Graham Nash's Songs For Beginners

In 1971, singer Graham Nash became the last member of Crosby, Still, Nash and Young to release a solo album. Songs For Beginners, Nash's debut, was a collection of material that he had written over the previous couple of years, some of it – like the gentle "Simple Man" – would be performed by the singer on the 1970 CSNY tour, while others would be recorded specifically for this album in the wake of the band's subsequent fragmenting.

Graham Nash came to the singer/songwriter aesthetic displayed on Songs For Beginners from a different direction than his CSNY bandmates. Whereas Neil Young was an established solo artist when he joined the trio, David Crosby had earned his reputation as part of the folk-rock outfit the Byrds, and Stephen Stills had found a modicum of fame through the successes of Buffalo Springfield.

Nash, on the other hand, was a veteran of '60s-era British pop stars the Hollies, known more for his melodious vocals than for his songwriting prowess…which made the intelligent folk-rock of Songs For Beginners all the more impressive. Calling on the talents of some of his friends – musicians like the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia, multi-instrumentalist David Lindley, journeyman saxophonist Bobby Keys, and even fellow band members Crosby and Young (under the pseudonym "Joe Yankee") – Nash crafted a brilliant album of technical virtuosity and intelligent lyricism.

The album opens with the plaintive "Military Madness," an ole-fashioned, anti-war protest song, your standard folkie plea for peace-n-love all gussied up with some wikka-wikka fretwork (courtesy of Mr. Dave Mason), Nash's considered lyrics sung above his gentle acoustic guitar-strum. Although the song was originally written with Nash's soldier father in mind, set in WWII England, its simple message is applicable to all wars, in all places, and the "madness" that often accompanies such mindless aggression.

At its heart, however, Songs For Beginners is an album of love songs…tales of lost love, yes, but a romantic collection nonetheless. No less than three songs among the eleven – "Better Days," "Simple Man," and "I Used To Be A King" – deal with Nash's heartbroken break-up with singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell, of whom he wrote the CSNY gem "Our House." Another song here, "Wounded Bird," was written for friend and bandmate Stephen Stills, who was going through his own break-up with folk singer Judy Collins.

Because of this romantic focus, much of Songs For Beginners sounds slightly morose, but there are a few rays of hope that shine through these stories if one digs deep enough in the grooves. "Better Days," which features one of Nash's better vocal performances, one that displays the range of the man's talents, lyrically has the conscience of the song's protagonist telling him "remember better days" and "don't you cry 'cause she is gone." That is, remember the joyous laughter and loving moments and move on with your life, regardless of her reasons for leaving.

As David Fricke points out in his excellent liner notes to Songs For Beginners, "I Used To Be A King" is a title that plays on words, evoking Nash's Hollies-era hit "King Midas In Reverse." Nash continues this clever wordplay in the lyrics, likening his lost relationship to the king for whom "everything around me turned to gold." In the flush of a romance, it does seem that one is on top of the world, a king of sorts, but here we have Nash…obviously the song's protagonist…doubting himself and his former royal status. Although he tells himself "it's alright, I'm OK," he also says, "everything around me turned to rust…'cause I built my life on sand." Although the song is ostensibly one of redemption, Nash's declaration that "no one is going to break my heart again" says otherwise.

Whereas the previous two songs display a certain amount of self-deception, "Simple Man" – the original song in the lovesick Mitchell trilogy – is a poetic attempt to come to grips with the songwriter's loss. With the lovely Rita Coolidge providing backing harmonies behind Nash's cracking voice and mournful piano, the song is one of wistful self assurance (that most likely failed). With David Lindley's high lonesome fiddle work low in the mix, the song provokes a truly melancholy vibe.

As befitting the time and place of its release, Songs For Beginners includes a pair of topical songs that hold up remarkably well. "Chicago," written about the Chicago Seven trial, was targeted at Nash's CSNY bandmates Stills and Young. Asked by hippie legend Wavy Gravy to perform a benefit concert for the Chicago Seven protesters – which included the late Abbie Hoffman and Black Panther Bobby Seale – evidently Nash and Crosby were ready to roll, but the other half of CSNY displayed a certain reticence.

"Chicago" was Nash's plea to get the pair on board, the up-tempo song opening with the lyrics "so your brother's bound and gagged, and they've chained him to a chair, won't you please come to Chicago just to sing…." From there it sort of evolves into a sort of "we can change the world" mantra so prevalent in late-60s/early-70s rock music. As for the album-closing "We Can Change The World," it is no more than a coda, really, a minute-seventeen of chiming piano and harmony vocals that flows effortlessly from the end of "Chicago." As a sign of the times, "Chicago" would become a Top Forty hit and drive Songs For Beginners to #15 on the charts, the album achieving Gold sales status.

Songs For Beginners is an impressive and unexpected debut from an artist that even CSNY fans didn't know all that well at the time. Introspective to a fault, these are songs of change, of transition, masterfully capturing a tumultuous period of the artist's life and setting them in amber for listeners to hear nearly forty years later. The music and lyrics are perfectly matched, and the emotions expressed herein by Nash are universal, lending the album a timeless status. Nash would go on to record a handful of subsequent solo works, but none would so perfectly document what was on the man's mind as did Songs For Beginners. (Rhino Records)

Two-disc deluxe Rhino reissue includes a bonus DVD with 5.1 surround sound mix of the album, a high-rez stereo mix, photo gallery, song lyrics, and a new video interview with Nash. Illustrated CD booklet includes liner notes from Rolling Stone scribe David Fricke, lyrics, and song credits.

(Click on the CD cover to buy Songs For Beginners from Amazon.com)