CSN (box set)

CSN
Box set by
ReleasedSeptember 30, 1991
RecordedJune 26, 1968 – April 3, 1990
GenreRock
Length297:19
LabelAtlantic
ProducerGraham Nash, Gerry Tolman
Crosby, Stills & Nash chronology
Live It Up
(1990)
CSN
(1991)
Carry On
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

CSN is a box set by Crosby, Stills & Nash, issued on Atlantic Records in 1991. It features material spanning from 1968 through 1990 from their catalogue of recordings as a group in addition to selections from Crosby & Nash, Manassas, and their individual solo albums. It peaked at No. 109 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.[2] The set is "dedicated to the loving memory of Cass Elliot, without whom most of this music may not have been made." A two-disc distillation of the box was released for other markets later in the year.

Content

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The presence of the group's occasional fourth member, Neil Young, is limited to 14 tracks and only two of his compositions for the band, "Helpless" and "Ohio". Of its 77 tracks, 25 had been unreleased previously, although many were alternate takes, alternate mixes, or concert versions of previously issued songs. Included in the unreleased tracks are a CSNY rehearsal of "Helplessly Hoping" prior to their first tour, two outtakes from the Déjà Vu sessions "Horses through a Rainstorm" and "The Lee Shore", and the December 1968 demo of "You Don't Have to Cry", the first recording they made as Crosby, Stills & Nash.[3] Other highlights include a cover of The Beatles' "Blackbird", the full-length take of "Almost Cut My Hair", and three tracks respectively from the aborted CSNY second studio album sessions of 1973, 1974, and 1976: "See the Changes"; "Homeward through the Haze"; and "Taken at All".[3]

No tracks are taken from the following studio albums released either individually or in combination during the time period covered by the box: Down the Road; Illegal Stills; Whistling Down the Wire; Long May You Run; Innocent Eyes; and American Dream.[n 1] The orphan single by Young and Nash, "War Song", is also not included and is only available on the Neil Young archives box.

The original recordings were produced by David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young, with assistance from Howard Albert, Ron Albert, Craig Doerge, Bill Halverson, Chris Hillman, Stanley Johnston, Paul Rothchild, Dallas Taylor, and Joe Vitale. Audio engineers on the original recordings include Stephen Barncard, Niko Bolas, Ellen Burke, Larry Cox, Russ Gary, Don Gooch, Steve Gursky, David Hassinger, Andy Johns, Glyn Johns, Gary Kellgren, Henry Lewy, Elliot Mazer, Jim Mitchell, Tim Mulligan, and Doc Storch. The original masters were recorded at the following studios: A&M Studios, Britannia Studios, Devonshire Sound Studio, Wally Heider Studios, The Record Plant, Rudy Recorders, the Sound Lab, Sunset Sound, Sunwest Studio, Village Recorders, and Westlake Audio in Los Angeles; United Studio in Hollywood; The Record Plant in New York City; Wally Heider Studios, His Master's Wheels, and Rudy Recorders in San Francisco; The Record Plant in Sausalito; Criteria Sound Studios in Miami; Island Studios in London; Sol Studio in Maidstone, Kent; Stephen Stills' late 1960s home in Laurel Canyon, Graham Nash's early 1970s home in San Francisco, and Neil Young's Redwood Digital home studio at his ranch in Woodside, California. Live recordings are from the Filmore East in New York in 1970, the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles in 1979, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, Oregon in 1982, and the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York in 1989.

The selections were compiled for this set by Crosby, Stills, Nash, Gerry Tolman, and Yves Beauvais, with additional research by Joel Bernstein. The liner notes include an essay by writer Chet Flippo. Originally in a box set conforming to the size dimensions of a vinyl record, the set was reissued as a compact disc brick on August 13, 2013. The liner notes for the 2013 reissue do not indicate whether or not any additional mastering beyond that from 1991 was undertaken.

Track listing

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An asterisk (*) indicates a live recording, two asterisks (**) a previously unreleased mix, (†) a previously unreleased version, and (‡) a previously unreleased song.

Disc one

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No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (deleted drum track restored, alternate vocals; original mix on Crosby, Stills & Nash)Stephen Stillsearly 1969 **7:28
2."Helplessly Hoping" (CSNY rehearsal)Stephen StillsJune 15, 1969 †2:31
3."You Don't Have to Cry" (first CSN recording)Stephen StillsDecember 1968 †2:40
4."Wooden Ships" (from Crosby, Stills & Nash)David Crosby, Paul Kantner, Stephen StillsFebruary 20, 19695:26
5."Guinnevere" (Crosby demo)David CrosbyJune 26, 1968 †4:45
6."Marrakesh Express" (from Crosby, Stills & Nash)Graham Nashearly 19692:36
7."Long Time Gone" (from Crosby, Stills & Nash)David Crosbyearly 19694:17
8."Blackbird" (Crosby, Stills & Nash outtake)John Lennon, Paul McCartneyFebruary 11, 1969 ‡2:33
9."Lady of the Island" (from Crosby, Stills & Nash)Graham NashFebruary 11, 19692:36
10."Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves)" (Crosby & Nash early version)David CrosbyNovember 17, 1969 †3:14
11."Almost Cut My Hair" (unedited take of track on Déjà Vu)David CrosbyJanuary 8, 1970 †8:49
12."Teach Your Children" (from Déjà Vu)Graham NashOctober 24, 19692:52
13."Horses Through a Rainstorm" (Déjà Vu outtake)Graham Nash, Terry ReidDecember 28, 1969 ‡3:40
14."Déjà Vu" (from Déjà Vu)David CrosbyNovember 17, 19694:10
15."Helpless" (from Déjà Vu)Neil YoungNovember 17, 19693:36
16."4+20" (original mix on Déjà Vu)Stephen StillsJuly 16, 1969 **2:10
17."Laughing" (from If I Could Only Remember My Name)David CrosbyOctober 24, 19695:24
18."Carry On/Questions" (from Déjà Vu)Stephen StillsDecember 28, 19694:25

Disc two

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No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Woodstock" (original mix on Déjà Vu)Joni MitchellNovember 5, 1969 **3:50
2."Ohio" (1970 single)Neil YoungMay 21, 19703:00
3."Love the One You're With" (from Stephen Stills)Stephen StillsMarch 19703:03
4."Our House" (from Déjà Vu)Graham NashNovember 5, 19692:58
5."Old Times Good Times" (from Stephen Stills)Stephen Stillsearly 19703:38
6."The Lee Shore" (Déjà Vu outtake with 1991 vocal overdubs)David CrosbyDecember 28, 1969 †5:28
7."Music Is Love" (from If I Could Only Remember My Name)David Crosbyautumn 19703:18
8."I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here" (from If I Could Only Remember My Name)David Crosbyautumn 19701:19
9."Man in the Mirror" (CNY version)Graham NashJune 7, 1970 †*2:52
10."Black Queen" (Stills solo)Stephen StillsJune 7, 1970 †*6:50
11."Military Madness" (from Songs for Beginners)Graham NashFebruary 12, 19712:55
12."Urge for Going" (intended as 1971 Crosby & Nash single)Joni MitchellJune 22, 1971 ‡3:46
13."I Used to Be a King" (from Songs for Beginners)Graham NashJanuary 9, 19714:48
14."Simple Man" (original mix on Songs for Beginners)Graham NashJuly 24, 1970 **2:19
15."Southbound Train" (from Graham Nash David Crosby)Graham NashJanuary 6, 19723:54
16."Change Partners" (from Stephen Stills 2)Stephen Stillsearly 19713:13
17."My Love Is a Gentle Thing" (Stills solo)Stephen StillsApril 18, 1975 ‡1:23
18."Word Game" (from Stephen Stills 2)Stephen Stillsearly 19714:10
19."Johnny's Garden" (from Manassas)Stephen StillsJanuary 8, 19722:46
20."So Begins the Task" (from Manassas)Stephen StillsJanuary 9, 19724:00
21."Turn Back the Pages" (from Stills)Stephen Stills, Donnie Dacusearly 19754:05

