Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian singer, guitaris… Read Full Bio ↴Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and social activist who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation, particularly as Neil Young & Crazy Horse. Young was born in Toronto, but he moved to the family home of Winnipeg as a child, which is where his music career began. Young began performing as a solo artist in Canada in 1960, before moving to California in 1966, where he co-founded the band Buffalo Springfield along with Stephen Stills and Richie Furay.

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/

Cowgirl In The Sand
Neil Young Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hello, cowgirl in the sand (hello, cowgirl in the sand)
Is this place at your command?
Can I stay here for a while?
Can I see your sweet, sweet smile?

Old enough now to change your name
When so many love you is it the same?
It's the woman in you that makes you want to play this game

Hello, ruby in the dust (hello, ruby in the dust)
Has your band begun to rust?
After all the sin we've had
I was hopin' that we'd turn bad

Old enough now, to change your name
When so many love you is it the same?
It's the woman in you that makes you want to play this game

Hello, woman of my dreams (hello, woman of my dreams)
Is this not the way it seems?
Purple words on a gray background
To be a woman and to be turned down

Old enough now to change your name

When so many love you is it the same?
It's the woman in you that makes you want to play this game

Overall Meaning

"Cowgirl in the Sand" is a song by Neil Young that appears on his album, "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere". The song features a recurring guitar riff and has a slow, bluesy feel to it. The lyrics are somewhat cryptic and open to interpretation.

The song is made up of three verses, each addressing a different woman: a "cowgirl in the sand," a "ruby in the dust," and a "woman of my dreams." The singer is addressing the women directly, asking if he can stay with them and see their smiles. He also seems to be questioning the nature of their relationships with others - are they truly loved or just playing a game?

The repeated phrase "old enough to change your name" could refer to the idea of a fresh start or escape from past mistakes. Overall, the song seems to be a contemplation on love, desire, and the search for authenticity.

Line by Line Meaning

Hello, cowgirl in the sand
Addressing a woman and asking if she has control of the situation

Is this place at your command?
Asking if she is the one in charge

Can I stay here for a while?
Asking permission to be in her company

Can I see your sweet, sweet smile?
Asking to have a more intimate connection with her

Old enough now to change your name
Growing into a mature person who has the ability to redefine oneself

When so many love you is it the same?
Do you feel the same way about all the people who love you?

It's the woman in you that makes you want to play this game
It is your feminine energy that drives you to pursue relationships and engage in romantic encounters

Hello, ruby in the dust
Greeting someone who is neglected and perhaps forgotten

Has your band begun to rust?
Asking if her situation has become stagnant and unexciting

After all the sin we've had
Describing a wild and possibly tumultuous past

I was hopin' that we'd turn bad
Expressing a desire for a more daring and exciting future

Hello, woman of my dreams
Addressing someone whom the artist has imagined being with

Is this not the way it seems?
Wanting to confirm that his fantasies match her reality

Purple words on a gray background
Describing a poetic, romantic message in a dull and lifeless environment

To be a woman and to be turned down
Acknowledging the challenges that women face in the dating world, and the pain of being rejected

Old enough now to change your name
Reiterating that the woman has the power to change and redefine herself

When so many love you is it the same?
Asking once again if she feels the same way about all the people who love her

It's the woman in you that makes you want to play this game
Repeating the idea that feminine energy is what drives people to pursue romantic relationships

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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