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!"
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Runaround Babe
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm only losing my mind
Run around babe,
Don't try to be
Something you
Weren't meant to be
If you are not loving me
I'll know it's because
Oh, oh, run around babe,
Oh, oh, run around babe.
When we were young
We left our worries behind
When we were young
Left not to be
The worry is back on me
And it's not hard to see
That that's the way it has to be
Oh, oh, run around babe,
Oh, oh, run around babe.
Run around babe,
I'm only losing my mind
Run around babe,
Don't try to be
Something you
Weren't meant to be
If you are not loving me
I'll know it's because
You want to be free
Oh, oh, run around babe,
Oh, oh, run around babe.
In Neil Young's Run Around Babe, the singer addresses a lover who he fears may not love him anymore. He pleads with her to be honest about her feelings and not pretend to love him if she doesn't. He acknowledges that she may want to be free and encourages her to do what she needs to do, even if that means ending their relationship.
The song captures the pain and insecurity that can come with loving someone who may not feel the same way anymore. The lines "I'm only losing my mind" and "the worry is back on me" demonstrate the effect that this uncertainty has on the singer's mental state. The repetition of the phrase "run around babe" adds to the sense of desperation and urgency in the song.
The second verse includes a nostalgic reflection on the past, when the two lovers were young and carefree. But now, the worries have returned and the singer is left to grapple with the possibility that his partner may no longer feel the same way about him.
Overall, Run Around Babe is a poignant and heartfelt exploration of love, loss, and the complexities of relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Run around babe,
Neil Young addresses the subject of the song, urging them to go about their business.
I'm only losing my mind
Neil Young is admitting that his mind is not at ease, and possibly hinting at internal struggle.
Don't try to be
Neil is warning the subject not to pretend or deceive themselves by impersonating someone they are not.
Something you
He emphasizes the message by repeating.
Weren't meant to be
His point highlighted, Neil reminds the subject that they should stay true to themselves.
If you are not loving me
Neil gives the subject an out and is prepared to accept the possibility that they might not want to be with him.
I'll know it's because
Neil is confident that he can tell if his partner doesn't love him.
You wanna be free
He also acknowledges that they might want to be free of him, but secretly wishes they didn't.
Oh, oh, run around babe,
The chorus serves as a refrain, driving home the message of the song.
When we were young
Neil reminisces and reflects on a time when life was less complicated.
We left our worries behind
He recalls how lighter the burdens of life felt when they were younger, and how the worries have come back now that they're older.
The worry is back on me
He reiterates how he feels and how the subject has left him feeling worried and anxious.
And it's not hard to see
Neil is convinced that anyone paying attention to him can tell that something is wrong.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind