Released: 1969
Tracks: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes; Marrakesh Express; Guinevere; You Don’t Have to Cry; Pre-Road Downs; Wooden Ships; Lady of the Island; Helplessly Hoping; Long Time Gone; 49 Bye-Byes
Best track: either Helplessly Hoping or Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
Track to skip: Marrakesh Express
I don’t know a lot about folk and Americana music, so I’m unable to approach the album from the historical perspective or of the influence from this album in the past 40+ years. In a sense, the historical aspect doesn’t matter as much as the fact that it’s simply good music that will always be appreciated. Before getting this album, I wasn’t too familiar with most of these songs besides Suite: Judy Blue Eyes. It’s refreshing that it’s such an eclectic album with each song standing out on its own. When you have three strong songwriters in Graham Nash, David Crosby and Stephen Stills you’re naturally going to get a lot of different perspectives. Thankfully all three of their songwriting styles blend perfectly.
I can’t get past how chilling their harmonies are, especially on songs like Helplessly Hoping and Judy Blue Eyes. The quality of their combined voices gives me a feeling that few bands can produce vocally. If magic exists in music, Crosby, Still & Nash definitely tapped into it. As compositions I love both of these songs and I love how different they are from each other, even though they’re both written by Stephen Stills. In addition to contributing the best songs on this album, Stills also played the majority of the instruments except for the drums. Guitars here and there are played by Nash and Crosby, but most of the guitar work and all of the keys and bass playing are handled by Stephen Stills. His bass playing is excellent throughout, most noticeably on Judy and Wooden Ships. Of course, Stills’ guitar playing is more in the forefront on songs like Wooden Ships and the perfect use of harmonics in You Don’t Have to Cry. David Crosby gets his due as a guitarist in Guinevere…I love what he does musically on this song. Both of Crosby’s solo compositions, Guinevere & Long Time Gone, are phenomenal songs.
Graham Nash’s songs are my least favorite on the album. I outright don’t like Marrakesh Express. Sonically it really doesn’t fit with the rest of the album. I don’t think the quirky/pop aspects of this song mesh with Crosby & Stills’ songs. The lyrics for Pre-Road Downs are pretty lame, but the song is definitely saved by Stills’ bass & guitar work. Lady of the Island is a better song, but is still a tad weaker when compared with his bandmates’ tunes. I do appreciate the delicacy of Nash’s vocals on this one. Marrakesh is the only song on this album that I actively skip, though.
Except for some minor quibbles, this CSN debut is a fantastic album. I really wish that I had been around to experience it when it came out. There’s such a high quality of songwriting and musicianship present here that I completely find missing from so much music released today. These three guys have such a dedication to excellence and it’s so wonderful to hear that from musicians. I think that Long Time Gone would make a better ending song than 49 Bye-Byes, but that doesn’t impact how much I love this album. The singular misstep of Marrakesh doesn’t diminish the greatness here.
[The 2006 remaster features four bonus tracks that show off the folkier side of the trio and all four would be welcome additions to this album, if they were more fleshed out. Of course, Teach Your Children would pop up on the CSNY album Déjà Vu]
Rating: 95
February 21, 2012, 
8:38 am
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