Just a Song Before I Go

"Just a Song Before I Go" is a song by Crosby, Stills and Nash that appeared on the 1977 album CSN. It was also released as a single and reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 for two consecutive weeks ending August 27 and September 3, 1977,[1] becoming the band's highest-charting hit. It is also one of the band's shortest songs, with a running time of only 2:14. In Canada, it peaked at number 10.

"Just a Song Before I Go"
Single by Crosby, Stills & Nash
from the album CSN
B-side"Dark Star"
ReleasedJune 17, 1977
GenreFolk rock, soft rock
Length2:14
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)Graham Nash
Producer(s)David Crosby
Stephen Stills
Graham Nash
The Albert Brothers
Crosby, Stills & Nash singles chronology
"Our House"
(1970)		 "Just a Song Before I Go"
(1977)		 "Fair Game"
(1977)

Background

The song was written by Graham Nash about leaving loved ones behind before going on a concert tour. It was written in Hawaii in about 20 minutes at the piano while Nash and Leslie Morris were staying with a friend, later revealed to be a rather "low-level drug dealer". Nash had a little while to get to the airport to head back to his home in Los Angeles. The dealer queried Nash something along the lines of "You're a big shot song writer, I bet you can't write a song just before you go." After Nash asking how much the dealer was betting, he responded $500 ($2,681 in 2023).[2] In a February 25, 2016, interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Nash stated that he still has that $500. This song came in the nick of time, because an upcoming hurricane was about to wreak havoc on the island.

Billboard praised the "hypnotically soothing orchestration" and the vocal harmonies.[3] Cash Box said that "an unmistakable vocal blend and Stephen Stills' smooth electric guitar licks are here" and called the melody "gentle."[4] Record World called it "a quiet, melodic song with a dreamy air."[5]

Crosby, Stills and Nash arranged "Just a Song Before I Go" as a straight ballad, with mostly acoustic textures anchored by two electric guitar solos from Stephen Stills.

Personnel

Additional musicians

Charts
Chart (1977) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[6] 59
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[7] 23
United States (Billboard Hot 100) 7
U.S. Cash Box Top 100 [8] 8
United States (Record World Singles)[9] 12

Cover versions
  • In 2008, drummer Russ Kunkel and the group Chateau Beach covered the song on their album "Rivage."[10]

References
  1. The Hot 100, Week of September 3, 1977 – Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2021
  2. Zimmer, Dave and Diltz, Henry, Crosby, Stills & Nash: The Authorized Biography, Da Capo Press, 2000 ISBN 978-0-306-80974-3 p 190
  3. "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. May 28, 1977. p. 80. Retrieved 2020-07-12.
  4. "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. May 21, 1977. p. 26. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
  5. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. May 21, 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 77. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Crosby, Stills & Nash – Just A Song Before I Go" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  8. "Cash Box Top 100 10/31/70". Archived from the original on 2016-10-09. Retrieved 2016-09-28.
  9. "RECORD WORLD MAGAZINE: 1942 to 1982". worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  10. "Rivage overview". Allmusic.com.

Other sources
  • Liner notes from the 1991 box set Crosby, Stills and Nash: CSN. The commentary on the songs's genesis is from David Crosby.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.