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!"
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Like A Hurricane
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dancing on the light from star to star
Far across the moonbeam I know that's who you are
I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire
You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye
And I'm gettin' blown away
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away
I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream
You could have been anyone to me
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip
You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away, blown away
You are just a dreamer, and I am just a dream
You could have been anyone to me
Before that moment you touched my lips
That perfect feeling when time just slips
Away between us on our foggy trip
You are like a hurricane
There's calm in your eye
And I'm gettin' blown away
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away
The lyrics to Neil Young's song Like a Hurricane can be interpreted in a number of ways, but one of the main themes seems to be the power of love and its ability to overwhelm and sweep people away. The singer in the song is drawn to a mysterious figure (presumably a woman) whom he sees dancing in a crowded bar. He is entranced by her, describing her as a hurricane, yet also noting a sense of calm in her eyes. While he wants to love her, he senses that he is in danger of being "blown away" by his feelings for her.
The second verse of the song expands on the idea that the two people have a strong connection that transcends ordinary reality. They are both "just dreamers," yet they have a profound impact on each other. The singer recalls the moment when they first kissed, describing it as a "perfect feeling when time just slips away between us on our foggy trip."
Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of longing and desire, tempered by the fear of being overwhelmed by powerful emotions. The imagery of the hurricane suggests both the irresistible force of love and the danger that it can pose.
Line by Line Meaning
Once I thought I saw you in a crowded hazy bar
Amidst the thick crowd at the bar, I glimpsed someone like you
Dancing on the light from star to star
Your celestial movements were as graceful as a dance among the stars
Far across the moonbeam I know that's who you are
Even from a distance lit only by moonlight, I knew it was you
I saw your brown eyes turning once to fire
I saw a flicker of passion in your brown eyes
You are like a hurricane
You are unstoppable and powerful like a natural disaster
There's calm in your eye
But amidst the chaos, there is an unshakable inner peace
And I'm gettin' blown away
I am swept up in your energy and intensity
To somewhere safer where the feeling stays
I long for a place where the intensity of the feeling we share can last
I want to love you but I'm getting blown away
I am overwhelmed by my feelings for you and don't know how to express them
I am just a dreamer, but you are just a dream
I acknowledge that I am a dreamer, but you seem too good to be true
You could have been anyone to me
Before meeting you, anyone could have captured my imagination
Before that moment you touched my lips
But the moment we kissed, everything changed
That perfect feeling when time just slips
For a moment, time stood still and everything was perfect
Away between us on our foggy trip
As we journey through life together, we may encounter uncertainties
Blown away
The overwhelming feeling of being captivated by someone
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind