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 Wonder Why
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As I did before
Last night I cried myself to sleep
For the one that makes me weep
I dried my eyes to greet the day,
And wondered why I had to pay
The tears that I have shed by day
The memory of the night before
I wonder if I'll suffer more
I wonder if I care as much
As I did before
My pride is made to say forgive
And take the blame for what you did
It's your mistakes I'm thinkin' of
I wonder if I'm still in love
My heart can't thrive on misery
My life it has no destiny
When things get more
Than I can bear
I ask myself, do I still care?
I wonder if I care as much
As I did before
The lyrics of Neil Young's "I Wonder If I Care As Much" explore the theme of heartbreak and the emotional aftermath of a failed relationship. The song speaks to the feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt that often accompany a break-up. The opening lines, "I wonder if I care as much / As I did before," suggest a sense of questioning and introspection. The singer is uncertain whether their feelings for the person they have been seeing are still as strong as they once were. The repetition of the chorus reinforces this sense of uncertainty.
The verses themselves explore the singer's emotional state in more depth. The line "Last night I cried myself to sleep / For the one that makes me weep" speaks to the intense pain and sadness that comes with a break-up, while the following line, "I dried my eyes to greet the day / And wondered why I had to pay," suggests a sense of bitterness and resentment. The chorus returns, and then the second verse begins.
In the second verse, the singer struggles with feelings of responsibility and guilt. They say, "My pride is made to say forgive / And take the blame for what you did / It's your mistakes I'm thinkin' of / I wonder if I'm still in love." Here, the singer seems torn between their desire for forgiveness and their need to reconcile their own feelings about the relationship. The final couplet, "I ask myself, do I still care? / I wonder if I care as much / As I did before," returns to the uncertainty expressed in the opening lines.
Overall, Neil Young's "I Wonder If I Care As Much" is a poignant meditation on the aftermath of heartbreak. The song captures the complicated mix of emotions that can come with the end of a relationship - uncertainty, self-doubt, pain, and even bitterness.
Line by Line Meaning
I wonder if I care as much
I question whether I still feel the same level of concern as I once did
As I did before
As I felt in the past
Last night I cried myself to sleep
I wept for hours until I fell asleep
For the one that makes me weep
Because of the person who causes me to be upset
I dried my eyes to greet the day
I wiped away my tears to welcome the new day
And wondered why I had to pay
And pondered why I had to suffer
The tears that I have shed by day
The tears that I cried during the day
Give relief and wash away
Provide comfort and cleanse
The memory of the night before
The recollection of the previous evening
I wonder if I'll suffer more
I am uncertain if I will experience additional pain
My pride is made to say forgive
My ego prompts me to pardon
And take the blame for what you did
And accept responsibility for your actions
It's your mistakes I'm thinkin' of
It's your errors that occupy my thoughts
I wonder if I'm still in love
I'm unsure if I still harbor romantic feelings
My heart can't thrive on misery
My heart cannot flourish in despair
My life it has no destiny
My existence lacks purpose
When things get more Than I can bear
When events become too difficult for me to bear
I ask myself, do I still care?
I inquire whether I still feel concern
I wonder if I care as much
I question whether I still feel the same level of concern as I once did
As I did before
As I felt in the past
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONALD EVERLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@myeverythingworld8123
This guys is buy far one of the greatest Singer song writers ever to have walked the earth 🌍 plus well there is no plus needed he has it all
@AMEER-wp2mm
And you are one scwewy rabbit..
Neil is only
one guy
who cant
buy far
anymore than you or I
@amyann3402
My dad just sent me this my daughter just been diagnosed with autism and it’s brought me to tears ❤
@richiewilliams6875
❣️
@izzetmustafa9898
beautiful song, beautiful man with a heart of gold, there will never be another neil young he has been my saviour for past sixty years, long may you run neil 💙
@garybrinker4522
Absolutely,,same with me..
@meltdownman1
Never heard this tune before. I knew about his son. The lyrics are such a beautiful tribute to those less fortunate. Thank you for posting. I can tell you have beautiful soul, The Meltdownman
@eddiestanner8812
amazing man,,, absolutely beautiful
@cobraferrariwars
This song will endure. Thank you Neil Young.
@boxcar2011
Another gift of compassion The Man is totally Blessed.