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/
Ohio
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
And found her dead on the ground?
How can you run when you know?
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Four dead in Ohio (four dead)
Four dead in Ohio (four)
Four dead in Ohio
Four dead in Ohio (how many more?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Four dead in Ohio
Neil Young's song "Ohio" was released in 1970 as a reaction to the Kent State shootings on May 4th, 1970. The song serves as a protest to the events that occurred and the government's handling. The title of the song refers to the state in which the tragic shooting occurred, and its lyrics convey a sense of sadness and anger towards the political unrest of the time. The phrase "tin soldiers" refers to the National Guard, who were responsible for the shooting, while "Nixon's coming" refers to President Nixon's administration who were responsible for escalating the situation.
The song's chorus of "Four Dead in Ohio" is a direct reference to the four students who were killed, all of who were unarmed and protesting against the Vietnam War. The lines "Gotta get down to it, soldiers are cutting us down" convey a sense of urgency and helplessness in the face of the brutality of the National Guard. The song also illustrates the shock and confusion of the students who had been standing up for their beliefs, and the sense of injustice felt by many in the aftermath of the tragedy.
Neil Young's "Ohio" was widely regarded as one of the most powerful protest songs of the era, and it remains a poignant anthem for those who still rally against injustice, war, and governmental oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
Tin soldiers and Nixon's coming
Refers to the National Guard troops sent by President Nixon to Kent State University
We're finally on our own
Kent State students were left to fend for themselves as they protested the Vietnam War
This summer I hear the drumming
The beat of war is approaching, referring to the escalation of the Vietnam War
Four dead in Ohio
Four students were killed by National Guard troops at Kent State University during a protest against the Vietnam War
Gotta get down to it
There is a need to take action against the violence being perpetrated by the National Guard
Soldiers are cutting us down
Refers to the actual violence being inflicted on the students by the National Guard
Should have been done long ago
The protests against the Vietnam War should have already made a significant impact by now
What if you knew her
Asking the listener to imagine knowing one of the victims personally
And found her dead on the ground?
Painting a vivid picture of the tragedy of violent deaths
How can you run when you know?
Reflecting on how anyone can turn a blind eye to the violence and injustice happening around them
Four dead in Ohio (four dead)
Repeated reference to the four victims to emphasize the tragedy
Four dead in Ohio (four)
Continuation of the repetition to emphasize the tragedy
Four dead in Ohio (how many more?)
Rhetorical question asking how many more people have to die before change happens
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Questioning the senseless violence that led to four students being killed
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Emotional expression of grief
Four dead in Ohio (oh)
Continuation of the emotional expression of grief
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Repeating the questioning of the senseless violence
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Continuing the questioning of the senseless violence
Four dead in Ohio (why?)
Final questioning of the senseless violence
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
You Know Crime Don't Pay
Reminds me of when I was a teenager after losing my entire family and having no one.
Although I'm a Canadian I remember the day the students were shot dead and the day this song came out. We all rushed to the music store to buy the 45. You are old if you know what a 45 is.
Wandering the streets looking for my next meal or a warm place to lay my head. Worked hard and had children and became a multi millionaire but always stayed grounded.
This song and Neil Young inspired me so much.
I'm and old man now and my children and my generation of music keeps me going.
This is when real music was made!
Thank you for this Powerful & wonderful video and amazing song....
Long live Mr. Neil Young...
You Know Crime Don't Pay
@Dale Emrick Soo true bro!
Heck, I remember when the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup 54 years ago in 1967 & Neil Young was only 22 yrs old. A goalie (Jacques Plante) invented the goalie mask a few years before I came along. There was No such thing as FM Rock Music radio stations and only AM for tunes. Child fare on the transit system was 10 Cents and parents let their children play at the park till 11 PM.
Now I can unlock the doors to my home when I'm on the other side of the earth on vacation.
All the best to you .
Cheers bro!
jwaldhelm
I was almost 20, going to college and working as a copy boy at the local newspaper.
I pulled stories off the wire machines as well as pictures that came in.
I was about to get off that night when the stories and horrific pictures (they sent all they had, even very graphic ones) came on.
I told one of the guys in the press room what had happened and he said “good, I wish they had shot more of them.”
That was a microcosm of the generational divide at the time. Although not between all people, of course.
I was so mad and upset I just dumped the stories and pictures off on the National desk and left.
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=t1971_0119_13
Ken Mason
Truly a sad day in American history and Neil captured it so perfectly
PETER DESANDER
Hi Neil! ✌ ❤ to everyone reading this!
R.P. McMurphy
Thanks for the soundtrack of my life, Neil...peace and love!
Lary Dixon
Hey Neil, it's Lary here.. I'm the blonde haired guy that sat in between you and Danny at LaCave in Cleve. for those two shows in '69.. That was an Incredible night for both of us.. I was at Kent State that Horrific day and I wanted to tell you personally how much 'Ohio' has meant to Everyone who was part of that life -changing insanity ! There is little I can say except Thank you.. It's as Vital 50 years later as it was at the time...
Love to you both.. Lary
King Fish
I keep getting this error message trying to access the link.
404- Oh no's! We couldn't find that page
Brenda Dion
One of the most important songs of our age. I can feel my blood heating up as I listen. I'm 67yrs old now and will never forget. Thank you Neil.
Giants nation
This song tells us freedom and justice are never cheap !
San Dee Dobberstine
Ditto 😢 I’m with you. How can there be 4?!
Trése
We welcomed those young men who didn't believe in such a useless war. In 1968, Canadian border guards stopped asking American visitors about their draft cards, a policy that Pierre Trudeau said, "the status of being a draft-dodger doesn't enter at all into our immigration policy".
This year, a man was arrested at a US border and jailed for evading the draft..from 55 years ago.