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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What Did You Do to My Life?
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I thought that I knew you would stay.
Still when you left me
I tried to pretend we could make it some way.
I don't care if all of the mountains
Turn to dust in the air.
(What did you do to my life?)
Wake up at dawn
And not find you there
(What did you do to my life?)
It's hard enough losing
Without the confusion of knowing I tried.
But you've made your mind up
That I'll be alone now there's nothing to hide.
I don't care if all of the mountains
Turn to dust in the air.
(What did you do to my life?)
It isn't fair that I should
Wake up at dawn
And not find you there
(What did you do to my life?)
Neil Young's "What Did You Do In My Life" is a song about heartbreak and the confusion that comes with losing someone you thought would always stay. The song's narrator reminisces on the time they shared with their partner while they were together, believing that their relationship was secure. However, when their partner eventually left, the singer found it difficult to accept and even tried to reconcile with their partner. Despite their efforts, their partner had made up their mind, leaving the singer to deal with the pain of their departure.
The lyrics are particularly emotive because they describe the feelings of betrayal and desolation that come with being left behind. The singer is lost and hurt, unable to cope with their new reality. They express their anguish by asking rhetorical questions such as, "What did you do to my life?" and highlighting the unfairness of the situation. This further emphasizes the sense of loss and desperation felt by the singer.
The song is a heartfelt reflection on love and loss, and the confusion and heartache that comes with it. It's a common tale told through the eyes of someone who's experienced a deep break-up, and anyone who has been through that kind of emotional trauma will relate to the honesty and anguish in the lyrics. The melody and style of the song are easy on the ear, allowing the sentiment to take center stage and evoke strong emotions in the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
When we were living together
At a time when we were in a relationship and living together.
I thought that I knew you would stay.
I believed that you would remain with me always.
Still when you left me
Despite my belief, you still left me.
I tried to pretend we could make it some way.
I attempted to deceive myself into thinking that we still had a chance to save our relationship.
I don't care if all of the mountains
I am indifferent to the idea that everything I once found permanent and enduring could be destroyed.
Turn to dust in the air.
Even if that destruction happens to everything that seems solid and established.
(What did you do to my life?)
Asking what you did to my life to create this destruction.
It isn't fair that I should
I do not deserve to experience the pain and suffering caused by your actions.
Wake up at dawn
Rise and start the day again in the early hours of the morning.
And not find you there
Without you beside me, in the place you once occupied.
(What did you do to my life?)
Again asking what happened to cause this change in my life.
It's hard enough losing
The experience of being abandoned is already incredibly difficult for me.
Without the confusion of knowing I tried.
It's painful to know that despite my efforts and attempts to save the relationship, I couldn't.
But you've made your mind up
You've already decided what you want for yourself.
That I'll be alone now there's nothing to hide.
Leaving me to be lonely now that there's no longer any secrets to keep.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind