Guest Author - Lisa Shea
Crosby Stills Nash & Young put together a true classic with Deja Vu. I enjoy pretty much every song here, and they songs are just as relevant today as when the album was released.
Carry On starts out the set with a general questioning of the paths we take in the world. "The questions of a thousand dreams". I love the rhythms in the song, and of course the harmonies are just incredible.
"Teach your Children" is more of a country / folk song, complete with twang. The lyrics are classic. They talk about having a code you can live by, to lead your own life and to pass along to the younger generation. "Teach your children well ... feed them on your dreams". Every person who has helped to mentor a child knows this feeling.
Almost Cut my Hair may seem silly and trite in modern times, when you can do pretty much what you want to your hair or look. It's important to think back to the time, where a guy having long hair was *incredibly* looked down on by many people. Signs in windows would bar long-hairs from entering. It's hard to imagine what you could do in modern times to even compare in perceived "wrongness" - maybe go into a store naked?
Helpless has an incredibly powerful angst to it. When they loop through the "Helpless, helpless" chorus, you can relate to that feeling at a very primal level. We've all been there.
Woodstock is a great, rhythmic tune that is perfect for road trips. Again, the lyrics and harmonies help lift this song up from the traditional "story" song.
Deja Vu has everything. Gorgeous, intricate harmonies, a really neat rhythm, and fascinating lyrics. Kudos on this one.
Our House is one of my favorite songs in general about simply "being" in a happy relationship. It talks about the little touches - the flowers, the fire, just sitting, enjoying each other. You don't need money to be happy. You don't need fancy cars and bling. You just need a person to be happy with.
This whole CD is a great collection of meaningful songs that are a pure joy to listen to. Highly recommended!
Buy Deja Vu from Amazon.com
