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/
Leavin' the Top Forty Behind
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And another
I got so many ills and pills
I'm about to smother
Hit 39, leavin' the top 40 behind
Holdin' on to what I got
I tried to tell myself
It's just the time of life
Another rung in the ladder
Each morning I
Look in her sky-blue eyes
The downside of life looks better
That old man standin' on the corner
He should be proud
of those lines on his face
'cos either he's
been laughin' too much
Or feelin' too much pain
Here comes another day
And another
I sure am glad
I got you for a lover
Hit 39, leavin' the top 40 behind
Holdin' on to what I got
That old man standin' on the corner
He should be proud
of those lines on his face
'cos either he's
been smilin' too much
Or feelin' too much pain
Here comes another day
And another
I sure am glad
I got you for a lover
Hit 39, I'm leavin'
the top 40 behind
Holdin' on to what I got
Hit 39, leavin' the top 40 behind
Holdin' on to what I got
"Leavin' the Top Forty Behind" by Neil Young is a song about getting older, both in terms of age and in life experience. The lyrics suggest a sense of resignation, as the singer acknowledges his age and the fact that he's no longer a part of the youth culture that he once inhabited. The repeated phrase "Here comes another day" emphasizes the monotony of life and the inevitability of the passage of time, while the mention of "ills and pills" suggests the physical and emotional toll that aging can take on a person.
The song also touches on themes of love and companionship, as the singer expresses gratitude for having a partner to navigate the challenges of getting older. The line "The downside of life looks better" suggests that having a loving companion can help make life's hardships more bearable.
Overall, "Leavin' the Top Forty Behind" is a melancholy but ultimately hopeful reflection on the process of aging and the value of human connection in making it through life's ups and downs.
Line by Line Meaning
Here comes another day
Another day begins, just like any other day.
And another
Every day is like the one before it.
I got so many ills and pills
I am burdened with health problems and have to take medication to manage them.
I'm about to smother
I feel overwhelmed and suffocated by my health issues.
Hit 39, leavin' the top 40 behind
I've turned 39, and I'm no longer part of the younger generation who are considered 'popular' or 'trendy'.
Holdin' on to what I got
I am trying to cling on to the things that mean the most to me.
I tried to tell myself
I attempted to convince myself.
It doesn't matter
It's not important.
It's just the time of life
It's just a stage in the natural progression of growing older.
Another rung in the ladder
Another step in the journey of life.
Each morning I
Every day when I wake up.
Look in her sky-blue eyes
I gaze into the blue eyes of my significant other.
The downside of life looks better
Even when things are tough, being with my partner makes it feel more bearable.
That old man standin' on the corner
There is an elderly man standing on the street corner.
He should be proud of those lines on his face
The wrinkles on his face are a visual representation of a life lived, and he should be proud of everything that he has accomplished.
'cos either he's been laughin' too much
Those laugh lines are evidence that he's had a joyful life.
Or feelin' too much pain
But those lines could also be a result of the hardships he's endured.
I sure am glad
I am really happy and fortunate.
I got you for a lover
I have a significant other who loves me.
Hit 39, I'm leavin' the top 40 behind
As I turn 39, I am realizing I am no longer part of the demographic of younger, trendier people.
Hit 39, leavin' the top 40 behind
I am no longer part of the demographic of younger, trendier people as I turn 39.
Holdin' on to what I got
I am trying to hold on to what matters most to me.
Contributed by Adam S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.