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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Down To The Wire
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And every thing you've got is all that she requires
And you hang on, hang on, hang on to the words of a liar
You can feel it getting down to the wire
All the hurt you thought was gone has now returned
And every thing she's laughing at is all you learned
And you let go, let go, let go, 'cause you know you're getting tired
Take the time to close your eyes and look around
'Cause anyone who helped you out can let you down
And look out, look out, look out, the voice is now the choir
Can you feel it getting down to the wire?
Neil Young's song "Down To The Wire" displays a strong sense of desperation and weariness as the lyrics deal with the pain and confusion of a failing relationship. The opening lines, "Every time you touch her sets your hands on fire / And every thing you've got is all that she requires" seem to suggest that the singer is deeply invested in the relationship and is willing to give everything he has to keep it alive. However, the next line, "And you hang on, hang on, hang on to the words of a liar," reveals that there is a strong sense of distrust and betrayal in the relationship, with him knowing that his partner is not being entirely truthful with him.
The chorus is a repetitive lament, "You can feel it getting down to the wire," which seems to suggest that the relationship is beyond saving and has reached a point where any attempts to reconcile will prove futile. The lines, "All the hurt you thought was gone has now returned / And every thing she's laughing at is all you learned," reveal that the singer's confidence in the relationship has been shattered and that he feels a strong sense of betrayal and disappointment.
The final verse of the song urges the listener to take stock of their situation and to be wary of those who may be trying to hurt them. "Take the time to close your eyes and look around / 'Cause anyone who helped you out can let you down / And look out, look out, look out, the voice is now the choir / Can you feel it getting down to the wire?" This seems to suggest that the singer is trying to make sense of his own experiences and that he is urging the listener to do the same.
Overall, Neil Young's "Down To The Wire," is a reflective and deeply emotional song about the pain of a failed relationship and the feelings of betrayal that accompany such an event.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time you touch her sets your hands on fire
Interacting with her activates a passion in you that cannot be ignored or denied.
And every thing you've got is all that she requires
She demands all that you have, leaving you with nothing and feeling empty.
And you hang on, hang on, hang on to the words of a liar
Despite her deceitful nature, you cling to the things she tells you in hopes of something more.
You can feel it getting down to the wire
You sense that the relationship is quickly coming to an end, and a tough decision must be made.
All the hurt you thought was gone has now returned
The pain you believed you had overcome has resurfaced as your relationship nears its conclusion.
And every thing she's laughing at is all you learned
She mocks and belittles everything you have gained from the relationship, making you feel inferior and powerless.
And you let go, let go, let go, 'cause you know you're getting tired
You finally begin to release your hold on the relationship, realizing that it has become overly exhausting and draining for you.
Can you feel it getting down to the wire?
You are acutely aware, both emotionally and physically, of the impending end to the relationship, creating a sense of urgency.
Take the time to close your eyes and look around
Take a moment to pause and reflect on your situation, see the situation for what it is, and prepare accordingly.
'Cause anyone who helped you out can let you down
Past allies can turn against you when it is most inconvenient, contributing to your feeling of isolation and insecurity.
And look out, look out, look out, the voice is now the choir
The formerly trustworthy voices you relied upon for support have now become background noise in your life.
Can you feel it getting down to the wire?
The impending end of the relationship becomes painfully palpable, leading to a sense of fear and uncertainty about the future.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind