#graham nash

©️Henry Diltz,1969

Southern Cross

Performed by Crosby, Stills and Nash

Written by Stephen Stills, Rick Curtis and Michael Curtis

You hear that?  More specifically, do you not hear that?  That whining sound… It’s not there.  It’s CS&N, not CSN&Y.  That’s it.  They sound so much better without the Y.

Beautiful harmonies are how CS&N made their reputation.  The leftovers from the Hollies, Buffalo Springfield, and the Byrds (all bands known for harmonies in their own right), formed this amazing sounding super group.

And super they were.  It turns out, the guys play instruments sometimes, but that’s not what you go to CS&N for.  The voices… Goodness me, the voices.

And this song in particular.  Stills takes the “stone” brought to him by the Curtis brothers, cuts and polishes it and creates this gem.

Sailing away from your troubles.  How manly is that?  Super manly.  He left his lady behind… Or possibly, she left him, and then he sailed southeast and just marveled at the stars.

This one tends to make me tear up a bit.  But it rarely fails to make “Mood of the Day” lists of mine when I want to build playlists for a day or so.

Lyrics:

Got out of town on a boat goin’ to Southern islands
Sailing a reach before a followin’ sea
She was makin’ for the trades on the outside
And the downhill run to Papeete

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas
We got eighty feet of the waterline nicely making way
In a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you
But on a midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away

Think about
Think about how many times I have fallen
Spirits are using me larger voices callin’
What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

(Around the world) I have been around the world
(Lookin’) Lookin’ for that woman girl
(Who knows she knows) Who knows love can endure
And you know it will

When you see the Southern Cross for the first time
You understand now why you came this way
Cause the truth you might be runnin’ from is so small
But it’s as big as the promise, the promise of a comin’ day

So I’m sailing for tomorrow my dreams are a dyin’
And my love is an anchor tied to you tied with a silver chain
I have my ship and all her flags are a’ flyin’
She is all that I have left and music is her name

Think about
Think about how many times I have fallen
Spirits are using me larger voices callin’
What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

(I’ve been around the world) I have been around the world
(Lookin’) Lookin’ for that woman girl
Who knows love can endure
And you know it will, and you know it will yes

So we cheated and we lied and we tested
And we never failed to fail it was the easiest thing to do
You will survive being bested
Somebody fine will come along make me forget about loving you

And the southern cross

Graham Nash photographed by Joel Bernstein

1974