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/

Everybody's Alone
Neil Young Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

If you're looking for me
You'll find me
resting in the shade
Of the mountains and trees
Beneath the cool summer breeze
And I don't mind if you stay
Everybody's alone
Everybody's alone

People talking to me
Someone saying
that I'm not the same
That's not so easy to be
But when I'll learn to be free
I wonder if I'll miss the pain
Everybody's alone
Everybody's alone
All I want you to know
Is that I love you so much
I can hardly stand it
When everybody's alone
Everybody's alone

Everybody's alone
Everybody's alone

Overall Meaning

In Neil Young's song 'Everybody's Alone,' the singer takes on the role of a recluse who is searching for a sense of belonging and companionship. The song employs powerful imagery to illustrate the singer's state of mind. The line "If you're looking for me, you'll find me resting in the shade of the mountains and trees, beneath the cool summer breeze" portrays a peaceful, serene environment where the singer has found some sense of refuge. However, this tranquility is short-lived as the singer admits that "everybody's alone."

As the song continues, the singer reminisces about interactions with people who believe that he has changed. He acknowledges that it is no easy task to be different and that he is learning to be free. The line, "I wonder if I'll miss the pain," is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the singer worries that embracing his individuality may result in further isolation.

Despite the feelings of loneliness, Neil Young reminds his listeners that love is an essential component of human connection. In the chorus, he repeats, "All I want you to know is that I love you so much, I can hardly stand it, when everybody's alone." The song's hopeful ending emphasizes how love can provide a sense of togetherness, even in the loneliest of times.

Overall, 'Everybody's Alone' is a powerful commentary on the human condition and emphasizes the importance of community and human connection.

Line by Line Meaning

If you're looking for me
If you're in search of my whereabouts

You'll find me
You'll come across me

Resting in the shade
Reclining in the cool, tranquil darkness

Of the mountains and trees
Nested amidst the expanse of nature

Beneath the cool summer breeze
Under the chilly splendor of the summer wind

And I don't mind if you stay
I am open to welcoming others to my serene environment

Everybody's alone
Despite the presence of others, a person tends to be secluded in themselves

People talking to me
Folks engaging in conversation with me

Someone saying
A particular individual suggesting

That I'm not the same
That I have changed from who I once was