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The moral of the following story: Don't bet against Graham Nash!
It was 1977, and Graham was leaving his home in Hawaii to go on tour. On the way to the airport, his driver (Trivia: supposedly a drug dealer, but that has no real bearing on the story) said something along the lines of, "Hey, Mr. Big Shot Songwriter. We've got 15 minutes. I bet you can't write a song before you go."
Graham said, "How Much?"
The Driver said, "$500."
Fifteen minutes later, Graham had written "Just a Song Before I Go," and was $500 richer!
He took the song to David Crosby and Stephen Stills and together they recorded it for their album "CSN." (Neil Young was not with the group at that particular point.)
The song was only 2 minutes and 14 seconds long, but that didn't matter. When it was released as a single, it climbed right into the Top 10, reaching #7.
Music critics loved it. Billboard called it "hypnotically soothing." Cashbox said it featured "an unmistakable vocal blend with smooth guitar licks by Shephen Stills and a gentle melody."
"Just a Song Before I Go" by Crosby, Stills & Nash. Was it a "Great Song of 1977?" You bet! :-)
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