Woodstock (Alternate Studio Mix)

Hey there, Zoo Freaks! Your favorite hippie DJs at THE ZOO are spinning the "Woodstock (Alternate Studio Mix)" by Crosby, Stills & Nash from their CSN (Box Set). This track, written by Joni Mitchell, captures the spirit of the 1969 Woodstock festival, even though Mitchell herself couldn’t attend. She penned the song after hearing about the event from her then-boyfriend, Graham Nash, who performed there with the band. The lyrics, with their talk of a "child of God" and getting "back to the garden," reflect Mitchell’s view of Woodstock as a modern miracle, a moment of unity and optimism for half a million people. The Crosby, Stills & Nash version, beefed up with Neil Young’s searing guitar riffs and Stephen Stills’ lead vocals, became the anthem of the festival, outshining Mitchell’s more stripped-down original from her Ladies of the Canyon album.

Dive into some juicy trivia: the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performance at Woodstock was only their second gig as a quartet, and they were, in Stephen Stills’ words, “scared shitless.” Facing a massive crowd and musical legends like Jimi Hendrix watching from the sidelines, the pressure was on. Neil Young was so uneasy that he refused to be filmed, threatening anyone who came near him with a camera, believing the focus should stay on the music, not the spectacle. Interestingly, an earlier version of the song was recorded in September 1969 at the Record Plant in New York, with Jimi Hendrix himself joining Stills and Buddy Miles. This raw cut, featuring Hendrix on bass and overdubbed guitar, wasn’t released until 2018 on Hendrix’s Both Sides of the Sky. The CSNY studio mix we’re spinning today, with its tight harmonies and electric energy, helped cement the song’s legacy, selling over six million copies as part of their 1974 compilation So Far, with cover art painted by none other than Joni Mitchell.

Now, let’s rewind to how Crosby, Stills & Nash came to be. The trio formed in 1968, born from the ashes of three iconic bands. David Crosby had been ousted from The Byrds in 1967 due to creative and personal clashes. Stephen Stills was fresh off the breakup of Buffalo Springfield, which he’d co-founded with Neil Young. Graham Nash, meanwhile, left British pop-rockers The Hollies seeking a freer, more experimental sound. The three met through mutual connections, including Cass Elliot of The Mamas & The Papas, and discovered their voices blended like magic during an impromptu jam session. By 1969, they signed with Atlantic Records, dropped their self-titled debut album, and brought in Neil Young for touring, forming CSNY. Their intricate harmonies and politically charged folk-rock made them counterculture icons, though internal tensions often led to breakups and solo ventures.

Want to keep up with Crosby, Stills & Nash? Check out their official website at crosbystillsnash.com for news and tour updates. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for throwback photos and behind-the-scenes goodies. Their X account keeps the vibe alive with fan interactions and music snippets. For deeper dives, join the fan community at CSN&Y Fan Group on Facebook, where Zoo Freaks like you share rare recordings and memories. You can also explore fan-curated content at 4waysite.com, a treasure trove for CSNY devotees. Keep groovin’, Zoo Freaks!