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/
Sell Out
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell me where it's at?
Is it cool to bring it up again?
Will I blow my cat?
Misplaced tinselface, weekend pretend,
Am I on your track?
I would love to live close to you,
Could I bring my cat?
Cowgirl, sailor,
Do you know who you are?
Cowgirl, sailor,
Do you know who you are?
Do you know who you are?
Overfed premed, outfront gaspump,
Will I fix my car?
Pinch yourself when I smile at you,
Baby, I'm a star!
Turned on, tuned in, cop out, sell out,
Do you know who you are?
I took the time to try to fit you in,
Was I off too far?
Cowgirl, sailor,
Do you know who you are?
Cowgirl, sailor,
Do you know who you are?
Do you know who you are?
The lyrics to Neil Young's song Sell Out contain a series of abstract statements that are open to interpretation, leading to various themes being explored. The first two lines of the song, 'Five cheat card thief, misled skinhead, tell me where it's at?' suggest that the song is aimed at subcultures that are defined by their own sets of rules and behaviours. The mention of 'cheat card thief' suggests someone who is a corrupt gambler who has been cheating at cards, while 'misled skinhead' implies someone who has been misguided by their own beliefs and instilled prejudices.
The next stanza contains lines such as 'Misplaced tinselface, weekend pretend, am I on your track?' and 'I would love to live close to you, could I bring my cat?' The former potentially referring to someone who is confused or unsure about their identity and is seeking validation, while the latter conveys a sense of possible loneliness or desire for companionship. The repeated refrain of 'Cowgirl, sailor, do you know who you are?' could be seen as asking these subcultures to question their own identity and motivations.
In the final stanza, the lines 'Overfed premed, outfront gaspump, will I fix my car?' and 'Turned on, tuned in, cop out, sell out, do you know who you are?' continue to carry an uncertain and questioning tone. The mention of 'overfed premed' and 'outfront gaspump' suggest individuals who are part of a middle-class, consumerist society, while 'turned on, tuned in, cop out, sell out' could be a reference to the counterculture movements of Young's time that were meant to challenge that very society. The final line, 'I took the time to try to fit you in, was I off too far?' suggests an attempt to understand and connect with the subcultures, but uncertainty about whether Young's efforts were successful.
Line by Line Meaning
Five cheat card thief, misled skinhead,
Have you ever been surrounded by people with questionable intentions and morals?
Tell me where it's at?
Do you know where to go to find something you're looking for?
Is it cool to bring it up again?
Is it acceptable to talk about something that may have been taboo or controversial in the past?
Will I blow my cat?
Am I risking harm to something or someone I care about?
Misplaced tinselface, weekend pretend,
Have you ever felt like you were pretending to be someone else in order to fit in or be accepted by others?
Am I on your track?
Do you feel like someone is keeping tabs on you or watching your every move?
I would love to live close to you,
Do you ever wish you could be closer to someone you care about?
Could I bring my cat?
Are there any restrictions or limitations that would prevent you from bringing something or someone important with you?
Cowgirl, sailor,
These two terms may represent different parts of a person's identity or personality.
Do you know who you are?
Asking if someone has a clear sense of their identity, purpose or direction in life.
Overfed premed, outfront gaspump,
Do you ever feel like you're surrounded by consumerism or a culture that encourages excessive consumption?
Will I fix my car?
Do you have the means or ability to take care of something that needs repair or attention?
Pinch yourself when I smile at you,
Have you ever experienced something so surreal or unbelievable that you had to remind yourself it was real?
Baby, I'm a star!
Boasting about one's own accomplishments or talents.
Turned on, tuned in, cop out, sell out,
A critique of those who may have initially been passionate or idealistic about a cause, but eventually gave up or compromised their values for personal gain or comfort.
Do you know who you are?
Reiterating the importance of having a clear sense of one's identity and values despite outside pressures or influences.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NEIL YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Rick Lee
This song is mentioned in the John Einarson-Richie Furay book "For What It's Worth", about Buffalo Springfield. According to former band manager Charlie Greene, it's a multitrack demo in which Neil plays all of the instruments, and uses a guitar case for the "drums".
Greg LaPointe
Cool, thanks for the info!
SWOTBWOT
I can't believe this remained a demo and was left off the Buffalo Springfield albums. It's an excellent song.
T and J Finch
definitely neil...definitely springfield thanks for the new tune and great cover shot!
Todd Hochman
a fabulous tune!!!! Did Neil ever perform this in concert at anytime during his career?????????
Greg LaPointe
According to Sugar Mountain Set Lists, he never has
http://www.sugarmtn.org/stat.php?stat=14
Todd Hochman
@Greg LaPointe Thanks Greg...I also don't think he has and I am not sure why? I will keep searching but so far no luck.
Smellan Alan
Todd Hochman probably the mislead skinhead stuff. I feel like people would think he’s implying he’s one or knows which path one should be on and people would throw shade at that. He said he’s embarrassed of some lyrics or has regretted lyrics in early days
Todd Hochman
@Smellan Alan but its such a great tune and Dr. John does the piano riffs so well...
Scott Shea
He probably forgot he even wrote it.