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/
Out of Control
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nothing was wrong, that's when time stood still
Now lovers are caught, tied in their dreams
Bound in their thoughts, wrapped in the depth of their love
If I can hold on to you
If I can hold on to you
Fake what they feel, take what they get from love
Start missing the drive, staying alive
Four out of five, without the feeling of love
If the sky is fire and hell is blue
If all of our dreams won't come true
If the sky is fire and hell is blue
I'll cover you, I'll cover you
Sky is fire, hell is blue
Sky is fire, hell is blue
That's why I'm out of control
Tear myself down, build myself up, tear myself down again
I'm talking to you, trying to get through
Don't want to hide, lost in the mirror of love
In Neil Young's song "Out of Control," the lyrics describe the highs and lows of love. Beginning with an idyllic scene on a hill where nothing is wrong and time stands still, we then see lovers caught in their dreams, bound in thought, and wrapped up in the depth of their love. The singer then transitions to a less rosy picture of love, as he tells us that "somewhere near the end, lovers pretend," faking their feelings and taking what they can get from love. He tells us that they miss the drive and the feeling of being alive, leaving them four out of five without the true sensation of love.
Despite the challenges of love, the singer holds onto the possibility of something more. He promises to cover his lover, even if the sky is fire and hell is blue, and he is out of control, tearing himself down and building himself back up again. He talks to his lover, hoping to break through and avoid being lost in the mirror of love. Overall, the song explores the deep emotional connection of love with honesty and vulnerability, acknowledging both its beauty and difficulty.
Line by Line Meaning
Once, high on a hill, there was a song
There was a time when everything felt good and peaceful, like the atmosphere of being on top of a hill and listening to soothing music
Nothing was wrong, that's when time stood still
At that time, everything was perfect and time felt like it wasn't moving forward as there were no troubles to worry about
Now lovers are caught, tied in their dreams
In present times, lovers are trapped in their own visions and lose contact with reality
Bound in their thoughts, wrapped in the depth of their love
They are absorbed in their feelings for each other, stuck within their own discernment of love
If I can hold on to you, If I can hold on to you
If the singer can keep the love he shares with his partner going strong and prevent it from falling apart, he is willing to try his best to do so
Somewhere near the end, lovers pretend, Fake what they feel, take what they get from love
Towards the end of a relationship, the singer believes partners pretend everything is alright even when things are not, they don't express true feelings and only take from each other without giving anything back
Start missing the drive, staying alive, Four out of five, without the feeling of love
Partners who lose their affection for each other start feeling empty, lifeless and only one out of every five couples manage to save their relationship when the love is lost
If the sky is fire and hell is blue, If all of our dreams won't come true
Even in the harshest circumstances, the singer will be there for his partner, even if their dreams can't be fulfilled. He will support her through thick and thin
I'll cover you, I'll cover you
He will provide support, shelter and protection to his lover as much as possible
That's why I'm out of control
The singer is bewildered that such things are happening with a relationship that once seemed so strong
Tear myself down, build myself up, tear myself down again
He goes from feeling very low about their relationship to trying to lift himself up in spite of it, then again falling back into a pit of negative thoughts about their relationship
I'm talking to you, trying to get through, Don't want to hide, lost in the mirror of love
He implores his lover to talk to him so they can make it through this tough time and not hide from each other; he does not want to lose himself in the deception of love
Contributed by Hunter Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jon Van Wieren
One of my favorites .... will never forget seeing him play this before it was released at the Rose Theater in Chicago ....... I think I stopped breathing a few times, the song is so real and beautiful ...... if the sky is fire and hell is blue, I'll cover you. Wow. Just wow. Neil is my spirit guide ... songs like this are why.
Steve Ramos
This is beautifully put together, beautiful song choice too. One of my favorite Neil songs...
jimmy newark
What a great tune .Neil Young gets it all on this one in my mind ."Out of conrol" "if i could hold on to you" what a line .
Araceli Carodan
My favorite line is '' when the sky is fire and helll is blue, I'll cover you.. "
auraman1000
Neil always hits the spot enhanced by this vid
Dylan W Music
What a great slideshow, really complemented the song
Reelife Productions
Nice work. What a heavy tune.
Dan's random channel. Burnley til I die
Nice one for uploading this man! I saw him play it on a program on sky arts, (A Channel for proper music lovers in England. That's England U.K.) PEACE!!!
buzz834
Brilliant song Kashif!!! & Images are Superb Thanks
eugene avendaño
I loveeeeee it !