History
The title "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" refers to Stephen Stills' former girlfriend, singer/songwriter Judy Collins, and the lyrics to most of the suite's sections consist of his thoughts about her and their imminent breakup. Collins is known for her piercing blue eyes, which are referenced in the title. During a July 15, 2007 interview for the National Public Radio program Just Roll Tape, Stills revealed that Collins was present in the studio when the demo tapes were recorded. Collins had advised Stills "not to stay all night." Stills later commented that their "the breakup was imminent...we were both too large for one house." Stills said that he liked parts of this demo version of "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" better than the released version.
Collins and Stills had met in 1967 and dated for two years. In 1969, she was appearing in the New York Shakespeare Festival musical production of Peer Gynt and had fallen in love with her co-star Stacy Keach, eventually leaving Stills for him. Stills was devastated by the possible breakup and wrote the song as a response to his sadness. In a 2000 interview, Collins gave her impressions of when she first heard the song:
" came to where I was singing one night on the West Coast and brought his guitar to the hotel and he sang me “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” the whole song. And of course it has lines in it that referred to my therapy. And so he wove that all together in this magnificent creation. So the legacy of our relationship is certainly in that song."
CSN actually formed in order to record "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes". Stills and David Crosby had discussed the idea of creating a three-man vocal group, but were unable to find a suitable third partner. Among those seriously considered was John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful. At an informal gathering one evening, Stills and Crosby performed a two-voice version of a new song entitled "You Don't Have to Cry". Graham Nash, who was present at the gathering, asked the duo to sing the song again repeatedly. After several performances, Nash began singing the missing high vocal harmony, resulting in him joining the group shortly thereafter.
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