CSN&Y – Ohio

July 4, 2009 by Oxford Wright

Watch Ohio video by CSN&Y on Google video.

“Ohio” is a protest song written by Neil Young in reaction to the Kent State shootings of May 4, 1970 and performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. It was released as a single, backed with Stephen Stills’ “Find the Cost of Freedom”, peaking at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. Although a live version of the song was included on the group’s 1971 double album Four Way Street, the studio versions of both songs did not appear on an LP until the group’s compilation So Far was released in 1974.

The record was mastered with the participation of the four principals, rush-released by Atlantic and heard on the radio with only a few weeks delay (this despite the group already having their hit song “Teach Your Children” on the charts at the time). In his liner notes for the song on the Decade retrospective, Young reported that “David Crosby cried when we finished this take.” Crosby can be heard keening “four, why? why did they die?” and “how many more?” in the fade.

Get touched by “Ohio” video on Google.