An exceedingly rare engraved invitation announcing the August 1966 release of Buffalo Springfield’s debut single, ‘Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing,’ sent out by the group’s managers, Charlie Greene and Brian Stone.

As described in the accompanying letter of authenticity from longtime Neil Young/CSN/CSNY associate Joel Bernstein, who assembled the Buffalo Springfield box set:

This letter is to authenticate a humorous engraved invitation sent out by Buffalo Springfield’s management to announce the release of their debut single.  The front reads The Park Commission wishes to announce that your back yard has been selected for a game preserve and that the first shipment of buffalo will arrive at your home very shortly. The inside reads THE BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD c/w nowadays Clancy can’t even sing, go and say goodbye. Atco 6428.  A York Pala Production.  Charles Greene = Brian Stone.

This was given to me by the former head of the Buffalo Springfield Fan Club.  I photographed Neil Young for the first time at his first East Coast show with Crazy Horse, at the Bitter End in New York City, in February 1969. I went on to work with Neil extensively, as both his and CSNY’s tour photographer, and shooting him for eighteen of his album covers (including After The Gold Rush, Harvest, Time Fades Away, Tonight’s The Night, Decade and Rust Never Sleeps) plus numerous other official projects including publicity, advertising, songbooks, posters, et al. On various tours from 1973-1993, I also worked with Neil as his guitar technician; and served as his archivist for 20 years, researching and presenting him with every source for audio, artwork and text used in his massive box set Archives Vol. 1 1963-1972.

This is from my personal collection.  Joel Bernstein

This is the only example we’ve seen of this exceedingly rare Buffalo Springfield/Neil Young/Steven Stills collectible.  In mint condition.  Closed: 4 1/2″ x 5 7/8″.  Open: 9″ x 5 7/8″.  With Joel Bernstein’s letter of authenticity, and Recordmecca’s written lifetime guarantee of authenticity.

From Wikipedia: Neil Young wrote [‘Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing,’]…shortly after returning from a series of performances in Toronto, during a period when his bid at a solo career had been met with little positive response…Commentators recognize “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing” as one of Buffalo Springfield’s signature songs, as well as a milestone in Young’s progression as a songwriter.

The song was the lead single to Buffalo Springfield’s self-titled debut album…The release was accompanied by a series of concerts in which Buffalo Springfield opened for the Byrds and shared bills with Johnny Rivers among others; at the Hollywood Bowl, the group opened for the Rolling Stones.  In addition, Charlie Greene and Brian Stone, Buffalo Springfield’s management team, bartered an advance tape of the Beatles’ ‘A Day in the Life’ to [Los Angeles’] KHJ radioKJKHJradio; in exchange, the station became the first to give “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing” substantial airplay.

The single was successful in Los Angeles but achieved little attention elsewhere. ‘Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing’ was listed at number 110 on the Billboard charts on August 20 before disappearing just a week later.  On the single’s lackluster commercial performance, Richie Furay later suggested ‘Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing’ was “too deep” and “too ambitious” of a choice for the A-side, and considered “Do I Have to Come Right Out and Say It” and “Sit Down I Think I Love You” as songs better suited for pop radio.