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/
Mediterranean
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I could meet you there,
Who would ever care,
We'll get in right on time
Right on time
Right on time
Were walkin' in the rain,
A sudden spirit came,
And made us go away
To holiday from fame
Vacation came
Mediterranean
Neil Young's song Mediterranean is an introspective and poetic reflection on the effects of celebrity and fame, and the need for escape and solitude. The verses depict a deep longing to get away and find some respite and connection with nature and the world. The line "Mediterranean, If I could meet you there, Who would ever care" is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the singer feels alone and irrelevant in the spotlight of his fame, but also that he is seeking a deeper connection with the world, beyond the superficiality of fame and fortune. The repetition of the phrase "right on time" suggests a desire to be in sync with the rhythms of nature and life.
The second verse continues this theme, as the singer dreams of walking in the rain with someone, perhaps a loved one or a kindred spirit. However, this idyllic moment is disrupted by the voice of fame, represented here as a "spirit" that intrudes upon the peace and tranquillity of the moment, forcing the singer to flee and seek refuge in a vacation. The Mediterranean, with its warm waters and scenic vistas, is perhaps the perfect place for such an escape, and the title of the song hints at the singer's desire to find solace in this beautiful region.
Overall, the song is a powerful meditation on the human need for connection, solitude, and escape, as well as the encroaching effects of fame and fortune on our lives and spirits. The Mediterranean represents a kind of idyllic paradise and escape, a place where we can forget our worries and just be in tune with the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Mediterranean,
Referring to the Mediterranean Sea as an entity or entity representative of the region.
If I could meet you there,
Expressing a desire to be physically present in the Mediterranean region.
Who would ever care,
Questioning the importance of anyone else's opinions or concerns regarding the desire to be in the Mediterranean.
We'll get in right on time
Confidently asserting the ability to arrive at the desired destination at the perfect moment.
Right on time
Repeating the statement made in the previous line for emphasis and/or musical effect.
I dreamed my dream and I,
Beginning a narrative about a dream experienced by the singer.
Were walkin' in the rain,
Setting the scene of the dream as taking place during a rainy walk.
A sudden spirit came,
Introducing a supernatural element to the dream.
And made us go away
Describing the effect the spirit had on the dreamers, taking them away from the rainy walk and into a new setting.
To holiday from fame
Offering an interpretation of the new setting as a vacation away from the pressures of fame or public attention.
Vacation came
Summarizing the preceding lines, stating that a dream spirit transported the singer and another party to a Mediterranean vacation away from fame.
Contributed by Austin W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.