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 Want To Drive My Car
Neil Young Lyrics
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Further and further on down the road
I wanna drive my car
I need a place to go, I need a place to go
Further and further on down the road
I need a place to go
Further and further on down the road
I gotta find my way
I wanna drive my car, I wanna drive my car
Further and further on down the road
I wanna drive my car
I gotta find some fuel, I gotta find some fuel
Further and further on down the road
I gotta find some fuel
Neil Young’s “I Want To Drive My Car” is all about freedom, the desire for independence, and the need for a journey. The repetition of the line “I wanna drive my car” highlights the singer's determination to set himself free and take off on an adventure, even if he doesn't know where he is going. We can sense that he feels trapped in his current situation, and driving his car is the only solution that he can think of to escape.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of self-discovery and finding oneself through travel. The singer is looking for a place to go and needs to find his way. He craves new experiences and wants to explore the world around him. The repetition of the phrase “Further and further on down the road” emphasizes the idea that there is no end destination for him, but rather a continual journey. It suggests that he’s not looking for a specific place, but rather is on a quest for something bigger.
The line “I gotta find some fuel” serves as a metaphor for the energy he will need to push forward and continue exploring. It could represent emotional or mental fuel as well as physical, as he seeks the power to thrive and keep moving forward. The song ultimately represents a yearning to break free from social constraints and embark on a journey of self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna drive my car, I wanna drive my car
The singer expresses their strong desire to be behind the wheel and take control of their own journey.
Further and further on down the road
The singer wants to keep moving forward and explore what lies ahead, without any specific destination in mind.
I need a place to go, I need a place to go
Although the singer is not looking for a specific destination, they still want to leave their current surroundings and find a new environment to experience.
I gotta find my way, I gotta find my way
The artist acknowledges that they are unsure of their path or direction in life, but they are determined to keep searching for it.
I gotta find some fuel, I gotta find some fuel
In order to continue their journey and explore further, the artist needs to find the resources and energy to keep moving forward.
Lyrics © Silver Fiddle, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind