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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Broken Arrow
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when it was over it felt like a dream,
They stood at the stage door and begged for a scream,
The agents had paid for the black limousine
That waited outside in the rain.
Did you see them, did you see them?
Did you see them in the river?
They were there to wave to you.
Brown skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow,
Held a broken arrow?
Eighteen years of American dream,
He saw that his brother had sworn on the wall.
He hung up his eyelids and ran down the hall,
His mother had told him a trip was a fall,
And don't mention babies at all.
Did you see him, did you see him?
Did you see him in the river?
He were there to wave to you.
Could you tell that the empty quivered,
Brown skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow,
Held a broken arrow?
The streets were lined for the wedding parade,
The Queen wore the white gloves, the county of song,
The black covered caisson her horses had drawn
Protected her King from the sun rays of dawn.
They married for peace and were gone.
Did you see them, did you see them?
Did you see them in the river?
They were there to wave to you.
Could you tell that the empty quivered,
Brown skinned Indian on the banks
That were crowded and narrow,
Held a broken arrow?
The lyrics of Neil Young’s song Broken Arrow revolve around people’s desire for fame and fortune as they pursue their dreams. The opening lines describe the aftermath of a performance, where the audience is seeking more from the performers after an excellent show. They want to share in the fame and are willing to wait outside for a glimpse of the performers. However, the Indian on the river bank stands symbolically as a broken arrow in contrast to the glamour and glitz of the performers. This reflects the harsh realities of life that often go unnoticed amid the pursuit of fame and fortune.
The second verse describes a young man’s pursuit of the American dream, which leads him to a dead end. His mother warns him of the dangers of chasing the dream, but he does not listen. He falls into despair, and his downfall is likened to that of the Indian whose “empty quivers” are a metaphor for the broken dream
In the last verse, a wedding procession passes by the streets, and the Queen is decked in her best attire. She is marrying for peace, but the Indian on the river bank still holds a broken arrow. This image of the broken arrow is symbolic of the brokenness and despair that lies within people even when things appear to be going well.
Overall, the song reflects Neil Young’s belief that the pursuit of fame and fortune often leads to hollowness and emptiness, and we must learn to recognize the pain and despair that is present in our lives before we can move on.
Line by Line Meaning
The lights turned on and the curtain fell down,
After the show when the lights came on and the curtain dropped, everything felt surreal like a dream.
And when it was over it felt like a dream,
The experience felt so unreal that it was almost like a dream.
They stood at the stage door and begged for a scream,
The fans outside waited for the performers to come out, hoping for one more scream or reaction.
The agents had paid for the black limousine
The performers' agents had arranged for a fancy car to take them away after the show.
That waited outside in the rain.
Despite the rain, the car was still waiting outside.
Did you see them, did you see them?
The singer is asking if the listener saw the performers or situation in question.
Did you see them in the river?
The singer is likely using this line as a metaphor or to add more mystery.
They were there to wave to you.
The performers may have been there to acknowledge or thank the fans who came to see them.
Could you tell that the empty quivered,
The artist is asking if the listener could sense that something was wrong, that someone was unfulfilled or unhappy.
Brown skinned Indian on the banks
The artist is likely referring to a Native American person standing by the river or water's edge.
That were crowded and narrow,
The banks of the river were closely packed with people, as if there was only a slim margin of space to stand along the edge.
Held a broken arrow?
The Native American may have been holding a symbol of a broken arrow, which in some cultures represents a broken treaty or agreement.
Eighteen years of American dream,
The singer is reflecting on the idea of the American Dream or 18 years of life in America.
He saw that his brother had sworn on the wall.
The singer's brother had likely signed up for military service or made some other type of commitment.
He hung up his eyelids and ran down the hall,
The singer closed his eyes and ran down a hallway, possibly overcome with emotion or fear.
His mother had told him a trip was a fall,
His mother had warned him that going down a certain path could lead to failure or trouble.
And don't mention babies at all.
The artist's mother did not want any mention of babies, possibly because she had experienced loss or difficulty in this area.
The streets were lined for the wedding parade,
The singer is observing a wedding procession in the streets.
The Queen wore the white gloves, the county of song,
The bride wore white gloves, and the townspeople sang for the occasion.
The black covered caisson her horses had drawn
A fancy black wagon or carriage was drawn by horses in the procession.
Protected her King from the sun rays of dawn.
The artist is making a poetic comparison, saying that the wagon was like a protective shield for the groom against the bright morning sun.
They married for peace and were gone.
The newlyweds got married as a way of bringing peace, then left the scene.
Lyrics © Broken Arrow Music, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind