Just a Song Before I Go

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"Just a Song Before I Go" is a song by Crosby, Stills & 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.[2]

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.[3] 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.[4] Cash Box said that "an unmistakable vocal blend and Stephen Stills' smooth electric guitar licks are here" and called the melody "gentle."[5] Record World called it "a quiet, melodic song with a dreamy air."[6]

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

Weekly charts

Template:Single chart
Chart (1977) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 59
Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[2] 10
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 7
U.S. Cash Box Top 100[8] 8
United States (Record World Singles)[9] 12

Year-end charts

Chart (1977) Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[10] 47

Cover versions

  • In 2008, drummer Russ Kunkel and the group Chateau Beach covered the song on their album "Rivage."[11]

References

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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.

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  1. ↑ The Hot 100, Week of September 3, 1977 – Billboard. Retrieved September 30, 2021
  2. ↑ a b RPM Top 100 Singles: September 3, 1977
  3. ↑ Zimmer, Dave and Diltz, Henry, Crosby, Stills & Nash: The Authorized Biography, Da Capo Press, 2000 Template:ISBN p 190
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  6. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  7. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  8. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  9. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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