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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Wrecking Ball
Neil Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You read it on the radio
We got nowhere to hide
We got nowhere to go
But if you still decide
That you want to take a ride
Meet me at the wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
And we'll go dancin' tonight
Meet me at the wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
Wear something pretty and white
And we'll go dancin' tonight
I see your smoky eyes
Right across the bar
I've seen that look before
Shining from star to star
Though I can't take that chance
If you got time for one dance
Meet me at the wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
Wear something pretty and white
And we'll go dancin' tonight
Meet me at the wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
Wear something pretty and white
And we'll go dancin' tonight
The restless line of cars
Goes stretchin' down the road
But I won't telephone
'Cause you might say hello
What is it makes me feel this way?
What is it makes me want to say
Meet me at the wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
Wear something pretty and white
And we'll go dancin' tonight
Meet me at the wrecking ball
Wrecking ball
Wear something pretty and white
And we'll go dancin' tonight
In the song "Wrecking Ball" by Neil Young, the singer talks about how his life is an open book, with nothing to hide. He even says that people can read all about it on the radio. He starts off by singing about how they have nowhere to go or hide. However, if the person listening still wants to take a ride with him, all they have to do is meet him at the wrecking ball. The singer talks about wearing something pretty and white for going out dancing tonight. He then talks about seeing the woman's smoky eyes right across the bar and how he's seen that look before, shining from star to star. Although he can't take that one chance, he invites her to dance with him at the wrecking ball.
In the final verse, the singer sings about the line of cars that stretch down the road but he won't call her up because she might say hello. He wonders what makes him feel this way and want to say meet him at the wrecking ball. The song is about being open, honest, and willing to take risks even if there is nothing to hide. It is a message about living life to the fullest and not having any regrets.
Line by Line Meaning
My life's an open book
I have no secrets, everything about me is out there in the open
You read it on the radio
People already know a lot about me, even strangers are aware of my life through media
We got nowhere to hide
There’s no escape from the public eye, everyone is aware of our every move
We got nowhere to go
Life as a public figure has no privacy, we can’t escape the constant pressure
But if you still decide
If you’re willing to take a risk despite these difficulties
That you want to take a ride
If you want to come on this adventure with me
Meet me at the wrecking ball
Let's meet up at the demolition site
Wrecking ball
The place where we will meet is the construction site with a wrecking ball
Wear something pretty and white
Dress up nicely in something elegant and white
And we'll go dancin' tonight
We'll move to the rhythm of the music together tonight
I see your smoky eyes
I am drawn to your alluring eyes, which hint of a mysterious past
Right across the bar
You’re sitting right opposite me, in this crowded bar
I've seen that look before
I've seen the same kind of beauty and expression on others before
Shining from star to star
Your beauty stands out so much that even the stars look at you in admiration
Though I can't take that chance
Despite my desire, I can’t afford to take that risk and approach you
If you got time for one dance
If you've got some time, I would love to dance with you, even if just for a moment
The restless line of cars
The queue of impatient cars is moving along the road, and everyone has somewhere to go
Goes stretchin' down the road
The line of cars continues on endlessly, stretching out along the entire road
But I won't telephone
I won't call you because I'm afraid of getting rejected
'Cause you might say hello
I might get my hopes up, thinking something could happen between us
What is it makes me feel this way?
What is it that makes me so drawn to you?
What is it makes me want to say
What makes me want to take that chance and ask you to dance?
Lyrics © Silver Fiddle, Peermusic Publishing, WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind