Crosby, Stills & Nash, a name synonymous with the golden era of folk-rock, emerged as a supergroup that defined a generation. Formed in the late 1960s, they provided the soundtrack to the counterculture movement, weaving intricate harmonies with lyrics that spoke of change, love, and societal reflection. In a time of social upheaval and evolving ideals, their music resonated deeply, becoming an enduring symbol of the era.
The trio was a constellation of prior musical successes: David Crosby from The Byrds, Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash from The Hollies. This pedigree instantly positioned them as a musical force. While Neil Young’s significant contributions, both musically and through songwriting, are undeniable, and led to the quartet Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, this list will focus on the core trio’s remarkable songbook.
Bridging the optimistic close of the ’60s and the more somber ’70s, Crosby, Stills & Nash’s influence spans genres and generations. Alongside contemporaries like Joni Mitchell from Laurel Canyon, they became icons of a cultural shift. Despite the sad passing of David Crosby in 2023, their music continues to inspire and move listeners. Here, we delve into 15 of Crosby, Stills & Nash’s most exceptional songs, ranked to highlight their enduring artistry.
15. ‘Wooden Ships’
David Crosby and Stephen Stills sharing vocals on 'Wooden Ships', a song about escaping societal conflict.
‘Wooden Ships’, from their debut album Crosby, Stills & Nash, is a powerful anti-war anthem with a dystopian edge. Co-written with Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner, and also recorded by Jefferson Airplane, the song envisions a bleak future where escape is the only option. David Crosby, known for his sometimes challenging personality, considered his ability to collaborate a strength, and ‘Wooden Ships’ exemplifies this. Sharing vocals with Stephen Stills, the track is a testament to their harmonious blend, even when exploring dark themes of nuclear anxiety and societal collapse. Its enduring relevance speaks to the timeless nature of its message about conflict and survival.
14. ‘Southern Cross’
By the 1980s, the counterculture wave had receded, but Crosby, Stills & Nash remained creatively vibrant. ‘Southern Cross’, a single from their 1982 album Daylight Again, showcases this continued evolution. Stephen Stills drew inspiration from the Southern Cross constellation and nautical themes, alongside The Curtis Brothers who are credited as co-writers. Following a difficult divorce, Stills described the song as a metaphor for using the vastness of the universe to find inner peace and recovery. Its soft rock melody and reflective lyrics connected with audiences, proving their ability to adapt and remain relevant across changing musical landscapes.
13. ‘Just A Song Before I Go’
Graham Nash performing 'Just A Song Before I Go', a spontaneous hit song born from a bet.
‘Just A Song Before I Go’, from their 1977 CSN album, is a testament to Graham Nash’s songwriting spontaneity. Famously born from a bet, the song’s origins are as charming as its melody. As David Crosby recounted, Nash, about to depart for tour from his home in Hawaii, was challenged to write a song in fifteen minutes. Accepting the wager, Nash crafted this AM radio-friendly pop gem. It became one of their highest-charting singles in the US, reaching the top ten and showcasing their knack for crafting accessible and memorable tunes, even under pressure.
12. ‘Turn Your Back On Love’
Crosby, Stills & Nash performing 'Turn Your Back On Love', highlighting their evolved sound in the 80s.
Opening Daylight Again in 1982, ‘Turn Your Back On Love’ reflected the shifting times since Crosby, Stills & Nash’s previous studio album. This track demonstrated their adaptability and sonic evolution. While retaining their signature harmonies, the song features a more polished, 80s production style, showcasing a slicker, more contemporary sound. Despite David Crosby’s reduced contributions to the album due to personal struggles, ‘Turn Your Back On Love’ affirmed the group’s continued musical synergy and their ability to stay current without abandoning their core sound.
11. ‘Teach Your Children’
Crosby, Stills & Nash performing 'Teach Your Children' at Live Aid, a message of peace and understanding.
