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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Hello Lonely Woman
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Won't you take a walk with me
I know a place where we can go
Grab a bite to eat
Hello lonely woman
Are you feelin' all right?
Well, you look just like heaven
Well, I know you're a lonely woman
And I know what's on your mind
I won't ask you any favors
I'm familiar with your kind
I know you need me
Like a river needs rain
I won't ask you any favors
Until I pass this way again
Well, hello lonely woman
Won't you take a walk with me
I know a place where we can go
Grab a bite to eat
Hello lonely woman
Are you feelin' all right?
Well, you look just like heaven
On a clear clear night
Well, I know you're a lonely woman
And I know what's on your mind
I won't ask you any favors
I'm familiar with your kind
I know you need me
Like a river needs rain
I won't ask you any favors
Until I pass this way again
The song "Hello Lonely Woman" by Neil Young is a poignant yet melancholic ballad about a lonely woman, who is approached by the singer who offers solace to her. The song opens with the singer inviting the woman to take a walk with him, as he knows a place where they can get something to eat. The woman's loneliness is alluded to in the repeated use of the phrase "lonely woman," which suggests that she has been through some emotional turmoil.
Despite her loneliness, the singer remains respectful of her boundaries and says that he won't ask her for any favors, as he has "been familiar with her kind." He acknowledges that he knows what is on her mind but does not want to make her feel obligated to him in any way. The line "I know you need me/ Like a river needs rain" is particularly poignant as it highlights the woman's desperate search for human connection and the singer's willingness to be there for her, at least for the time being.
Overall, the song is a reflection of how loneliness can affect us all, and how a simple gesture of kindness can make a world of difference. The sweet, soulful melody is soothing and empathetic, and Young's idiosyncratic voice adds to the song's overall emotional depth. "Hello Lonely Woman" is a beautiful example of Young's ability to convey empathy and compassion through his music.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, hello lonely woman
The singer greets the woman.
Won't you take a walk with me
The singer invites her for a walk.
I know a place where we can go
The singer knows a good place to go.
Grab a bite to eat
The singer suggests they get something to eat.
Hello lonely woman
The singer greets the woman again.
Are you feelin' all right?
The singer asks how she's doing.
Well, you look just like heaven
On a clear clear night
The singer compliments her appearance.
Well, I know you're a lonely woman
The singer acknowledges that she's lonely.
And I know what's on your mind
The singer understands her thoughts.
I won't ask you any favors
The singer won't ask for anything.
I'm familiar with your kind
The singer has met other lonely women before.
I know you need me
Like a river needs rain
The singer believes she needs his company.
Until I pass this way again
The singer won't ask anything from her until they meet again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@neilyoungchannel
Hi, this is Neil. Link to the NYA info-card for this song with press, documents, manuscripts, photos, videos. Look around NYA for fun and listening! ALL my music in high resolution at https://neilyoungarchives.com/info-card?track=t1988_0418_03
@davidjonsson4539
Frank zappa
@MrFartboy79
Nice! One of the first songs Neil ever wrote.
@deanaf
Awesome!!!! Thank you, Neil.
@ThrasherWheat
Sounding good with The Bluenotes!
@WweRKOcoiledvoices
Thank you, Neil Maestro. U Rock
@marcelloposcia4268
Great One ! Thanks Neil
@Shakeytunes
At it again Neil. Excellant as usual
@andrewbyrom8097
So looking foward to this album, loved the Bluenotes shows.
@santiagoestradegomezacedo4460
Tanks a lot Neil,back to the roots