This is my cover of Stephen Stills' song "4 + 20" from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's "Deja Vu" album of 1970. The song is in modal D tuning on the guitar (DADDAD), capo 1 for the original pitch of the song.
This song is very dark, but the good news is that Stephen Stills' life did not "simply cease" back in 1970 or whenever he wrote this song. The lesson to me is that hard times eventually pass away, especially those from lost love.
I usually play with a thumb pick, but after working on this song this week I decided to record it with my bare thumb. The bass notes are less clearly defined with the flesh of the thumb, but the bare thumb lends a kind of warmth to the guitar's sound. I am using my short nails on my fingers to pluck the high strings.
The guitar is my 1967 Martin D-35. Thanks for listening!
- Glenn