"The Box Set" 1991 Atlantic

 

1. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes 2. Helplessly Hoping 3. You Don't Have To Cry 4. Wooden Ships 5. Guinnevere 6. Marrakesh Express 7. Long Time Gone 8. Blackbird 9. Lady Of The Island 10. Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves) 11. Almost Cut My Hair 12. Teach Your Children 13. Horses Through A Rainstorm 14. Deja Vu 15. Helpless 16. 4 + 20 17. Laughing 18 Carry On/Questions 1. Woodstock 2. Ohio 3. Love The One You're With 4. Our House 5. Old Times Good Times 6. Leeshore 7. Music Is Love 8. I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here 9. Man In The Mirror 10. Black Queen 11. Military Madness 12. Urge For Going 13. 14. I used to be a King Simple Man 15. Southbound Train 16. Change Partners 17. My Love Is A Gentle Thing 18. Word Games 19. Johnny's Garden 20. So Begins The Task 21. Turn Back The Pages 1. See The Changes 2. It Doesn't Matter 3. Immigration Man 4. Chicago/We Can Change The World 5. Homeward Through The Haze 6. Where Will I Be 7. Page 43 8. Carry Me 9. Cowboy Of Dreams 10. Bittersweet 11. To The Last Whale: A. Critical Mass B. Wind On The Water 12. Prison Song 13. Another Sleep Song 14. Taken It All 15. In My Dreams 16. Just A Song Before I Go 17. Shadow Captain 18. Dark Star 19. Cathedral 1. Wasted On The Way 2. Barrel Of Pain (Half-Life) 3. Southern Cross 4. Daylight Again 5. Thoroughfare Gap 6. Wild Tales 7. Dear Mr. Fantasy 8. Cold Rain 9. Got It Made 10. Tracks In The Dust 11. As I Come Of Age 12. 50/50 13. Drive My Car 14. Delta 15. Soldiers Of Peace 16. Yours And Mine 17. Haven't We Lost Enough 18. After The Dolphin 19. Find The Cost Of Freedom

PERSONAL NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS

This set was well the worth the wait and when it was released in October of 1991 fans everywhere grabbed this and the double "Greatest Hits" with both hands.

77 tracks of pure magic, with never-before-heard songs as well as a host of alternative mixes. The most interesting among these being the 'beefed-up' version of "Suite:Judy Blue Eyes" with a brilliant back beat and the 'country-and-westernised' versions of "Helplessly Hoping" and "You don't have to cry". The wonderful full version of '..ok, not quite that slow...' "Almost Cut My Hair" that just screams at you for almost 9 minutes. The totally different version of "See the Changes" with Young's high pitched vocals giving a new feel to the song. And the almost sad "Taken it all" which acts as a constant reminder of what might have been...four guitars, four voices, one group...the epitome of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young...why the hell did they have to be so bloody stubborn!!

Even so, out of all these tracks Young is present on only 19 of them! A shame really, considering all the other dust laden demos that must be lying in various recording studio vaults.

Nether the less, this is a remarkable piece of work, spanning the groups turbulent history from 1968 to 1990 and then some.

Well worth fifty quid and a tube ride to HMV Oxford Street for first pickings!!