‘Teach Your Children’ is often perceived as a straightforward message of love and peace for future generations, advocating for respect and understanding. However, the song has deeper personal roots for Graham Nash. It was inspired by his complex relationship with his father, who faced imprisonment during Nash’s childhood. As Nash explained in 1991, the intention was to “write something so personal that every single person on the planet can relate to it.” Its powerful message of empathy and reconciliation resonated globally, exemplified by the audience’s enthusiastic response during their Live Aid performance, singing the lyrics back to the band.
10. ‘Helpless’
Neil Young singing 'Helpless' with Crosby, Stills & Nash, a poignant reflection on his childhood.
Featured on the seminal 1970 album Déjà Vu, ‘Helpless’ is distinctly a Neil Young composition. It’s a deeply personal and melancholic reflection on his formative years in Omemee, Ontario. Young’s childhood was marked by challenges, including contracting polio and his parents’ divorce, but Omemee offered a sense of peace and simplicity. He described it as “a nice little town. Sleepy little place… Life was real basic and simple in that town. Walk to school, walk back. Everybody knew who you were.” These memories fueled the bittersweet lyrics characteristic of Young’s songwriting. ‘Helpless’ has remained a staple in Young’s solo performances, underscoring its personal significance and enduring beauty.
9. ‘Long Time Gone’
David Crosby performing 'Long Time Gone', a song written in response to political assassination and lost hope.
‘Long Time Gone’, a country-rock infused track from their debut album, captures the tension between Crosby, Stills & Nash’s optimism and the turbulent times they lived in. David Crosby wrote the song on “the night Bobby Kennedy was killed,” a moment that shattered his belief in positive change within the American political system. He saw Bobby Kennedy as a leader untainted by corruption, unlike figures like Johnson and Nixon. The assassinations of both Kennedy brothers fueled Crosby’s anger and disillusionment, channeling into this potent song that reflects the era’s political anxieties and the loss of hope.
8. ‘Marrakesh Express’
Graham Nash singing 'Marrakesh Express', a song that marked a pivotal moment in his career and the band's formation.
‘Marrakesh Express’ holds a special place in Crosby, Stills & Nash’s history, as it played a crucial role in Graham Nash’s departure from The Hollies and his move to Laurel Canyon. This autobiographical song, detailing Nash’s train journey to Marrakesh, was rejected by his Hollies bandmates for being deemed insufficiently commercial. Nash felt creatively stifled, stating, “After a couple months of that, a man is liable to go insane,” particularly as he felt like the only member embracing new perspectives. However, Stephen Stills and David Crosby recognized the song’s charm and potential, making it Crosby, Stills & Nash’s debut single. This pivotal moment changed the course of music history, launching a legendary supergroup.
7. ‘Almost Cut My Hair’
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performing 'Almost Cut My Hair' live, an anthem of counterculture identity.
‘Almost Cut My Hair’ became David Crosby’s signature song and an anthem for the counterculture movement. It resonated with those who defied societal norms, the “hippies” who, despite facing societal pressures, held onto their individuality. Tragically, Crosby’s girlfriend Christine Hinton passed away in a car accident just before he recorded his vocal for the song. His raw grief and anger are palpable in his vocal delivery, replacing his usual smooth harmonies with a more visceral performance. Despite its somber context, ‘Almost Cut My Hair’ has become a rallying cry for self-expression and nonconformity, encouraging listeners to “let their freak flag fly” for over half a century since its release on Déjà Vu.
6. ‘Carry On’
Crosby, Stills & Nash performing 'Carry On', a powerful album opener and introduction to Neil Young.
‘Carry On’ powerfully opens Déjà Vu and served as the introduction of Neil Young into the Crosby, Stills & Nash fold, marking the beginning of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The song is structurally unique, comprising two distinct musical sections that initially sound like separate songs. These sections are unified by the hopeful declaration, “Carry on, love is coming, love is coming to us all.” This phrase acted as both a generational message of hope and an internal rallying cry for the band members themselves, who were navigating the challenges of group dynamics. ‘Carry On’ was conceived late in the Déjà Vu writing process, acting as the crucial piece that unified the album and set its thematic tone. Stephen Stills described its creation as a moment of inspiration that revitalized the project.
5. ‘Helplessly Hoping’
Crosby, Stills & Nash harmonizing on 'Helplessly Hoping', showcasing their vocal blend and Stephen Stills' lyrical style.
‘Helplessly Hoping’, from their 1969 debut album, is a masterclass in vocal harmony and lyrical artistry. Stephen Stills credited his 10th-grade English teacher for inspiring the song’s distinctive alliterative style. He recalled her captivating teaching methods, which even motivated football players to engage with poetry. This influence is evident from the song’s opening line: “Helplessly hoping / Her harlequin hovers nearby.” ‘Helplessly Hoping’ also foreshadowed the future Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young lineup, with Neil Young contributing additional guitar in the studio, hinting at the expanded sound to come.
4. ‘Ohio’
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performing 'Ohio' live, a protest anthem against the Kent State shootings.
‘Ohio’ stands as one of the most potent protest songs of all time and Neil Young’s most significant contribution during his time with Crosby, Stills & Nash. Written in direct response to the Kent State shootings in 1970, where unarmed students were killed by the US National Guard during an anti-war protest, ‘Ohio’ is a raw outpouring of grief and outrage. Inspired by a Life magazine article detailing the tragedy, Young wrote the lyrics within 20 minutes. David Crosby remembered Young’s profound reaction: “he was silent for a long time, then picked up his guitar and 20 minutes later had this song.” ‘Ohio’ became an immediate anthem for the anti-war movement, capturing the disillusionment and anger of a generation opposing the Vietnam War and social injustice.
3. ‘Woodstock’
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performing 'Woodstock', capturing the spirit of the iconic festival.
‘Woodstock’ is perhaps the quintessential song associated with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and the counterculture movement, despite being written by Joni Mitchell. While Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young famously performed at Woodstock, Mitchell herself was unable to attend. She penned the song from the perspective of someone observing the festival from afar, capturing the idealistic spirit and historical significance of the event for a generation seeking hope and change. Mitchell later reflected, “I was the deprived kid who couldn’t go, so I wrote it from the point of view of a kid going… If I had been there in the back room with all the egomaniacal crap that goes on backstage, I would not have had that perspective.” Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s rendition became the definitive version, amplifying the song’s message of peace and unity.
2. ‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’
Crosby, Stills & Nash performing 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes', a multi-part song dedicated to Judy Collins.
‘Suite: Judy Blue Eyes’ is arguably Crosby, Stills & Nash’s signature song, deeply personal and musically ambitious. Written by Stephen Stills for his then-girlfriend Judy Collins, it chronicles the complexities of their relationship. Stills described it as “a long narrative poem about my relationship with Judy Collins… It poured out of me over many months and filled several notebooks,” documenting the highs and lows of their romance. Judy Collins herself recalled the song’s impact, admitting that hearing Stills play it almost convinced her to stay in the relationship, despite its challenges. The song’s “suite” structure, with its distinct movements and musical shifts, showcased the trio’s groundbreaking harmonic abilities and songwriting innovation, solidifying their trademark sound and becoming a beloved fan favorite.
1. ‘Our House’
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performing 'Our House', a sentimental ballad of domestic bliss.
At the pinnacle of Crosby, Stills & Nash’s songbook is ‘Our House’. In contrast to their revolutionary image, this song reveals a desire for simple domestic happiness. Written by Graham Nash, this gentle folk-rock ballad from Déjà Vu portrays his idyllic home life with Joni Mitchell in Laurel Canyon. It’s a departure from the typical “rock star lifestyle,” instead celebrating the quiet joys of home and companionship. Nash described it as a “portrait of our life together” for Mitchell, inspired by a peaceful afternoon of shared domesticity and creative inspiration. Featuring their signature serene harmonies and a memorable “la la” vocal section instead of a guitar solo, ‘Our House’ resonated deeply with listeners. While only reaching number thirty on the US charts initially, it has become their most streamed song, enduring as a timeless ode to home, love, and simple happiness, forever linked to the Laurel Canyon era and its peaceful ethos.
In conclusion, the songs of Crosby, Stills & Nash are more than just music; they are cultural touchstones that reflect a pivotal era in history. Their harmonies, songwriting, and messages continue to resonate, securing their place as icons of folk-rock and beyond.
