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!"
For recent news see: http://www.neilyoung.com/
I Am a Child
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't conceive of the pleasure in my smile
You hold my hand, buff up my hair
It's lots of fun to have you there
I gave to you, now you give to me
I'd like to know what you've learned
The sky is blue and so is the sea
What is the color?
You are a man, you understand
You pick me up and you lay me down again
You make the rules, you say what's fair
It's lots of fun to have you there
"I Am a Child" is a song by Neil Young that exudes innocence and celebration of childhood. The song essentially portrays a young child who is joyfully living life in the company of his dominant adult. The child is open and curious, eager to learn from the adult and asking questions on colors, life, and experience. At the same time, the adult is portrayed as a caring influence on the child, educating him on the realities of life and making him feel loved.
The lyrics in the first verse, "I am a child, I will last a while", show the child’s youthful exuberance and optimistic approach to life. The second line, "you can't conceive of the pleasure in my smile", emphasizes the child’s ability to find joy and pleasure in even the smallest things in life. In the second verse, the child recognizes the adult’s authority, and the phrase "You are a man, you understand" imbues respect and admiration for the adult.
The chorus, "God gave to you, now, you give to me, I'd like to know what you learned, The sky is blue and so is the sea, What is the color, when black is burned?" is essentially the child asking for advice from the adult on life lessons and experiences. The questions asked by the child are metaphoric, and the adult has to navigate through to offer satisfactory answers.
Overall, the song captures the importance of childhood and how a relationship with a nurturing adult figure can shape a child’s perspective on the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I am a child, I'll last a while
I am young and innocent, and I have a lot of time ahead of me.
You can't conceive of the pleasure in my smile
You cannot imagine the happiness and joy that I feel inside as a child.
You hold my hand, rough up my hair,
You show your affection for me by touching me playfully and affectionately.
It's lots of fun to have you there
It is enjoyable and entertaining to have you around as a supportive figure in my life.
God gave to you, now, you give to me,
You have received love and knowledge from a higher power, and now you are sharing it with me.
I'd like to know what you learned
I am curious and eager to learn from your experiences and wisdom.
The sky is blue and so is the sea
I am learning about the world around me, and observing the colors of nature.
What is the color, when black is burned?
I am asking a philosophical question, wondering what color arises from darkness and destruction.
You are a man, you understand
You are an adult and have more life experience and knowledge than I do as a child.
You pick me up and you lay me down again
You provide physical care and protection for me as a child.
You make the rules, you say what's fair,
You are in charge and make decisions for me, to help me learn right from wrong and morality.
It's lots of fun to have you there
Your involvement and guidance is an enjoyable and positive presence in my young life.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind