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/
Rock Rock Rock
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
all across the nation
Trucks are moving rough,
we pass the break of day
Sure looks like
we're all gonna rock forever.
Rock, rock, rock.
the big trucks rolling
Pushing metal on down the super slab
Sure hard to tell from here
where we are going
Rock, rock, rock.
Do it inside, do it outside, baby
Do it over again in the same old way
From now on
we're all gonna rock together.
Rock, rock, rock.
Sure looks like
we're all gonna rock forever.
The way we just keep rolling on and on
Yeah, sure looks like
we're all gonna rock forever.
Rock, rock, rock.
The lyrics of Neil Young's song Rock Rock Rock highlight the constant motion and restlessness of life, particularly in the context of truck driving across the nation. The constant reference to 'rocking' signifies a deep desire to escape reality, prompting a person to turn to music and dance as means of achieving this escape. The song suggests that trucking is more than just a mere profession, it's a journey, a way to escape the mundane task of living life on a monotonous loop. The constant moving and the hardship that comes with the profession, such as long hours, lack of home life, and dealing with customers who are often rude or demanding, are compensated only by the fleeting moments of pure freedom that comes with the music that keeps spirits high.
As the song progresses, the lyrics begin to instill a sense of unity amongst the truckers- despite their rough and gruff appearance, they are all working hard towards a common goal. The lyrics urge them to 'rock forever' and to all do it together. In this way, the song also speaks to the effect that music has on people, particularly in our modern capitalist society. By creating a sense of community through music, the world becomes a little less lonely and a little bit more manageable.
Overall, Rock Rock Rock appears to be a song about escaping the mundane and finding comfort in music and the sense of community it offers. It celebrates the free spirit of truckers and the resilience and perseverance in their ability to overcome the hardships that come with their trade.
Line by Line Meaning
Down the highway, all across the nation
There is a sense of unity across the nation as people travel along the highways.
Trucks are moving rough, we pass the break of day
Trucks are moving nonstop through the night.
Sure looks like we're all gonna rock forever
The travelers seem to be in high spirits, enjoying the journey and expecting good things in the future.
Rock, rock, rock.
The phrase repeats as a playful nod towards the feeling of being on a rocking journey, both literally and figuratively.
After midnight you see the big trucks rolling
The journey continues even in the dark.
Pushing metal on down the super slab
The trucks are transporting materials on the highway.
Sure hard to tell from here where we are going
The direction of the journey is unknown and uncertain.
Do it inside, do it outside, baby
The travelers can enjoy themselves however they like, inside the truck or outside it.
Do it over again in the same old way
The journey will continue in a repetitive but enjoyable manner.
From now on we're all gonna rock together
Unity will remain throughout the journey - everyone will experience the same sense of adventure and spirit.
Yeah, sure looks like we're all gonna rock forever.
The feeling of unity and enjoyment of the journey is expected to last and continue to be positive.
Rock, rock, rock.
The playful phrase repeats again as a nod towards continued enjoyment.
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