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died
How many tragedies and losses must society endure before awakening to the need for change and progress?
Lyrics © AUDIAM, INC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Dylan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sharonhouser7838
Neil is so gifted . This is a perfect song for him. He will always be number one . We love you Neil ❣️
@bws1billsimpson362
Legend! Just an incredible version of this Dylan classic. Thank you Mr. Young.
@ulyssesparado2743
Dylan and Young are a blessing that they existed in my contemporary time ...glad to have them in my childhood!...and in my near senior years!...".better to burn out than to fade away".
@sejferrer8798
Bob Dylan's song! But Young will always be Young!! There is only 1 Neil Young!! My generation! I can relate to all his songs!! 👍👍👍
@StillGods
💯%
@BetterqQoL
I saw him in a concert in the early eighties and now in 2023 his performance still ranks in top three solo concerts by a male artist. I also saw Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac and his performance was also outstanding.
@marionhennig7682
Danke für so viele tolle Lieder. Seit ich 20 Jahre alt war höre ich sie und auch heute mit 64 gehören sie zu mir und meinem Leben. Auch schön zu wissen dass wir gemeinsam alt werden. Tschau Neil
@rizaldycruz3511
The Era OF 60.S TO 70.S ARE PURE MUSICIAN
@adrianm.6374
BRAVO! Superlative performance by Neil Young. A perfect Bob Dylan cover.👍👌🙏💖🇺🇸
@dougllasgreene4014
My favorite singer, singing my favorite song, written by my favorite writer. What a treat.