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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Bound For Glory
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There was a girl hitchhiking with a dog
Fireflies buzzin' round her head
Like candles in the fog.
He was three miles down the road
Tryin' to stay up, but he knew that he couldn't
She was looking for a ride through the night
They were bound for glory
Bound for living on the edge
They were bound for each other
Like two comets heading for a bed.
She had a new way of living
New way of looking at life
He had an '84 international and two kids
He left back home with his wife.
He was tired of writin' letters to himself
And living in the dark
She was open to suggestions
And some say she had a broken heart.
And he had everything he wanted
'Til it all turned out to be a job
One fallen asleep trucker
And a girl hitchhiking with a dog.
They were bound for glory
Bound for living on the edge
They were bound for each other
Like two blankets layin' a bed.
She had a new way of living
New way of looking at life
He had an '84 international and two kids
He left back home with his wife.
Out on the Trans-Canada Highway
The sun came climbing up the cab
By the time it hit the window they were wakin' up
From what little sleep they had.
When that heat hit the blankets
They were looking for love at second sight
Just starin' in each others' eyes
Seein' it in the mornin' light.
They were bound for glory
Bound for living on the edge
They were bound for each other
Like two comets headin' for a bed.
She had a new way of living
New way of looking at life
He had an '84 international and two kids
He left back home with his wife.
The lyrics of Neil Young & The International Harvesters' Bound For Glory tell the story of two strangers who meet on the Trans-Canada Highway and become romantically involved. The song opens with a description of the hitchhiking woman, surrounded by fireflies in the fog, as she waits for a ride. The man who picks her up is exhausted and fighting to stay awake, but can't resist her company. Despite their different backgrounds, they feel a deep connection to each other and are "bound for glory", living on the edge of society and traditional norms.
The song explores themes of freedom, love, and the allure of the unknown. The woman represents the possibility of a new way of life for the man, who is tired of his mundane existence. She is open to new experiences and thus embodies mystery and adventure. He is intrigued by her, and they quickly fall for each other, their desire and passion fueled by the danger and uncertainty of their situation. The song ends with them waking up to the morning light, still bound for each other and the unknown future that awaits them.
Line by Line Meaning
Out on the Trans-Canada Highway
The story begins on the Trans-Canada Highway.
There was a girl hitchhiking with a dog
A girl with a dog was waiting for a ride on the highway.
Fireflies buzzin' round her head
The area was full of fireflies flying around.
Like candles in the fog.
They looked like candles in the foggy surroundings.
He was three miles down the road
A man was about three miles away from the girl.
Tryin' to stay up, but he knew that he couldn't
He was struggling to stay awake since he couldn't afford to take rest.
She was looking for a ride through the night
The girl was hoping to get a ride during the night.
But out there, who wouldn't.
It was not surprising since people often look for rides on highways.
They were bound for glory
They both were heading for success and glory in their own ways.
Bound for living on the edge
Both of them were looking for adventure and thrill in their lives.
They were bound for each other
Their fate was to meet and fall in love with each other.
Like two comets heading for a bed.
Their attraction towards each other was so strong that they felt like two comets heading towards the same point, i.e., a bed.
She had a new way of living
The girl had a unique perspective towards life.
New way of looking at life
She had a new perspective on how to live life.
He had an '84 international and two kids
The man had a truck of the make '84 international and two kids waiting for him back home.
He left back home with his wife.
He had left his home and wife behind to embark on a journey.
He was tired of writin' letters to himself
The man was feeling lonely and was writing letters to himself to keep himself occupied.
And living in the dark
He felt like he was living in the dark, which could either refer to his loneliness, depression or any other negative emotion.
She was open to suggestions
The girl was open to new ideas and thoughts.
And some say she had a broken heart.
There is a rumor that the girl may have had a heartbreak or a difficult past.
And he had everything he wanted
The man thought he has everything he wanted in his life.
Til it all turned out to be a job
But soon, he realized that his life had become monotonous and dull, like a job.
One fallen asleep trucker
The man dozed off while driving the truck.
And a girl hitchhiking with a dog.
The girl with the dog was also present during the accident.
Out on the Trans-Canada Highway
The story ends where it started, i.e., on the Trans-Canada Highway.
The sun came climbing up the cab
The sun rose and its rays were touching the surface of the truck's cabin.
By the time it hit the window they were wakin' up
Both of them woke up by the time the sun was shining on the windowpane.
From what little sleep they had.
They didn't have much sleep during the night.
When that heat hit the blankets
The sun's heat touched the blankets that were covering them.
They were looking for love at second sight
They admired each other's beauty when they saw each other the second time.
Just starin' in each others' eyes
They were gazing into each other's eyes without a word.
Seein' it in the mornin' light.
They saw each other's true potential in the broad daylight.
Like two comets headin' for a bed.
Their passion towards each other intensified, and they felt like two comets meeting each other and merging into one, i.e., a bed.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind