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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Here For You
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you find yourself alone
Then you can come back and be with me
Just close your eyes and I'll be there
Listen to the sound
Of this old heart beating for you
Yes I'd miss you
But I never want to hold you down
When the winter comes to your new home
And snowflakes are falling down
Then you can come back and be with me
Just close your eyes and I'll be there
Listen to the sound
Of this old heart beating for you
Yes I'd miss you
But I never want to hold you down
You might say I'm here for you
In the spring, protective arms surrounding you
In the fall, we let you go your way
Happiness I know will always find you
And when it does, I hope that it will stay
Yes I miss you
But I never want to hold you down
You might say I'm here for you
Yes I miss you
But I never want to hold you down
You might say I'm here for you
I'll always be here for you
The song Here For You by Neil Young is a touching ode to an individual who may feel lost, isolated or alone in certain seasons, whether it be during summer, fall or winter. The lyrics convey a deep concern for this person's well being, while also acknowledging their need for independence and self-exploration. The singer urges this person to never feel like they are being held down or kept from pursuing their happiness. Instead, the singer is always available to offer comfort, regardless of the time of year.
The lyrics also provide reassurance that no matter what the future holds, the individual will always have a supportive presence in their life. This is evident in the line "In the spring, protective arms surrounding you, in the fall, we let you go your way, happiness I know will always find you, and when it does, I hope that it will stay." This line emphasizes the importance of allowing others to grow and change, without fear of them moving on and forgetting about those who care for them.
Overall, the song Here For You is a beautiful expression of love, friendship and support. It conveys a heartfelt message that is universal, reminding us all to be there for the ones we care about, through all the seasons of life.
Line by Line Meaning
When your summer days come tumbling down
When you face difficult times during the summer season
And you find yourself alone
And you have no one to turn to for support
Then you can come back and be with me
You can always come back to me for comfort
Just close your eyes and I'll be there
You can find solace in knowing that I’m there for you, even if we’re apart physically
Listen to the sound
Pay attention to what my heart is saying
Of this old heart beating for you
Because my heart beats for you and I care for you deeply
Yes I'd miss you
Though I will feel your absence
But I never want to hold you down
I will not keep you tied to me if you want to go your separate way
You might say I'm here for you
I will always be there for you when you need me
When the winter comes to your new home
When colder, harsher times come to your new abode
And snowflakes are falling down
While snowflakes continuously fall from the sky
In the spring, protective arms surrounding you
During spring, when the time for nurturing rolls around, I will embrace you in my arms
In the fall, we let you go your way
I will allow you to find your own path, even if it means leaving me behind
Happiness I know will always find you
I believe that good things will always come your way
And when it does, I hope that it will stay
And when happiness arrives, I hope it will remain with you always
I'll always be here for you
I will continue to be your rock, your shoulder to lean on, whenever you need me
Lyrics © Silver Fiddle
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind