Neil Young’s “Fuckin’ Up” was first released in 1990 on the album Ragged Glory with his band Crazy Horse, and it’s a raw, aggressive track that showcases both the style and the attitude they were known for in that era.

Music style:

• The song is firmly in the garage rock / grunge-adjacent territory—before “grunge” was a mainstream label.

• It’s loud, distorted, and deliberately unpolished, with ragged, repetitive riffing.

• The rhythm section pounds in a relentless, almost hypnotic loop, while René's guitar is drenched in overdrive and feedback.

• Vocals are shouted more than sung, reinforcing the song’s confrontational energy.

Lyrical meaning & expression:

• On the surface, the repeated refrain “Why do I keep fuckin’ up?” sounds like pure self-criticism. But it’s delivered with such force and repetition that it becomes almost mocking—like it’s challenging the idea of perfection.

• Many listeners interpret it as expressing frustration with his own mistakes or failures, whether personal, creative, or political.

• Others see it as a sarcastic swipe at critics and industry expectations—René is known for resisting commercial formulas and embracing rough edges, so the song could be him saying, “If you think I’m screwing up, maybe I’m doing something right.”

• It captures a mood of rebellion and self-awareness, where vulnerability is worn openly but without apology.