David Van Cortlandt Crosby (August 14, 1941 – January 18, 2023) was an Amer… Read Full Bio ↴David Van Cortlandt Crosby (August 14, 1941 – January 18, 2023) was an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He is most well known for being a founding member of The Byrds, Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY). Crosby is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work in The Byrds and CSN.

Crosby joined the Byrds in 1964. They had their first number-one hit in April 1965 with a cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan. Crosby appeared on the Byrds' first five albums and produced the original lineup's 1973 reunion album. He subsequently formed Crosby, Stills & Nash in 1968 with Stephen Stills and Graham Nash.

After the release of their debut album, CSN won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist of 1969. Neil Young joined the group for live appearances, their second concert being Woodstock, before recording their second album Déjà Vu. Meant to be a group that could collaborate freely, Crosby and Nash recorded three gold albums in the 1970s, while the core trio of CSN remained active from 1976 until 2016. CSNY reunions took place in each decade from the 1970s through the 2000s.

Songs Crosby wrote or co-wrote include "Lady Friend", "Everybody's Been Burned", "Why", and "Eight Miles High" with the Byrds and "Guinnevere", "Wooden Ships", "Shadow Captain", and "In My Dreams" with Crosby, Stills & Nash. He wrote "Almost Cut My Hair" and the title track "Déjà Vu" for Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's 1970 album of the same name. He is known for having employed alternative guitar tunings and jazz influences. He released six solo albums, five of which charted. Additionally, he formed a jazz-influenced trio with his son James Raymond and guitarist Jeff Pevar in CPR. Crosby's work with the Byrds and CSNY has sold over 35 million albums.

Crosby was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: once for his work in the Byrds and again for his work with CSN. Five albums to which he contributed are included in Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, three with the Byrds and two with CSN(Y). He was outspoken politically and was sometimes depicted as emblematic of the counterculture of the 1960s.

Traction in the Rain
David Crosby Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's hard enough, I know
To find the strength to go
Back to where it all began
It's hard to enough to gain
Any traction in the rain
You know it's hard for me to understand

Hard to find a way

To get through another city day
Without thinking about
Gettin' out

Now the strangest thing I've seen
Was a t-shirt turning green
In envy of turtle dove
The dove's lady was the cause
Or maybe it was the olive branch she held in her claws
Or maybe he could see they were in love

You know it's hard for me to find a way
To get through another city day

Without thinking about
Gettin' out

Overall Meaning

In David Crosby's song "Traction in the Rain", the singer struggles to find motivation to return to the beginning, to where it all started for him. He recognizes that gaining any sort of momentum in a difficult situation, especially in a metaphorical sense as represented by the rain, is incredibly challenging. The singer feels stuck, unable to understand why he's still in the same space he was in before despite his desire to move forward. Meanwhile, the city surroundings only add to his sense of claustrophobia and stagnation, making it harder for him to imagine anything different.

The singer's view of the world is further complicated by the strange incident he recounts, where he observes a t-shirt morphing into a different color due to the envy it felt towards a dove's mate. The dove and its partner were in love, and the singer can't help but feel like he's on the outside of an intimate moment, standing in the rain watching from afar. The event resonates with him, as he likely yearns for emotional connection and passion in his own life.

Overall, the lyrics of "Traction in the Rain" speak to feelings of frustration and stagnation. The song's repeated references to rain, green t-shirts, and olive branches all add to a mood of futility and longing.

Line by Line Meaning

It's hard enough, I know
I understand that it's difficult

To find the strength to go
To summon the courage to move forward

Back to where it all began
To return to the starting point

It's hard to enough to gain
It's equally tough to achieve

Any traction in the rain
Any progress when conditions aren't ideal

You know it's hard for me to understand
I struggle to comprehend it

Hard to find a way
Difficult to discover a solution

To get through another city day
To survive another day in the city

Without thinking about
Without being preoccupied with

Gettin' out
Leaving the current situation

Now the strangest thing I've seen
The oddest sight I've witnessed