by Richard Skelly » Tue Dec 12, 2017 6:44 am
With a painting of galloping bison on its cover, the Long May You Run album hinted that Stephen Stills and Neil Young wanted to explore the country-tinged rock of their first band...Buffalo Springfield. The title track, however, was not about the celebrated Pontiac hearse that Neil drove from Ontario to California to link up with Stephen and create what became the Springfield. Instead, the song chronicled an earlier hearse, a Buick Roadmaster nicknamed Mort, that Neil drove throughout Ontario until it expired.
The album was equally deceiving with synthesizers and bluesy riffs far removed from the Springfield’s late-60s sound. Apparently it was supposed to be the second studio LP by Crosby Stills Nash and Young. Bickering ensued so Crosby and Nash decamped to record their own duo album. Stills and Young persevered to complete Long May You Run. They even assembled a band and began a supporting tour. After only a few dates, however, Neil split, and left a weird farewell note to Stephen. Within its rambling explanation, was an exhortation for Stills to “Eat A Peach.”