ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 301 CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG - DEJA VU (1970)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Disclaimer: All info that does not reside in my brain is gathered from wikipedia.com (mostly because Jon can't stand it) unless otherwise noted.

Rolling right along with our series looking at number one albums, we step back in time to 1970 with the release of Deja Vu, the first CSN&Y studio album.  It only stayed at the top of the chart for a week, but that's long enough to qualify here.  The album did contain three Top 40 singles in Woodstock (#11), Teach Your Children (#16) and Our House (#30).  Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, the album is certified 7 X Platinum by the RIAA. 

Crosby, Stills & Nash had already recorded a successful debut record, but for some reason Stills wanted Young to be added to the band.  I'm reading a biography on Young right now where he says he's not really sure why. Since the band was already successful, why add him.  But it certainly worked, and it led to well received albums by all four members for their next outings.  

I can say I knew nothing of this album in my youth, but it's quite impressive.  I am quite happy that I own it now. Amazon has it for $9.99, but you can also stream it for free if you are an Amazon Prime member.

Side One:

1. Carry On

2. Teach Your Children

3. Almost Cut My Hair

4. Helpless

5. Woodstock

Side Two:

6. Deja Vu

7. Our House

8. 4 + 20

9. Country Girl

10. Everybody I Love You

[Niels (Mod)]

I never was a fan of CSN or CSN&Y or whatever. It sounds VERY much like Woodstock to me, and I'm not from that generation. Some bands like The Who never sounded like hippies, but these dudes did. I DO like Neil young, but definitely not all the stuff, he has released, and listening to "Decade" his double-best off CD, it's clear that the two or three CSN&Y'songs are the weakest (IMO). And I do belive those songs were written by Young himself, "Helpless" among others.

I bought this album 15 years ago, because I'd read somewhere that it was one of the best albums ever released.

I will never say, that this album is bad in any way, but neither is it one of the best albums.

One thing, though: Besides The Beatles, CSN&Y has the best harmonies EVER!!

Some of the songs are very, very good, as "Carry On" and "Teach Your Children", but I have to be in a very special mood, if I put this album on at home. Hmmmm...maybe I'm in that kind of mood right now, because the album sounds better than I remembered. 

"Almost Cut My Hair" is a typical Young-song from this periode. If he had had his way, I'm sure that guitar-solo had been 5 min. long.

"Helpless" I don't really care for.

Yeah, "Woodstock" is the hippie national-song. It's also better than I remembered it to be.

Damn, I like this album (except for "Helpless")?!!

But what about side 2? Is this another "All Shook up"?

"Deja Vu" the song is almost Prog?! 

"Our House" is an attempt to sound like McCartney. Didn't Madness made a version of this song? 

"4 + 20" sounds like a song, Chris Cornell should cover. I guess this is Shephen Stills?

"Country Girl" is definitely another Young-song, but not one of his best. But it's okay.

And we end with those excellent harmonies.

I eat my words. This is actually a very fine album. Much better than I remembered.

Good post, Jeff. The best in a while.

[Jon]

Not really much to say about this album except that if it's not in your collection, your collection ain't complete. A stellar album from beginning to end. Don't know how many times I've listened to this throughout the years, but I can tell you it's more than you can shake a stick at.

Actually, shouldn't this be CSN&Y, oh and T&R?

[Scott]

I had a buddy who loved these guys, so I got a good dose of them...  Jon's right, this album is a must have, and I have it as well.  I also own Daylight Again but "Y" isn't on that album.  And that rounds out my CSN and sometimes Y collection.  I do own several "Y' albums though that's a different topic.

Lets not talk the "hit" songs, but the remaining tracks.  Almost Cut My Hair is classic Y as well as Helpless.  I like Helpless a lot better though I would not skip over the hair track.

Deja Vu is just cool.  That bass, holy moly.  Love this song!  And Niels is right, its nearly a folky-prog tune!  Maybe the first and last...  4+20 is a good song, but its very mellow and if you never heard it before it may fade into the background a bit.  But no worries, Sometimes Y recovers with Country Girl, another playful folky-prog tune with some great keyboard work if you listen close enough, so now theres two folky-prog tunes in the world.  The closer is pretty cool too.

Nice pick boss!  Its been too long since Ive threw this one on...