Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were in high demand in the 70’s, striking a streak of counterculture success with their six singles that individually charted on the Top 40. Five of their six singles, released between 1969 and 1970, embedded in prior albums Crosby, Stills & Nash and Deja Vu, were crafted into the quartet’s first compilation album So Far, a cherry-picked combination bound to swiftly educate those not yet familiar with the supergroup’s smash hits and signature tunes from the late 60’s, mid 70’s in one 45-minute go.
Admittedly, for fans already in the know, Graham Nash confessed the album release was “absurd,” given that the compilation album presented half of their discography thus far, rendering the package a premature highlight reel for a band in its beginning.
Yet for superfans, there was the satisfaction of discovering the combination of “Ohio” with “Find the Cost of Freedom” as its B-side, not to mention the album cover’s art graced by the hands of Joni Mitchell.
Contained within were harmonies on the opener track “Deja Vu” that conveyed a concrete showcase of the CSN&Y’s songwriting strengths, as well as the rock classic “Woodstock,” a cover that transformed Joni Mitchell’s folksy dream of a song into a durable upbeat rocker, frameworked by fueled guitar riffs.
Fans were hungry from the start, so the album, a pastural blend of graceful guitar and emotional conversation, went multi-platinum six times with over 10 million copies sold. So far, so good.
Side A
1. "Deja Vu"
2. "Helplessly Hoping"
3. "Wooden Ships"
4. "Teach Your Children"
5. "Ohio"
6. "Find the Cost of Freedom"
Side B
1. "Woodstock"
2. "Our House"
3. "Helpless"
4. "Guinnevere"
5. "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"
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