Genre: psych
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title:  If I Could Only Remember My Name
Company: Atlantic
Catalog: SD-7203
Year: 1971
Country/State: Los Angeles, California
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: gatefold sleeve
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 4885
Price: $14.00

This is one of those sets where there are no fence sitters. Fans praise the collection as a lost period classic reflecting Crosby's creative zenith (not that there's much to compare it against). Critics savage it as one of the worst pieces of putrid puff ever released by a big name act.    



I'll readily admit that I was less than impressed the first time I heard David Crosby's 1971 debut solo album. I remember playing it a couple of times and just not being able to get into it. Consequently it sat on a shelf for over a decade. I didn't rediscover it until recently when I started to weed out some of my collection and before donating it to charity I figured I'd listen to it one more time. Glad I did ...  

So here's the thing about Crosby. He's a self-centered, opinionated, blow-hard, who seemingly manages to piss off everyone at one time or another. If there's an easy way to get something done, he almost instinctively has to try something else. At the same time he's archetypically American. That screw-authority personality may make him irritating as hell, but because he is so friggin' different, he's worth checking out. Much the same can be said for his musical catalog. If you're looking for smooth, easy-going top-40 pap, or AOR, this simply isn't the place to be.   

1971's "If I Could Only Remember My Name" was released in the wake of Crosby's mega successes with CSN and CSN&Y and for better or worse Crosby's solo debut reflected the influence of those two groups in a number of ways including the fact the lead off track 'Music Is Love' was a CSN&Y outtake. Elsewhere, material like the beautiful ballad 'What Are The Names' and 'Traction In the Rain' melded CSN&Y-styled harmonies with biting social and political commentary. Showcasing Crosby's affection for jazzy riffs the wordless 'Tamalpais High (At About 3)' and 'Song with No Words (Tree with No Leaves)' were reminiscent of his earlier 'Guinnevere' and future work with Graham Nash. Exemplified by the pseudo-Gregorian chant closing number 'I'd Swear There was Somebody Here' (reportedly written for Crosby's late girlfriend Christine Hinton), the collection was wrapped in a dark and slightly ominous atmosphere, giving the album a less than commercial feel (certainly less commercial than early releases by Nash, Stills or Young). Interestingly the absence of a hit single or even significant airplay didn't hurt sales with the album hit # 12, selling gold. The release was also interesting in sporting one of the most impressive supporting casts I've ever seen including most of The Grateful Dead, a significant part of The Jefferson Airplane, members of Quicksilver Messenger Service, Carlos Santana, Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, Neil Young and others.  

"If I Could Only Remember My Name" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Music Is Love (Graham Nash - Neil Young - David Crosby) - 3:16
2.) Cowboy Movie (David Crosby) - 8:02
3.) Tamalpais High (At About 3) (David Crosby) - 3 :28

(side 2)
1.) What Are The Names (Neil Young - Jerry Garcia - Phil Lesh - Michael Shrieve - David Crosby) - 4:09
2.) Traction In the Rain (David Crosby) - 3:40
3.) Song with No Words (Tree with No Leaves) (David Crosby) - 5:54
4.) Orleans (traditional arranged by David Crosby) - 1:56
5.) I'd Swear There was Somebody Here (David Crosby) - 1:19


For Crosby fanatics Atlantic pulled two singles from the album:


- 'Music Is Love' b/w 'Laughing' (Atlantic catalog number 45-2792)
- 'Orleans b/w 'Traction In the Rain' (Atlantic catalog number 45-2809)

One last comment about Crosby; I saw him touring with Graham Nash and Stephen Stills in July 2009. They were performing at Wolf Trap Farm Park in Northern Virginia and it happened to be Crosby's birthday. Anyhow, much to my amazement, Crosby came off the best of the three. For a guy who should have been dead several times over, he seemed to be fairly good shape for all the wear and tear he'd experienced. And his voice ... well it was amazing. Maybe because he hadn't used the instrument much over the ensuring decades, but his solo shots and leads were easily the show's highlights. Ya' simply never know.