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/
Computer Age
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fly by me on the corner
But I'm all right
Standin' proud before the signal
When I see the light
I know I'm more than just a number.
And I stand before you
Or else we just don't see the other
Computer age.
Bikes and vans
Fly by me on the desert
But I'm all right
Standing out here in the hot sun
When I see the light
I feel like more than just a number
And I stand before you
Or else we just don't see the other
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
Precious metal lines
Molded into highways
Running through me
So microscopically
Days and nights
Weeks and months and seasons
Rolling through me
So chronologically.
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
I need you
To let me know that there's a heartbeat
Let it pound and pound
And I'll be flying like a free bird
And you need me
Like ugly needs a mirror
And day by day
This horizon's getting clearer
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
The lyrics to Neil Young's song, Computer Age, reflect on the rapid advancement of technology, particularly the nascent computer age of the 1980s. The first verse depicts a busy street corner with cars and trucks, but the singer stands tall and "proud before the signal." He knows that he is "more than just a number" in this complex, computerized world, but he also recognizes the necessity of interconnectivity. The second verse changes the setting to a desert, with bikes and vans passing by, but again, the singer is unbothered and feels like he is more than just another statistic in this technological age.
The chorus, "computer age," is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the theme of technology's ubiquity. The third verse takes a more metaphorical approach, likening highways to "precious metal lines" that are "microscopically" and "chronologically" running through the singer. The final verse uses figurative language to suggest that humans need technology to understand themselves and the world around them. The singer needs to feel a "heartbeat" in order to truly live and be free, and others need him like "ugly needs a mirror." The horizon is getting "clearer," suggesting that technology is an indispensable part of our world view that is constantly evolving and improving.
Line by Line Meaning
Cars and trucks
Fly by me on the corner
But I'm all right
Standin' proud before the signal
When I see the light
I know I'm more than just a number.
Even though the world around me is moving fast, I'm still standing strong and confident. When I get the green light, I feel like I have a purpose and I'm not just a faceless entity.
And I stand before you
Or else we just don't see the other
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
We need to look at each other and connect on a personal level in this era of technological advances. It's crucial to not only focus on computers but also the human connection.
Bikes and vans
Fly by me on the desert
But I'm all right
Standing out here in the hot sun
When I see the light
I feel like more than just a number
And I stand before you
Or else we just don't see the other
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
Despite being alone and with few possessions, I still feel like I have worth and purpose. Connecting with others is still essential in an age where we are inundated with technology.
Precious metal lines
Molded into highways
Running through me
So microscopically
Days and nights
Weeks and months and seasons
Rolling through me
So chronologically.
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
The highways and roads are not just conduits for transportation but rather a part of me and my experience. Time passes in a linear fashion and the computer age is just part of that progression.
I need you
To let me know that there's a heartbeat
Let it pound and pound
And I'll be flying like a free bird
And you need me
Like ugly needs a mirror
And day by day
This horizon's getting clearer
Computer age computer age
Computer age.
We need each other to feel alive and valuable, like a bird soaring through the sky. Even though we may not always like what we see, we need to confront our own reflection. As we move forward in the computer age, we can see a better tomorrow.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind