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/
She's A Healer
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna let the good times go,
There ain't no way
I'm gonna let the good times go,
The touch of my woman
can soothe my soul,
When she makes me feel right
that's when the good times roll.
Oh she's a healer to me,
Oh yeah.
My blue-eyed woman is a mystery to me,
My blue-eyed woman is a mystery to me,
The touch of my woman
can soothe my soul,
When she makes me feel right
that's when the good times roll.
Oh she's a healer to me,
Oh yeah.
Way out on the prairie
where the wheat fields grow,
Way out on the prairie
back where the wheat fields grow,
I stop to slap plastic at an Esso station,
About a thousand miles from my destination.
Oh she's a healer to me,
Oh yeah, she's a healer to me.
All I got is a broken heart,
And I don't try to hide it
when I play my guitar.
My blue-eyed woman is a healer to me,
Without that woman I'm history,
My blue-eyed woman is a love ghost,
Without that woman I'm toast.
Oh she's a healer to me,
Oh yeah, she's a healer to me.
All I got is a broken heart,
And I don't try to hide it
when I play my guitar.
In "She's a Healer," Neil Young sings about the healing power of his woman's touch. He starts off by saying that he won't let go of the good times, and that his woman is the one who can soothe his soul. He repeats this sentiment throughout the song, saying that she is a mystery to him, but her touch makes him feel right and helps him roll with the good times. He sees her as a healer who can cure him of his broken heart, and he doesn't try to hide his emotions when he plays his guitar.
The song has a simple structure and repeating lyrics, but Young's voice and the emotive guitar riffs help to create a powerful atmosphere. The song is heavily influenced by blues and country music, with Young's vocals backed up by a bluesy electric guitar and a shuffling drum beat. The lyrics are short, but they are full of emotion and longing, and Young's voice captures the anguish and hope of the lyrics perfectly.
Overall, "She's a Healer" is a beautiful and resonant love song that highlights the healing power of love and human connection. It speaks to the way that love can bring us out of our darkest moments and heal our broken hearts, and it reminds us that sometimes all we need is the touch of the people we love to make everything right.
Line by Line Meaning
There ain't no way
I'm gonna let the good times go,
I refuse to let go of the good times.
The touch of my woman
can soothe my soul,
My partner's touch can calm me.
When she makes me feel right
that's when the good times roll.
I feel my best when my partner is by my side.
Oh she's a healer to me,
Oh yeah.
My partner is a source of healing for me.
My blue-eyed woman is a mystery to me,
I don't completely understand my partner.
Way out on the prairie
where the wheat fields grow,
I find myself far away from home.
I stop to slap plastic at an Esso station,
About a thousand miles from my destination.
I'm filling up my car a long way from where I need to be.
Without that woman I'm history,
If I didn't have my partner, I wouldn't be doing well.
My blue-eyed woman is a love ghost,
Without that woman I'm toast.
My partner is irreplaceable and I wouldn't be okay without her.
All I got is a broken heart,
And I don't try to hide it
when I play my guitar.
I'm not afraid to express my feelings through music.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind