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/
Mansion On The Hill
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And he looked at me, it could have been my face
His words were kind but he's eyes were wild
He said: I got load to love, but I want one more child
There's a mansion on the hill
Psychedelic music fills the air
Peace and love live there still
Around the next bend, take the highway to the sun
Or the rocky road, it really don't matter which one
I was in hurry but that don't matter now
'Cause I have to get off that road of tears somehow
There's a mansion on the hill
Psychedelic music fills the air
Peace and love live there still
In that mansion on the hill
There's a mansion on the hill
There's a mansion on the hill
There's a mansion on the hill
Psychedelic music fills the air
Peace and love live there still
In that mansion on the hill
Psychedelic music fills the air
The song Mansion on the Hill by Neil Young & Crazy Horse is a vivid and detailed story of a man's encounter with an old man who resembles him, and his journey to find inner peace and happiness. The old man seems kind but his eyes are wild, and he tells the singer that he has a lot of love but still wants one more child. It is unclear whether this encounter is real or imaginary, as the singer is searching for a new path in his life.
The journey takes him to a mansion on a hill, where psychedelic music fills the air and peace and love live on. Neil Young's powerful lyrics offer a vision of an idyllic place where the singer finds solace and escape from the struggles of life. This mansion could represent a new path of happiness, free from pain and worries.
The song can be interpreted as a call for inner peace and a better way of life. The singer's journey to find this utopia on the hill is a metaphor for the search for happiness and the struggles we all face. The mansion on the hill represents the kind of life we all dream of, and the psychedelic music represents the freedom and joy that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I saw an old man walking in my place
I encountered an elderly man who gave me a sense of déjà vu.
And he looked at me, it could have been my face
The old man's gaze felt familiar as if he was looking at a mirror image of myself.
His words were kind but he's eyes were wild
Although the man spoke with gentleness, his crazed expression revealed inner turmoil.
He said: I got load to love, but I want one more child
The old man spoke of having abundant love to give, but yearned for the addition of a child to love as his own.
There's a mansion on the hill
The song introduces a grandiose estate sitting atop a hill.
Psychedelic music fills the air
The music played within the mansion is described as colorful and trippy in nature.
Peace and love live there still
Amidst the chaos of the world outside, the mansion is a sanctuary of tranquil and affectionate energy.
Around the next bend, take the highway to the sun
The artist is instructed to follow a path towards positivity and enlightenment.
Or the rocky road, it really don't matter which one
Regardless of the bumps and hurdles faced along the journey, the destination is worth it either way.
I was in hurry but that don't matter now
Initially rushing towards something, the artist now realizes that the importance lies in being present and finding the path towards the mansion on the hill.
'Cause I have to get off that road of tears somehow
The singer wishes to escape the path of sorrow and tears that they have been on, in pursuit of a better life.
There's a mansion on the hill, There's a mansion on the hill, There's a mansion on the hill
The chorus emphasizes the notion that the mansion on the hill is a destination worth striving for.
Psychedelic music fills the air, Peace and love live there still, In that mansion on the hill
Reiterating the previous lines, the song concludes with the idea that the mansion is a utopia of harmony and acceptance.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Chuck M
Mansion on the Hill
Mansion on the Hill may refer to:
A Fred Rose/Hank Williams song, recorded by Williams in 1948 as "A Mansion on the Hill" (a #12 Country hit); it has been covered frequently (Charley Pride, Ernest Tubb, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings, The Onset, etc.)
A Bruce Springsteen song on the album Nebraska
A Neil Young song on the album Ragged Glory
An Alabama 3 song issued as a single in 2001, and on a bonus CD with the album Power in the Blood
This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title.
If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
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neilyoungchannel
Hi, this is Neil. Link to the NYA info-card for this song with press, documents, manuscripts, photos, videos. Look around NYA for fun and listening! ALL my music in high resolution at https://neilyoungarchives.com/info-card?track=t1991_0227_04
Southern Storm
Thanks, Neil!
James Greene
Would gladly go to Church every day if Neil Young was the Priest Great song great Video love Neil Young all my life
James Greene
It sure would be one hell of a Mass service with Uncle Neil blasting away best wishes Damien and sorry for the late reply it's been one hell of a year
Damien Faure
Me too! It would be great! :o)
Lefty Bass
This, kids, is rock and roll.
FeralKid
''Ragged Glory'' is 1 of my favorite Neil's albums.
Andrew G.
Mine too so underrated!
Jackie Latini
Great song,from Neils time machine.He as a young man ,sees himself as an old man in a dream vision and comes back to tell the story.IMO. Good to see Neil,Billy andManuel(Poncho) having so much fun!!!!Jackieblue( a memory)✌✌✌
Al Huggins
can you hear any difference in Neil's voice from when he was in his early twenties and now from his late sixties?? hahaha didn't think so!! the world could identify that voice through at least a couple generations, and guess what???? he's still here..... Thank God for that!!!!!