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/
Modern World
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We live in a modern world
With communication between boy and girl
Oh yeah
But under the stars above
We just don't recognize
We gotta change
We gotta change
We gotta change how we feel
We gotta change
We gotta change
When anger has closed the door
My eyes go blind and I can see inside
I hurt you and you hurt me
Which crimes of love in the first degree
Oh yeah
We gotta change
We gotta change
We gotta change how we feel
We gotta change
We gotta change
We live in a modern world
With communication between boy and girl
oh yeah
but when there are clouds above
We just don't recognise
the power of love is free
We gotta change
We gotta change
We gotta change how we feel
We gotta change
We gotta change
In "Modern World," Neil Young delves into the power of love in a world that is becoming increasingly digital and disconnected. He recognizes how communication through technology has advanced, yet at the same time, relationships and love seem to be more fleeting and less meaningful. The lyrics suggest that despite our increased knowledge and ability to connect with others, we are still unable to comprehend or harness the true power of love. The lines "We just don't recognize, the power of love is free" emphasize the fact that love and all its transformative qualities cannot be explained or rationalized through mere technological advancements.
Young also acknowledges the destructiveness of anger and the hurt that it can cause in relationships. He refers to the "crimes of love in the first degree," expressing how easily love can turn to hurt and betrayal when we don't have the tools or awareness to navigate its complexities. The repetition of the phrase "We gotta change" emphasizes the need for transformation and introspection, calling on listeners to reflect on their personal relationships and make a concerted effort to prioritize and understand the power of love.
Overall, "Modern World" speaks to the universal struggle of finding meaning and connection in a world that is constantly evolving and changing. It explores the tension between technology and human emotion, and ultimately suggests that finding love and connection requires us to look inward and make an effort to cultivate deeper connections with those around us.
Line by Line Meaning
We live in a modern world
We reside in a contemporary era.
With communication between boy and girl
There is interaction between males and females.
Oh yeah
An expression of enthusiasm or agreement.
But under the stars above
Despite the vastness of the universe surrounding us.
We just don't recognize
We fail to acknowledge and appreciate.
the power of love is free
The immense ability of love doesn't come with a price tag.
We gotta change
We must transform ourselves.
We gotta change
We must alter our outlook.
We gotta change how we feel
We must modify our emotions.
When anger has closed the door
When fury has shut us out.
My eyes go blind and I can see inside
I become blind to the world but more insightful on the inside.
I hurt you and you hurt me
Reciprocal pain has been caused.
Which crimes of love in the first degree
What actions have we performed out of love that have hurt the most?
Oh yeah
An expression of enthusiasm or agreement.
We gotta change
We must transform ourselves.
We gotta change
We must alter our outlook.
We gotta change how we feel
We must modify our emotions.
We live in a modern world
We reside in a contemporary era.
With communication between boy and girl
There is interaction between males and females.
oh yeah
An expression of enthusiasm or agreement.
but when there are clouds above
Though it may seem to be obstructed.
We just don't recognize
We fail to acknowledge and appreciate.
the power of love is free
The immense ability of love doesn't come with a price tag.
We gotta change
We must transform ourselves.
We gotta change
We must alter our outlook.
We gotta change how we feel
We must modify our emotions.
Contributed by Jason R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Reelife Productions
like a little 90's dance number or somethin... blues traveler influenced?? never heard or seen of this one...great contribution to the internet... thanks for the great uploads!
Ghosts On The Road
Thank you for your kind words...