Late Night Listening: If I Could Only Remember My Name

 

For the past few nights, I've posted my Late Night Listening album on Facebook. Over the past few months, it has become a bit of a ritual for me to pick an album and load it onto my turntable as I was wrapping up my activities for the evening. Last week, I began posting the cover image and a line or two about each night's chosen album. Tonight, it occurred to me that some of you who don't see my Facebook posts might have some fleeting interest in whatever album was playing on my turntable as the night wound down.

 

Tonight's late night listening is If I Could Only Remember My Name, David Crosby's brilliant 1971 album. Following in the wake of Deja Vu, this album is a star-studded musical tour de force, as Crosby is joined by Graham Nash, Neil Young, Jerry Garcia, Joni Mitchell, Greg Rolie, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen, Phil Lesh, Michael Shrieve, Mickey Hart, and others. What could have easily turned into musical chaos is instead the most listenable album from the entire CSNY-related canon. Particularly love the second side, with "What Are Their Names?" and my personal favorite, "Song With No Words." No matter how many times I play this one, it still captivates me with every listening.