Crosby, Stills & Nash — Just A Song Before I Go
Album: CSNAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 1815
Length: 2:08
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Just a song before I go
To whom it may concern
Traveling twice the speed of sound
It's easy to get burned
When the shows were over
We had to get back home
And when we opened up the door
I had to be alone
She helped me with my suitcase
She stands before my eyes
Driving me to the airport
And to the friendly skies
Going through security
I held her for so long
She finally looked at me in love
And she was gone
Just a song before I go
A lesson to be learned
Traveling twice the speed of sound
It's easy to get burned
To whom it may concern
Traveling twice the speed of sound
It's easy to get burned
When the shows were over
We had to get back home
And when we opened up the door
I had to be alone
She helped me with my suitcase
She stands before my eyes
Driving me to the airport
And to the friendly skies
Going through security
I held her for so long
She finally looked at me in love
And she was gone
Just a song before I go
A lesson to be learned
Traveling twice the speed of sound
It's easy to get burned
Comments (70)add comment
bking wrote:
It is actually a sailboat which is technically different than a yacht.
I came here to make a snarky comment about this being a good yacht rock song and I never knew that the cover art was literally a yacht! CSN was ahead of their time!
It is actually a sailboat which is technically different than a yacht.
They must have flown on Concord to fly at twice the speed of sound.
SuperWeh wrote:
To me the song is not so much about the music, but about conjuring that feeling of flying out of an airport in a daze from a long beautiful weekend with a lover. (I don't know if the song is actually about that, but it doesn't really matter).
That helps, thanks
To me the song is not so much about the music, but about conjuring that feeling of flying out of an airport in a daze from a long beautiful weekend with a lover. (I don't know if the song is actually about that, but it doesn't really matter).
That helps, thanks
Is this the dawn of Yacht Rock? I mean, it's rock, that's a yacht. No? Yes? Aaand I see I should have scrolled down further. Another pithy insight foundered on the rocks so to speak.
mi ricorda la mia giovinezza
ScottishWillie wrote:
And this isn't even one of the better cuts on the album although it's good. Just one man's opinion....
Much too short!
And this isn't even one of the better cuts on the album although it's good. Just one man's opinion....
lizardking wrote:
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
I heard Nash on a David Letterman show claim that the bet was for $500. He says that he still has that $500.
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
I heard Nash on a David Letterman show claim that the bet was for $500. He says that he still has that $500.
Raised my original 8 to a 9 just to piss all of you tea-drinking, pinky-extended music snobs off.
. keep in mind that while this pancake syrup was being produced new albums by Talking Heads, Blondie, and The Ramones were being released.
I came here to make a snarky comment about this being a good yacht rock song and I never knew that the cover art was literally a yacht! CSN was ahead of their time!
69Grace_M wrote:
Saw Graham Nash at AliPally in London 2/3 years back - his take on the story was he was on some chat show and it was a bet from host that he couldn't write a song in 15Mins!
from a post..
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
Saw Graham Nash at AliPally in London 2/3 years back - his take on the story was he was on some chat show and it was a bet from host that he couldn't write a song in 15Mins!
from a post..
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
Edweirdo wrote:
I'm surprised it took him that long.
Seems like the guys didn't put much more effort into arranging and performing this. One of my least fave CSN songs.
I'm surprised it took him that long.
Seems like the guys didn't put much more effort into arranging and performing this. One of my least fave CSN songs.
SuperWeh wrote:
The sleepy sonic 70's, which this song represents well, did indeed exist in a long-gone reality.
This song makes me nostalgic for times which I'm not sure existed in reality (but I don't care). Love the guitar tone too, is it a rotary speaker of some kind?
The sleepy sonic 70's, which this song represents well, did indeed exist in a long-gone reality.
lizardking wrote:
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
If it was a 15 minute knock off, imagine just how great a song writer you have to be to create a song in that time span that passes the test of time 43 years later. Graham Nash. Legend.
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
If it was a 15 minute knock off, imagine just how great a song writer you have to be to create a song in that time span that passes the test of time 43 years later. Graham Nash. Legend.
lizardking wrote:
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
I'm surprised it took him that long.
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
I'm surprised it took him that long.
high quality in compositon and performance
lizardking wrote:
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
I don't know, I think the truth is better than fiction here. "Just a song, before I go".
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
I don't know, I think the truth is better than fiction here. "Just a song, before I go".
dwlangham wrote:
I was referring to this song, not any song by Steely Dan.
Proclivities wrote:
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
I can't think of any Steely Dan that I would call "sleepy or bloodless", at least not the greatest hits stuff that would be most familiar to you (and me).
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
I was referring to this song, not any song by Steely Dan.
I used to love this song, now, considering what is produced today, I move it from 9 to 10.
Proclivities wrote:
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
I can't think of any Steely Dan that I would call "sleepy or bloodless", at least not the greatest hits stuff that would be most familiar to you (and me).
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
SuperWeh wrote:
To me the song is not so much about the music, but about conjuring that feeling of flying out of an airport in a daze from a long beautiful weekend with a lover. (I don't know if the song is actually about that, but it doesn't really matter).
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
To me the song is not so much about the music, but about conjuring that feeling of flying out of an airport in a daze from a long beautiful weekend with a lover. (I don't know if the song is actually about that, but it doesn't really matter).
Your interpretation might be better than the (real?) story....from a poster at Song Facts:
"Graham Nash wrote this song on a bet. David Crosby explained in the liner notes to their 1991 boxed set: "Graham was a home in Hawaii, about to go off on tour. The guy who was going to take him to the airport said, 'We've got 15 minutes, I'll bet you can't write a song in that amount of time.' Well you don't smart off to Nash like that, he'll do it. This is the result." "
simply
B E A U T I F U L
B E A U T I F U L
Proclivities wrote:
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
To me the song is not so much about the music, but about conjuring that feeling of flying out of an airport in a daze from a long beautiful weekend with a lover. (I don't know if the song is actually about that, but it doesn't really matter).
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
To me the song is not so much about the music, but about conjuring that feeling of flying out of an airport in a daze from a long beautiful weekend with a lover. (I don't know if the song is actually about that, but it doesn't really matter).
Hey everybody,
This is Moni and Reini from Austria (Tyrol). Radio paradise is our favorite channel! We're tuning in almost every night and are enjoying the diverse music mix! Thank you so much for doing your job so passionately and awesome!
This is Moni and Reini from Austria (Tyrol). Radio paradise is our favorite channel! We're tuning in almost every night and are enjoying the diverse music mix! Thank you so much for doing your job so passionately and awesome!
richlister wrote:
Yeah, I know, I understand completely.
Please explain.
Yeah, I know, I understand completely.
Please explain.
Clarion State College, sophomore into junior year. Looking back, great times.
Another song that I heard too much on the radio and hit the next button
Much too short!
Proclivities wrote:
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
Agreed. I enjoy CSN, CSNY, CN, and much if not most of the solo outputs but comparing any of this to Steely Dan is a stretch.
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
Agreed. I enjoy CSN, CSNY, CN, and much if not most of the solo outputs but comparing any of this to Steely Dan is a stretch.
Gotta love their harmonies
scraig wrote:
Not with those vocals, no.
Sounds more like Steely Dan than CSN.
Not with those vocals, no.
I love this reminds me of happier safer days
This song makes me nostalgic for times which I'm not sure existed in reality (but I don't care). Love the guitar tone too, is it a rotary speaker of some kind?
Your CSN trivia for the day; Early pressings of this album were released with a more "serious" photo of the band (see below).
For later pressings the photo seen at left was used, with the guys cracking up (before and after a toke?).
For later pressings the photo seen at left was used, with the guys cracking up (before and after a toke?).
scraig wrote:
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
Sounds more like Steely Dan than CSN.
To me, this sounds more sleepy and bloodless than most music I've ever heard from Steely Dan. At the very least, their tunes usually had some kind of rhythm and backbeat; this song always seemed pretty funereal to me. To each his own of course.
Nice treat.
scraig wrote:
exactly what i was thinking... not my favorite CSN song
Sounds more like Steely Dan than CSN.
exactly what i was thinking... not my favorite CSN song
That was me 'sperimenting with song comments via iPhone. Didn't need to log in, comment got added, with author shown as " ". Is anonymous posting an issue?Sounds more like Steely Dan than CSN.
Transports me to the 70s, and thinking I didn't really like this song all that much. Now it just sounds dated, and blends in with all its AM radio playlist-alikes—except we don't here them on RP.
pinnyrat wrote:
Been there, had same feeling with this song
Sitting on the deck with a Canada Day hangover, sipping coffee. This song is perfect.
Been there, had same feeling with this song
johnjconn wrote:
Yeah, I know, I understand completely.
Yeah, I know, I understand completely.
instant time travel for me anyway-all good
Thanks
Thanks
romeotuma wrote:
This song is good for the ears...
Just checked your profile and wondered about the avatar you chose!
I hope for you - and the rest of the world - this girl is your daughter!
CHANGED IT ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This song is good for the ears...
Just checked your profile and wondered about the avatar you chose!
I hope for you - and the rest of the world - this girl is your daughter!
CHANGED IT ANYWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reminds me of the liver-transplant, I need!
SmileOnADog wrote:
Well, at least they were honest about it. I'd be more appreciative if CSN had simply decided not to release this weak treacle.
Or as they once referred to it themselves in a late 70's Rolling Stone interview, "Happy Horseshit". Nothing wrong with some nice road apples to add character to the journey of life.
Well, at least they were honest about it. I'd be more appreciative if CSN had simply decided not to release this weak treacle.
Sitting on the deck with a Canada Day hangover, sipping coffee. This song is perfect.
Or as they once referred to it themselves in a late 70's Rolling Stone interview, "Happy Horseshit". Nothing wrong with some nice road apples to add character to the journey of life.
Love, Peace and Happiness!?
Good stuff!
johnjconn wrote:
Understated elegance.
Boring
Understated elegance.
Businessgypsy wrote:
Glad to hear that you're doing well, 'Gypsy!
Update: College sucked, the big bad world is great!
Glad to hear that you're doing well, 'Gypsy!The_Enemy wrote:
I've never been a big fan of these guys but I do like this song.
annersjen wrote:
I am a big fan of their early stuff but I don't really care for this song
I'm a big fan of these guys and I do like this song.
Can we get a, "I'm not a fan of these guys and I don't like this song"? That should cover the permutations.
I've never been a big fan of these guys but I do like this song.
annersjen wrote:
I am a big fan of their early stuff but I don't really care for this song
I'm a big fan of these guys and I do like this song.
Can we get a, "I'm not a fan of these guys and I don't like this song"? That should cover the permutations.
I first heard this at Odeon Hammersmith in 1976. It was a little too easy going then, as it is now.
I first heard this as I was packing up to leave college and venture into the big bad world.
Update: College sucked, the big bad world is great!
Update: College sucked, the big bad world is great!
it was the first cassette I ever bought for my first car, $400. corolla
sound system cost more....
sound system cost more....
I can't believe I have never seen Theresa Brewer and Anthrax in the same sentence before.
WonderLizard wrote:
Get used to it, dude. I mean...have you heard any Theresa Brewer or Anthrax? What's up with that?
WonderLizard wrote:
Get used to it, dude. I mean...have you heard any Theresa Brewer or Anthrax? What's up with that?
The_Enemy wrote:
I am a big fan of their early stuff but I don't really care for this song
I've never been a big fan of these guys but I do like this song.
I am a big fan of their early stuff but I don't really care for this song
I've never been a big fan of these guys but I do like this song.
Ah, what a sweet song. I remember it well.
countyman wrote:
Get used to it, dude. I mean...have you heard any Theresa Brewer or Anthrax? What's up with that?
I can't believe that is is the first time for any song from this album to be played on RP! ! ! !
Get used to it, dude. I mean...have you heard any Theresa Brewer or Anthrax? What's up with that?
The parties, the music, the sex, the girls, the drugs, the cars, my youth, this song brought it all rushing back. Thanks Bill!
Excellent song for lazen around looking out the window to the backyard full of snow drenched in the sunlight.
Did I mention puffing on a "cigarette" also?
Great times at Ballentine Hall, Clarion, Pa in the mid/late 70's.
I can't believe that is is the first time for any song from this album to be played on RP! ! ! !
Did I mention puffing on a "cigarette" also?
Great times at Ballentine Hall, Clarion, Pa in the mid/late 70's.
I can't believe that is is the first time for any song from this album to be played on RP! ! ! !
Nice.
I was out of the loop when this came out in 1977. First time listen. I like it.
Raised my original 8 to a 9 just to piss all of you tea-drinking, pinky-extended music snobs off.
Bit harsh!