David Crosby: We'll Remember His Name

A tribute on his passing, with his eight greatest songs/demos from the Byrds years, and more.

Greg Mitchell is the author of a dozen books and now writer/director of award-winning films. He was also a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy.

Sad to read of his unexpected passing this afternoon at the age of 81. A major figure although, in truth, I was never an enormous fan. I loved the Byrds but his songwriting contributions, while strong, were few in number (and his ragging on my fave, Gene Clark, helped lead to Geno’s flight from the band). His high harmony vocals, however, were a key to their sound and success. With CSN&Y, I much preferred the S and Y, although David’s political edge was usually a plus. His first solo album had some fine cuts and some not so swell. After that…a lot of misfires, and years, decades, lost to drugs and even prison….

But as important as anything, he brought the obscure Canadian, Joni Mitchell, to California, introduced her around, helped secure her record deal and produced her first album (he admitted he didn’t do such a great job on that). Recently he recorded Joni’s “For Free” with Sarah Jarosz.

In fact, his revival in recent years, via albums, a documentary, generous tours, guest slots and an often fun Twitter profile—along with some apologies on past behavior—was heartening. He even joined my man Jason Isbell on “Ohio.” So “Croz” went out on a good note and in style.

Bob Dylan responds:

"Crosby was a colorful and unpredictable character, wore a Mandrake the Magician cape, didn’t get along with too many people and had a beautiful voice — an architect of harmony. He could freak out a whole city block all by himself. I liked him a lot."

Fun fact: As I have written, my first rock concert as a kid was electric Dylan and the Hawks in Buffalo in November 1965. The second would have been the Byrds in my hometown Niagara Falls—but their equipment failed to show and they cancelled at last minute, causing quite a ruckus!

Since most others will focus on his CSNY years and since, I will stick to songs he wrote or co-wrote with the Byrds, which relatively few have heard. Enjoy. Subscribing here still free.

Croz called this “the first decent song I wrote.” Also maybe his best?

His demo for the song.

Another cut from that great 1967 album, and shall we say, very West Coast 1967.

This fine song by Croz was dropped from that album, which would have made it perfect, when he insisted on including his “Mind Gardens,” almost universally panned, even mocked, by band members and critics.

Another classic Croz song was cut from their next fine album, as its menage a trois was deemed a little racy. It showed up later in prominent form on a Jefferson Airplane lp.

Yes, we all remember Jimi’s “Hey Joe” but it was Croz who discovered it earlier (he did not write it) and performed it, in trademark hat, loudly at Monterey (I am sparing you his infamous political conspiracy rant there).

Always loved this antiwar “Draft Morning” co-written by Croz.

From same album, another one he co-wrote, with something of psychedelic instrumetnal passage…

Another song he contributed to, “Why.” This is an alt-version.

And another, “Tribal Gathering,” he had a hand in. Croz got booted from the Byrds halfway through making this album. We all believed at the time that the horse was meant as a dig at Crosby (horse’s ass, right?) but later told not true.