Crosby, Stills, Nash Young Down By The River (1969)

Crosby, Stills, Nash Young performing Down By The River in 1969. This is from The Celebration At Big Sur concert in Sept of 69. Neil Young had just joined the group and this was the first performance of the song by them. Neil had recorded this song with his band Crazy Horse earlier in the year and this was only the third gig for the new group. They debuted together in concert first in Chicago with Joni Mitchell than a few weeks later at Woodstock. The lyrics are about someone who kills his lover by shooting her. The reason he gives for the killing is that she takes him to emotional heights from which he cannot bear. Young has provided multiple explanations for the lyrics. In an interview in 1970 Young claimed that there s no real murder in it. It s about blowing your thing with a chick. It s a plea, a desperate In 1984 Young said that it depicts a man who had a lot of trouble controlling himself who catches his woman cheating on him, then meets h