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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Field of Opportunity
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll be there again
I don't have any answers my friend
Just this pile of old questions
My memory left me here
In the field of opportunity
It's plowin' time again
But I'm not goin' now
It's too early to be leaving here, somehow
Let me bore you with this story
"How my lover let me down"
While I borrow seeds of sadness
From the ground
In the field of opportunity
It's plowin' time again
There ain't no way of telling
Where these seeds will rise or when
I'll just wait around 'til springtime
And then I'll find a friend
In the field of opportunity
It's plowin' time again
When I'm all done cultivatin'
I'll be rockin' on the porch
Tryin' to picture you and where you are
And there'll be no hesitatin'
When Cupid lights the torch
With those headlights comin' down the hill
Between the stars
In the field of opportunity
It's plowin' time again
There ain't no way of telling
Where these seeds will rise or when
I'll just wait around 'til springtime
And then I'll find a friend
In the field of opportunity
It's plowin' time again
In the field of opportunity
It's plowin' time again
The song Field of Opportunity by Neil Young appears to be about the uncertainty and unpredictability of life. The lyrics suggest that the singer has been wrong before and will be wrong again, indicating a sense of humbleness and awareness of fallibility. The pile of old questions he refers to represents the immense, existential queries that we all grapple with throughout our lives. The memory that has left him in the field of opportunity could signify the longings or desires that he has yet to fulfill that have brought him to this place. It's plowing time again connects to the idea of cyclical nature, the ups, and downs of life, the seasons of the year, and the seasons of our existence.
The singer's mention of "borrowing seeds of sadness from the ground" represents the idea that pain can be a source of growth and inspiration. The line “Let me bore you with this story, how my lover let me down” implies that we all share a common bond of pain and that opening up to others about it can provide solace and healing. The phrase "I'll just wait around 'til springtime, and then I'll find a friend" suggests that no matter how daunting the future may seem, there is always hope around the corner. The song ends with the singer imagining himself rocking on the porch, trying to find peace in his heart before Cupid lights the torch signaling a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been wrong before
I have made mistakes in the past
And I'll be there again
And I know that I will make mistakes again in the future
I don't have any answers my friend
I do not have any solutions or explanations, my friend
Just this pile of old questions
Only a collection of unresolved questions
My memory left me here
I have arrived at this place due to my memory or lack thereof
In the field of opportunity
I find myself in a place where many opportunities may arise
It's plowin' time again
It is the time to prepare for new growth by clearing and cultivating the land
I'm going' back to my house
I am returning to my dwelling
But I'm not goin' now
But I am not leaving this place
It's too early to be leaving here, somehow
It is still too soon for me to depart, for some reason or another
Let me bore you with this story
Allow me to tell you a tedious story
"How my lover let me down"
"About my heartache and disappointment from my partner"
While I borrow seeds of sadness
At the same time, I am collecting and acquiring seeds of sorrow
From the ground
From the earth beneath me
There ain't no way of telling
There is no certain way to predict
Where these seeds will rise or when
Where these sorrowful moments may surface or when they might appear
I'll just wait around 'til springtime
I will simply remain present until the right moment
And then, I'll find a friend
At that point, I may find companionship
When I'm all done cultivatin'
Once I have finished working the land
I'll be rockin' on the porch
I will relax and rest on my porch
Tryin' to picture you and where you are
Attempting to imagine where you may be
And there'll be no hesitatin'
There will be no hesitation or delay
When Cupid lights the torch
When love ignites once again
With those headlights comin' down the hill
With those car headlights descending down the slope
Between the stars
Between celestial bodies in the sky
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind