Album Deep Dive: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 'Deja Vu' (Amity Tracks

[@richardtyson7884]

I have always loved Déja Vue..a timeless record . It is one of the few albums I can play over and over again and not get tired of it. .

[@daledavidson8242]

Always loved Country Girl, which might be a guilty pleasure. Or maybe a hidden gem that kind of sneaks up on you.

[@amitytracks]

It does. That Buffalo Springfield box set has some outtakes, like their version of "Down, Down, Down."

[@19trebor53]

Country Girl and Helpless are as great as songs get.

[@davidgena2667]

Have always loved Deja Vu. My one disagreement with you is 4&20. It has always been a favorite track of mine on the album. It’s moody and depressing for sure but we all get that way at times and Stills perfectly conveys that feeling with his sublime guitar work and heartfelt lyrical content and vocal. The album is truly a highlight of the 70’s. Well done.

[@amitytracks]

Stills fingerpicking the acoustic can't be beat.

[@onsenkuma1979]

The CSN debut in '69 sounded fresh, and focused on the vocal blend and individual writing talents of each member. As great as Neil Young was and still is though, he's just not a team player, and his vocal talents were hardly in the same league as David Crosby. Deja Vu has some great tracks (the title track, Carry On, 4 + 20, Woodstock) but if I never hear 'Our House' or 'Teach Your Children' again then I'm good, and Neil's songs on the album belong on a Neil Young album (with credits for guest backing vocals from CSN). The cover art is iconic, and it's hard to explain now the anticipation there was for this album. But Deja Vu was less a debut from a new band than the sound of a new band already falling apart.

[@amitytracks]

Excellent points, all. Neil is my favorite artist, but he obviously would be a nightmare to work with. At least to try to maintain a sustained project beyond one album or one tour or something.

[@danielsolano602]

Yeah man I love the peaks and valleys in this album. My mother's copy was beautifully scratchy. As pointed out, that first album was damn near perfect. I love to compare the closers on these. "49 By-bys" was a way better composition, but I remember feeling strangely satisfied with "Everybody I Love You"; just a lighthearted jam to see the listener out with. Anyway, so guilty! I have Spotify Premium so I have no excuse for still not knowing the original version of "Woodstock." Checking it out momentarily!!🤣

[@vincentbernard7504]

Thanks for all those stories behind the record. Agree with you tunes are great and for me this art cover texture Is like fetichism ❤

[@amitytracks]

The album art is awesome. I should have discussed that a little bit too.

[@vinylrichie007]

Deju Vu is a good album but I don’t think it flows like a great album usually does.

[@dreammachine2013]

This is the only good album by CSN&Y, plus the 2 Live ones. Neil is not a team player! In fact he sabotaged over the years the communal efforts of David, Graham and Steve, pulling out of tours in the last minute leaving the others wondering what to do. On deja Vu I love all the Crosby, Stills songs, plus Graham's Teach your children and Joni's Woodstock. Helpless has such beautiful melody and words in der verses, but why the defeatist chorus? And Country Girl tries to become a Song but gets nowhere. Neil clearly is no Paul McCartney whose "The long one" On Side 2 of Abbey Road is perfect. In the long run, Neil is much better alone, whereas the other 3 put out some lovely LPs like CSN, Daylight again and After the Storm, but beware of Live it up! In the following decades the 4 musicians al put out great records, mediocre ones or just lousy ones. It's up to the individual listener to decide what's what😅

[@amitytracks]

True, Richie, it is very fragmented. But I think that's kind of its charm, as it spotlights the distinct musical personalities of each of these guys at a peak. Kind like The White Album, or Tusk, or Physical Graffiti don't flow or are somewhat fragmented, but that's a factor in why those records kinda work.

[@amitytracks]

There are a couple of tracks from Live It Up that are good. I love Stills' "Haven't We Lost Enough" from that album.