CSNY Freedom Of Speech Tour Film, Soundtrack

Four voices, three chords, two guitars and the truth.

By Blurt Staff

CSNY: Déjà Vu LIVE (Reprise) is a sixteen track audio companion to CSNY: Déjà Vu, the new documentary film directed by Neil Young that opens in theaters and video-on-demand July 25 via Lionsgate. The album, likewise, arrives in stores on July 22.  

The film chronicles Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s 2006 North of American Freedom of Speech Tour that focused on the musicians’ stand against the War in Iraq and the impact that conflict has had on public opinion.  While the documentary deals with the interaction between the band, audience, media and general population, the album includes full-length versions of songs that are heard as excerpts in the film.  In some ways, the album serves as a kind of live greatest hits collection augmented by key songs from Young’s earlier, controversial Living With War album. It offers the listener an opportunity to experience the legendary group’s repertoire through the prism of contemporary conflict.   In the film, songs from the tour are woven together with archival material, news footage, and audience reaction and observations, as issues surrounding the integration of politics and art are examined and observed.

The performances are presented as they happened, with no overdubs — with the exception of a 100 voice choir which was recorded prior to the tour at Capitol Records Studios in Hollywood.  Concert audiences heard the choir’s performance piped into concert venues so that aspect is retained in the album as it serves to replicate the actual concert experience. 

In a recent Billboard interview, Young who produced the album with filmmaker L.A. Johnson explained the idea behind the approach: “It really is CSNY. It’s not overdubbed, There’s no fixes. It’s straight from the board.  The basic mixes are the mixes that people heard when we were playing it. So it's got rough spots all the way through it, which I think is refreshing, especially considering the subject matter. It is what it is, and that's the message of the music.”  Backing musicians who performed on the tour and heard on the album include Rick Rosas (bass), Chad Cromwell (drums), Spooner Oldham (keyboards), Ben Keith (pedal steel) and Tom Bray (trumpet).  100 Voices Choir was conducted by Darrell Brown and Rosemary Butler.

Track Listing:

 1.  What Are The Names (David Crosby)

 2.  Living With War Theme (Neil Young)

 3.  After The Garden (Neil Young)

 4.  Military Madness (Graham Nash)

 5.  Let's Impeach The President (Neil Young)

 6.  Déjà Vu (David Crosby)

 7.  Shock and Awe (Neil Young)

 8.  Families (Neil Young)

 9.  Wooden Ships (David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Paul Kantner)

10.  Looking For A Leader (Neil Young)

11.  For What Its Worth (Stephen Stills, Richard Furay)

12.  Living With War (Neil Young)

13.  Roger And Out (Neil Young)

14.  Find The Cost of Freedom (Stephen Stills)

15.  Teach Your Children (Graham Nash)

16. Living With War Theme (Neil Young)