Track by Track: Crosby, Stills & Nash on Their Self-Titled Debut

Stephen Stills: "It was the beginnings of three different songs that suddenly fell together as one. Actually on the demo the middle part is not exactly how they would play. Half of it is it just falls off in its own — but we actually split it in half, and they got started singing and boom, there it went. Once it all was there then we just kept adding parts. When I wrote it I used cardboard shirt-blocking, you know those things from the cleaner's — 'cause they were harder to lose than pieces of paper and they didn't crumple up. I could line them up on music stands and they'd stand up."
Nash: "Probably one of my favorite Crosby, Stills & Nash songs. It's very easy for me to play 'cause I don't. Stephen's the only one that plays on the 'Suite.' "

"Helplessly Hoping"

Nash: "We wrote that with a lot of alliteration. The first time we recorded it was here in New York City at the Record Plant in December 1968. Paul Rothchild was helping us with the record. We did two songs: 'You Don't Have to Cry' and 'Helplessly Hoping.' "
Crosby: "I loved it as a song and I loved what happened with it. We got very lucky, very fortunate with the harmonies on that one. They came out extremely well. We still play it every night."