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/
Keep on Rockin' in the Free World
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Red, white and blue
People shufflin' their feet
People sleepin' in their shoes
But there's a warnin' sign on the road ahead
There's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead
Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them
So I try to forget it, any way I can.
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.
I see a woman in the night
With a baby in her hand
Under an old street light
Near a garbage can
Now she puts the kid away, and she's gone to get a hit
She hates her life, and what she's done to it
There's one more kid that will never go to school
Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool.
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.
We got a thousand points of light
For the homeless man
We got a kinder, gentler,
Machine gun hand
We got department stores and toilet paper
Got Styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer
Got a man of the people, says keep hope alive
Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive.
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Keep on rockin' in the free world.
The opening lines of "Rockin' in the Free World" by Neil Young & Crazy Horse are a vivid description of urban life in America, with the red, white and blue colors of the flag represented by the people and their actions on the street. The warning sign on the road ahead could denote the current state of society, with prevalent social issues such as poverty, homelessness, drug addiction, and violence. The singer doesn't see himself as a "Satan," but many people might perceive him that way due to the messages in his music. However, he tries to forget this negativity and keep on going.
The second verse paints a picture of a woman living in poverty, struggling to survive, and being forced to choose an addiction over her child's welfare. The child's future is bleak, as there's no education or hope for love, leaving them unable to escape the cycle of poverty. It's a heartbreaking depiction of how the system has failed certain Americans.
The final verse is sarcastic, highlighting that the system might have good intentions, represented by thousand points of light for the homeless, but they have a machine gun hand to deal with those who resist or don't follow suit. The dichotomy between the department stores and the ozone layer is symbolic of capitalism's effect on the environment; it's not all sunshine and rainbows. The man of the people urging everyone to keep hope alive contrasts with the current reality, where people burn fuel, drive on roads, and live lives full of excess.
Overall, "Rockin' in the Free World" is about the struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that's flawed, and Young's message is that despite all the negativity, one must keep on going, keep on fighting the good fight, and keep on rockin' in the free world.
Line by Line Meaning
There's colors on the street
The streets are vibrant and full of life, represented by different colors.
Red, white and blue
The colors that represent America, reflecting the patriotism.
People shufflin' their feet
Apathy and boredom, reflecting the monotony of life.
People sleepin' in their shoes
People are constantly fatigued and tired, due to their lives and circumstances.
But there's a warnin' sign on the road ahead
There is an indication of danger coming up, we need to be cautious.
There's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead
There are people among us who think that we are living aimlessly and should not exist at all.
Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them
Neil Young does not see himself as evil, but some people may view him that way based on his views and opinions.
So I try to forget it, any way I can.
Neil Young tries to ignore the negativity around him by any means necessary.
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Continue to live your life and enjoy your freedom in the world we live in.
I see a woman in the night
Neil Young sees a woman at night, representing the darkness and struggles that people face.
With a baby in her hand
The woman is holding her child, representing the difficulties of raising a child while facing poverty and hardship.
Under an old street light
The woman is standing under a street light, symbolizing hope in a dark world.
Near a garbage can
The woman is standing near a garbage can symbolizing the societal neglect of the poor.
Now she puts the kid away, and she's gone to get a hit
The woman puts her child to sleep and departs to get drugs to escape her harsh reality.
She hates her life, and what she's done to it
The woman does not like the way she has lived her life and the consequences of her actions.
There's one more kid that will never go to school
The woman's child is one more young life that will not receive an education because of their circumstances.
Never get to fall in love, never get to be cool.
The child will miss out on regular experiences in life, such as love and acceptance.
We got a thousand points of light
The nation has many prosperous symbols of hope.
For the homeless man
The government offers assistance to the homeless.
We got a kinder, gentler, Machine gun hand
The government is deceitful and claims peace while dealing out violence.
We got department stores and toilet paper
The nation is affluent, but only pays attention to superficial needs.
Got Styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer
We fail to address essential environmental concerns.
Got a man of the people, says keep hope alive
The politician claims to be for the people and motivates the public to not lose hope.
Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive.
The nation has abundance but wastes it incessantly.
Keep on rockin' in the free world
Continue to live your life to the fullest in the freedom of the world we live in.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind