Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" | ||||
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Crosby, Stills & Nash singles chronology | ||||
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"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" on YouTube |
"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" is a song written by
Background
The title "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (a
Collins and Stills had met in 1967 and dated for two years. In 1969, she was appearing in the
[Stephen] came to where I was singing one night on the West Coast and brought his guitar to the hotel and he sang me "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," the whole song. And of course it has lines in it that referred to my therapy. And so he wove that all together in this magnificent creation. So the legacy of our relationship is certainly in that song.
Collins elaborated in a 2017 interview:
Afterwards, we both cried – and then I said: "Oh, Stephen, it’s such a beautiful song. But it’s not winning me back." I’ve always understood that people have to write about their lives. Most of all, I felt the song was flattering and heartbreaking – for both of us. Neither one of us walked away from that relationship relieved. We were feeling like, "Whoa, what happened?”[6]
Composition
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2018) |
The recording features an acoustic guitar tuned to EEEEBE ("
"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" has four distinct sections. The shortened version released as a single cut the second and fourth verses from the first section, the third and fourth verses from the second section, and the final verse and preceding break from the third section, and shortened the guitar break between the second and the third sections. The final section is the only part that stayed fully intact.
The first section has four verses, featuring a chorus of "I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are." The lead vocal is performed by Stills, with Crosby and Nash providing harmonies.
The second section is performed in half-time relative to the first section, and features four verses of three-part harmony from the band, with Stills performing a brief vocal solo between the second and third.
This is followed by Stills' acoustic guitar solo, beginning the next section.
The third section features poetic lyrics ("chestnut brown canary, ruby-throated sparrow"). Each of the three phrases is initially sung by Stills, with Nash then joining, and finally Crosby. Connecting the phrases are instrumental breaks performed by Stills on acoustic guitar. There is a conga‑type sound at the end of the song that was attained by beating the back of his Martin guitar.[10]
The final section is sung in Spanish, with "doo-doo-doo-doo-doo" backing vocals until the song concludes. Stills has said that he intentionally made the final stanzas unexpected and difficult, even using a foreign language for the lyrics, "just to make sure nobody would understand it".[11]
Live performances
The final section of the song is included on the CSNY live album (1970).
Critical reception
Writing for The New York Times in 1969, Robert Christgau suggested that while "Stills has become such a sophisticated guitarist that many of his lines lack any straight-on rhythmic compulsion", his "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" is "a structural triumph which could never have been brought off by a more Dionysiac spirit."[12]
"Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" was named the 51st greatest song ever in a 2000 list by
"I love the intricacies of the harmonies and Stills's guitar work," remarked Slipknot front-man Corey Taylor. "This is a favourite."[13]
Legacy
"Weird Al" Yankovic includes a parody ("Mission Statement") on his 2014 album Mandatory Fun; the lyrics are corporate buzzwords strung together in such a way as to be ultimately nonsensical.
The final section has been parodied numerous times, notably in
".Charts
Chart (1969–71) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada 100 (RPM)[4] | 11 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[14] | 30 |
US | 21 |
US Cash Box Top 100[16]
|
15 |
U.S. Record World Top 100[17] | 18 |
References
- ISBN 978-0-19-531024-5.
- ISBN 978-0-429-96325-4.
- ISBN 978-1-350-10745-8.
- ^ a b "RPM Top Singles Chart" (PDF). RPM. RPM archives. Ottawa: Library and Archives Canada. November 29, 1969. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
- ^ "'All Things Considered': 'Lost' Stephen Stills Recordings Released". Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- ^ Farber, Jim (21 Sep 2017). "Judy Collins on Stephen Stills: 'I said, it's such a beautiful song, but it's not winning me back'". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ "Classic Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Selections from Déjà Vu and Crosby Stills & Nash [Authentic Guitar-Tab Edition] © 1993 Warner Bros. Music
- ^ "Classic Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: Selections from Déjà Vu and Crosby Stills & Nash [Authentic Guitar-Tab Edition] © 1993 Warner Bros. Music
- ^ "Alternate Guitar Tuning".
- ^ "Classic Tracks: Crosby, Stills & Nash 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes'".
- ISBN 0-312-21930-X.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (June 8, 1969). "The Byrds Have Flown--But Not Far". The New York Times. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
- ^ "iPod Roulette". Classic Rock. No. 129. March 2009. p. 20.
- ^ "Crosby, Stills & Nash – Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Crosby, Stills & Nash Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, November 29, 1969". Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
- ^ "RECORD WORLD MAGAZINE: 1942 to 1982". worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved 2020-12-28.