Lost Gem: "Cathedral" - Crosby, Stills & Nash (1977)


"Open up the gates of the church and let me out of here!"
--> CSN <--


"CSN" (1977) was David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash's last..."must own" album.

It is solid in every way. Well-written songs with glorious free-waving harmony. (No studio soft-soap tricks, friends.)

This was also their first studio record since the epic classic..."Deja Vu" (1970)...and the guys lay down the gauntlet daring anyone fill their shoes.

Lost Gem--> "Cathedral"...is a cornered badger written by Nash...recalling an acid trip that turned south while visiting the legendary Winchester Cathedral.

Quiet piano leads into thrilling harmonies and pounding keys. The HOF trio unleash vocals with an urgency that understands all to well that familiar panic from a misguided acid voyage.

Have you heard this gem?


Six o' clock
In the morning, I feel pretty good
So I dropped into the luxury of the Lords
Fighting dragons and crossing swords
With the people against the hordes
Who came to conquer.

 Seven o'clock
In the morning, here it comes
I taste the warning and I am so amazed
I'm here today, seeing things so clear this way
In the car and on my way
To Stonehenge.

 I'm flying in Winchester cathedral
Sunlight pouring through the break of day.
Stumbled through the door and into the chamber;
There's a lady setting flowers on a table covered lace
And a cleaner in the distance finds a cobweb on a face
And a feeling deep inside of me tells me
This can't be the place

 I'm flying in Winchester cathedral.
All religion has to have its day
Expressions on the face of the Saviour
Made me say
I can't stay.

 Open up the gates of the church and let me out of here!
Too many people have lied in the name of Christ
For anyone to heed the call.
So many people have died in the name of Christ
That I can't believe it all.

 And now I'm standing on the grave of a soldier that died in 1799
And the day he died it was a birthday
And I noticed it was mine.
And my head didn't know just who I was
And I went spinning back in time.
And I am high upon the altar
High upon the altar, high.

 I'm flying in Winchester cathedral,
It's hard enough to drink the wine.
The air inside just hangs in delusion,
But given time,
I'll be fine.

Good stuff!

Casey Chambers
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