Treetop Flyers "Things Will Change"

I was talking with Sean, one of the independent record promoters I talk to on a weekly basis, about this song "Things Will Change" by the band Treetop Flyers, but the conversation quickly switched to a lengthy trip down a Stephen Stills road.

The band is named after a Stills song, and Sean mentioned that of the radio folks who knew the Stills song, many of them had said that "Treetop Flyer" was one of the most requested tunes at their station.

"Put me on that list, too."

Not only do we get frequent requests for this song, I can think of a few voices from the request line, who only request "Treetop Flyer."

It seems pretty odd that it's such a favorite.  Sean admitted that despite being a huge Stephen Stills fan, he was unfamiliar with the song until Ray Lamontagne name-checked it as the tune that inspired Ray to start singing.

But why is it such a listener/cult favorite?

One thought I put forth was that the album that it comes from is out of print.  As I mentioned in a previous post, if you wanted a new copy of the CD, you could find it on Amazon for $100.

But, Good News!  There's a new Stephen Still Box Set out.  The 4 disc set is about $45 bucks.

But, Bad News!  If you just want "Treetop Flyer" you can't have it.  Though you can buy most of the songs on "Carry On" as individual tracks on iTunes or Amazon, there are a handful that are listed as "Album Only."  Meaning they are only sold as part of the full package.

But I supposed 4 CDs for $45 is better than one CD for $100.

Anyway, back the original point . . . here's a band named after that Stephen Stills song, and they're pretty great sounding.  Enjoy!


Hear the song on Youtube.

Stephen Stills “Treetop Flyer”

Radio stations always play songs for Christmas and Halloween, but (perhaps in keeping with an all-too-pervasive social attitude) Veterans and Veterans Day can be forgotten.

Of course, songs about Veterans are not as cheery as “Holly Jolly Christmas” or “The Monster Mash.” And it’s not like people are looking for tunes to play while decorating their home for Veterans Day.

But there are a lot of great songs for and about veterans, so let me point you to a couple, in case you wanted to put together a playlist. Maybe even make a compilation for your favorite Vet as a way to say Thanks.

One of the most requested Library (i.e. not new) songs we have at mvyradio, is Stephen Stills “Treetop Flyer,” about a Vietnam Pilot, who still flies dangerous missions, with the skills picked up at war.

Perhaps the best, angriest, starkest Veterans song, was originally recorded as an upbeat, kick-ass anthem, which obscured the despair of the narrator. Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A." probably SHOULD have been part of his "Nebraska" album, alongside the story of another veteran, the errant brother in "Highway Patrolman." (Check out a neat graphic essay on the Legacy of "Born In The U.S.A" and listen to the clips below for a live version of the song, who's tone matches the lyrics)

You can click through the player below, for more songs about Veterans and Soldiers. Listen to these songs, and their lyrics, and maybe have a moment of thoughtful reflection today.



See Stephen Stills do "Treetop Flyer" with Neil Young, see Bruce do his tune with bombast and angst.

The original version of "Treetop Flyer" is out of print, but you can get it here if you're feeling flush. If not, you can buy a newly released live version.