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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Whiskey Boot Hill
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Through tables and glass
First fall was new
Now watch the summer pass
So close to you.
Too late to keep the change,
Too late to pay,
Too young to leave.
No pass out sign on the door
Set me thinking
Are waitresses paying the price
Of their winking?
While stars sit in bars and decide
What their drinking,
They drop by to die 'cause it's
Faster than sinking.
Too late to keep the change,
Too late to pay,
No time to stay the same
Too late to keep the change,
Too late to pay,
No time to stay the same
Too young to leave.
Find out that now was the answer
To answers that you gave later
She did the things
That we both did before, now,
But who forgave her.
If I could stand to see her crying
I would tell her not to care.
When she learns of all your lyin'
Will she join you there?
Country girl I think you're pretty,
Got to make you understand,
Have no lovers in the city,
Let me be your country man.
Got to make you understand.
The lyrics of Neil Young's song Whiskey Boot Hill describe the fleeting nature of youth and how time can quickly slip away. The winding paths represent the unknown journey of life, and the tables and glass suggest the social world in which individuals find themselves. The first fall was new, indicating a fresh start or beginning, but the summer has already passed, emphasizing the idea of change and the passage of time. The singer is close to someone, perhaps a lover or friend, but it's too late to keep the change, too late to pay, and no time to stay the same. The persona believes that they are too young to leave and that life is slipping away.
The song also discusses the plight of waitresses who are forced to pay the price for winking, and stars who decide what they are drinking while dropping by to die because it's faster than sinking. The persona's tone is melancholic, and he seems to empathize with those who might be caught up in such a situation. It's a song about the consequences of living fast and how it ultimately catches up with you. The final verse speaks to a country girl and how the singer believes that he can make her understand that he wants to be her country man.
Line by Line Meaning
Winding paths
The paths that I take in life are not straightforward, but twisted and turning like windy roads.
Through tables and glass
As I navigate through life, I come across many obstacles such as tables and fragile items that might break if not handled with care.
First fall was new
When I first fell for someone, it was a brand new and exciting experience.
Now watch the summer pass
Time has flown by so quickly, and I'm now watching the summer fade away.
So close to you.
I feel incredibly close to the person I fell for even though summer is ending.
Too late to keep the change,
It's too late to change the course of events that have taken place.
Too late to pay,
I missed my chance to pay the price for what I've done.
No time to stay the same
Life is constantly changing, and I have no time to remain as the same person I once was.
Too young to leave.
I'm too young to die and leave this world behind.
No pass out sign on the door
There is no warning that anyone inside might pass out, giving me time to contemplate if that is their fate.
Set me thinking
It made me wonder or contemplate things.
Are waitresses paying the price
Waitresses may be paying the price for flirting with customers.
Of their winking?
Are they getting punished for charming patrons of the establishment?
While stars sit in bars and decide
Celebrities are sitting in bars and deciding what kind of alcohol they want to drink.
What their drinking,
They are deciding the beverage they prefer.
They drop by to die 'cause it's
Celebrities are dying gradually through continuous drinking in bars since it's faster than the act of suicide.
Faster than sinking.
They refuse to acknowledge that their alcohol addiction is causing them to spiral towards rock bottom.
Find out that now was the answer
I finally realize that the solution to my problems was present all this time.
To answers that you gave later
I had always known the answers to my questions even before someone else enlightened me.
She did the things
She reciprocated the actions that we carried out in the relationship.
That we both did before, now,
We have both previously performed these actions, but now it's just her undertaking them.
But who forgave her.
Who was the one forgiving her for her past transgressions?
If I could stand to see her crying
Seeing her cry is too hard for me to handle.
I would tell her not to care.
If I could bear to see her tears, I would encourage her not to be upset about my actions.
When she learns of all your lyin'
If she found out about all the lies I've told her, how would she react?
Will she join you there?
Will she join me in the same emotional space as I am?
Country girl I think you're pretty,
I find country girls very attractive.
Got to make you understand,
I need to make you comprehend.
Have no lovers in the city,
I don't have any love interests in the city.
Let me be your country man.
Please be with me instead.
Got to make you understand.
I must ensure that you wholly comprehend my point of view.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: NITZSCHE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind