Crosby, Stills & Nash: A Retrospective (1969-2005)

Crosby, Stills & Nash A Retrospective: 1969-2005

Overview: Folk-rock trio formed in 1968 in Laurel Canyon, California. “Crosby, Stills & Nash have remained America's longest-running experiment in vocal harmony and social relevance.” RH Their “musical partnership…was…one of the most successful touring and recording acts of the late ‘60s, ‘70s, and early ‘80s.” AM “The trio brought harmony to the forefront of popular music with their unique three-part vocal blend. A low-key supergroup, they emphasized singing and songwriting above all, and their example contributed to the evolution of the singer/songwriter movement in the Seventies.” RH “With the colorful, contrasting nature of the members' characters and their connection to the political and cultural upheavals of the time – it was the only American-based band to approach the overall societal impact of the Beatles.” AM “They met in 1968 on the sociable Los Angeles music scene, with Cass Elliot of the Mamas and the Papas making the introductions.” RH “The group was a second marriage for all the participants.” AM “David Crosby sang and played rhythm guitar with the Byrds. Stephen Stills was a mainstay of Buffalo Springfield. Nash provided the high harmonies that helped make pop sensations of Britain’s Hollies.” RH “The resulting trio, however, sounded like none of its predecessors and was characterized by a unique vocal blend and a musical approach that ranged from acoustic folk to melodic pop to hard rock.” AM The Players David Crosby (vocals, guitar) Stephen Stills (vocals, guitar) Graham Nash (vocals, guitar) Neil Young (vocals, guitar: 1969-71, 1988, 1999) Links DMDB encyclopedia entry for Crosby, Stills & Nash CrosbyStillsNash.com CSNY.com Facebook Wikipedia Dave’s Music Database: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Top 100 Songs

Awards

Studio Albums

Compilations SF So Far (covers 1968-70, released 1974) RP Replay (covers 1968-77, released 1980) GH Greatest Hits (covers 1968-82, released 2005) BS CSN (box set, covers 1968-91, released 1991) CO Carry On (covers 1968-91, released 1991) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Crosby, Stills & Nash Crosby, Stills & Nash

Released: May 29, 1969 Peak: 6 US, 25 UK, 2 CN, 10 AU Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 4.30 US, 0.10 UK, 4.57 world (includes US and UK), 15.62 EAS Genre: classic rock/folk rock Rating: 4.472 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings)

Tracks: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes SF, BS, CO, GH Marrakesh Express RP, BS, CO, GH Guinnevere SF, BS, CO, GH You Don’t Have to Cry BS, CO Pre-Road Downs RP Wooden Ships SF, BS, CO, GH Lady of the Island BS Helplessly Hoping SF, BS, CO, GH Long Time Gone BS, GH 49 Bye-Byes GH About the Album: “CSN's debut album, released in 1969, was perfectly in tune with the times, and the group was an instant hit.” AM “With their glistening three-part harmonies, Still's instrumental virtuosity and the trio's inspired songwriting-which spoke the language of the counterculture both in personal and political terms-Crosby, & and Nash quickly attained the stature of a masterwork, yielding such classics as Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (written for and about Judy Collins), Wooden Ships and Long Time Gone.” RH “Their unmistakable vocal blend was described in Rolling Stone’s review of their first album as ‘warm and full, with a built-in kineticism produced by three good voices emerging asynchronously on the same phrase with rich, complementary harmonies.’ Particularly on their classic first album, CSN helped steer rock to a more contemplative, song-oriented place, and they made reference to what they did (owing to the frequent use of acoustic instruments) as ‘wooden music.’ In so doing, they helped pave the way for the success of kindred spirits like Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne.” RH Go to the DMDB page for more about this album, including awards and details about each song.

Déjà Vu Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Released: March 11, 1970 Peak: 11 US, 5 UK, 1 CN, 12 AU, 16 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 8.0 US, -- UK, 13.5 world (includes US and UK), 24.78 EAS Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 4.492 out of 5.00 (average of 39 ratings)

Tracks: Carry On/Questions RP, BS, CO, GH Teach Your Children SF, BS, CO, GH Almost Cut My Hair BS, CO Helpless SF, BS, CO Woodstock SF, BS, CO Déjà Vu SF, BS Our House SF, BS, CO, GH 4 + 20 BS, CO Country Girl Everybody I Love You About the Album: “By the time of their first tour, which included the Woodstock festival, [CSN] had added Young, also a veteran of Buffalo Springfield, who maintained a solo career.” AM The Woodstock festival was only “their second public performance. A half-dozen songs from their set appear on the 'Woodstock' (1970) and 'Woodstock Two' (1971) concert soundtracks.” RH “Déjà Vu, was a chart-topping hit in 1970.” AM It was “a more eclectic and electric endeavor in which the group expanded with the addition of [not only] Neil Young…[but] the rhythm section of Dallas Taylor and Greg Reeves.” RH Go to the DMDB page for more about this album, including awards and details about each song.

So Far Crosby, Stills & Nash

Recorded: 1968-1970 Released: August 19, 1974 Peak: 11 US, 25 UK, 11 CN, 77 AU, 14 DF Sales (in millions): 6.0 US, -- UK, 10.20 world (includes US and UK) Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 4.411 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Déjà Vu (2) Helplessly Hoping (3) Wooden Ships (4) Teach Your Children (5) Ohio (6) Find the Cost of Freedom (7) Woodstock (8) Our House (9) Helpless (10) Guinnevere (11) Suite: Judy Blue Eyes Total Running Time: 42:36 About the Album: “Performing acoustic and electric sets highlighted by guitar duels between Stills and Young and the foursome’s affecting harmonies, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young became a major concert attraction…However, their internal chemistry proved too volatile to last” RH and “the group split acrimoniously after a summer tour.” AM “Their malleable live show was documented on 4 Way Street,” RH “a live double album issued after the breakup, [which] was another number one hit.” AM “Showcasing the group's range and versatility, it includes group performances and solo spots.” RH “The quartet regrouped in 1974 to undertake rock’s first stadium tour” RH “without releasing a new record.” AM However, the So Far compilation was a massive success, reaching #1 and going multi-platinum. It only covered two albums – four cuts from 1969’s Crosby, Stills & Nash and five from 1970’s Déjà Vu plus the May 1970 non-album single “Ohio” / “Find the Cost of Freedom.” Considering this was released in 1974, it could have easily added in some solo cuts from 1971 to 1974. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Ohio SF, BS, CO Find the Cost of Freedom SF, BS, CO

CSN Crosby, Stills & Nash

Released: June 17, 1977 Peak: 2 US, 23 UK, 9 CN, 7 AU Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, -- UK, 6.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 3.673 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Tracks: Shadow Captain RP, BS, CO, GH See the Changes BS, GH Carried Away Fair Game Anything at All Cathedral RP, BS, CO, GH Dark Star BS, CO Just a Song Before I Go RP, BS, CO, GH Run from Tears Cold Rain BS In My Dreams BS, CO, GH I Give You Give Blind RP Total Running Time: 43:50 About the Album: During the 1970s, Crosby, Stills, and Nash released solo albums and Crosby & Nash teamed up for a couple of albums. In 1977, the trio finally reunited for what was only their third album. It was a top-10, multi-platinum affair just like its predecessors. However, it accomplished what both of those albums failed to do – land a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Just a Song Before I Go.”

Replay Crosby, Stills & Nash

Recorded: 1968-1977 Released: December 8, 1980 Peak: 122 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 3.731 out of 5.00 (average of 10 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Carry On (2) Marrakesh Express (3) Just a Song Before I Go (4) First Things First (5) Shadow Captain (6) To the Last Whale… (7) Love the One You’re With (8) Pre-Road Downs (8) Change Partners (10) I Give You Give Blind (11) Cathedral Total Running Time: 38:13 About the Album: This is a fairly unnecessary compilation that was thrown together by the record company to cash in on Stephen Stills and Graham Nash touring together in 1980. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Love the One You’re With (Stills, recorded March 1970) RP, BS, CO Change Partners (Stills, recorded early 1971) RP, BS, CO First Things First (Stephen Stills, 1975) RP To the Last Whale... (Crosby & Nash, recorded 5/11/1975 and 7/1/1975) RP, BS, CO

Daylight Again Crosby, Stills & Nash

Released: June 21, 1982 Peak: 8 US, -- UK, 30 CN, 46 AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 4.49 EAS Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 3.562 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Tracks: Turn Your Back on Love Wasted on the Way BS, CO, GH Southern Cross BS, CO, GH Into the Darkness Delta BS, GH Since I Met You Too Much Love to Hide Song for Susan You Are Alive Might As Well Have a Good Time Daylight Again/Find the Cost of Freedom BS, GH Total Running Time: 39:50 About the Album: Daylight Again “produced another Nash-penned hit, Wasted on the Way. Its subject was the band’s combative chemistry. ‘We have wasted an enormous amount of time on petty issues that should never have kept us from making music,’ Nash opined in the liner notes from the box set CSN.” RH

Greatest Hits Crosby, Stills & Nash

Recorded: 1968-1982 Released: March 15, 2005 Peak: 24 US, 38 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 0.6 world (includes US and UK) Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 4.450 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (2) Long Time Gone (3) Just a Song Before I Go (4) Southern Cross (5) Marrakesh Express (6) Helplessly Hoping (7) Shadow Captain (8) Our House (9) Guinnevere (10) See the Changes (11) Teach Your Children (12) Wooden Ships (13) Delta (14) 49 Bye-Byes (15) Wasted on the Way (16) Carry On/Questions (17) In My Dreams (18) Cathedral (19) Daylight Again/Find the Cost of Freedom Total Running Time: 77:30 About the Album: Considering when this album was released, it could have been more comprehensive. It only represents the trio’s first four albums and neglects the latter four. The focus here is only on material by Crosby, Stills, & Nash with no representation from Neil Young. There are two cuts from the CSNY album Déjà Vu, which did feature Young, but he was not involved in the reecording of those two songs in particular.

American Dream Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Released: November 1, 1988 Peak: 16 US, -- UK, 5 CN, 47 AU, 9 DF Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 2.55. EAS Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 3.101 out of 5.00 (average of 14 ratings)

Tracks: American Dream Got It Made BS Name of Love Don’t Say Goodbye This Old House Nightime for the Generals Shadowland Drivin’ Thunder Clear Blue Skies That Girl Compass Soldiers of Peace BS Feel Your Love Night Song Total Running Time: 57:31 About the Album: During the 1980s, David Crosby “was in the throes of drug addiction and increasing legal problems. He was in jail in 1985-1986, but cleaned up and returned to action, with the result that CSNY reunited for…American Dream, in 1988.” AM “Recorded at Neil Young’s California ranch studio, it is the second studio album by the CSNY foursome, appearing 18 years after Déjà Vu.” RH

Live It Up Crosby, Stills & Nash

Released: June 11, 1990 Peak: 57 US, -- UK, 58 CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 2.101 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks: Live It Up If Anybody Had a Heart Tomboy Haven’t We Lost Enough? BS, CO Yours and Mine BS, CO Got to Keep Open Straight Line House of Broken Dreams Arrows After the Dolphin BS, Co Total Running Time: 39:17 About the Album: It only took two years after American Dream for CSN to return to the studio. Live It Up “was a commercial disappointment, the trio remained a popular live act.” AM

CSN (Box Set) Crosby, Stills & Nash

Recorded: 1968-1991 Released: September 30, 1991 Peak: 109 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 4.509 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (2) Helplessly Hoping (3) You Don’t Have to Cry (4) Wooden Ships (5) Guinnevere (6) Marrakesh Express (7) Long Time Gone (8) Blackbird (9) Lady of the Island (10) Song with No Words (Tree with No Leaves) (11) Almost Cut My Hair (12) Teach Your Children (13) Horses Through a Rainstorm (14) Déjà Vu (15) Helpless (16) 4 + 20 (17) Laughing (18) Carry On/Questions Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Woodstock (2) Ohio (3) Love the One You’re With (4) Our House (5) Old Times Good Times (6) The Lee Shore (7) Music is Love (8) I’d Swear There Was Somebody Here (9) Man in the Mirror (10) Black Queen (11) Military Madness (12) Urge for Going (13) I Used to Be a King (14) Simple Man (15) Southbound Train (16) Change Partners (17) My Love Is a Gentle Thing (18) Word Game (19) Johnny’s Garden (20) So Begins the Task (21) Turn Back the Pages Tracks, Disc 3: (1) See the Changes (2) It Doesn’t Matter (3) Immigration Man (4) Chicago/We Can Change the World (5) Homeward Through the Haze (6) Where Will I Be? (7) Page 43 (8) Carry Me (9) Cowboy of Dreams (10) Bittersweet (11) To the Last Whale… (12) Prison Song (13) Another Sleep Song (14) Taken at All (15) In My Dreams (16) Just a Song Before I Go (17) Shadow Captain (18) Dark Star (live) (19) Cathedral Tracks, Disc 4: (1) Wasted on the Way (2) Barrel of Pain (Half-Life) (3) Southern Cross (4) Daylight Again (5) Throughfare Gap (6) Wild Tales (7) Dear Mr. Fantasy (8) Cold Rain (9) Got It Made (10) Tracks in the Dust (11) As I Come of Age (12) 50/50 (13) Drive My Car (14) Delta (15) Soldiers of Peace (16) Yours and Mine (17) Haven’t We Lost Enough? (18) After the Dolphin (19) Find the Cost of Freedom Total Running Time: 297:19 About the Album: This four-disc box set covered the CSN albums as well as each artist’s solo work. Rather than feeling like filler, the generous amount of solo recordings paints a sort of alternate picture of what CSN’s history might have looked like if they’d recorded more albums together. The box also contains a fair amount of previously unreleased material. Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: Blackbird (CSN, recorded 2/11/1969) BS Laughing (Crosby, recorded 10/24/1969) BS Song with No Words (Tree with No Leaves) (Crosby, recorded 11/17/1969) BS Horses Through a Rainstorm (CSNY, recorded 12/28/1969) BS, CO The Lee Shore (CSNY, recorded 12/28/1969) BS, CO Old Times Good Times (Stills, recorded early 1970) BS Man in the Mirror (CNY, recorded 6/7/1970) BS Black Queen (Stills, recorded 6/7/1970) BS Simple Man (Nash, recorded 7/24/1970) BS Music is Love (Crosby, recorded autumn 1970) BS I’d Swear There Was Somebody Here (Crosby, recorded autumn 1970) BS I Used to Be a King (Nash, recorded 1/9/1971) BS Military Madness (Nash, recorded 2/12/1971) BS Chicago/We Can Change the World (Nash, recorded 2/28/1971) BS, CO Word Game (Stills, recorded early 1971) BS Urge for Going (Crosby & Nash, recorded 6/22/1971) BS Where Will I Be? (Crosby & Nash, recorded 11/22/1971) BS Page 43 (Crosby & Nash, recorded 12/13/1971) BS Southbound Train (Nash, recorded 1/6/1972) BS It Doesn’t Matter (Manassas, recorded 1/7/1972) BS Johnny’s Garden (Manassas, recorded 1/8/1972) BS, CO So Begins the Task (Manassas, recorded 1/9/1972) BS Immigration Man (Crosby & Nash, recorded 2/9/1972) BS Another Sleep Song (Nash, recorded 8/18/1972) BS Prison Song (Nash, recorded spring 1973) BS Homeward Through the Haze (CSNY, recorded 12/16/1974) BS Turn Back the Pages (Stills, recorded early 1975) BS Carry Me (Crosby & Nash, recorded March 1975) BS My Love Is a Gentle Thing (Stills, recorded 4/18/1975) BS Bittersweet (Crosby & Nash, recorded 6/8/1975) BS Cowboy of Dreams (Crosby & Nash, recorded 6/18/1975) BS Taken at All (CSNY, recorded 4/1/1976) BS, CO Throughfare Gap (Stills, recorded early 1978) BS Drive My Car (Crosby, recorded late 1978) BS, CO Wild Tales (Nash, recorded 8/3/1979) BS Dear Mr. Fantasy (Stills & Nash, recorded 11/17/1980) BS, CO Barrel of Pain (Half-Life) (Nash, recorded 1/30/1981) BS As I Come of Age (CSN, recorded January 1981) BS, CO 50/50 (Stills, recorded early 1983) BS Tracks in the Dust (Crosby, recorded 1/23/1989) BS

Carry On Crosby, Stills & Nash

Recorded: 1968-1991 Released: December 2, 1991 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: folk rock/classic rock Rating: 4.275 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Woodstock (2) Marrakesh Express (3) You Don’t Have to Cry (4) Teach Your Children (5) Love the One You’re With (6) Almost Cut My Hair (7) Wooden Ships (8) Dark Star (live) (9) Helpless (10) Chicago/We Can Change the World (11) Cathedral (12) 4 + 20 (13) Our House (14) To the Last Whale… (15) Change Partners (16) Just a Song Before I Go (17) Ohio (18) Wasted on the Way (19) Southern Cross Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (2) Carry On/Questions (3) Horses Through a Rainstorm (4) Johnny’s Garden (5) Guinnevere (6) Helplessly Hoping (7) The Lee Shore (8) Taken at All (9) Shadow Captain (10) As I Come of Age (11) Drive My Car (12) Dear Mr. Fantasy (13) In My Dreams (14) Yours and Mine (15) Haven’t We Lost Enough? (16) After the Dolphin (17) Find the Cost of Freedom About the Album: This is a condensed, 2-disc version of the 1991 CSN box set.

After the Storm Crosby, Stills & Nash

Released: August 16, 1994 Peak: 98 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: folk rock Rating: 2.029 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks: Only Waiting for You Find a Dream Camera Unequal Love Till It Shines It Won’t Go Away These Empty Days In My Life Street to Lean On Bad Boyz After the Storm Panama Total Running Time: 45:56 About the Album: “Crosby, Stills & Nash return to the scene of an early triumph, performing at the Woodstock ‘94 festival. This year is the 25th anniversary of both Crosby, Stills and Nash's formation and the original Woodstock festival.” RH The trio then “embarked on a 25th anniversary tour in the summer of 1994 and released a new album, After the Storm.” AM On May 6, 1997, “James Taylor inducts Crosby, Stills and Nash into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Cleveland.” RH

Looking Forward Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Released: October 6, 1999 Peak: 26 US, 54 UK, 17 CN, -- AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): -- Genre: folk rock Rating: 2.915 out of 5.00 (average of 12 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Faith in Me Looking Forward Stand and Be Counted Heartland Seen Enough Slowpoke Dream for Him No Tears Left Out of Control Someday Soon Queen of Them All Sanibel Total Running Time: 53:17 About the Album: “The trio again reunited with Young for 1999's Looking Forward, followed in 2000 by their CSNY2K tour.” AM “Some 30 years after Crosby, Stills & Nash, Graham Nash could forthrightly say, ‘We still have it. We still mean it. It’s not for the money. It never was. It’s for the music.’” RH “‘They used to say we were speaking for our generation, and I think that it's still true,’ Crosby noted. ‘You hear a lot of music these days about rage and frustration and anger, but not much about hope and love and forward motion. That's what we want to continue to stand up for.’” RH

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com profile by William Ruhlmann RH Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Related DMDB Links: First posted 2/19/2010; last updated 3/18/2026.