Happy 40th: Crosby, Stills & Nash, CSN

40 years ago this month, Crosby, Stills & Nash released their second album, which was also their fifth album, except only sort of.

Don’t worry, we’ll explain everything.

In 1969, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash released their debut album, which was called – big surprise here – CROSBY, STILLS & NASH. You know it as the LP that features such classic tracks as “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Marrakesh Express,” “Wooden Ships,” and “Helplessly Hoping.” When the guys released their second album, DEJA VU, they’d added Neil Young to the line-up, and he was still hanging around when they released their live album, 4 WAY STREET, in 1971, so when the inevitable best-of collection, SO FAR, came out in 1974, Young’s name was attached to that, too.

By 1977, David Crosby and Graham Nash had released three albums as a duo, Crosby had released a solo album, Nash had released two solo albums, Stills had also released two albums with his new band Manassas, and he’d also teamed up with Young for the appropriately-named Stills-Young Band. Since then, Young had gone solo again, and he wasn’t looking to rejoin with the guys, so it was just going to be Crosby, Stills & Nash, just as it had been in the beginning.

Produced by the threesome with the assistance of Ron and Howard Albert, CSN featured two strong singles – “Just a Song Before I Go” and “Fair Game” – and received considerable critical acclaim, making it a highly worthwhile reunion for fans. Unfortunately, it would also prove to be the last such reunion by the group for many, many moons, but…that’s rock ‘n’ roll!