Songs For Beginners/Stephen Stills 2
This month will celebrate fifty years since the release of a couple of solo efforts from members from one of the first supergroups … The Rewind and On The Turntable will feature a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young weekend and feature full-plays of “Songs For Beginners” from Graham Nash and follow that with “Stephen Stills 2.” Both LPs will be played in their entirety, each side uninterrupted.
Songs For Beginners
Songs for Beginners is Graham Nash’s debut solo studio album… it was released this past week in 1971 … The making of the album directly followed Nash’s break-up with long-time girlfriend Joni Mitchell … Nash also included an A-list of performers for his debut solo effort … including David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Dave Mason, David Lindley, Rita Coolidge, and Neil Young … There was only one single released from the LP … however, side one begins with a song not released as a single, but is one of my favorites from the ex-Hollies alum … Military Madness.
The only one single released from this LP appears on side two … “Chicago” … written about the Nash’s concern over the 1968 Democratic Convention and the trial of The Chicago Eight …. Songs from this album have shown up in countless movie and television programs … Best Ever Albums Dot Com considers Beginners to be the 60th best album of 1971 and the 516th of the decade … the album barely makes Digital Dream Door Dot Com’s year-end top 100 falling in at 98th.
Notable Tracks – “Chicago” “Military Madness” “We Can Change The World”
Stephen Stills 2
Stephen Stills 2 is the second solo album from the ex-Buffalo Springfield alum … following the break up of CSN&Y and various personal issues, Stills went on writing and recording rampage. He worote 23 songs for this album that was first designed to be a double LP but nixed by Atlantic Records. Being influenced by bands that used horns like Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears, Stills enlisted the Memphis Horns for this record … The album was recorded in Miami and released just six months after is debut solo effort.
Two singles were released from the LP …. “Change Partners” and “Marianne” … both bubbled under the Top 40 … However, my favorite tune from the album … and the reason why I even purchased it was the deep cut “Sugar Babe.” Reviews from the critics were luke-warm at best … Best Ever Albums Dot Com considers Stills 2 to be the 275th album of 1971.
Notable Tracks – “Sugar Babe” “Marianne” “Change Partners”
Don’t miss On The Turntable! OTTT airs each Saturday at 6pm and is rewound Sunday mornings at 7am. Listen over-the-air, on line @ www.977therewind.com and on The Rewind App.