1970′s Historic & Classic Rock Albums . . . . . . . . . . DAVID CROSBY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IF I COULD ONLY REMEMBER MY NAME . . . . February 22, 1971

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DAVID CROSBY – IF I COULD ONLY REMEMBER MY NAME – February 22, 1971

David Crosby, a true Rock ‘n’ Roll  icon, created one of the most beautiful, richly rewarding and infectious albums of all time with his first solo effort.

What makes this such an irresistible favorite of mine is the perfect blend of mood; the vocals, the instrumentation and the compositions all meld together into a rare mix of superb music.

This is hardly a solo effort when you consider all the other Rock ‘n’ Roll icons that contributed to this album; but it’s Crosby’s fingerprint that is dominate throughout the LP.
I thought it just to include the credits below to show the generous give and take that took place back then when egos were for the most part put aside when it came to creative musical endeavors. There are some serious soulful slide guitar licks and perfectly-placed guitar wranglin’ goin’ on here that touch my heartstrings; as well as equally inspired vocal arrangements.
This is truly an album that never got the appreciation it should have and like Van Morrison’s “Astral Weeks” it has its own distinct and unique “feel” to it that begs repeated listenings.
Most of the musicians and vocalists carried over onto the recording of Paul Kanter’s (Starship) “Blows Against the Empire” album several months later; “Blows” actually should be on this list but with only 79 entries for the entire decade not everyone could make the cut.

IOICRMN is so loved by 00individual that it is seriously one of the most consistently-played LPs over the last four decades; a superior recording that continually sounds appropriate anytime and is a fond remembrance of the height of the Hippie-era.

“Crosby, Stills and Nash” and “Deja Vu” are both great LPs, no argument, but this LP is a clear example of the dominate influence Crosby had with CSN (& Y’s) “sound”; as well as with the seminal psychedelic folk-rock group the Byrds.

Gifted with a near angelic voice, this gun-toting, drug addicted, convict and musical genius literally almost came back from the Land of the Dead in the decade after the release of this LP. A true survivor of not only the ’60s, but on up to the current date of this post, David Crosby should have a wing in a real Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame named after him for his musical contributions and for his superman status of a Rocker that overcame the hellish depths of addiction and incarceration and still came back to be as successful as ever.

Released the day after my 20th birthday; this music is timeless – I LOVE THIS ALBUM!

A true “gem”: “If I Could Only Remember My Name”:

Side One

1. “Music Is Love” (David Crosby, Graham Nash, Neil Young) – 3:16
   • Crosby – guitar, vocal; Nash – guitar, vocal; Young – guitar, bass, vibraphone, congas, vocal
2. “Cowboy Movie” (Crosby) – 8:02
   • Crosby – electric guitar, vocal; Jerry Garcia – electric guitar; Phil Lesh – bass; Mickey Hart – drums; Bill Kreutzmann – tambourine
3. “Tamalpais High (At About 3)” (Crosby) – 3:29
   • Crosby – electric guitar, vocals; Nash – vocals; Jorma Kaukonen – electric guitar; Garcia – electric guitar; Lesh – bass; Kreutzmann – drums
4. “Laughing” (Crosby) – 5:20
   • Crosby – guitars, vocal; Garcia – pedal steel guitar; Lesh – bass; Kreutzmann – drums; Nash, Joni Mitchell – vocal

Side Two

1. “What Are Their Names” (Crosby, Garcia, Lesh, Michael Shrieve, Young) – 4:09
   • Crosby – electric guitar, vocal; Young – electric guitar, vocal; Garcia – electric guitar, vocal; Lesh – bass, vocal; Shrieve – drums; Nash, Mitchell, David Freiberg, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick – vocals
2. “Traction in the Rain” (Crosby) – 3:40
   • Crosby – guitar, vocal; Nash – vocal; Laura Allan – autoharp, vocal
3. “Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves)” (Crosby) – 5:53
   • Crosby – electric guitar, vocals; Nash – vocals; Gregg Rolie – piano; Garcia – electric guitar; Kaukonen – electric guitar; Jack Casady – bass; Shrieve – drums
4. “Orleans” (traditional) – 1:56
   • Crosby – guitars, vocals
5. “I’d Swear There Was Somebody Here” (Crosby) – 1:19
   • Crosby – vocals

One last thought; the totally cool and hip track; “Cowboy Movie” should have been made into a cowboy movie – and still should, with David Crosby composing the soundtrack and appearing in a cameo. And like a Tarantino film; bring back all the classic “western-type” iconic dudes like Peckinpah did with the classic, “Pat Garret and Billy the Kid”, mixed in with some cool young dudes of today – then plumb the depths of the story – it would be awesome!

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CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE TOP 79 HISTORIC & CLASSIC 1970s ROCK ALBUMS!