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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I've Loved Her So Long
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you know her?
Can you see her in the distance
As she tumbles by?
Veteran of a race that should be over
Can you hear her sigh?
With wings to fly
She rolls along
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
There's a place that I know
We could go get away for a while
I can bring her the peace
That she needs
Give her reason to smile
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
Oh, I've loved her so long
In Neil Young's "I've Loved Her So Long," the singer references a woman who is a "victim of her senses" and asks if the listener knows her or can see her in the distance. This suggests that the woman is caught up in her emotions and sensory experiences, perhaps to the point of being overwhelmed by them. She is portrayed as a veteran of a race that should be over, implying that she has been through difficulties or struggles and may be exhausted from them. The line "can you hear her sigh?" adds to this sense of weariness and resignation.
Despite all of this, the woman seems to have a certain grace or beauty that allows her to "roll along" even when she's "doing it wrong." It's as if the singer admires her ability to keep going despite her hardships. The repeated refrain of "Oh, I've loved her so long" reinforces the idea that the singer has a deep affection for this woman, although it's unclear whether the love is romantic or platonic in nature.
Towards the end of the song, the singer suggests that he knows of a place where they could escape and find some peace. He wants to bring her the solace and joy she needs, and give her "reason to smile." This could be seen as a hopeful note, implying that the woman's struggles are not insurmountable and that there's still a chance for happiness and healing.
Overall, the song is a poignant meditation on love, endurance, and the struggle to find meaning and joy in difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
She's a victim of her senses
She makes decisions based on what she feels rather than what she sees or thinks.
Do you know her?
Do you understand her true self and what she's been through?
Can you see her in the distance
Can you spot her in a crowd or feel her presence even when she's not there?
As she tumbles by?
As she moves through life unpredictably, falling down and getting back up again?
Veteran of a race that should be over
She's experienced things she shouldn't have and has already gone through enough struggles.
Can you hear her sigh?
Can you sense her sadness and longing for something more?
With wings to fly
She has the potential to rise above her circumstances and soar to new heights.
She rolls along
She keeps moving forward, no matter what obstacles come her way.
Doing it wrong
Even if she's not always making the best choices, she's still doing her best.
Oh, I've loved her so long
His love for her has endured for a very long time.
There's a place that I know
He knows of a special place where they can escape from reality for a while.
We could go get away for a while
They can leave their problems behind and just be together somewhere peaceful.
I can bring her the peace
He wants to be the one to provide comfort and tranquility for her.
That she needs
He understands she requires emotional support to heal from past wounds.
Give her reason to smile
He wants to bring joy to her life and ease her sadness.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind