Deja vu by David Crosby

[Anthony Peake]

One of those songs that has followed me through my life is David Crosby's Deja Vu.This song was originally recorded on the album by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young of the same title. This classic album was released in 1970. I discovered it in early 1972 when my then girlfriend, Christy, used to play it when I was round at her house. Even in those days of my youth this Crosby song resonated with me. If you know the song you will know that it has the most haunting introduction and follows through with some divine harmonisation, mostly by Crosby himself and Grahan Nash.

Over the years I have acquired many different versions of this song and this morning I had my (now famous) Archos playing when the nine minute live version from Crosby's recent live album, It's All Coming Back To Me Now" , came up on random play. Now in my opinion this version is up there with the best because it allows the song "to breathe" as they used to say in the 1970's.

But today I really listened to the lyrics. They are absolutely itladian. As well as the famous refrain "we have all been here before" there is another telling line that says:

"If I had ever been here before I would know just what to do, don't you?"

Here Crosby is saying that a part of him would know what is about to happen next and he would be able to use this foreknowledge to get things right - "I would know just what to do".

Now what struck me about this lyric is that Crosby is clearly not stating that deja vu is evidence of reincarnation. As I understand this he is applying a more Bohmian IMAX interpretation - that we are reliving our own life again and a deja vu experience is evidence of this. So, he considers, why do we not know what to do?

Of course, applying itladian philosophy to this song, we do know what to do ... but only if we listen to our Daemon!

It would be great if we could involve David on this site. I would love to know what motivated him to write this song.

"Do you know
Do you wonder
What's going on
Down under you?"

......"We have all been here before,
We have all been here before" ...

[A Dark Philosopher]

Full lyrics from "Deja Vu" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

"If I had ever been here before I would probably know just what to do
Don't you?
If I had ever been here before on another time around the wheel
I would probably know just how to deal
With all of you.
And I feel
Like I've been here before
Feel
Like I've been here before
And you know
It makes me wonder
What's going on under the ground

Do you know?
Don't you wonder?
What's going on down under you.

We have all been here before
We have all been here before
We have all been here before
We have all been here before"

[Anthony Peake]

Karl,

Ironically enough Dr. Alan Roberts and his wife, Vee, came round to our humble abode for dinner last night. Also was in attendance my second cousin, Avril (mother of the new drummer in the Paul Weller Band!). The discussion ranged round many topics and then Alan, quite out of the blue, brought up the subject of David Crosby!

Now in my mind this is a classic case of your "Kangaroo Effect" but nevertheless it was rather weird. I did not labour the point at the time but I did suggest that Alan take a look at this Forum today sometime.

[A Dark Philosopher]

Karl,

Ironically enough Dr. Alan Roberts and his wife, Vee, came round to our humble abode for dinner last night. Also was in attendance my second cousin, Avril (mother of the new drummer in the Paul Weller Band!). The discussion ranged round many topics and then Alan, quite out of the blue, brought up the subject of David Crosby!

Now in my mind this is a classic case of your "Kangaroo Effect" but nevertheless it was rather weird. I did not labour the point at the time but I did suggest that Alan take a look at this Forum today sometime.

Hmmmmm yes, it does look somewhat "Kangaroo" doesn't it. I'd love to rewind and be present during the discussion to see if, in any way, you subconsciously directed the conversation towards David Crosby (purley for my own Psychological research around Suggestion, as it's possible that the Daemon may be inducing the Eidolon towards conversational direction)
*waves at Alan*

[Anthony Peake]

This afternoon I will be interviewed on BBC Sussex at 1500 (UK time) this afternoon (just under six hours time). I have been asked to chose my all time favourite record (the interview will be autobiographical) and I have decided upon Deja Vu by David Crosby. Really difficult choice because I have so many favourite songs. Quite by chance (if these things are ever simply chance) I came across this posting from a few years ago. In this I explain about the song and its significance.

This interview will be very different to any others involving me in that it will be me talking about me, my life and my motivations. Every other interview I have done has been about my work, not about me. This may be of interest to some of you .... not "Anthony Peake" the writer but "Tony Peake", the guy behind the writer!