"Got It Made" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Song#:  3788

Date:  02/04/1989

Debut:  96

Peak:  69

Weeks:  8

Genre:  Soft Rock, Folk-Rock

Pop Bits:  The 1969 self-titled debut album by Crosby, Stills & Nash was highly successful, but when they added Neil Young for 1970's Déjà Vu, the quartet became legendary. The #1 album would eventually go on to be the best selling album of any of the member's careers at over seven million copies. Unfortunately, after a tumultuous tour, the quartet would break up. There was an attempt to regroup and record a new album, but that ultimately failed. They were finally able to reunite for a '74 tour, which led to a second attempt at a new album, but it didn't happen. Finally in '76, the original CSN reunited and the following year released CSN. It would get to #2 and spawn the band's most successful single, the #7 "Just a Song Before I Go." It would take another five years before the trio would get another album out, the platinum #8 Daylight Again. The group would be sidelined again with the legal and health/addiction issues surrounding David Crosby. At some point in time, Neil Young told Crosby that if he got clean he would rejoin the group. After Crosby got through rehab and a prison stint, Young kept his word and the quartet got back together to record a new album. American Dream would be ready near the end of  '88 and the title track song would be issued out as the first single. Despite making it to #4 at Rock, the song failed to reach the Pop chart. A second single, "Night Time for the Generals," would do far worse only getting to #39 Rock. Still, it was decided that a third single would be pushed out and "Got It Made" was selected. It ended up reaching #1 at Rock while also getting to #11 AC. Despite those positive results, the tune couldn't make much of a dent in the Pop chart. The album, which had not been critically well-received, peaked at #16. It would eventually be certified platinum. This song would be the last one from either the trio or quartet to make the Pop chart. CSN would continue on and record three more albums with their last one coming in 1999. None of them were big sellers. They would continue to tour and occasionally Neil Young would join them.

 

ReduxReview:  Well, the lovely harmonies were still there, but other than that, this was a bit of a disappointment. The song was not that engaging and it sounded like they were going for a more modern, radio-ready production sheen that didn't quite fit well with the band's folk-rock sound. Even worse was the title track that seemed to be reaching for a Motown feel. Being the quartet's first effort since 1970, no one should have expected a return to the Déjà Vu days, but one would think that the quality of the writing would still be pretty solid. It wasn't and the more "hip" 80s production didn't help.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  In 1997, Crosby, Stills & Nash would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It would just be the trio version of the band that would be inducted. Neil Young was not included, which was a bit controversial and irksome to some folks. Although Young appeared on two studio albums with CSN including the classic Déjà Vu the RRHoF most likely considered the quartet a different band apart from CSN, who had six studio albums to their name. To-date, CSN has been the only group where all members have been inducted twice. David Crosby got in as a member of The Byrds in 1991. Graham Nash would go in with The Hollies in 2001. In an odd turn, Stephen Stills would get both of his inductions on the same night. Along with CSN, Stills would go in as a member of Buffalo Springfield. Had Neil Young been inducted with CSN, he would have been the first to be a three-time member. Young had been inducted as a solo artist in 1996, and then, oddly, in 1997 he got in as a member of Buffalo Springfield (the same year as CSN). He didn't get the opportunity to set that record, but another artist would be a three-time member in 2000. Eric Clapton would go in with The Yardbirds in '92, then Cream in '93. Finally, he would go in as a solo artist in 2000. To-date, Clapton remains the only three-time member of the Hall of Fame.

_________________________________________________________________________________