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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Drive Back
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That's alright with me
When it's time to say goodbye
I have to make you see
You won't know me
I won't call you
I won't be there
What you told me
When I showed you
In the morning
Let me know you'll
Drive back to your old town
I want to wake up with no one around
Drive back to your old town
If somebody
Is haunting your mind
Look in my eyes
Let me hide you
From yourself and
All your old friends
Every good thing
Comes to an end
Drive back, drive back, drive back
Drive back to your old town
I want to wake up with no one around
Drive back to your old town
The song "Drive Back" is performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse and is from the album "Zuma" which was released in 1975. The lyrics are about a person who has to leave town and is asking their lover to "drive back" to their old town. The singer implies the listener is feeling haunted by their past and urging them to come out of it. The line "whatever gets you through the night, that's alright with me" implies that the singer is willing to help the listener through their struggles as long as it means they can still be together. The phrase "drive back to your old town" is repeated several times in the chorus, suggesting a desire to return to a simpler time.
In the second verse, the singer seems to be offering comfort and support to the listener, saying "look in my eyes, let me hide you from yourself and all your old friends." The singer is trying to encourage the listener to move on and leave behind any negative thoughts or feelings that may be holding them back. The idea that "every good thing comes to an end" suggests that the relationship may be fleeting or temporary, and the singer is trying to make the most of their time together before it ends.
Overall, the song "Drive Back" is a poignant and emotional piece that touches on themes of love, loss, and finding the strength to move on from past traumas.
Line by Line Meaning
Whatever gets you through the night
Whatever you do or whoever you turn to in order to cope with the night is acceptable to me
That's alright with me
I have no judgement or disapproval, I am open minded
When it's time to say goodbye
When it is time to part ways
I have to make you see
I must make you understand or realize
You won't know me
You will not recognize me
I won't call you
I will not communicate with you via phone or other mediums
I won't be there
I will not be physically present or available
To remind you
To help you remember or not forget
What you told me
The things you confided in me
When I showed you
When I revealed to you
In the morning
In the early part of the day
Let me know you'll
Please inform me that you will
If somebody
If there is a person
Is haunting your mind
Is causing you to feel disturbed or worried
Look in my eyes
Gaze into my eyes
Let me hide you
Let me protect or shelter you
From yourself and
From your own thoughts/actions and
All your old friends
From all of your previous companions and acquaintances
Every good thing
All positive aspects
Comes to an end
Eventually concludes or finishes
Drive back, drive back, drive back
Return to your previous location
Drive back to your old town
Revisit your original place of residence
I want to wake up with no one around
I desire solitude and to not have anyone present when I awaken
Drive back to your old town
Return to your former locality
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind