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/
Born to Run
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
of a thousand lamps
burning in your eyes
Still I have to turn away
for you to stay alive
'Cause I was born to run
I was born to run
I was born to run run run
Security had a hold on me
I had a thousand friends
But reality wasn't told to me
And I found out in the end
'Cause I was born to run
I was born to run
I was born to run
I was born to run run run
Neil Young's "Born to Run" is a song about the internal conflict between chasing one's dreams and the struggle to survive. The first few lines of the song set the tone for a protagonist who cannot help but be drawn towards the light of success and the prospect of living life on their own terms. However, despite their best efforts, the singer realizes that they cannot fully embrace their dreams without sacrificing the people in their lives who anchor them to reality. The line "Still I have to turn away for you to stay alive" reflects the internal struggle to prioritize one's dreams over the security and support that one may realistically have.
The next few lines of the first verse also give an insight into the singer's fractured sense of self. They see themselves as someone who was "born to run," always chasing after the next big thing, never content with the present. This constant sense of restlessness may signify a lack of purpose, or perhaps a deep yearning for something that cannot be put into words. The repetition of the phrase "I was born to run" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's innate desire to push themselves beyond what they know.
In the second verse, the singer addresses the power dynamic that exists within their social circle. Despite having a "thousand friends," the singer acknowledges that they were never privy to the full truth of their circumstances. The line "reality wasn't told to me" may suggest that the singer was kept in the dark about certain aspects of their life, sheltered from the harsh truths that often come with growing up. However, as the song progresses, the singer realizes that they cannot hide from the realities of the world forever, and that their desire to run will only get them so far.
Overall, "Born to Run" is a powerful song about the human desire for greatness and the struggle to balance that against the world we live in. It speaks to the dreams that many of us have, and the fear of losing the things that truly ground us.
Line by Line Meaning
I see the light
I perceive a glimmer
of a thousand lamps
emitting from numerous sources
burning in your eyes
alight in your gaze
Still I have to turn away
Despite this, I must avert my sight
for you to stay alive
In order for your existence to continue
'Cause I was born to run
Due to being intrinsically driven to move forward quickly
Security had a hold on me
The notion of safety constrained me
I had a thousand friends
I possessed a substantial social network
But reality wasn't told to me
The truth was not conveyed to me
And I found out in the end
Eventually, I became aware
'Cause I was born to run
The desire to propel forward impelled me
I was born to run
I was destined to quickly advance
I was born to run
I was fated to move hastily
I was born to run run run
I was innately wired to go quickly and perpetually
Contributed by Jack D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@juancamacho5746
I see the light
of a thousand lamps
burning in your eyes
Still I have to turn away
for you to stay alive
'Cause I was born to run
I was born to run
I was born to run
I was born to run run run
🎸🎸
Security had a hold on me
I had a thousand friends
But reality wasn't told to me
And I found out in the end
'Cause I was born to run
I was born to run
I was born to run
I was born to run run run
@suemcelrevey5956
Everything Neil writes and sings is awesome. Even after listening to him for 45 years.
@danielalabern7233
you're fucking right, nobody like him, unique and profound like his voice
@12_90mmellowmmymmindd
❤ Neil ! thanks ! Neil 😊
@petejp1
Neil's unreleased material is better than most people's released songs!
@TheManOnTheRail
Certainly way better than many of his own recent releases.
@hippyelise1
Man never made a bad song.💖
@hippyelise1
Yes absolutely! Have of these idiots can't really sing or wrong music...sad.
@leahdaugherty4376
I just love his guitar 🎸💞
@mattjohn4731
This song is so gnarly!! 💥🏴☠️ go on Neil Young 🎸 it reminds me of his Re*act*or album 🔥
@JasonFerguson1283
Long live Neil. His songs are so original. His recordings always sound great! He knows how to write beautiful melodies bedded on clouds of fresh-sounding unusual chord progressions. Nobody plays guitar like him! A true icon and he makes me proud to be Canadian and a musician! He inspires me to write every day.