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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Comin' Apart At Every Nail
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On one side the government, the other the mob
Hey, hey ain't that right
The workin' man's in for a hell of a fight.
Oh, this country sure looks good to me
But these fences are comin' apart at every nail.
Some of the boys were feelin' fine
A big light flashed across the sky
But somethin' else went slippin' by
Meanwhile at the Pentagon
The brass was a wonderin' what went wrong.
Oh, this country sure looks good to me
But these fences are comin' apart at every nail.
Hey hey, ain't that right
The workin' man's in for a hell of a fight.
Oh, this country sure looks good to me
But these fences are comin' apart at every nail.
The opening lines of Neil Young's "Comin' Apart At Every Nail" suggest an underlying theme of struggle and disillusionment with the American dream, as the singer laments the difficulty of finding a job and the forces working against the working class. Young seems to be commenting on the political climate of the United States during the time the song was written, with the government and organized crime vying for control, leaving the average person caught in the middle. The repetition of the phrase "ain't that right" emphasizes the singer's frustration and the bleak reality he faces.
In the second verse, Young depicts a sense of chaos and confusion on multiple levels. The "old dew line" is a reference to the radar system established in Canada in the 1950s to detect potential Soviet threats during the Cold War, and the flashing light and "somethin' else" slipping by suggest a possible UFO sighting. Meanwhile, at the Pentagon, the military brass is grappling with their own crisis. This sets up a contrast between the power of the government institutions and the vulnerability of the common person, illustrated by the metaphor of the falling apart fence.
Overall, "Comin' Apart At Every Nail" is a gritty, unromanticized look at America through the lens of a working-class citizen. The lyrics express a feeling of disillusionment and frustration over the disarray that surrounds the singer as he struggles to find his place in a society that is rapidly losing its stability.
Line by Line Meaning
It's awful hard to find a job
Finding a job is incredibly difficult.
On one side the government, the other the mob
There are corrupt and unethical forces at play in the job market.
Hey, hey ain't that right
The situation is universally understood and recognized.
The workin' man's in for a hell of a fight.
The average worker is in for a difficult and challenging struggle.
Oh, this country sure looks good to me
Neil Young finds the country visually appealing and attractive.
But these fences are comin' apart at every nail.
Despite the appearance, there are major issues within the country that are being exposed.
Way up on the old dew line
Referring to a remote location, likely a military outpost.
Some of the boys were feelin' fine
Some of the individuals at the outpost were in high spirits.
A big light flashed across the sky
An unidentified object or phenomenon appeared in the sky.
But somethin' else went slippin' by
Something unrelated and unnoticed occurred simultaneously.
Meanwhile at the Pentagon
The central location for the United States military headquarters.
The brass was a wonderin' what went wrong.
Military leaders were puzzled and investigating the recent unusual events.
Hey hey, ain't that right
Again, the situation is universally recognized.
The workin' man's in for a hell of a fight.
A repeat of the earlier statement emphasizing how challenging things are for the average person.
Oh, this country sure looks good to me
Neil Young continues to find the country visually appealing and attractive.
But these fences are comin' apart at every nail.
Reiterating that there are significant issues beneath the surface of the country's appearance.
Lyrics © Silver Fiddle, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind