Crosby & Nash is a duo formed by David Crosby and Graham Nash during a Cros… Read Full Bio ↴Crosby & Nash is a duo formed by David Crosby and Graham Nash during a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young hiatus.

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.

Fieldworker
Crosby & Nash Lyrics

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Digging in your fields
Pulling up your food
No matter how I feel, don't do me no good
"Treat me like a human," is all I got to say
The man that I am working for won't let me get away
I came across your border just to work for you
I give you all I've got to give
What more can I do?

Don't give me law and order
Tell me to stick around
While standing in the picket line
you try and shoot me down down
I came to your country to work on the land
Watching the seeds as they die in the sand
Fighting for your freedom with a hoe in your hand

Fieldworker, fieldworker
Digging in your fields
Pulling up your food
No matter how I feel, don't do me no good.

"Treat me like a human," is all I got to say
The man that I am working for won't let me get away

Overall Meaning

The song "Fieldworker" by Crosby & Nash sheds light on the plight of immigrants who cross borders in search of better economic opportunities. The lyrics describe the struggles faced by field workers who work hard to make a living but do not receive the basic humane treatment they deserve. The song highlights their stories of survival, strength, and resilience.

In the first verse, the singer speaks about how he is digging in the fields and pulling up the crops, but despite his hard work, it does not do him any good. He begs to be treated like a human being, but his employer mistreats him, and he cannot flee. In the second verse, he talks about how he came to the country to work on the land and tried to fight for his freedom, but he was met with adversity. He laments how the seeds that he plants die in the sand and that he faces violence when he stands in the picket line.

The chorus "Fieldworker, fieldworker, digging in your fields, pulling up your food" is a reminder of the back-breaking labor that these workers do without receiving any recognition or compensation for their hard work.

Overall, the lyrics of "Fieldworker" are a haunting reminder of the inhuman treatment that people face when they are perceived as 'outsiders' in a society that does not recognize their rights. It's a tribute to the struggles of working people worldwide, their strength, and their perseverance.

Line by Line Meaning

Digging in your fields
I am working hard, tending to the crops that you own and operate.

Pulling up your food
I am harvesting the rewards of my labor and toiling away in your fields.

No matter how I feel, don't do me no good.
Even if I am feeling ill or exhausted from my work, it doesn't matter because I am still obligated to continue working.

"Treat me like a human," is all I got to say
At the very least, I deserve to be treated with respect and dignity as a fellow human being.

The man that I am working for won't let me get away
My employer is not allowing me to leave or take a break, even if I am struggling with the labor or need time off.

I came across your border just to work for you
I have likely immigrated to this country and sacrificed a lot to work in your fields and make a living.

I give you all I've got to give
I am putting in maximum effort and dedicating myself to this work, even if it's difficult or unfair.

What more can I do?
I feel like I have done everything I can to succeed and support myself, but still face challenges and barriers.

Don't give me law and order
I don't need more excessive rules and regulations to follow, especially if they don't benefit me or protect my rights.

Tell me to stick around
I don't want to be told to stay in a bad job or situation, or to keep working even if it's harming me.

While standing in the picket line
I am protesting and standing up for my rights, even if it means risking my job or safety.

You try and shoot me down down
Even though I am being peaceful and lawful, you might resort to violence or intimidation to silence me or put me in my place.

Watching the seeds as they die in the sand
I am witnessing the fruit of my labor wither away and die due to drought, famine, or other external factors that I can't control.

Fighting for your freedom with a hoe in your hand
I am metaphorically fighting for my own freedom and rights, while using the agricultural tools I have at my disposal.

Fieldworker, fieldworker
This is my identity and occupation, and it defines my role and struggles in society.

Digging in your fields, pulling up your food
I am contributing to the food industry and economy by doing the hard work of growing crops and harvesting them for consumption.

No matter how I feel, don't do me no good.
Regardless of my emotions, mood, or physical state, I am still responsible for fulfilling my duties and expectations as a fieldworker.

"Treat me like a human," is all I got to say
I am asking for humane treatment, respect, and empathy from those who benefit from my labor and toil.

The man that I am working for won't let me get away
I am feeling trapped and exploited by my employer, who controls my livelihood and freedom of movement.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GRAHAM NASH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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