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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Campaigner
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I came to late to cause a stir
Though I campaigned all my life towards that goal
I hardly slept the night you wept
Our secret's safe and still well-kept
Where even Richard Nixon has got soul
Even Richard Nixon has got soul
People steal from their own kind
Evening comes too early for a stroll
Down neon streets the streaker streaks
The speaker speaks but the truth still leaks
Where even Richard Nixon has got soul
Even Richard Nixon has got it
Soul
The podium rocks in the crowded waves
The speaker talks of the beautiful saves
That went down long before he played this role
For the hotel queens and the magazines
Test tube genes and slot machines
Where even Richard Nixon has got soul
Even Richard Nixon has got it
Soul
Hospitals have made him cry
But there's always a freeway in his eye
Though his beach just got too crowded for his stroll
Roads stretch out like healthy veins
And wild gift horses strain the reins
Where even Richard Nixon has got soul
Even Richard Nixon has got soul
I am a lonely visitor
I came to late to cause a stir though I campaigned all my life towards that goal
In Neil Young's song Campaigner, he sings about his disillusionment with politics and society as a whole. The lyrics suggest that despite his efforts to effect change, he feels like an outsider and unsuccessful in his campaign. He feels like he arrived too late to make a meaningful impact and that it's difficult to see any true progress. The singer also draws attention to the idea that even those we might think are deeply flawed, like Richard Nixon, can have some goodness in them.
The references to "traffic cops" being "colorblind" and "people steal[ing] from their own kind" speak to a sense of societal breakdown, where the rules don't seem to apply or people have lost their moral compass. Young also sings about the "evening com[ing] too early for a stroll," suggesting a sense of despair or hopelessness that permeates society, where people don't feel safe to walk the streets at night. The song goes on to reference "neon streets" and a "streaker" who runs down them, speaking to a sense of chaos, excitement, and the rejection of established norms.
Young's lyrics also draw attention to a sense of loss or nostalgia for a different time, one where people cared about things like "beautiful saves" and weren't consumed by things like "test tube genes and slot machines." The repeated phrase "even Richard Nixon has got soul" serves to underscore the idea that despite everything, there is still some hope for humanity and that even flawed individuals can have positive qualities.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a lonely visitor
I am a solitary man who doesn't have many friends or companions in this world.
I came to late to cause a stir
I arrived too late in this world to make any significant impact or difference.
Though I campaigned all my life towards that goal
Despite my earlier dream of making a difference in this world, I spent my entire life trying to achieve that goal.
I hardly slept the night you wept
I barely slept when you shed tears and expressed your sadness.
Our secret's safe and still well-kept
Our secret is still safe and not revealed to anyone yet.
Where even Richard Nixon has got soul
In a world where even the notorious and controversial political figure Richard Nixon has some goodness or empathy in his heart.
Traffic cops are all colorblind
Traffic police don't differentiate between people based on their skin color or ethnicity.
People steal from their own kind
People tend to steal or deceive their own friends, family, or community members.
Evening comes too early for a stroll
The night arrives too soon, and it's not safe or pleasant to walk outside later in the evening.
Down neon streets the streaker streaks
A naked man (streaker) runs along brightly lit neon streets.
The speaker speaks but the truth still leaks
The person delivering a speech may not tell the truth, and some facts or information may still emerge despite their attempts to hide it.
The podium rocks in the crowded waves
The artist's podium shakes because of the massive crowd and their movements or cheers.
The speaker talks of the beautiful saves
The singer discusses magnificent deeds or accomplishments of the past.
That went down long before he played this role
Those achievements occurred much earlier than the singer's current position or activity.
For the hotel queens and the magazines
For the elite women who live in luxury hotels or appear in glossy magazines.
Test tube genes and slot machines
Genetically engineered organisms and gambling games ruled by luck and probability.
Hospitals have made him cry
The person has been emotionally affected by hospital visits, perhaps because of illness or injury.
But there's always a freeway in his eye
But there is always some ambition or drive in his heart, pushing him towards his goals and dreams.
Though his beach just got too crowded for his stroll
Although the person's beloved or preferred place got too crowded for his liking, he still keeps moving forward.
Roads stretch out like healthy veins
Roads stretch out like robust and vibrant veins across the land, connecting people and places.
And wild gift horses strain the reins
People try to control and harness unexpected or surprising gifts or opportunities that come their way.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind