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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Speakin' Out
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The plot was groovy, it was out of sight
I sat with my popcorn, out lookin' for good times
Lost in the cartoon, I grabbed a lifeline
I've been a searcher, I've been a fool
But I've been a long time comin' to you
I'm hopin' for your love to carry me through
And it's alright
Oh, tell me where the answer lies
Is it in the notebook behind your eyes?
When your decision comes in view
I'll be watchin' my TV and it'll be watchin' you
I've been a searcher, I've been a fool
And I've been a long time comin' to you
I'm hopin' for your love to carry me through
You're holdin' my baby and I'm holdin' you
Yes, I am
Speakin' out
Neil Young's song "Speakin' Out" clearly refers to his search for love and meaning in his life. In the first verse, he talks about going to the movies and losing himself in a cartoon, looking for "good times" to fill the void in his life. He acknowledges that he has been a searcher and a fool, but he is finally coming to the realization that he needs someone to carry him through and love him, and that person is "you," whoever that may be. The second verse is more cryptic, with Young questioning where the answer to his problems lies, suggesting that it may be hidden in the person he loves, or perhaps in his own mind. He watches his TV, seemingly waiting for a sign, and it watches him back.
The chorus ties everything together, with Young expressing his hope that the person he loves will carry him through his struggles, while he holds his baby and the person he loves holds him. Despite the uncertainty and confusion expressed in the verses, the chorus suggests that everything will be okay as long as they have each other.
Overall, the song seems to be about the universal search for love and meaning in a confusing and often chaotic world. It is a deeply personal and emotional song, and one that many listeners can likely relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I went to the movie the other night
I went to see a film recently
The plot was groovy, it was out of sight
I really enjoyed the storyline of the movie
I sat with my popcorn, out lookin' for good times
I had a tub of popcorn and was looking to have a good time
Lost in the cartoon, I grabbed a lifeline
I got so engrossed in the cartoon that I almost lost touch with reality, but then I found my way back
I've been a searcher, I've been a fool
I've been searching for something, but at times I've made foolish decisions
But I've been a long time comin' to you
It's taken a long time for me to arrive at where I am now
I'm hopin' for your love to carry me through
I'm hoping that being loved by someone will help me get through tough times
You're holdin' my baby and I'm holdin' you
We are both holding each other, and I am also holding our baby
And it's alright
Everything is okay
Oh, tell me where the answer lies
Please tell me where the solution to the problem can be found
Is it in the notebook behind your eyes?
Is the solution in your mind?
When your decision comes in view
When you finally make your decision
I'll be watchin' my TV and it'll be watchin' you
I'll be watching TV while waiting for your decision
Yes, I am
Confirming that I am holding you
Speakin' out
Expressing my thoughts and feelings
Lyrics © Silver Fiddle, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind