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.
carry me
David Crosby Lyrics
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Was as battered and worn a one as you have ever seen.
But I made it some new wings and painted the nose,
And I wished so hard up in the air I rose, singing
Carry me, carry me
Carry me above the world
Carry me, carry me, carry me.
And I once loved a girl
She was younger than me
Her parents kept her locked up in their life
And she was crying at night,
And she was wishing she could be free.
Course mostly I remember her laughing
Standing there watching us play.
For a while there, the music would take her away
And she'd be singing
Carry me, carry me
Carry me above the world
Carry me, carry me
Carry me above the world.
And then there was my mother:
She was lying in white sheets there and she was waiting to die.
She said, "If you'd just reach underneath this bed
And untie these weights,
I could surely fly.
She's still smiling but she's tired,
She'd like to hear that last bell ring.
You know if she could she would
Stand up, and she could sing, singing
Carry me, carry me
Carry me above the world
Carry me, carry me.
The lyrics to David Crosby's "Carry Me" cover a variety of themes but overarching, it speaks to the need for escape and freedom. In the first stanza, Crosby sings about a dream, specifically one that he's found and repurposed for himself. It's clear that this was some kind of personal goal or desire, something that he had carried with him for a while despite the fact that it was old and worn. However, through some sort of reimagination, he's able to replenish it, give it new energy and ultimately lift himself up.
The second stanza starts with Crosby recounting a relationship he once had. The girl in question is younger than he and has seemingly been imprisoned by her parents, forced to live a life that she doesn't want. Obviously, this is a tragedy that resonated deeply with Crosby, and he speaks to the injustice of this situation. However, he also highlights the moments when she was able to escape, when the music got inside of her and helped her rise above the cruelty of the world. This is perhaps the most profound aspect of the song - the notion that music can provide an escape, however temporary, from whatever difficult or painful situations we may find ourselves in.
The final verse of the song is perhaps the most poignant. Crosby sings about his mother, who is lying in a hospital bed, dying. Regardless of this bleak situation, Crosby encapsulates the hopefulness that music can produce, as his mother expresses a desire to escape, to fly away. Though her body is decaying, there is still some sense of buoyancy within her, and the suggestion is that music could give her the extra push that she needs to pass on. The final lines, "Carry me, carry me," are a plea, a desperate request to be lifted up, escape from mortality at least in spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was a young man I found an old dream,
As a young boy, I came across a childhood dream that had been long forgotten and tarnished over time.
Was as battered and worn a one as you have ever seen.
The dream had been through rough times and was in a state of disrepair.
But I made it some new wings and painted the nose,
Despite its condition, I reinvigorated the dream by giving it new life and vibrancy.
And I wished so hard up in the air I rose, singing
I put my all into my dream and it took me to new heights, both literally and emotionally, as I joyously sang.
Carry me, carry me
Carry me above the world
Carry me, carry me, carry me.
I ask for my dream, which is now a part of me, to lift me high and beyond the mundane world that weighs me down.
And I once loved a girl
She was younger than me
Her parents kept her locked up in their life
And she was crying at night,
And she was wishing she could be free.
I had a relationship with a girl who was a prisoner in her own life, yearning for freedom that her oppressive parents wouldn't allow.
Course mostly I remember her laughing
Standing there watching us play.
Despite her troubles, I have fond memories of her smiling and enjoying life, especially when we played together.
For a while there, the music would take her away
And she'd be singing
Music was a temporary escape for her, a place where she could forget her troubles and lift her voice in song.
And then there was my mother:
She was lying in white sheets there and she was waiting to die.
She said, "If you'd just reach underneath this bed
And untie these weights,
I could surely fly.
My mother, in her final moments, expressed a desire to be free of her physical constraints and soar into the unknown, hoping that I could help her achieve that.
She's still smiling but she's tired,
She'd like to hear that last bell ring.
Despite her exhaustion, my mother remained positive and hopeful as she anticipated the sound of the final bell signaling her release.
You know if she could she would
Stand up, and she could sing, singing
Given the opportunity, my mother would stand tall and lift her voice in song, celebrating the freedom that comes with death.
Carry me, carry me
Carry me above the world
Carry me, carry me.
As I contemplate the fleeting nature of life, I repeat my request for my dream to carry me above the mundane world and into a realm of sublime existence.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: DAVID CROSBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind