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/
Let It Shine
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a light on over my head, my Lord
Let it shine, let it shine
Although it may not be the only one
Let it shine, shine, shine
Although it may not be the only one
There's a moon roof over my head, my Lord
Let it roll, let it roll
Although it may not be the only one
Let me ride, ride, ride, ride
Although I may not be the only one
I got religion in the airport, my Lord
They caught me waiting on my baggage when I was bored
Let them chant, let them chant
Although they may not be the only one
Let them dance, dance, dance
Although they may not be the only one
There's a light on over my head, my Lord
There's a light on over my head, let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine
Although it may not be the only one
Let me shine, shine, shine, shine
Although I may not be the only one
Let me shine, shine, shine, shine
Although I may not be the only one
The lyrics to Neil Young & Stephen Stills's song Let It Shine talk about finding light and hope even in challenging situations. The repetition of "There's a light on over my head, my Lord" emphasizes the idea of a guiding light and the need to let it shine through. It can be interpreted as a call for people to find their own inner light to guide them through life's difficulties.
The second verse talks about material possessions and how, despite having the best car built by Ford, it's not the only one. This can be seen as a reminder that material possessions don't define a person's worth and that we should not rely on them for self-worth.
The final verse is about finding religion in unexpected places such as the airport while waiting for baggage. It suggests that spiritual growth can happen in any place or situation, and that it's important to let people find their own way to spirituality.
Overall, the song is a call for people to let their inner light shine through, to find hope and meaning in life, and to not depend on material possessions for fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a light on over my head, my Lord
I have a sense of clarity and enlightenment that guides me in life.
Let it shine, let it shine
I want to embrace this clarity and share it with the world.
Although it may not be the only one
I acknowledge that there may be other sources of illumination for people.
Let it shine, shine, shine
I am excited and passionate about sharing my own enlightenment with others.
There's a moon roof over my head, my Lord
I have a luxurious car that provides me with comfort and status.
And my Lincoln is still the best thing built by Ford
I take pride in owning a vehicle that I consider to be superior to others.
Let it roll, let it roll
I want to enjoy the benefits of my car and the status it provides me.
Let me ride, ride, ride, ride
I want to maximize the pleasure of being in control and driving my car.
Although I may not be the only one
I acknowledge that others may also have luxury vehicles or enjoy driving their own cars.
I got religion in the airport, my Lord
I experienced a profound spiritual awakening in a place that is often chaotic and stressful.
They caught me waiting on my baggage when I was bored
My transformative experience came unexpectedly while I was experiencing a mundane and frustrating situation.
Let them chant, let them chant
I embrace the religious or spiritual practices of others, even if they are different from mine.
Let them dance, dance, dance
I celebrate the joy and freedom that comes with spiritual expression and movement.
Let me shine, shine, shine, shine
I am excited and passionate about sharing my own spiritual awakening and the joy it brings me.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind