David Crosby

If I Could Only Remember My Name....

1971

David Crosby, Jorma Kaukonen, Grace Slick, Gregg Rolie, Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, Neil Young, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, David Frieberg, Paul Kantner, Michael Shrieve, Ethan Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Jack Cassidy

get the story

David Crosby told about it:

I couldn't have made that record without them. Jerry practically co-produced it. He was there so many nights, he gave so much of himself to that record. He was so generous, and so was everybody else. It was a joint project of the entire city, just about. It was a joke to call it a "solo record." There were no rules. Because we had just completely grabbed the brass ring with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, I could afford to go down to Wally Heider's studio every night just for laughs. Anybody that showed up, we'd try something. Paul would show up, Grace would show up, Nash would show up, Neil would show up, Jerry would show up, Phil would show up, Casady would show up, and Jorma would show up. We were just screwing around, and when you screw around with that caliber of players and singers, you goin' to get some shit, if you're patient. And we lucked out. I still am as proud of that record as I am of anything we've ever done.

I was in a pretty emotional state, living on my boat in Sausalito, trying to stay so deeply in music that the other thing - Christine - wouldn't drive me under. I needed to work all the time, so I would write constantly, and when I wasn't writing I was recording, and when I wasn't recording, I would try to get some place to play. It was all I had to hang on to , so I was pretty prolific.

Stephen Barncard, the man who recorded the entire album, wrote about it:

Music Is Love* [3:16]

Crosby, Nash & Young - Live to mono basic Track
Neil - Bass Congas & Vibes o/d

Heider's Studio C
Actually derived from a "log tape" running while the song was worked out with Messrs.. Nash, Crosby & Young, then David left the studio (A&M studio C in LA), and Graham and Neil worked on into the night on it. On one of the first Croz sessions at Heiders, Nash walked into the room and delivered a 2 track to David, a completed mix of the song. Graham was a bit put off when I asked him for the eight track so I could remix; I think he thought the piece was done.... The phasing came about while I was trying to wild-sync the original work tape back onto the 8 track master (the original transfer was distorted). David walked in and loved it and it was my idea to hold off the phasing until the song kicked in.

Cowboy Movie [8:02]

David Crosby - Vocs & Ele Guitar & Ele Guitar Double
Jerry Garcia - Lead Guitar Left and Right
Phil Lesh - Bass
Mickey Hart - Drums
Bill Kreutzmann- Tambourine

Heider's Studio C
Another song that almost got away....recorded completely live, and an early rough mix as well...Crosby pulled this song out only twice (never demoed) and blew all of out minds....

Tamalpais High (At About 3) [3:28]

David Crosby - Electric Guitar & Multiple Vocal
Phil Lesh - Bass
Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar
Jerry Garcia - Lead Guitar
Bill Kreutzmann - Drums

Heider's Studio A & C
Basic tracks actually recorded by the RCA guys, Maurice Iraci and Allan Zentz. I recorded all of the vocals and added the Garcia overdubs. And mixed it.

Laughing [5:20]

David Crosby - Electric and Gigantic Acoustic Guitar & Multiple Vocal
Jerry Garcia - Pedal Steel Guitar
Phil Lesh - Bass
Bill Kreutzmann- Drums & Tambourine
Joni Mitchell - "In the Sun" vocal

Heider's Studio C
The most magical track of all; it happened so fast, I remember almost nothing about recording and mixing this. Track with Phil, Bill, and Croz... overdubs with Garcia on Steel, Multiple vocals and a small Joni part. All in a couple days or so. Unbeknownst to me, Crosby had been woodshedding this and other tunes on this record for years, waiting for this moment.

What Are Their Names* [4:09]

David Crosby - Electric Guitar, Lead Vocal
Jerry Garcia - Lead Guitar
Neil Young - Lead Guitar
Phil Lesh - Bass
Bill Kreutzmann- Drums
the PERRO chorus: David Crosby, Paul Kantner, Joni Mitchell, Grace Slick, Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, David Freiberg,Graham Nash

Heider's Studio C
Another totally live TRACK, made up by the entire band, not just NEIL. Another example of our "record everything" policy at work! Various noodling by the guitars turns thematic after all, and lyrics penned by the Croz on a napkin were added the next day by the PERRO chorus (it was like a sanfran "WE ARE THE WORLD" experience )

Traction In The Rain [3:40]

David Crosby - Guitar and Vocal
Laura Allan - Autoharp
Crosby, Nash, and Allan vocals

Heider's Studio C
Multiple superb Crosby acoustic guitars with live vocal and live autoharp played by Laura Allan (heard playing and singing on the bootleg "Coast Road") a verse was duplicated on the 8 track so a section with harmonies could be added (Crosby, Nash & Allan).

Song With No Words [5:53]

Crosby - Electric and Acoustic Guitar & Multiple Vocals
Graham Nash - Vocal
Jerry Garcia - Lead Guitar
Jorma Kaukonen - Lead Guitar
Greg Rollie - Piano
Michael Shrieve - Drums
Jack Casady - Bass

Heider's Studio A
Another RCA track, with vocals and Croz's acoustic overdubs recorded by me.

Orleans [1:56]

David Crosby - Gigantic Acoustic Guitar & Multiple Vocals

Heider's Studio A
Another song Dave had in his pocket, we cut all of the vocals and guitars in an evening...all Dave.

I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here [1:19]

David Crosby - a capella vocal

Heider's Studio A
Late at night....very wasted....just me and Croz and Ellen Burke (the assistant) in Heider's studio A (downstairs)....recording overdubs with echo chamber....croz starts dicking around with the echo.....asks me to put fresh tape on.....I record Croz live singing with two tracks each pass, 5 passes of two tracks later, you have "I'd Swear".......no other overdubs, no retakes, ever. 15 minutes of cosmic skydrop. I had never seen the Muse work so magically.