Deeply depressed by his recent breakup with Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash sits at the piano and wrote one of his greatest songs, the upsetting "Simple Man". A song in which he says that he still loves he just wanted to hold her in his arms, not belittling ("Just wanna hold you, do not wanna hold you down."). And all the lovers who have ever had a broken heart can be found in this album a beautiful purity with simple orchestrations, illuminated by a Californian sun is already setting over the dreams hippies. Just like the cover of the photograph taken by the musician himself, Songs for Beginners is the sentimental portrait of a young Englishman still amazed to discover the great potential afforded it by the United States. While he has just completed "Déjà Vu" with CSN & Y, he does not hesitate to surround himself with exceptional musicians to make a completely personal album. Indeed we find at his side Phil Lesh and Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, Dave Mason of Traffic, David Crosby, PP Arnold and Rita Coolidge in the choruses, Bobby Keyes on sax, violin David Lindley, and the rhythm section of CSN Fuzzy Samuels and Dallas Taylor. And despite the participation of this dish, the disk still retains an intimate ambiance and connects the heads of friendly lumber, "Military Madness" to "Sleep Song", through "I Used to be a King," "Better Days "and - of course - the political and humanist hymn" Chicago ". This edgy disc is absolutely perfect from the first to the last note. Its sounds - beautifully restored by an exemplary remastering - have not aged. And it is one of two or three heads of absolute works of the Golden Age of the West Coast. As such, it is essential for any classic rock fan who respects himself. Unquestionably.