TODAY’S PROGRAM……

M1 For What It’s Worth (Stephen Stills), Buffalo Springfield, Buffalo Springfield, Released ATCO, LP 1969 (3:00)…

M2 Bluebird (Stephen Stills) Buffalo Springfield Again, Released ATCO, LP 1967, (4:28)…

M3 Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (Stephen Stills), Just Roll Tape, Recorded 1968, Released Eyewall, LP 2007 (6:33)….

M4 Wooden Ships (Stills, Kantner, Crosby) Just Roll Tape, Recorded 1968, Released Eyewall, LP 2007 (2:26)…

M5 Carry On (Stephen Stills) Déjà Vu, Crosby Stills Nash & Young Taylor & Reeves, Atlantic LP 1970 (4:25)…

M6 4+20 (Stephen Stills), Déjà Vu, Crosby Stills Nash & Young Taylor & Reeves, Atlantic LP 1970 (1:55)…

M7 Sugar Babe (Stephen Stills), Stephen Stills 2, Atlantic Records LP, 1971 (4:04).

M8 Change Partners, (Stephen Stills), Stephen Stills 2, Atlantic Records LP, 1971 (3:14)…

Stephen Stills is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with

Buffalo Springfield
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Manassas …
and as a SOLO ARTIST.

He was born in 1945 in DALLAS TEXAS. He is 78 at the time of this podcast’s production. He is still active. He plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboards… he’s not only a singer and songwriter… also an arranger and producer.

Stills has had a long and prosperous career. Starting out in 1963, he has given us some 60 years of songwriting and musical performance.

Today I FEATURE original compositions by singer songwriter Stephen Stills. From my collection we will hear 5 albums:

Buffalo Springfield album and For What It’s Worth,
Buffalo Springfield Again album with Bluebird
Stephen Stills’ demo tape album JUST ROLL TAPE with Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, and Wooden Ships
Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s DÉJÀ VU album with 4+20 and Carry On
And finally, the STEPHEN STILLS 2 solo album with Sugar Babe and Change Partners.

We are now listening to ROCK AND ROLL WOMAN from BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD AGAIN.

These selections were each recorded between 1966 and 1971. Just a small time slice of this singer/songwriter’s career.

Stills was between the ages of 21 and 26. These works are important because these songs are each hand crafted by Stills. I also wanted to showcase his array of talents like multi-instrumental musician, arranger, and producer. In addition to being a successful singer/songwriter, who work has had a large musical impact.

Much more for future podcasts.

M1 For What It’s Worth (Stephen Stills), Buffalo Springfield, Buffalo Springfield, Released ATCO, LP 1969 (3:00)

Stephen Stills’ first HIT recording was FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH (or “Stop, Hey, What’s That Sound”). It was 1966. Stills was just 21 years old. This was his first big break. He had written several songs, by now.. Not only did he have an inventory of original songs, he had helped to form a new band. Along with two other singer-songwriters, Richie Furay and Neil Young… they formed Buffalo Springfield out in Los Angeles. Neil Young came from Winnipeg Alberta, and Furay and Stills left a New York City gig with the Au Go-Go Singers, a 9-member group performing at the Café Au Go-Go. Two other Canadians — bassist Bruce Palmer and rock drummer Dewey Martin were added — 5 band members in all. 2 Americans, 3 Canadians.

“For What It’s Worth” became one of the most recognizable songs of the 1960s. It was first released as a 45 RPM single in late 1966. In t1967, For What It’s Worth featured on the first Buffalo Springfield LP.

The lyrics in FOR WHAT ITS WORTH are all about a confrontation Stills had with LAPD Riot Police in Los Angeles’ earlier that year. There had been many summer nights of rowdy crowds of kids causing late-night traffic issues in the Sunset Strip neighborhood. LA responded by announcing a curfew of 10PM. As a result, there were reported to have been over 1,000 persons out on the Strip protesting and trouble broke out. There were clashes between police and young people. Peter Fonda was handcuffed by police. Jack Nicholson was also on the scene. Whisky a Go-Go was a nightclub on the Sunset Strip, where many great bands have performed. At that time, in 1966, their house band was Buffalo Springfield. Because of continuing issues of unrest, some clubs on the Sunset Strip were forced to close their doors for weeks. It was because of these civil disturbances on Sunset Strip that Stills recorded “For What It’s Worth”.

And now, For What It’s Worth (Stephen Stills)

Play M1

Don’t Touch That Dial

That was M1 FOR WHAT ITS WORTH – STOP HEY WHATS THAT SOUND

Credits

Stephen Stills – Guitar and Vocals and songwriter
Richie Furay – Guitar and vocals
Dewey Martin – Drums
Bruce Palmer – Bass
Record Company ATCO, a division of Atlantic Records

“For What It’s Worth” became a top ten hit, reaching No. 7 on the US Billboard 100 in Spring of 1967.

BIT BUCKET

I was a very impressionable age 14 at the time of this song’s release… the song chorus lyrics were very impactful on me…

I think it’s time we stop.

Hey, what’s that sound?

Everybody look, what’s going down?

M2 Bluebird (Stephen Stills) Buffalo Springfield Again, Released ATCO, LP 1967, (4:28)

The Buffalo Springfield band was really about their two biggest egos, those of STEPHEN STILLS and NEIL YOUNG. Buffalo Springfield was still a young band, only 9 months old at this point in late 1966. After their hit “For What It’s Worth”, they were eager to have a repeat success. For a SINGLE, two songs, “Bluebird” Mr. Soul were available for a single. Stills writing Bluebird, Young writing Mr. Soul. These were recorded and released by ATCO Records as a single. The version I will play today is from the LP, titled Buffalo Springfield Again, released later that year 1967. This LP version is much improved with lots more guitar work by Stills and Young. BLUEBIRD features the trading off of guitar solos between Neil Young and Stephen Stills. Stills plays the acoustic guitars, some is finger-picking. Young the rocker plays the distorted lead guitar part, on Les Paul guitar. In this song, Stills is ALL ACOUSTIC, Young is ALL ELECTRIC.

PAUSE EXAMPLE GUITARS

About that acoustic guitar we hear – Stills had just purchased a fine old guitar, a 29-year old acoustic Martin D-28. It was first used in the recording of Bluebird. On this song, Stills uses D-modal tuning … he tuned his guitar DOWN a full note to DADGAD, tuning DOWN 3 of the guitar’s 6 strings.

EXAMPLE: Record yourself d-tuning an acoustic guitar to DADGAD.

It’s a full rich sound used in Celtic music, Folk and Rock. The acoustic guitar work and this recording is sharp and clear because of some early recording expertise in SOUND PROCESSING, the use of compression and equalizers to highlight the picking and full dynamic range of that acoustic guitar. This is an ultra clear recording of Stills on that Martin D-28. AND there is also a BANJO PART.

PLAY BANJO BACKGROUND The banjo part is played by Charlie Chin, bluegrass style, from Greenwich Village – Stills’ worked earlier there. This LP VERSION with the added guitar and banjo parts, lengthens this 2-minute single to 4:28.

And now here is Bluebird … complete with dueling guitars and banjo.

PLAY M2

Don’t Touch That Dial

that was M2 BLUEBIRD (Stephen Stills) Buffalo Springfield Again, Released ATCO, LP 1967, (4:28)

Song credits M2 go to

Neil Young electric lead guitar
Bobby West Bass
Rich Furay vocal
Dewey Martin drums
Charlie Chin – Banjo
Stephen Stills – singer, songwriter, producer along with Atlantic Records, acoustic rhythm and lead guitars

The single reached number 58 on the Billboard chart, some critics see the song as their most accomplished piece. It spent 7 weeks on the HOT 100 chart. Buffalo Springfield did not last / could not last, with 3 egos as large as a house, all of this talent had dismantled by 1968 and each artist went on to their own individual successes…Neil Young departed to form Crazy Horse, Richie Furay departed to form Poco, and Stephen Stills went on to form Crosby Stills Nash and Young. BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD is a foundation of ROCK AND ROLL.

BIT BUCKET On the lyrical side, lyrics are usually lost on me. I am identifying much more with the guitar, drum, and bass parts on these songs. Some say the lyrics in this song Bluebird have to do with Stills’ musings about Judy Collins. He would soon be writing a tong he titled Suite Judy Blue Eyes. More on that later. The closing verse in the SINGLE is:

DO YOU THINK SHE LOVES YOU?

DO YOU THINK AT ALL?

M1 For What It’s Worth (Stephen Stills), Buffalo Springfield, Buffalo Springfield, Released ATCO, LP 1969 (3:00)

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