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/
Boxcar
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
on this old freight train
I ride the boxcar
through the night
I doesn't matter
where I might get off
I doesn't matter where I lie
I've been to countries
I've left a lover in many towns
I don't care if
I ever get back to
Where I'd already been around
I'm like an eagle
I like to fly high
I'm like a snake
I like to lay low
I'm like a black man
I'm like a white man
Maybe a red man, I don't know
I'm just a passenger
on this old freight train
I ride the boxcar
through the night
I doesn't matter
where I might get off
I doesn't matter where I lie
The lyrics of Neil Young's "Boxcar" reflect the life of a rail-riding drifter. The song begins by describing the singer as a mere passenger on an old freight train, riding through the night in a boxcar. It does not matter where he gets off or lies down as it is unimportant to him. The singer discusses having been to cities and countries and left lovers in several towns. Interestingly, he adds that he does not care about going back to where he has already been around.
The singer next compares himself to an eagle, enjoying the feeling of flying high. However, he also points out that he is like a snake, preferring to lay low. In a unique touch, he then compares himself to "a black man, I'm like a white man, maybe a red man, I don't know." His comparisons suggest that he has an appreciation for different cultures and sees himself as fluid regarding his racial identity.
Overall, the lyrics reflect a sense of aimless wandering, with the singer not being tied down to any one place or person. The train and its boxcars represent a sense of freedom and the ability to move from place to place.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm just a passenger
I am not in control of my life's direction.
on this old freight train
I am simply going along with the flow of life.
I ride the boxcar
I am not taking the traditional or expected path in life.
through the night
I am journeying through challenging times in life.
I doesn't matter
I am indifferent towards the outcomes of my journey.
where I might get off
I am open to the changes and opportunities that may come my way.
I doesn't matter where I lie
I am not focused on settling down or staying in one place.
I've been to cities
I have seen and experienced many different places.
I've been to countries
I have traveled beyond my local surroundings.
I've left a lover in many towns
I have had relationships throughout my travels, but have not stayed in one place for too long.
I don't care if
I am not concerned about the possibility of revisiting past experiences.
I ever get back to
I have no desire to return to a previous place or time in life.
Where I'd already been around
I do not see the value in retreading old ground.
I'm like an eagle
I see myself as a powerful and free spirit.
I like to fly high
I enjoy having the ability to see things from a unique perspective.
I'm like a snake
I am adaptable and can survive in different environments.
I like to lay low
I am comfortable with being unnoticed and blending in.
I'm like a black man
I am malleable and do not fit into a single mold.
I'm like a white man
I am just like any person of any background and should not be categorized or judged based on race.
Maybe a red man, I don't know
I am also capable of potentially being part of any other cultural background or ethnicity, depending on my experiences.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@seriouslyyoujest1771
Thank you Neil for accompanying me through my entire life!
@ronfreeman5857
Me Too...
@YonathanMizrachi
Same here!!!
@c.chelseathedog7987
Hi ,there β¦
πππ¦
@KittyGrizGriz
Yesβ¦for sure!!
@benoitachten7164
Me too!
@Reelifeproductions.
The depths of this treasure trove will never be known. The stories, the characters, the threads of time will never be sewn. Thank you Neil.
@ronfreeman5857
Deep....β
@YonathanMizrachi
Thank you so much Neil. You are the soundtrack of my entire life β€β€β€
@saulhassan4382
Lo seguo dal 1970... ha accompagnato la mia vita con continue gemme. β€
Non ne ho mai abbastanza..
Puro genio nel senso piΓΉ vero della parola !