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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Families
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't you celebrate our lives
In a way that's right for our children
And families
When you write your songs about us
Won't you try to do us justice
Because we want to be just like you
I see a light ahead
There's a chill wind blowin' in my head
I wish that I was home instead
With my family
There's a universe between us now
But I want to reach out and tell you
How much you mean to me
And my family
I'm goin' back to the USA
I just got my ticket today
I can't wait to see you again
In the USA.
Neil Young's "Families" is a moving plea for connection and compassion in a time of political and social unrest. In the first verse, he asks those who want to bring the "spirit" of his people "home" to celebrate their lives in a way that is appropriate for families and children. The choice of words is significant here; "home" represents both a physical place and a spiritual state, and "spirit" connotes not just the essence of a culture or community but also an individual's innermost being. Young is essentially saying that these things are inseparable and must be respected as such.
In the second verse, Young turns his focus to those who write songs about people like him and his family. Here, he implores them to do justice to their stories and experiences, acknowledging that people like him and his family aspire to be like their idols. This is a powerful reminder that popular culture often shapes our self-image and sense of identity, and that those who have the power to influence it have a responsibility to represent diverse perspectives with empathy and respect.
The third verse contains some of the most emotive imagery in the song, with Young describing a "light" he sees ahead but a "chill wind" blowing in his head. He longs to be with his family instead of feeling isolated and adrift, and reaches out to express his love and appreciation despite the "universe" between them. These lines convey a deep sense of longing and displacement, which are common themes in Young's oeuvre.
Line by Line Meaning
When you try to bring our spirit home
When you attempt to connect with our culture and values
Won't you celebrate our lives
Please respect and acknowledge our existence
In a way that's right for our children
In a manner that is appropriate for future generations
And families
And for our loved ones and relatives
When you write your songs about us
When you create music that highlights our experiences
Won't you try to do us justice
Please depict us accurately and with dignity
Because we want to be just like you
We look up to you and aspire to be like you
And your families
And to have what you have with your loved ones
I see a light ahead
I have hope for the future
There's a chill wind blowin' in my head
I am feeling unsettled and uncertain
I wish that I was home instead
I long to be with my family and in my familiar surroundings
With my family
With the people who know and love me best
There's a universe between us now
We are geographically and culturally distant from one another
But I want to reach out and tell you
Despite the distance, I want to communicate with you
How much you mean to me
I value and cherish our relationship
And my family
And the connection we have with one another
I'm goin' back to the USA
I am returning to my home country
I just got my ticket today
I have made concrete plans to travel
I can't wait to see you again
I am eagerly anticipating our reunion
In the USA.
When I am back on American soil
Lyrics © SONY ATV MUSIC PUB LLC
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind