Well, we've posted quite a variety of strange things over the years but this is one of the odder ones for sure.
We recall having a cassette tape of this but completely forgot about it. We seemed to recall that Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young were on the This Is Tom Jones TV program but didn't realize that Tom Jones actually performed with CSNY on the song "Long Time Gone".
From our friend on Sugar Mountain come the details of the recording on 1969-09-06 at ABC Studios in Los Angeles, California. CSNY also performed "You Don't Have To Cry".
Recorded just weeks after their 2nd public performance at the Woodstock Festival, CSNY were a very hot act. And Tom Jones appears to have wanted to get in on the deal.
So strange bedfellows indeed.
the version of LONG TIME GONE aired was a sloppily edited combination of (at least)two takes...I taped it off the TV onto a reel to reel with handheld mics..THIS version is pretty poorly edited as well...but it rocks, and that's what matters, right?
ReplyDeleteCSNY & TJ. What a combo. I'd give Crosby a gold star for going along with this one. Seems it was one of those 'anything' for stardom tricks. Who's up next, Doris Day? Not a terrible rendition, good harmonies for sure.
ReplyDeleteas I recall, Crosby has said that at the time he was in no position to accept or reject ANY idea--I think Christine had recntly been killed in a car crash...NEIL prolly had reservations lol
ReplyDeleteI saw this a couple of days ago, Neil looks stoned. Great organ, great rockin' performance.
ReplyDeleteHorrific!
ReplyDeletecrazy!!!
ReplyDeletetom jones comes from my home town
been a neil young fan for years ..but never a tom jones fan!!
Tom Jones for the Bridge Benefit concerts, 2012! (Completely sincere!)
ReplyDeleteI never cease to be amazed at what turns up on these pages…CSNY singing with Tom Jones, who would have thought it? Actually though I think it really rocks.
ReplyDeleteSay what you like about Tom Jones, and I must say I`ve never been a fan of his ballads or anything else much, but he can certainly belt it out. He knows how to sing and puts his heart and soul into it, always has and still does.
Yes, Neil is either stoned or totally embarrassed by the whole thing...possibly both.
stoned. Tom Jones puts their vocals to shame.
DeleteProps for the very high production values for that time. Nash is laughing and so is Crosby
ReplyDeleteVery high production values for 1969
ReplyDeleteHoly Jeez, this is absolutely *amazing*! Had Tom Jones ever had a backup band like CSN&Y (with Dallas & Greg), judging from what I hear here I would have absolutely RUN to buy the album! This sounds heavier than anything Rare Earth put out! The CSNY harmonies really shine on backup (heck, they make great leads too), and Stephen really lets loose with his vocal (I had to rewind the video a couple of times to make sure who was singing those high, high parts). Man, if TV had more of this! Wish my NYA Blu-Ray box had this... Could Neil be prompted to make this available as a BDLive download? Or does the fact someone else wrote it make it improbable?
ReplyDeleteTJ apparently had LOTSA Rock/Pop acts on his show...My Mom and I watched almost every week...but I don't remember the Who the Moody Blues Cocker the Hollies...
ReplyDeleteAfter a couple more views, this thing is rockin, and Tom Jones is belting it, as is Stills - might be a bit of a competition going there for Stevie. The Neil personna I see here is fairly similar for the times, a bit before he seemed more comfortable, though that's not to rule out the possible indifference or the probable stonage.
ReplyDeleteCrosby was supposedly pissed because he percieved Tom Jones to be square and himself to be super-hip. But in reality Tom Jones was a helluva singer and holds his own more than nicely. It's about the music, man.
ReplyDeleteCSNYJ.
Variety shows like Tom Jones, Smother's Brothers, Cavette, Cash, Shindig, and Hullaballoo were the only way most of us saw our music legends on the television when they weren't on tour. One day Janis is playing a variety show on television, and the next week she's dead.
ReplyDeleteI would put money on it that TJ's pot was probably much better than what David was smoking at the time, square or not. The only difference i could tell at the different concerts was that the ladies threw their undies at TJ while he was performing; the ladies weren't wearing anything underneath at CSN&Y.
I'm looking at a very young Greg Reeves; was he like 14 at the time?
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't see what Neil would be embarrassed about Tom Jones interjecting much needed R& B into a R& B song.
Love It! It absolutley rocks.
ReplyDeleteDug
LOL, Johnny! Only when Billy Preston wasn't in town! He is listed on "keyboards" for many of his albums with few exceptions. I do remember Billy Preston's fingerwork on "Marianne."
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ReplyDeleteJohnny, I don't remember Stephen sitting down at the keyboards during concerts I attended when he played with the boys (CN&Y). There was two summers where they toured together and all I can remember is the dualing guitar riffs and weaves between Stephen & Neil and the vocal harmonies for which they were famous. When he toured with Manassas, he usually had Jerry Aiello on keyboard. He ended up doing studio add ons and vocal mixes for recording purposes after the fact.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else?
I've actually got a longer clip of this, which has CSNY backing up Tom Jones on 'It's Not Unusual'. Really . . .
ReplyDelete1/06/2012 04:59:00 PM - OK, let's see it. Pls share & post a link. A lot of folks would enjoy if you did.
ReplyDeleteThanks in advance.
ya I didn't think so!
ReplyDeleteThis clip is a great example of that 'synergy' that can sometimes (not always) occur when disparate musical backgrounds 'jam' - Especially during the 'first exposure' between two different types each musician is 'pushed' or 'pulled' into a musical groove they've never exactly been in before. Something new results from the fusion - and the musicians know it on the spot. Rare, fleeting, exceptionally interesting to watch/hear. I've seen, and know the music of all these folks - never conceived of them being together - expands ones horizons.
ReplyDeleteNeil's guitar interjections are rockin' so he must've been into it. The add a lot to the performance. He was wrong to think this was a mistake and to give his manager a hard time for it later. Being snooty over some narrow perception of cool. Fact is Tom's vocal was astounding and the only down side to this musically is when Stills fails to hit a few of those high notes he was - competitively it seems - aiming for.
ReplyDelete