"Southern Cross" is a song written by Stephen Stills, Rick Curtis, and Michael Curtis and performed by the rock band Crosby, Stills & Nash. It was featured on the band's Daylight Again album and was released as a single in September 1982. Stephen Stills sings lead throughout, with Graham Nash joining on the second verse. Because David Crosby did not reunite with Stills and Nash until the album was well underway, his vocals are not featured on the album version, although he did appear in the video and subsequently sang the song with the group in live performances. The single was a success on the charts, reaching No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in late November and early December 1982.

"Southern Cross" is based on the song "Seven League Boots" by Rick and Michael Curtis. Stills explained, "The Curtis Brothers brought a wonderful song called 'Seven League Boots,' but it drifted around too much. I rewrote a new set of words and added a different chorus, a story about a long boat trip I took after my divorce. It's about using the power of the universe to heal your wounds. Once again, I was given somebody's gem and cut and polished it."

The song title and lyrics reference the Crux constellation, known as the Southern Cross.

Lyrics

Oooh ...

Got out of town on a boat goin' to Southern islands

Sailing a reach before a followin' sea

She was makin' for the trades on the outside

And the downhill run to Papeete

Off the wind on this heading lie the Marquesas

We got eighty feet of the waterline nicely making way

In a noisy bar in Avalon I tried to call you

But on a midnight watch I realized why twice you ran away

Think about

Think about how many times I have fallen

Spirits are using me larger voices callin'

What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

(Around the world) I have been around the world

(Lookin') Lookin' for that woman girl

(Who knows she knows) Who knows love can endure

And you know it will

When you see the Southern Cross for the first time

You understand now why you came this way

'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from is so small

But it's as big as the promise, the promise of a comin' day

So I'm sailing for tomorrow my dreams are a dyin'

And my love is an anchor tied to you tied with a silver chain

I have my ship and all her flags are a' flyin'

She is all that I have left and music is her name

Think about

Think about how many times I have fallen

Spirits are using me larger voices callin'

What Heaven brought you and me cannot be forgotten

(I've been around the world) I have been around the world

(Lookin') Lookin' for that woman girl

Who knows love can endure

And you know it will, and you know it will

Yes

Oooh ...

So we cheated and we lied and we tested

And we never failed to fail, it was the easiest thing to do

You will survive being bested

Somebody fine will come along, make me forget about loving you

In the Southern Cross