Disc three

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No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."See the Changes" (CSNY version)Stephen StillsJune 28, 1973 †2:44
2."It Doesn't Matter" (from Manassas)Stephen Stills, Chris HillmanJanuary 7, 19722:31
3."Immigration Man" (from Graham Nash David Crosby)Graham NashFebruary 9, 19722:58
4."Chicago/We Can Change the World" (from Songs for Beginners)Graham NashFebruary 28, 19713:58
5."Homeward Through the Haze" (CSNY version)David CrosbyDecember 16, 1974 †4:20
6."Where Will I Be?" (from Graham Nash David Crosby)David CrosbyNovember 22, 19713:22
7."Page 43" (from Graham Nash David Crosby)David CrosbyDecember 13, 19712:55
8."Carry Me" (from Wind on the Water)David CrosbyMarch, 19753:33
9."Cowboy of Dreams" (from Wind on the Water)Graham NashJune 18, 19753:27
10."Bittersweet" (from Wind on the Water)David CrosbyJune 8, 19752:37
11."To the Last Whale..." (from Wind on the Water)David Crosby, Graham NashMay 11, July 1, 19755:30
12."Prison Song" (from Wild Tales)Graham Nashspring 19733:11
13."Another Sleep Song" (from Wild Tales)Graham NashAugust 18, 19724:42
14."Taken at All" (CSNY version)Graham Nash, David CrosbyApril 1, 1976 †2:54
15."In My Dreams" (from CSN)David CrosbyJanuary 12, 19775:11
16."Just a Song Before I Go" (from CSN)Graham NashDecember 19, 19762:12
17."Shadow Captain" (from CSN)David Crosby, Craig DoergeJanuary 14, 19774:31
18."Dark Star" (from Allies)Stephen StillsDecember 5, 1982 *4:57
19."Cathedral" (from CSN)Graham NashJanuary 22, 19775:16

Disc four

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No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Wasted on the Way" (from Daylight Again)Graham NashJanuary 30, 19812:46
2."Barrel of Pain (Half-Life)" (from Earth & Sky)Graham NashApril 4, 19794:44
3."Southern Cross" (from Daylight Again)Stephen Stills, Richard Curtis, Michael Curtislate 19814:39
4."Daylight Again" (from Daylight Again)Stephen Stillslate 19812:28
5."Thoroughfare Gap" (from Thoroughfare Gap)Stephen Stillsearly 19783:33
6."Wild Tales" (Nash solo)Graham NashAugust 3, 1979 †*3:09
7."Dear Mr. Fantasy" (Stills & Nash version)Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris WoodNovember 17, 1980 ‡7:04
8."Cold Rain" (from CSN)Graham NashJanuary 25, 19772:33
9."Got It Made" (Stills & Nash version)Stephen Stills, Neil YoungNovember 18, 1989 †*4:33
10."Tracks in the Dust" (from Oh Yes I Can)David CrosbyJanuary 23, 19894:48
11."As I Come of Age" (CSN remake of track on Stills)Stephen StillsJanuary 1981 †2:48
12."50/50" (from Right by You)Stephen Stills, Joe Lalaearly 19834:20
13."Drive My Car" (early version of track on Oh Yes I Can)David Crosbylate 1978 †3:50
14."Delta" (from Daylight Again)David CrosbyMay 19804:11
15."Soldiers of Peace" (original on American Dream)Graham Nash, Craig Doerge, Joe Vitalelate 1988 †4:20
16."Yours and Mine" (from Live It Up)David Crosby, Graham Nash, Craig DoergeFebruary 2, 19904:28
17."Haven't We Lost Enough?" (from Live It Up)Stephen Stills, Kevin CroninApril 3, 19903:06
18."After the Dolphin" (from Live It Up)Graham NashFebruary 1, 19894:25
19."Find the Cost of Freedom" (B-side of the "Ohio" single)Stephen StillsMay 21, 19701:59

Collective personnel

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Production personnel

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  • Graham Nash, Gerry Tolman — producers
  • Stephen Barncard at Sunset Sound1991 mixes for unreleased material
  • Joe Gastwirt, John Modell at Ocean View Digital — digital remastering, July and August 1991
  • Joe Gastwirt at Ocean View Digital and John Nowland at Redwood Digital, San Francisco — analog-to-digital tape transfer, June and July 1991
  • Joe Gastwirt, John Nowland, Joel Bernstein — tape restoration

Notes

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  1. ^ However, alternate versions of tracks from these albums do appear: "Got It Made" and "Soldiers of Peace" from American Dream, as well as the quartet version of "Taken at All" from Whistling Down the Wire.

References

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  1. ^ Eder, B. (2011). "CSN [Box Set] – | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  2. ^ RIAA Gold and Platinum searchable database retrieved 23 August 2015
  3. ^ a b CSN Box Set Tracklist, Atlantic Records, archived from the original on June 20, 2017, retrieved May 10, 2016