1969 Song of the Day is Marrakesh Express by Crosby, Stills and Nash.  Marrakesh Express is on the self-titled debut album by Crosby, Stills and Nash and was written and sung by Graham Nash. Marrakesh Express was released as a single- backed by Helplessly Hopeless in the summer of 1969 and peaked at #28 becoming CS&N’s first hit single in the US and their only UK Top 40 hit. Nash had written the song while still with The Hollies- The Hollies rejected the song as not commercial enough so he brought it with him to his new group. Rejecting Marrakesh Express and other songs of his would be the main reason Nash would ditch The Hollies.

On a vacation to Morocco in 1966 he took the train from Casablanca to Marrakesh . He began the trip in first class and was bored out of his mind by the people in that section so he left to explore other train carriages where things became more interesting-and the ducks, pigs and chickens mentioned in the song were actually there. Steven Stills was responsible for much of the musicianship on the song- playing guitar, keyboards, bass and percussion.

Iggy Pop in a later interview was highly critical of the song calling it possibly the worst song ever written . I think that is mighty harsh.