4 Way Street
Encyclopedia
4 Way Street is the third album
by Crosby, Stills & Nash, their second as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and their first live album. It was originally released as Atlantic Records
SD-2-902, shipping as a gold record and peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200
. A document of their tour from the previous year, the live recordings presented were taken from shows at The Fillmore East
, New York, June 2–June 7, 1970 The Chicago Auditorium, Chicago, July 5, 1970 and The Forum
, Los Angeles
, June 26–June 28, 1970.
and Crosby
had not been officially released by its writer at the time of the arrival of this album in the shops: "Chicago," soon to appear one month later on Nash's Songs for Beginners
album, and "Right Between the Eyes"; "The Lee Shore" by Crosby, as well as his controversial ménage à trois
"Triad
" composition, recorded by Jefferson Airplane
on their Crown of Creation
album of 1968, and by The Byrds
, but not released until 1987 on the compilation "Never Before
" and later as a bonus track on The Notorious Byrd Brothers
reissue.
At the time this album was recorded, tensions between the band members were high, with their dressing-room fights becoming the stuff of rock legend, even being referenced by Frank Zappa
and the Mothers of Invention
in their 1971 LP Fillmore East - June 1971
. The tensions led to CSNY dissolving shortly after the recording of Four Way Street (and many months before its release). The next release of new material by the firm proper would not be until CSN
of 1977.
The original double album
LP
came packaged in typical CSNY fashion, a gatefold
sleeve without a track listing. On the gatefold was a black-and-white picture of the band sitting on a bench, with Nash and Crosby's heads perfectly framed by a wire clothes hanger hanging in front of them, with recording information and credits in the lower-right-hand corner. The only track listings on the album appear on the LP's labels, and on the fold-out poster that also included full lyrics.
The album went to #1 upon its release and also garnered a positive review in Rolling Stone
where the reviewer called it "their best album to date." Other more recent reviews have also been positive.
4 Way Street was released in expanded form for compact disc
on June 15, 1992. The expanded edition included four songs done by each member as an acoustic solo vehicle. Young
performed a trio of songs from his first two solo albums as a medley; Stills
included "Black Queen" from his eponymous debut
, a tune he would revisit many times in his career; Crosby added a version of the song "Laughing" from his debut
; and Nash did "King Midas In Reverse
", The Hollies
' single from 1967, his bid to have that band taken as a more serious entity in the pivotal year of flower power. Though credited to Allan Clarke
and Tony Hicks
as well, "Midas" was actually written solely by Nash: the three Hollies had had a pact to share publishing regardless of authorship, in an arrangement similar to that
of John Lennon
and Paul McCartney
while in The Beatles
.
Additional tracks from the tour appeared on Young's The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972, released in 2009.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by Crosby, Stills & Nash, their second as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and their first live album. It was originally released as Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
SD-2-902, shipping as a gold record and peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. A document of their tour from the previous year, the live recordings presented were taken from shows at The Fillmore East
Fillmore East
The Fillmore East was rock promoter Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue near East 6th Street in the East Village neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City. It was open from 1968 to 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in rock music at the time...
, New York, June 2–June 7, 1970 The Chicago Auditorium, Chicago, July 5, 1970 and The Forum
The Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, June 26–June 28, 1970.
History
The album contained material previously available in studio versions, from both the various affiliations and individual work of the four principals. Two songs each by NashGraham Nash
Graham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
and Crosby
David Crosby
David Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
had not been officially released by its writer at the time of the arrival of this album in the shops: "Chicago," soon to appear one month later on Nash's Songs for Beginners
Songs for Beginners
Songs for Beginners is Graham Nash's first solo album, released in May 1971, and one of four high-profile albums released by each partner of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their chart-topping Déjà Vu album of 1970...
album, and "Right Between the Eyes"; "The Lee Shore" by Crosby, as well as his controversial ménage à trois
Ménage à trois
Ménage à trois is a French term which originally described a domestic arrangement in which three people having sexual relations occupy the same household – the phrase literally translates as "household of three"...
"Triad
Triad (David Crosby song)
"Triad" is a song written by David Crosby in 1967 about a ménage à trois, a subject perfectly in keeping with the "free love" hippie philosophies of the day. The song was written while Crosby was a member of the rock band The Byrds, who were at that time recording their fifth studio album, The...
" composition, recorded by Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
on their Crown of Creation
Crown of Creation
-Personnel:*Marty Balin – vocals, rhythm guitar*Grace Slick – vocals, piano, organ*Paul Kantner – rhythm guitar, vocals*Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar, electric chicken, vocals*Spencer Dryden – drums, piano, organ, steel balls, vocals...
album of 1968, and by The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, but not released until 1987 on the compilation "Never Before
Never Before
"Never Before" is a song by British rock band Deep Purple, which appears on their 1972 album Machine Head.This was originally the only single from the album besides "Smoke on the Water", with "When a Blind Man Cries" as a B-side, which surprised fans as the album contained hits such as "Lazy",...
" and later as a bonus track on The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
The Notorious Byrd Brothers is the fifth album by the American rock band The Byrds and was released in January 1968 on Columbia Records . Musically, the album represents the pinnacle of The Byrds' psychedelic experimentation, with the band blending together elements of folk rock, psychedelic rock,...
reissue.
At the time this album was recorded, tensions between the band members were high, with their dressing-room fights becoming the stuff of rock legend, even being referenced by Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
and the Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention
The Mothers of Invention were an American band active from 1964 to 1969, and again from 1970 to 1975.They mainly performed works by, and were the original recording group of, US composer and guitarist Frank Zappa , although other members have had the occasional writing credit...
in their 1971 LP Fillmore East - June 1971
Fillmore East - June 1971
Fillmore East – June 1971 is a live album by The Mothers, released in 1971. It was the twelfth album by Frank Zappa. It was produced by Frank Zappa, and mixed by Toby Foster.-History:This was a live concept-like album...
. The tensions led to CSNY dissolving shortly after the recording of Four Way Street (and many months before its release). The next release of new material by the firm proper would not be until CSN
CSN (album)
CSN is a Crosby, Stills & Nash album released in 1977, the fifth album by the group, and the first without Neil Young since his entry into the band...
of 1977.
The original double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
came packaged in typical CSNY fashion, a gatefold
Gatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
sleeve without a track listing. On the gatefold was a black-and-white picture of the band sitting on a bench, with Nash and Crosby's heads perfectly framed by a wire clothes hanger hanging in front of them, with recording information and credits in the lower-right-hand corner. The only track listings on the album appear on the LP's labels, and on the fold-out poster that also included full lyrics.
The album went to #1 upon its release and also garnered a positive review in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
where the reviewer called it "their best album to date." Other more recent reviews have also been positive.
4 Way Street was released in expanded form for compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
on June 15, 1992. The expanded edition included four songs done by each member as an acoustic solo vehicle. Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
performed a trio of songs from his first two solo albums as a medley; Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
included "Black Queen" from his eponymous debut
Stephen Stills (album)
Stephen Stills is an eponymous rock album by Stephen Stills, famous for his long-time membership in Crosby, Stills, & Nash. It consists of songs written by Stills and is one of four high-profile albums released by each member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the wake of their 1970 chart-topping...
, a tune he would revisit many times in his career; Crosby added a version of the song "Laughing" from his debut
If I Could Only Remember My Name
-External links:*...
; and Nash did "King Midas In Reverse
King Midas In Reverse
King Midas In Reverse is a song by British pop group The Hollies written by members Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Tony Hicks. It was released by The Hollies as single in September 1967 in anticipation of their album Butterfly. It was released in the UK on the Parlophone label and in the US on the...
", The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
' single from 1967, his bid to have that band taken as a more serious entity in the pivotal year of flower power. Though credited to Allan Clarke
Allan Clarke (singer)
Allan Clarke is a retired British singer who was one of the founding members of The Hollies. He retired in 1999.-Career:...
and Tony Hicks
Tony Hicks
Tony Hicks is a guitarist and singer who has been a member of the British pop group The Hollies since 1963.-Career:...
as well, "Midas" was actually written solely by Nash: the three Hollies had had a pact to share publishing regardless of authorship, in an arrangement similar to that
Lennon/McCartney
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...
of John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
while in The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
.
Additional tracks from the tour appeared on Young's The Archives Vol. 1 1963–1972, released in 2009.
LP side one
- "Suite: Judy Blue EyesSuite: Judy Blue Eyes"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" is a suite of short songs written by Stephen Stills and performed by Crosby, Stills and Nash. It appeared on the group's self-titled debut album in 1969. It was also released as a single , going to #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart...
" (Stephen StillsStephen StillsStephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
) – 0:33 - "On the Way Home" (Neil YoungNeil YoungNeil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
) – 3:19 - "Teach Your ChildrenTeach Your Children"Teach Your Children" is a song by Graham Nash. Although it was written when Nash was a member of The Hollies, it was never recorded by that group, and first appeared on the album Déjà Vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released in 1970. The recording features Jerry Garcia on pedal steel guitar...
" (Graham NashGraham NashGraham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
) – 2:46 - "TriadTriad (David Crosby song)"Triad" is a song written by David Crosby in 1967 about a ménage à trois, a subject perfectly in keeping with the "free love" hippie philosophies of the day. The song was written while Crosby was a member of the rock band The Byrds, who were at that time recording their fifth studio album, The...
" (David CrosbyDavid CrosbyDavid Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
) – 5:07 - "The Lee Shore" (Crosby) – 4:14
- "Chicago" (Nash) – 3:03
LP side two
- "Right Between the Eyes" (Nash)– 2:19
- "Cowgirl in the Sand" (Young)– 3:50
- "Don't Let It Bring You DownDon't Let It Bring You Down"Don't Let It Bring You Down" is the seventh track on Neil Young's album After the Gold Rush. It was written by Young. It also appears on the 1971 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young live album Four Way Street as well as Young's 2007 album Live at Massey Hall 1971, which was recorded in 1971...
" (Young) – 2:35 - "49 Bye-Byes"/"For What It's Worth"/"America's Children" (Stills) – 5:30
- "Love the One You're WithLove the One You're With"Love the One You're With" is a 1970 single by folk rocker Stephen Stills. The first release off his first solo album Stephen Stills, it rose to the top twenty of the pop singles chart, peaking at No. 14....
" (Stills) – 2:57
LP side three
- "Pre-Road Downs" (Nash) – 2:48
- "Long Time Gone" (Crosby) – 5:33
- "Southern ManSouthern Man"Southern Man" is a song by Neil Young from his album After the Gold Rush. The album was released in 1970.The lyrics of "Southern Man" are vivid, describing the racism towards blacks in the American South. In the song, Young tells the story of a Southern white man and how he mistreated his slaves...
" (Young) – 13:15
LP side four
- "Ohio" (Young) – 3:24
- "Carry On" (Stills) – 13:06
- "Find the Cost of Freedom" (Stills) – 2:16
Disc one
- "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (Stills) – 0:33
- "On the Way Home" (Young) – 3:48
- "Teach Your Children" (Nash) – 3:02
- "TriadTriad (David Crosby song)"Triad" is a song written by David Crosby in 1967 about a ménage à trois, a subject perfectly in keeping with the "free love" hippie philosophies of the day. The song was written while Crosby was a member of the rock band The Byrds, who were at that time recording their fifth studio album, The...
" (Crosby) – 6:55 - "The Lee Shore" (Crosby)– 4:29
- "Chicago" (Nash) – 3:11
- "Right Between the Eyes" (Nash) – 3:37
- "Cowgirl in the Sand" (Young) – 3:59
- "Don't Let It Bring You Down" (Young) – 3:31
- "49 Bye-Byes/America's Children" (Stills) – 6:35
- "Love the One You're With" (Stills) – 3:19
- "King Midas In ReverseKing Midas In ReverseKing Midas In Reverse is a song by British pop group The Hollies written by members Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Tony Hicks. It was released by The Hollies as single in September 1967 in anticipation of their album Butterfly. It was released in the UK on the Parlophone label and in the US on the...
" (Allan ClarkeAllan Clarke (singer)Allan Clarke is a retired British singer who was one of the founding members of The Hollies. He retired in 1999.-Career:...
, Tony HicksTony HicksTony Hicks is a guitarist and singer who has been a member of the British pop group The Hollies since 1963.-Career:...
, Nash) – 3:43 - "Laughing" (Crosby) – 3:36
- "Black Queen" (Stills) – 6:45
- "Medley: The Loner/Cinnamon GirlCinnamon Girl (Neil Young song)"Cinnamon Girl" is a song by Neil Young. It debuted on the 1969 album Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, which was also Young's first album with backing band Crazy Horse...
/Down by the RiverDown by the River"Down by the River" is a song composed by Neil Young. It was first released on his 1969 album with Crazy Horse, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. Young explained the context of story when introducing it in New Orleans on September 27, 1984. It depicts a man who catches his woman cheating on him,...
" (Young) – 9:41
Disc two
- "Pre-Road Downs" (Nash) – 3:04
- "Long Time Gone" (Crosby) – 5:58
- "Southern ManSouthern Man"Southern Man" is a song by Neil Young from his album After the Gold Rush. The album was released in 1970.The lyrics of "Southern Man" are vivid, describing the racism towards blacks in the American South. In the song, Young tells the story of a Southern white man and how he mistreated his slaves...
" (Young) – 13:45 - "Ohio" (Young) – 3:34
- "Carry On" (Stills) – 14:19
- "Find the Cost of Freedom" (Stills) – 2:21
Personnel
- David CrosbyDavid CrosbyDavid Van Cortlandt Crosby is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. In addition to his solo career, he was a founding member of three bands: The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash , and CPR...
– vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Stephen StillsStephen StillsStephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
– vocals, guitar, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Graham NashGraham NashGraham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
– vocals, guitar, keyboards - Neil YoungNeil YoungNeil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
– vocals, guitar, harmonica, keyboards - Calvin "Fuzzy" Samuels – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Johnny BarbataJohn BarbataJohn Barbata is an American drummer, born in Passaic, New Jersey, active especially in pop and pop/rock bands in the 1960s and 1970s, both as a band member and as a session drummer.-Biography:...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
Additional personnel
- Bill Halverson – engineer
- Gary BurdenGary BurdenGary Burden is an American artist specializing in the field of album covers. He is considered as one of the pioneers of the concept of album cover art. In the 1960s and '70s he designed covers for many rock stars, such as Mama Cass, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Joni Mitchell, The Doors, The Eagles...
– art direction/design, photography - Joel Bernstein – photography
- Henry DiltzHenry DiltzHenry Stanford Diltz is a folk musician and photographer, who has been active since the 1960s....
– photography - Joe GastwirtJoe GastwirtJoe Gastwirt is an audio engineer, known for digitally remastering hundreds of CDs for famous artists, including the Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, Jimi Hendrix, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and Yes. His remasters have been critically acclaimed.-References:...
– digital remastering
Charts
Album| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Pop Albums |
1 |
Certifications
| Organization | Level | Date |
|---|---|---|
| RIAA – USA | Gold | April 12, 1971 |
| RIAA – USA | Platinum | December 18, 1992 |
| RIAA – USA | 4X Platinum | December 18, 1992 |