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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Words
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were down by the pond
Looking for something
To plant in the lawn
Out in the fields
They were turning the soil
I'm sitting here hoping
This water will boil
And out on the road
They're bringing me presents
And saying hello
Singing words, words
Between the lines of age
Words, words
Between the lines of age
I was a junkman
Selling you cars
Washing your windows
And shining your stars
Thinking your mind
Was my own in a dream
What would you wonder?
And how would it seem?
Living in castles
A bit at a time
The king started laughing
And talking in rhyme
Singing words, words
Between the lines of age
Words, words
Between the lines of age
The song "Words," written by Neil Young, speaks of the fleeting nature of time and reflects upon the impact of words on our lives. The song appears to be about two people working on a farm who are planting something in the yard while the singer sits inside hoping the water will boil. As he looks through the window, he sees people coming to visit and bringing him gifts.
The song then loops into a verse about Young's own life where he worked as a junkman selling cars and washing windows. He talks about how he believed that the people he was serving were somehow a part of his own life and how he wondered what it would be like to walk in their shoes. In the last verse, Young reflects on the experience of living in castles, a little bit at a time, and the laughter and rhyme of kings.
The song speaks to the importance of words, and how the things we say can be interpreted in so many different ways. The chorus, "Words, words, between the lines of age," suggests that our understanding of these words changes, much like our perception of time as we grow older.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone and someone
Were down by the pond
Looking for something
To plant in the lawn
Two people were at the pond searching to grow something on their lawn.
Out in the fields
They were turning the soil
I'm sitting here hoping
This water will boil
The people in the fields were busy turning the soil while Neil watched and waited for his water to boil.
When I look through the windows
And out on the road
They're bringing me presents
And saying hello
From his window, Neil saw people approaching, carrying gifts and greeting him.
Singing words, words
Between the lines of age
Words, words
Between the lines of age
The chorus of the song repeats 'words' throughout, suggesting there is a deeper meaning or story behind the words we hear as we age.
I was a junkman
Selling you cars
Washing your windows
And shining your stars
Neil worked odd jobs, such as selling cars, cleaning windows, and even making people feel like stars.
Thinking your mind
Was my own in a dream
What would you wonder?
And how would it seem?
Neil wondered what people thought of him and how they perceived his interpretation of their thoughts.
Living in castles
A bit at a time
The king started laughing
And talking in rhyme
Neil metaphorically lived like royalty, taking everything in steps, and always keeping a sense of humor.
Lyrics © Silver Fiddle, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind