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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Fuel Line
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her engine's running and the fuel is clean
She only uses it 'cause she's a machine
She don't use much though, just to get around
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
The awesome power of electricity
Stored for you in a giant battery
She don't use much though, that's smart for a car
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
Fill her up! [Repeats]
The world is ready for a whole new game
Some old-timers wanna stay the same
They like to advertise how clean and green they are
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
But she don't listen to what they say
She burned the mess they clean(?) instead
She don't use much though, that's smart for a car
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
Fill her up! [Repeats]
She's not the car that she used to be
Keep ready for you, and she's ready for me
Into the future that's her destiny
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line) [Repeats]
In "Fuel Line," Neil Young sings about a car that "only uses [fuel] 'cause she's a machine" and "don't use much though, just to get around." The song draws attention to the potential of electric cars as a cleaner and smarter alternative to traditional gas-powered vehicles. Young sings about the "awesome power of electricity stored for you in a giant battery" that this car possesses. The car is depicted as forward-thinking and in tune with the changing times, unlike the "old-timers" who resist change and still advertise their cars as "clean and green."
Despite the push towards electric cars, Young's lyrics suggest that there are still those who resist change and the transition away from traditional fuel options. However, the car in the song is portrayed as revolutionary and ready for the future. The repeated refrain to "keep filling that fuel line" could be interpreted as both a call to action to continue developing alternative fuel options, as well as a nod to the enduring popularity and necessity of traditional fuel for many currently available vehicles.
Line by Line Meaning
Fill her up! [Repeats]
Instructions to keep filling the car with fuel.
Her engine's running and the fuel is clean
The car is well-maintained and has clean fuel.
She only uses it 'cause she's a machine
The car only uses fuel because it's a machine that requires energy to operate.
She don't use much though, just to get around
The car doesn't use much fuel since it's only used for basic transportation needs.
(Keep filling that fuel line) (Keep filling that old fuel line)
Reiteration of the need to keep filling the car with fuel.
The awesome power of electricity
Electricity is a powerful energy source for cars.
Stored for you in a giant battery
Electricity is stored in a large battery for use by the car.
She don't use much though, that's smart for a car
The car uses electricity efficiently, which is smart for the vehicle's functionality.
The world is ready for a whole new game
The world is ready for a new approach to transportation with more sustainable options.
Some old-timers wanna stay the same
Some people prefer to stick to traditional methods of transportation.
They like to advertise how clean and green they are
Some people boast about the environmentally-friendly features of their cars.
But she don't listen to what they say
The car doesn't pay attention to the marketing claims of other vehicles.
She burned the mess they clean(?) instead
The car burns fuel that other vehicles claim to clean up.
She's not the car that she used to be
The car has undergone changes to become more advanced and efficient.
Keep ready for you, and she's ready for me
The car is kept ready for use and is ready to be driven by anyone.
Into the future that's her destiny
The car is destined to be a part of the future of transportation.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind