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Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — 4 + 20
Album: Deja Vu
Avg rating:
8.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 986









Released: 1970
Length: 2:03
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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Four and twenty years ago, I come into this life,
the son of a woman and a man who lived in strife.
He was tired of being poor and he wasn't into selling door to door
and he worked like the devil to be more.

A different kind of poverty now upsets me so.
Night after sleepless night, I walk the floor and I want to know- why am I so alone?
Where is my woman can I bring her home? Have I driven her away? Is she gone?

Morning comes to sunrise and I'm driven to my bed.
I see that it is empty and there's devils in my head.
I embrace the many colored beast. I grow weary of the torment, can there be no peace?
And I find myself just wishing that my life would simply cease.
Comments (54)add comment
Sad and beautiful.
Posted 1 year ago by Stefen    [ Reply ]
 unclehud wrote:


Strangely I don't remember this song being on this album.
 

That's actually kind of funny.



We're getting old, brother...
Posted 1 year ago by ice-9    [ Reply ]
I remember parking my car way out at the end of the pier at Wakura Onsen, in Noto Hanto, in the late fall of '99, looking out at Noto-jima and Nanao-wan, wondering wtf was up with my (then soon-to-be ex-) wife, whom I was sure was my Destiny, the one true love of my life, wondering how or if I could hope to hang on in the face of it all. Something about how melancholy this song was, and the unique, perfect harmonies and arrangements that this supergroup could do so well together, just made me sit there and cry and listen to the whole CD. There is of course no real way to ever be ready for Life's toughest challenges, but at least, I believe that we can look for hope in the inspirations and soul-truths revealed by others before us...
Posted 2 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
 Typesbad wrote:

Oh its definitely on there, and part of what makes this one of my handful of desert island albums.  Still looking for that desert island with a working power outlet. 
I think it was the (UK) Goodies where someone was manually playing LPs on a knitting needle spindle with the corner of an A4 paper sheet acting as the stylus/acoustic horn... Serious wow and flutter!

Posted 2 years ago by kbs    [ Reply ]

kaybee wrote:
Strangely I don't remember this song being on this album.

 That's actually kind of funny.
Posted 3 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Been so long since I heard this excellent folkie classic!
Posted 3 years ago by Joel_Hildebrandt    [ Reply ]
 dischuckin wrote:
was 420 code for something back in 1970? 
 
Yeah, it was code for Still's age (24) at the time. 
Posted 4 years ago by NickDanger    [ Reply ]
was 420 code for something back in 1970? 
Posted 4 years ago by dischuckin    [ Reply ]
In 1972 our old house in Portland, OR looked like the album cover. Well, the hippies are gone, the house is gone but thank god this song lives on.
Posted 5 years ago by Larry_Rosenow    [ Reply ]
Darkly beautiful 
Posted 5 years ago by marcloans1    [ Reply ]
 KurtfromLaQuinta wrote:

kaybee wrote:

Strangely I don't remember this song being on this album.

 steeler wrote:

Indeed.

 
Oh its definitely on there, and part of what makes this one of my handful of desert island albums.  Still looking for that desert island with a working power outlet. 
Posted 5 years ago by Typesbad    [ Reply ]
 ecojot wrote:
beautiful song - always remember that pause between "I" and "embrace"
 
I think he starts to sing the "I grow weary of the torment" line and then remembers the "I embrace" line comes first, thus causing a brief pause. There may have been a toke involved.
Still love this tasty acoustic folky blues tune.
Posted 6 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
beautiful song - always remember that pause between "I" and "embrace"
Posted 6 years ago by ecojot    [ Reply ]
Excellent
sweet and deep little piece from awhile ago  : ) 
Posted 7 years ago by hayduke2    [ Reply ]
 LindyLuv wrote:
What a great cover! I love Aimee Mann's voice. I always play this song on my streaming service along with the Coldplay version. Both are so wonderful.
 
kaybee wrote:

Strangely I don't remember this song being on this album.

 steeler wrote:

Indeed.
Posted 7 years ago by KurtfromLaQuinta    [ Reply ]
how nice is this
Posted 7 years ago by arserocket    [ Reply ]
Definitely not the best song on a very memorable album.
 
Posted 7 years ago by pablo928    [ Reply ]
 Johnny-smooth wrote:

Top five in my book

 
Hard to argue - not that I'm looking for a fight.
Posted 7 years ago by Will62    [ Reply ]
 kaybee wrote:
Strangely I don't remember this song being on this album.

 
Maybe Bill ninja'ed it on there somehow? I hear he's pretty crafty with audio stuff.  {#Wink}
Posted 8 years ago by LowPhreak    [ Reply ]
 pinem wrote:
an all-time top 10 album-  timeless

 
Top five in my book
Posted 8 years ago by Johnny-smooth    [ Reply ]
Not digging it at all.  PSD!
Posted 8 years ago by Johnny_Wave    [ Reply ]
What a great cover! I love Aimee Mann's voice. I always play this song on my streaming service along with the Coldplay version. Both are so wonderful.
Posted 8 years ago by LindyLuv    [ Reply ]
Yep, still awesome.
I'm always amazed at the insight this generation of songwriters had at such a young age.
Posted 8 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
Crosby once said (in an interview with Rolling Stone) that Stills's "trip is when he sings." I've always admired what he does with a somewhat limited voice.
Posted 8 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
Wow... have not heard that one in a long while.  Great song!
Posted 8 years ago by grahamdillabough    [ Reply ]
Imagine this was 41 years ago. You are definitely permitted to have forgotten this gem. 41 years….
Posted 9 years ago by martinc    [ Reply ]
Strangely I don't remember this song being on this album.
Posted 9 years ago by kaybee    [ Reply ]
 The_Walrus wrote:
Beautiful

 
Yep.
Posted 9 years ago by TerryS    [ Reply ]
Beautiful
Posted 9 years ago by The_Walrus    [ Reply ]
         Jumped from an 8 to 10 in one hop.  Hadn't heard this for years - only an 8?  How could I have been so forgetful??     {#Ask}
Posted 9 years ago by Jannne    [ Reply ]
Oh Yeah!  ...timeless is the word!    {#Sunny}
Posted 10 years ago by Jannne    [ Reply ]

Stills could have been a star, if...

if the CIA hat not decided to introduced that white powder!

GREAT SONG!


Posted 10 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
an all-time top 10 album-  timeless
Posted 10 years ago by pinem    [ Reply ]
{#Daisy} ....... wonderful stuff, timeless classic which must be "G O D L I K E"  {#Yes}
Posted 10 years ago by Peter_Bradshaw    [ Reply ]
Great song 9/10 from an all-time top 10 album-timeless.
Posted 10 years ago by pinem    [ Reply ]
 gjeeg wrote:
Raw inspired genius of the self exposed.
How does someone so young write a tune like that?
Searing.

 

Indeed.
Posted 10 years ago by steeler    [ Reply ]
Raw inspired genius of the self exposed.
How does someone so young write a tune like that?
Searing.
Posted 10 years ago by gjeeg    [ Reply ]
Digginit.
Posted 10 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
 Me too
Jazbo wrote:
The memories flush the emmotions right out of me....

 


Posted 10 years ago by blkstd    [ Reply ]
The memories flush the emmotions right out of me....
Posted 10 years ago by Jazbo    [ Reply ]
Finding my mind instantly playing, craving, begging for the Country Girl Suite that comes after on the old recording...  AWESOME, isn't it?!
Posted 10 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
Well, it's a LOT more than 4 + 20 now.  More like 4 + 50.  Still embrace the many-colored beast every now and then, however.
Posted 11 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
 coloradojohn wrote:
So many memories tied up with this one...love hearing it again here on RP! 
 
Old is gold in this album
Posted 11 years ago by maxmox    [ Reply ]
So many memories tied up with this one...love hearing it again here on RP! 
Posted 11 years ago by coloradojohn    [ Reply ]
A real classic album!!
Posted 11 years ago by Dinges,_the_Dude    [ Reply ]
25 yeah?
Posted 11 years ago by richlister    [ Reply ]
 peter_thurlow wrote:
david crosby at his best...play more from this album...thankyou from oz
 
 
Actually, this is Stephen Stills at his best.  His song, his vocal & guitar, with Crosby on backing guitar.
Posted 11 years ago by buddy    [ Reply ]
I've always loved this tune. Glad to see it added to the playlist.
Posted 11 years ago by On_The_Beach    [ Reply ]
david crosby at his best...play more from this album...thankyou from oz
 
Posted 11 years ago by peter_thurlow    [ Reply ]
Always loved this song.  Only flaw is that it's too short.  This one deserves more airplay.
Posted 11 years ago by bachbeet    [ Reply ]
Mine too
Posted 11 years ago by Lichenia,    [ Reply ]
My favorite CSNY album.  I haven't heard this song in a million years!  Thanks RP!{#Daisy}
Posted 11 years ago by dragonlady    [ Reply ]
Blast from the past. Lovely song on an uneven album.
Posted 11 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
Oh, what beautiful sound - another classic has been remastered?
Posted 11 years ago by nagsheadlocal    [ Reply ]