"If I Could Only Remember My Name" by DAVID CROSBY – February 1971 US and UK Debut Solo Album on Atlantic Records featuring Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Members of The Grateful Dead, Santana and Jefferson Airplane (October 2021 UK Rhino '50th Anniversary Expanded Edition' 2CD Reissue and New Remaster with 14 Bonuses, 11 of which are Unreleased) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

"...Music Is Love..."

 

*** 50th Anniversary Expanded Edition 2CD Version ****

 

Although slammed by many press types on its 1971 release – David Crosby's debut solo album "If I Could Only Remember My Name" has gone on to become almost mythical among its many devotees – including me.

 

Featuring an astonishing line up that included Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Members of The Grateful Dead, Santana and Jefferson Airplane - some have even suggested that in hindsight it's the best solo effort to come out of the mighty Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young camp. I'm not so sure about that, but "...Remember..." is certainly up there, and somehow its trippy-Rock soundscapes seem to grow and re-captivate new generations as the years pass.

 

The last decent Remaster go-round was a November 2006 issue by Rhino that featured a CD and a DVD-A (Rhino R2 73204 - Barcode 081227320423) - itself replacing the basic 1990 remaster single-disc issue. Well at last (and not before its Deluxe Edition time), Crosby's Psychedelic Folk debut solo LP gets a 2CD treatment in the form of a '50th Anniversary Expanded Edition'. Disc 1 retains the extra outtake of "Kids And Dogs" the 2006 issue had, while Disc 2 has over one-hour of new 'Bonus Tracks' - most of which are Previously Unreleased. There's a lot to go through, so let's get laughing...

 

UK released 15 October 2021 - "If I Could Only Remember My Name" by DAVID CROSBY on Rhino/Atlantic 603497843398 - R2 659054 (Barcode 603497843398) is a '50th Anniversary Expanded Edition' 2CD Reissue and Remaster with 14 Bonus Tracks (11 of which are Previously Unreleased - 3 are from previous rarity compilation sets) that plays out as follows:

 

Disc 1 'Original Album' (51:43 minutes):

Side 1:

1. Music Is Love [written by David Crosby, Graham Nash & Neil Young] – features Graham Nash on Guitar and Vocals with Neil Young on Guitar, Bass, Vibraphone and Congas

2. Cowboy Movie [written by David Crosby] – features Gerry Garcia on Guitar, Phil Lesh on Bass, Mickey Hart on Drums and Bill Kreutzmann on Tambourine (all from The Grateful Dead)

3. Tamalpais High (At About 3) [written by David Crosby] – features Graham Nash on Guitar, Gerry Garcia on Guitar, Phil Lesh on Bass and Bill Kreutzmann on Tambourine (all from The Grateful Dead) with Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane on Guitar

4. Laughing [written by David Crosby] – features Gerry Garcia on Pedal-Steel Guitar, Phil Lesh on Bass, Mickey Hart on Drums and Bill Kreutzmann on Tambourine (all from The Grateful Dead) with Graham Nash and Joni Mitchell on Backing Vocals

Side 2

5. What Are Their Names [written by David Crosby. Gerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Michael Shrieve and Neil Young] – features Neil Young on Electric Guitar, Gerry Garcia and Phil Lesh of The Grateful Dead on Guitar and Bass, Michael Shrieve of Santana on Drums with Paul Kantner, Grace Slick and David Freiberg of Jefferson Airplane on Backing Vocals as well as Graham Nash and Joni Mitchell

6. Traction In The Rain [written by David Crosby] – features Laura Allan on Autoharp and Backing Vocals with Graham Nash also on Backing Vocals

7.  Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves) [written by David Crosby] – features Gregg Rolie and Michael Shrieve of Santana on Keyboards and Drums, Jack Cassidy and Jorma Kaukonen of Jefferson Airplane on Bass and Electric Guitar, Gerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead on Guitar with Graham Nash on backing Vocals

8. Orleans [a Traditional song adapted by David Crosby] – Vocals and Guitars by David Crosby only

9. I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here [written by David Crosby] – All Vocals by DC

Tracks 1 to 9 are his debut solo albums (after The Byrds and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) "If I Could Only Remember My Name" - released 22 February 1971 in the USA on Atlantic Records SD 7203 and Atlantic 2401 005 in the UK. Produced by DAVID CROSBY - it peaked at No. 12 on the US Billboard charts.

 

BONUS TRACK

10. Kids And Dogs (Unreleased David Crosby Outtake first issued 6 November 2006 on the US 2-Disc Deluxe Edition reissue of "If I Could Only Remember My Name" on Rhino R2 73204) - the Demo Version of this outtake is on Disc 2 and is PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

 

Disc 2 'Bonus Tracks' (51:08 minutes):

Demos:

1. Riff 1 (Recorded March 1968)

2. Tampalas High (at About 3)

3. Kids And Dogs

4. Games (Tracks 2 to 4 produced by Paul A. Rothchild, Recorded 28 March 1968)

5. Laughing (Recorded 31 May 1968 at Western Recorders, Hollywood, California)

6. Song With No Words (Tree With No Leaves) - Recorded 1969, first appeared September 1991 on the US 4CD Box Set 'CSN' on Atlantic 82319 - features Graham Nash and Crosby only on Guitars and Scat Vocals

7. The Wall Song

8. Where Will I Be? (Tracks 7 and 8 recorded 1970, no other details provided)

Sessions:

9. Cowboy Movie (Alternate Version) - first appeared on the November 2006 US 3CD Book Set "Voyage" on Rhino/Atlantic R2 77628 - features NEIL YOUNG on Lead Guitar, plus JERRY GARCIA on Second Guitar with PHIL LESH and MICKEY HART all of THE GRATEFUL DEAD)

10. Bach Mode (Pre-Critical Mass)

11. Coast Road

12. Dancer

13. Fugue 

All Tracks on Disc 2 PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED except Tracks 6 and 9 noted above

 

Housed in a three-way foldout card sleeve, the pretty gold sticker (pictured) advises us that Crosby's Genre Defining Debut Solo Album is being given the bells and whistles its always deserved. There are unreleased photos on the inner flaps, a page of handwritten lyrics and a new 20-page booklet with updated liner notes from STEVE SILBERMAN. The album credits/reissue details are on Pages 18 and 19 and as you can see from the track list above features a huge array of famous types all contributing.

 

A posse of names have been involved in the Tape Transfers and Remasters - Mastered by DAVE COLLINS at his studios in Los Angeles with Plangent Processes Tape Restoration & Speed Corrections carried out by JAMIE HOWARTH and JOHN CHESTER. The very quiet Demos on Disc 2 are a teeny-weeny bit hissy, but not so it would put you off - the clarity and warmth of them is lovely. The remaster on the album is gorgeous and hasn't dampened any of the hiss that is so evident on tracks like "Tamalpais" and "What Are Their Names". It's not been ramped up for effect either – it's just right – full of presence and that extraordinary build of instruments that fills so many of the songs. Wonderful stuff.

 

Even now it's hard to imagine who the two 45s taken off the record were aimed at – "Music Is Love" b/w "Laughing" in April 1971 on Atlantic 2792 and "Orleans" b/w "Traction In The Rain" in July 1971 on Atlantic 2809. But all 4 tracks are magical to me now. And yet despite all the starry names listed above – one of the biggest contributions to a song comes from the lesser-known musician LAURA ALLAN who plays gorgeous licks on an Autoharp on "Traction In The Rain" (she sadly passed away in 2006). And there's the sublime harmony vocal Joni Mitchell puts in on "Laughing" with Graham Nash (sends me every time). Two stunning Acapella finishers "Orleans" and "I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here" have Crosby soloing to ethereal effect – both clocking in at less than two minutes each - but with the impact of ten.

 

The seven-minute outtake "Kids & Dogs" is hissy for sure but what a nugget. Fabulous stuff. I do however think its a damn shame that the live version of "Traction In The Rain" on Disc 3 of the stunning David Crosby "Voyage" Box Set of 2006 – is absent here. It was recorded in 1971 and sounds glorious. Still if that absence steers you towards that amazing overhaul of his career then that's a job well done (the entirely unreleased Disc 3 is unbelievably good). And it's still astonishing to hear the down and dirty guitar battle that takes place between Neil young and Jerry Garcia on that Alternate Version of "Cowboy Movie" - absolutely astonishing stuff that runs to 10:57 minutes. Fans will also love the echoed Acapella vocals of "Bach Mode (Pre-Critical Mass)" which at 1:59 minutes is short, but oh so sweet. "Coast Road" is so pretty - a fully formed band number that just goofs initially on the acoustics (like much of the album) - but then becomes this gorgeous vibe song about driving into California in the sunshine - what a find. "Dancer" is the same – 5:03 minutes of doubled-vocals humming around an acoustic guitar that has Joni Mitchell just about audible in the background (weird the liner notes do not note this). And on it goes...

 

"If I Could Only Remember My Name" is the kind of album that you turn to – it's peaceful on your brain – lifts your spirit up and evokes a warmth that never fades with time (Carole King's "Tapestry" has the same kind of magic – and again from 1971). Now it's bolstered up with extras in 2021 that are worth the forking out. A wonderful album and a top quality Rhino reissue then. Makes me mushy just looking at it…