I sang this in a band called Carroll County in 1973.
Standard for CS&N, it's all about the sound. Nice harmony. They very much liked running harmonies in parallel like this. What little meaning the lyrics have is mostly evocation of a strained love. Plus alliteration. Someone was remembering from high school English class that you can use alliteration in poetry.
I liked Judy Collins, Peter, Paul, & Mary, and the Kingston Trio... and others, but I never could get enthused about CS&N. CSN&Y were even less appealing. Too smooth (except Y who was just annoying) and what little substance there was, was depressing. I didn't get excited about Bob Dylan or Leonard Cohen either, but at least there was substance in the lyrics. I actually like to read Cohen's work, but please don't make me listen to him sing it.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbors and I love singing this song. I don't get to do it often, as I don't often have two companions willing and able to do a 3-part harmony.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason Leonard Cohen's peculiar bray makes me deeply happy. I can't account for it, and almost never try to listen to him if anyone else is around. It's unusual for me to enjoy a songwriter's work over many decades, that is, his work as a young man as well as his work in old age. I got Cohen imprinted on me when I was a teenager and never have gotten over him.