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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Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let's go, let's go, let's go downtown
Come on, baby, let's go downtown
Let's go, let's go, let's go downtown
Walk on, talk on, baby tell no lies
Don't you be caught with a tear in your eye
When the moon begins to rise
Pretty bad when you're dealin' with the man
And the light shines in your eyes, yeah
Come on, baby, let's go downtown
Let's go, let's go, let's go downtown
Come on, baby, let's go downtown
Let's go, let's go, let's go downtown
Snake eyes, French fries and I got lots of gas
Full moon and a jumpin' tune, now you don't have to ask
Sure enough, they'll be sellin' stuff
When the moon begins to rise
Pretty bad when you're dealin' with the man
And the light shines in your eyes. yeah
Come on, baby, let's go downtown
Let's go, let's go, let's go downtown
Come on, baby, let's go downtown
Let's go, let's go, let's go downtown
Walk on, talk on, baby tell no lies
Don't you be caught with a tear in your eye
Sure enough, they'll be sellin' stuff
When the moon begins to rise
Pretty bad when you're dealin' with the man
And the light shines in your eyes, yeah
Pretty bad when you're dealin' with the man
And the light shines in your eyes, come on now
Pretty bad when you're dealin' with the man
And the light shines in your eyes, yeah
Pretty bad when you're dealin' with the man
And the light shines in your eyes, yeah
Neil Young's "Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown" is a song about two lovers who are ready to get out of the house, hit the town, and have some fun. The refrain "Let's go downtown" is a call to action, an invitation to leave the comforts of home, and venture out into the world. The song is full of energy and excitement; with its fast-paced guitar riff and rhythmic drumbeat, it captures the feeling of being young and free.
The lyrics caution the listener not to be caught with a tear in their eye. This can be interpreted as a warning not to be too vulnerable, not to show weakness, as this can be used against you by others. The reference to "Snake eyes" and "French fries" suggests that the characters in the song are playing games, taking risks and indulging in temptation; while the line "Pretty bad when you're dealin' with the man and the light shines in your eyes" alludes to being caught out, exposed, or under scrutiny, with the implication that this can be a dangerous situation.
Overall, "Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown" is a song about letting loose, taking risks and embracing the excitement of the moment. It's a reminder that life is short, and we should take every opportunity to live it to the fullest, even if that means venturing into the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on, baby, let's go downtown
Let's leave this place and go to downtown
Let's go, let's go, let's go downtown
Let's get moving and head towards downtown
Walk on, talk on, baby tell no lies
Be confident and truthful without telling lies
Don't you be caught with a tear in your eye
Don't let anyone see you crying
Sure enough, they'll be sellin' stuff
Merchants will be selling their goods
When the moon begins to rise
Late at night
Pretty bad when you're dealin' with the man
It's tough when you have to negotiate with authority
And the light shines in your eyes, yeah
It's even harder when they have the upper hand
Snake eyes, French fries and I got lots of gas
We have everything we need to have a good time
Full moon and a jumpin' tune, now you don't have to ask
We have the perfect music and atmosphere, no need to worry
Come on, baby, let's go downtown
Let's go back to the chorus and repeat the urge to go to downtown
Walk on, talk on, baby tell no lies
Repeating the advice to be honest and confident without lying
And the light shines in your eyes, come on now
Despite the difficulties, let's keep going and not lose hope
And the light shines in your eyes, yeah
The challenge remains, but let's face it with determination
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind