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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Four Strong Winds
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got some friends that I could go to working for
Still I wish you'd change your mind,
If I asked you one more time
But we've been through this a hundred times or more
Four strong winds that blow lonely, seven seas that run high
All those things that don't change, come what may
I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way.
If I get there before the snow flies, and if things are looking good
You could meet me if I sent you down the fare
But by then it would be winter, not too much for you to do
And those winds sure can blow cold way out there
Four strong winds that blow lonely, seven seas that run high
All those things that don't change, come what may
If the good times are all gone, so I'm bound for moving on
I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way.
Still I wish you'd change your mind,
If I asked you one more time
But we've been through that a hundred times or more
Four strong winds that blow lonely, seven seas that run high
All those things that don't change, come what may
If the good times are all gone, and I'm bound for moving on
I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way.
I'll look for you if I'm ever pass this way
Neil Young's song "Four Strong Winds" speaks of a man's desire to move on from his current situation and start on a new journey. The song opens with the singer's plans to travel to Alberta, where he has friends who can offer him work. However, despite his apparent excitement for the opportunity ahead, the singer confesses that he wishes his companion could change her mind and join him. He acknowledges that they have had this conversation many times before, but laments that he cannot convince her to follow him.
The bridge of the song features the titular phrase "four strong winds that blow lonely, seven seas that run high," which serve as metaphors for the unchanging nature of the world and its ability to keep people apart. Despite the changing circumstances in life, the wind and the sea remain constant and isolated. The singer acknowledges that the good times may be gone, but he is committed to moving on regardless, always hopeful that he may cross paths with his companion again.
The final stanza serves as a repetition of the opening lyrics, with the singer still holding onto the hope that his companion may change her mind and join him someday. "Four Strong Winds" speaks to the human desire for change and growth, while also acknowledging the longing for companionship and the difficulty of parting ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Think I'll go out to Alberta, weather's good there in the fall
I'm considering moving to Alberta for work because the weather is nice in the autumn.
I got some friends that I could go to working for
I have some friends who I could work for in Alberta.
Still I wish you'd change your mind, If I asked you one more time, But we've been through this a hundred times or more
I want my significant other to come with me to Alberta, but I know we've talked about it many times before and they've already made up their mind.
Four strong winds that blow lonely, seven seas that run high, All those things that don't change, come what may
There are some things in life that never change and will always be constant, like the four strong winds and seven seas that continue to exist and affect us.
If the good times are all gone, and I'm bound for moving on, I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way.
If things don't work out for me in Alberta and I have to leave, I'll try to find my significant other if I ever come back to this area.
If I get there before the snow flies, and if things are looking good, You could meet me if I sent you down the fare
If I make it to Alberta before the snow falls and I have a job, I could send my significant other money so they can come join me.
But by then it would be winter, not too much for you to do, And those winds sure can blow cold way out there
However, by the time my significant other arrives, it will be winter and there won't be much for them to do. And the winds in Alberta can be extremely cold and harsh.
I'll look for you if I'm ever pass this way
If I ever travel through this area again in the future, I'll try to find my significant other and connect with them once more.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ian Tyson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind