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/
Johnny Magic
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has a way with machines
One day in a garage far away
He met destiny
In the form of a heavy metal Continental
She was born to run on a Proud Highway
Then the whole world started running out of money
Right here in Wichita
Wichita
The home of the heavy metal Continental
Where the Motor-Head Messiah was tuning the system in
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
She burst from the garage in a blaze of silence
Disappearing down Douglas at lightning speed
She was gone before the garage door was down
In Wichita
The home of the heavy metal Continental
Where the Motor-Head Messiah was tuning the system in
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
Wichita
The home of the heavy metal Continental
She was born to run on a Proud Highway
Now she goes long range on domestic green fuel
100 miles per gallon is the Continental Rule
Out on the Kansas two-lane flats near Wichita
Wichita
The home of the heavy metal Continental
She was born to run on a Proud Highway
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
The Motor-Head Messiah went to Washington
To show them what he'd done
The senators and congressmen came down
In Washington
And they rode in the heavy metal Continental
She was born to run on a Proud Highway
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
Wichita
The Motor-Head Messiah was tuning the system in
The lyrics of Neil Young's song "Johnny Magic" tell the story of a man named Johnny who has a special talent for working with metals and machines. One day, he meets his destiny in the form of a heavy metal Continental car that was born to run on a Proud Highway. The car becomes a symbol of hope in a world where people are losing their jobs and money is becoming scarce. Johnny Magic and the Motor-Head Messiah work tirelessly to tune the system of the heavy metal Continental and make it an even more efficient and environmentally-friendly car. In Wichita, the home of the heavy metal Continental, the car becomes a legend and goes on long rides on domestic green fuels, achieving a remarkable 100 miles per gallon.
The song highlights the importance of innovation and the impact it can have on people's lives. Johnny Magic and the Motor-Head Messiah are portrayed as heroes who come up with solutions to the problems of their time. The heavy metal Continental car represents progress, hope, and a brighter future. The lyrics also suggest that these kinds of inventions bring people together, regardless of their background or social status.
Overall, "Johnny Magic" is a tribute to the power of creative thinking, determination, and technological progress. It encourages listeners to believe in their ideas and work hard to bring them to life, just like Johnny Magic and the Motor-Head Messiah did with the heavy metal Continental.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny Magic has a way with metal
Johnny Magic is skilled with metalworking
Has a way with machines
He is also skilled with machinery
One day in a garage far away
Johnny Magic met Destiny in a distant garage
He met destiny
Johnny Magic encountered something meant to happen
In the form of a heavy metal Continental
This something came in the form of a classic, metal Continental car
She was born to run on a Proud Highway
This car was made to run swiftly and confidently on open roads
Then the whole world started running out of money
The song's setting entered an era of economic hardship worldwide
People losing their jobs
And a great number of people losing employment
Right here in Wichita
This economic decline also occurred in Wichita, a location where the story takes place
She burst from the garage in a blaze of silence
The heavy metal Continental exited the garage without a sound and quickly accelerated
Disappearing down Douglas at lightning speed
The car rocketed down Douglas Avenue at unbelievable speed
She was gone before the garage door was down
The car had completely disappeared before the garage door had fully shut
Now she goes long range on domestic green fuel
This Continental can now travel far on efficient and eco-friendly fuel
100 miles per gallon is the Continental Rule
The car is able to get 100 miles per gallon
Out on the Kansas two-lane flats near Wichita
This fuel-efficient car can now travel easily along Kansas' two-laned highways
The Motor-Head Messiah went to Washington
Johnny Magic, now called the Motor-Head Messiah, went to Washington D.C.
To show them what he'd done
He went to present his eco-friendly Continental as a successful project
The senators and congressmen came down
Politicians came to see the heavy metal Continental
And they rode in the heavy metal Continental
They were able to ride this celebrated car
The Motor-Head Messiah was tuning the system in
Johnny Magic was still improving the car, working on its technology to make it better
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
The song repeats Johnny Magic's name for emphasis
Johnny Magic, Johnny Magic
The song doubly repeats Johnny Magic's name for even further emphasis
Wichita
The song repeats the name of the location, Wichita, for emphasis
The home of the heavy metal Continental
This location was important as the dwelling of the coveted car
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind