After the success of Déjà Vu, all four members of CSNY released solo albums. Crosby released If I Could Only Remember My Name, while Nash released Songs for Beginners. In the autumn of 1971 the best friends toured together as an acoustic duo to favorable reviews; consequently, in 1972 the two decided to record an album together and the result was Graham Nash David Crosby. The album reached #4 on the American Billboard charts and ensured that the twosome were still a viable draw without the more successful and prolific Stills and Young. Further work together was precluded by the CSNY reunion of 1973-1974, Nash's solo effort Wild Tales, Byrds' reunion album, and Crosby's ongoing collaboration with early electronica artist and Grateful Dead associate Ned Lagin.
Deciding to continue working together, the two signed a contract with ABC Records and began recording what would become Wind on the Water. However, Stills and Young invited the duo to recording session for their duo album Long May You Run. Crosby & Nash were forced to leave the recording session because they had a duo album due for ABC Records and Stills and Young wiped their vocals from Long May You Run instead releasing it as The Stills-Young Band. Crosby & Nash said that they wouldn't work with either Stills or Young again.
Crosby & Nash ended up releasing three albums for ABC. Wind on the Water came out in 1975 and was followed the next year by Whistling Down the Wire and Crosby-Nash Live in 1977. All three albums featured a backing band called The Mighty Jitters featuring: Russ Kunkel (drums), Tim Drummond (bass), Craig Doerge (keyboards), Danny Kortchmar (guitar), and David Lindley (guitar/violin). Famed session bassist Leland Sklar alternated with Drummond in the studio. All of these musicians were among the most in demand in Los Angeles at the time, and the line-up of Kunkel, Doerge, Kortchmar, and Sklar had previously recorded as The Section. Depending upon avaliability of the various members, the twosome would either tour as a full blown electric-based aggregation or in a semi-acoustic format with Doerge and Lindley. When CSN reunited on a more or less permanent basis in 1977, Doerge would follow the group to Miami for the CSN sessions, contributing to several songs and collaborating on the song "Shadow Captain" with Crosby. Crosby and Doerge would continue to collaborate regularly until the early 1990s.
In addition to their album work, Crosby & Nash were the harmony vocalists of choice for a number of prominent singer-songwriters and AOR rock performers in the mid to late 1970s. Among their most recognizable session work is Joni Mitchell's "Free Man in Paris" and the James Taylor hit "Mexico". They also appeared on albums by Dave Mason, J.D. Souther, Elton John, Art Garfunkel, Gary Wright, Carole King (who sat in with them at various concerts), the Section and latest on David Gilmour's 2006-album On An Island.
In 1979 they reconvened to record a new album for Capitol Records, but sessions were dampened by Crosby's increased dependence upon freebase cocaine; this was eventually released as Nash's Earth & Sky without any songs from Crosby. The CSN album Live It Up was also supposed to be a Crosby & Nash record, but Atlantic Records refused to release anything that didn't feature the full CSN trio.
In 2004, Crosby & Nash released their first studio record since 1976 with the double-album Crosby & Nash. The album featured Crosby & Nash backed mostly by members of Crosby's solo band CPR. A single CD version was released in 2006 when CSNY began its "Freedom of Speech '06" tour.
Another Sleep Song
Crosby & Nash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Much of me has gone to sleep and I'm afraid to wake up
Shake me by the shoulder if I'm lying with you now
When I talk about the time I sleep away
When it's hard to face the day.
When I think of all the love that's taken me
How much do I get to keep and much should I give up?
Shake me by the shoulder if I'm lying to you now
I'm listening to the lies inside my head
Who can hurt you in your bed?
Fear of other people is a thing I hate
I travel in a bubble and I can't relate.
Something is happening to my head
I don't want to hurt you
But I never heard a word you said
Has this empty hollow heart forsaken me?
I wonder if I'll ever get to feel like I did
Before I grew up.
Shake me by the shoulder if I'm lying with you now
There is no time to waste another day
'Cause we watch them fly away.
In Crosby & Nash's song "Another Sleep Song," the singer expresses a deep sense of longing for someone to awaken him. He reveals that much of himself has gone to sleep, and he is afraid to face the reality of waking up. The lyrics delve into themes of fear, loneliness, and isolation. The singer yearns for someone to shake him by the shoulder if he is lying with them, as if to remind him that he is not alone.
The second verse of the song describes the singer's struggle with the passage of time and how much of his life has been spent sleeping. He questions how much love he should keep and how much he should give up, which could reflect his struggle with vulnerability and emotional intimacy. The singer is listening to the lies inside his head, which suggests that he may be wrestling with self-doubt or anxiety.
The final verse of the song touches on themes of nostalgia and the passage of time. The singer wonders if his "empty hollow heart" has forsaken him and longs to feel as he did before he grew up. He emphasizes the urgency of making the most of every day and not letting time slip away.
Line by Line Meaning
All is need is someone to awaken me
I need someone to help me wake up from my slumber.
Much of me has gone to sleep and I'm afraid to wake up
I have emotionally shut down and I'm scared of facing reality.
Shake me by the shoulder if I'm lying with you now
Wake me up if I'm still lost in my own thoughts while being with you.
When I talk about the time I sleep away
When I mention the time I spend avoiding my problems.
When it's hard to face the day.
When I find it tough to confront the day and its challenges.
When I think of all the love that's taken me
When I consider how love has affected me.
How much do I get to keep and much should I give up?
How much of my past should I hold onto and how much should I let go?
I'm listening to the lies inside my head
I am giving in to the negative thoughts in my mind.
Who can hurt you in your bed?
I feel the most vulnerable when I'm alone.
Fear of other people is a thing I hate
I despise being afraid of others and their opinions.
I travel in a bubble and I can't relate.
I feel disconnected from the people around me.
Something is happening to my head
I feel like my mind is undergoing changes.
I don't want to hurt you
I don't want my struggles to negatively affect you.
But I never heard a word you said
My mind was so consumed with my thoughts that I didn't hear what you were saying.
Has this empty hollow heart forsaken me?
Is my heart too broken and empty to feel anything?
I wonder if I'll ever get to feel like I did
I question if I'll ever experience happiness or love again.
Before I grew up.
Before I lost my child-like innocence and naivety.
There is no time to waste another day
There is a sense of urgency to start living in the present and not waste more time.
'Cause we watch them fly away.
Because time passes quickly and we must make the most of it before it's gone.
Lyrics © Spirit Music Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind