Marrakesh Express

"Marrakesh Express"
Single by Crosby, Stills & Nash
from the album Crosby, Stills & Nash
Released	1969
Recorded	1968
Genre	Rock
Length	2:38
Label	Atlantic
Writer(s)	Graham Nash
Producer	Bill Halverson David Crosby Graham Nash Stephen Stills
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David Crosby and Graham Nash in 2011

"Marrakesh Express" is a song recorded by Crosby, Stills, and Nash, which they released on their 1969 self-titled debut album. The author of its lyrics and composer of its music, Graham Nash, a former member of The Hollies, had originally intended to record the song with them. Indeed, the Hollies made a failed attempt at recording the song. A basic backing track still exists in the band's vault.

Marrakesh is a city in Morocco famous for leather goods. The Marrakesh Express is a train Nash took on a trip there from Casablanca in 1966. The lyrics are filled with the sights, sounds and "vibes" that he encountered on the trip. In an interview, Nash told Rolling Stone magazine that at first he traveled in the first-class compartment. But he found it "fucking boring." Thus he went to sit with hoi polloi and the "ducks and pigs and chickens."

References

Warner, Jay (2006). American Singing Groups: A History, from 1940 to Today. Hal Leonard. p. 486. ISBN 0634099787. 

Pareles, John; Holly George-Warren, Patricia Romanowski (2001). American Singing Groups: A History, from 1940 to Today. Fireside. p. 224. ISBN 0743201205.