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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Shock And Awe
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We came to liberate them all
History was the cruel judge of over-confidence
Back in the days of shock and awe
Back in the days of "mission accomplished"
Our chief was landing on the deck
The sun was setting on a golden photo op
Thousands of bodies in the ground
Brought home in boxes to a trumpet's sound
No one sees them coming home that way
Thousands buried in the ground
Thousands of children scarred for life
Millions of tears for a soldier's wife
Both sides are losing now
Heaven takes them in
Thousands of children scarred for life
We had a chance to change out mind
But some how wisdom was hard to find
We went with what we knew and now we can't go back
But we had a chance to change our mind.
The song "Shock and Awe" by Neil Young is a passionate critique of the United States government's decision to go to war in Iraq, specifically targeting the Bush Administration's handling of the invasion. The first verse takes us back to the days of "shock and awe," when the US military launched a massive air campaign against Iraq in 2003. Young points out the irony in the United States claiming to "liberate" Iraqis while bombing them with the same ferocity that Saddam Hussein's regime had once used against his own people. He suggests that history will judge this show of "over-confidence" as cruel.
The second verse references President Bush's now-infamous "mission accomplished" speech, delivered in May 2003 with all the trappings of a staged photo opportunity. Young criticizes the President's hubris and the fact that he was declaring victory while the war was far from over. The death toll continued to rise, with "thousands of bodies" coming home "in boxes to a trumpet's sound." Young laments the fact that no one seems to notice or care about these soldiers' ultimate sacrifice.
The third verse focuses on the innocent by-standers of war, specifically the children who are left physically and emotionally scarred by the violence. He calls out the human toll of war, with "millions of tears for a soldier's wife" and both sides ultimately losing. The song ends on a note of regret, pointing out that wisdom was hard to find in those fateful days and the chance to change course was missed.
Line by Line Meaning
Back in the days of shock and awe
Referring to the time of the Iraq War, when the US military used massive force and intimidation to overwhelm their opponents.
We came to liberate them all
The US military believed that they were bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq, but this belief was not shared by many Iraqis.
History was the cruel judge of over-confidence
The US military was overconfident in their ability to easily defeat Iraq, but history showed that their assumptions were flawed.
Back in the days of shock and awe
Reiterating the idea that the Iraq War was characterized by excessive force and bravado.
Back in the days of "mission accomplished"
Referring to the infamous banner that was displayed on an aircraft carrier after the initial invasion of Iraq, which heralded premature victory that was far from realized.
Our chief was landing on the deck
President Bush landed on an aircraft carrier to give a speech which was meant to symbolize victory, but actually revealed a profound disconnect with reality.
The sun was setting on a golden photo op
Bush's speech was more about creating a positive image than addressing genuine concerns, and his arrival on the aircraft carrier was timed for optimal lighting conditions.
Back in the days of "mission accomplished"
Reiterating the disconnect between perception and reality during the early stages of the Iraq War.
Thousands of bodies in the ground
Referring to the vast number of Iraqi civilians and US soldiers who died during the war.
Brought home in boxes to a trumpet's sound
US soldiers who died in battle were returned home in flag-draped coffins, accompanied by a military band playing Taps.
No one sees them coming home that way
Acknowledging the fact that most people don't witness the coffins coming home, and therefore don't fully appreciate the true cost of war.
Thousands buried in the ground
Reiterating the scale of death and suffering caused by the Iraq War, and suggesting that this is a legacy that will endure for decades to come.
Thousands of children scarred for life
Many Iraqi children were traumatized by the violence and chaos of the war, and their lives were forever altered by the experience.
Millions of tears for a soldier's wife
The grief and suffering caused by the war extended beyond the immediate battlefield, affecting the families of soldiers and civilians alike.
Both sides are losing now
The Iraq War has caused immense damage to Iraq, the US, and the world at large, with few tangible benefits to anyone.
Heaven takes them in
A recognition that those who died as a result of the war are now at rest, and that their suffering has finally ended.
Thousands of children scarred for life
Reiterating the immense impact that the war had on Iraqi children, and suggesting that this is a lasting and tragic legacy of the conflict.
We had a chance to change out mind
Acknowledging that the decision to go to war was not inevitable, and that the US could have taken a different path if it had chosen to do so.
But some how wisdom was hard to find
Suggests that the US government failed to exercise good judgment or act on sound advice during the buildup to the Iraq War.
We went with what we knew and now we can't go back
The US committed to the Iraq War based on incomplete or faulty information, and it is now difficult to reverse the damage that has been done.
But we had a chance to change our mind.
Reiterating the idea that the Iraq War was not inevitable, and that there were alternative paths that could have been taken.
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