Southern Cross: The long journey of a song through time, oceans and pain

There are songs that flash and fade—and there are songs like "Southern Cross" that endure like constellations in the sky. The story of this Crosby, Stills & Nash classic begins not in a studio, but in a vision—and it unfolds over nearly a decade in three crucial stages.

Phase 1: The birth of the idea
Sometime in 1974 – while the world oscillated between post-hippie disillusionment and soft-rock optimism – Michael and Richard Curtis, known as The Curtis Brothers , were working on a new album in Los Angeles. Among their drafts: a song entitled "Seven League Boots" . It was a poetic piece, a mystical sketch about longing, wanderlust and the superhuman power of love – carried by the metaphor of the seven-league boots. Together with two voices that were not yet legendary at the time – Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks – the brothers recorded the song at Sound City Studios. But for reasons unknown, "Seven League Boots" remained in the shadows, unreleased and almost forgotten.

Phase 2: The song meets the seeker
Four years later, 1978. Stephen Stills is touring Europe with Crosby, Stills & Nash. Behind the scenes, the band's harmony has long been more fragile than their three-part vocals. Between two concerts, Stills cruises through the Alps in a Mercedes with producer Ken Wise – a scene straight out of a road movie. On the cassette deck: Curtis Brothers demos. When "Seven League Boots" starts playing, Stills's ears perk up. Something in the melody – perhaps the hovering hope, perhaps the underlying sadness – strikes him right in the heart. While still in the car, he asks if he can take on the song. Michael Curtis agrees – the song has found its new captain.

Phase 3: Pain, Sails and Constellations
What follows is a turning point. Stills is in the midst of a personal crisis—his marriage to French singer Véronique Sanson has failed, and he is artistically blocked. In this darkness, he follows the call of his friends and sets sail with them—a journey to the South Pacific, both metaphorical and real. On the water, far from everything, he writes the new lyrics: nautical, yearning, full of wistfulness and reflection. Southern Cross is born—named after the constellation that has guided sailors across the ocean for centuries.

The song appeared on the album Daylight Again in 1982. It was immediately recognizable as something special: melancholic yet uplifting, carried by the unmistakable CSN harmony—a song about loss, hope, and moving on. It became a classic.

Afterglow: The new voice of the classic
Almost 40 years later, Southern Cross reaches a new audience – through a cover version that's more than just a reproduction. The semi-professional Atlanta band Foxes & Fossils gives the song a freshness that gets under your skin. The female voices – led by Amie Purcell and her friends – glide through the harmonies like a sail through the waves, while lead singer Darwin Conort lends the song a new emotional depth. Over 50 million views on YouTube speak for themselves: Even generations later, people find comfort, remembrance, and direction in the light of Southern Cross .