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/
Inca Queen
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She gazed at her sundial
All around her workers raised
Golden idols to her smile
The waiting years weren't hard to see
Behind the tears of Mercury.
She spoke of silver from the sky
To pick them up when they would fly
Far above their dreams and hopes
And they a mountain city raised
Where their queen above the clouds
Could watch out.
Inca Queen has, Inca Queen has, Inca Queen has come
Inca Queen has, Inca Queen has, Inca Queen has come.
Out in the jungle the drums were heard: Inca Queen has come
From the biggest elephant to the smallest bird: Inca Queen has come
She spoke of silver from the sky, Inca Queen has come
To pick them up when they would fly, Inca Queen has come.
Once there was an Inca Queen
She gazed at her sundial
All around her workers raised
Golden idols to her smile
And though the air was thin and cold
Soon the day would come the queen had told.
Inca Queen has, Inca Queen has, Inca Queen has come.
Neil Young's song "Inca Queen" is a lyrical journey that tells the enchanting tale of an Inca queen and her people. The song is a beautiful ode to one of the most compelling mythologies of ancient times. The queen is a symbol of power and wisdom, and her people revere her greatly. The lyrics speak of how she gazed at her sundial, while her workers built golden idols to her smile. The queen's vision for her people was expressed through her hope for a new generation and a better future. She spoke of silver from the sky, and many floating safety boats to pick her people up when they would fly, and they raised a mountain city where their queen could watch over them.
The song describes how the queen's arrival was announced to the jungle by the sound of drums, and every living creature was filled with a sense of excitement and expectation. The queen's words were like magic, and her vision promised a future of prosperity and abundance. The air was thin and cold, but the queen knew that soon the day would come when her people would live in a land of plenty. Behind the tears of Mercury, the waiting years represent the struggle and determination of the Inca people to create a better life for themselves.
The song is a testament to Neil Young's ability to capture the essence of mythology and ancient history in a way that resonates with the modern listener. "Inca Queen" is a reminder of the enduring power of storytelling and the role it plays in shaping our collective consciousness.
Line by Line Meaning
Once there was an Inca Queen
A long time ago, there existed a queen of the Inca people.
She gazed at her sundial
She looked at her sundial to determine the time of day.
All around her workers raised
Her workers constructed monuments and idols to praise their queen.
Golden idols to her smile
The idols were made of gold and crafted to resemble the queen's smiling face.
The waiting years weren't hard to see
It was easy to predict the years to come.
Behind the tears of mercury
The queen wept, perhaps due to feeling ill, and her tears shone like drops of mercury.
She spoke of silver from the sky
The queen discussed the possibility of extracting silver from the clouds.
And many floating safety boats
She envisioned the creation of floating airborne vessels to ensure safety while mining for silver.
To pick them up when they would fly
These vessels would gather the silver when it was extracted from the clouds.
Far above their dreams and hopes
This prospect was beyond the wildest hopes and dreams of her people.
And they a mountain city raised
The people built a city high in the mountains so the queen could overlook her kingdom in the clouds.
Where their queen above the clouds
This city was a place for their queen to reside and observe her people, high above the clouds.
Could watch out
She could observe and care for her people.
Out in the jungle the drums were heard: Inca Queen has come
The queen's arrival was announced throughout the jungle by the sound of drums and celebration.
From the biggest elephant to the smallest bird: Inca Queen has come
All creatures in the jungle were aware of the queen's arrival.
And though the air was thin and cold
Even though the air at the mountaintop was thin and cold.
Soon the day would come the queen had told
The queen predicted that her people would succeed in mining for silver from the clouds.
Inca Queen has, Inca Queen has, Inca Queen has come
Repeated celebration and announcement of the queen's arrival.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikemattingly2859
His discarded lyric scraps could outdo 99 percent of this garbage today.....his music composition is unbeatable. His heart and pride and contribution to man's spirit everlasting......
@stephenlutz123
62 years old, and I first heard this a week ago. The people at my local bar are probably getting sick of it. Too bad!
@Attacknun
My dad played me this song like ~10ish years ago when i was a teen. I never forgot it. It was very comforting.
@winthropframe4761
Amazing photos of a great people in the Andes Mountains. With great music of Neil Young. Always be thankful. Enjoy each and every day in this big beautiful world
@oscarenmarquez
ANOTHER MASTERPIECE BY THE MASTER!!
@billlumberge3508
My father played guitar with the squires in winnepig in Neil’s junior high band. He left the band after highscool to become a quantum physicist. He would jam the guitar so hard the chords still resinate from my childhood.
@drinktoforget9732
Masterpiece from a dark period.
@Mr33223322
Must be one of my favourites. All his south american/indian themed songs are great such as pocahontas,cortez the killer,like an inca from peru....wait a sec I've just thought of neil's next hits album!!!
@timwilliams8343
Excellent NEIL!!!
@humblpye
This song has haunted me ever since i first heard it on late night radio in south africa many years ago, it took me several more years to track down the album (in england). thanks for sharing