WOODSTOCK CD TWO: “How are you fuckers gonna end the war if you can’t sing any louder than than?”
And closing up the first, very folkie night of Friday 15th, 1969, Joan Baez and the CD doesn’t include Joanie discussing her husband David Harris, a jailed conscientious objector. She speaks with pride how David had already organized a hunger strike before singing song one, CD 2
Joe Hill – Joan Baez – I saw Joan Baez play this song in the outdoor theatre in Baalbeck, built by the Romans, in Lebanon. The year? 1975. A terrific pro-worker anthemn from the thirties. Just for the heck of it, here’s the story of Joe Hill thanks Wikipedia: “Joe Hill, born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund, and also known as Joseph Hillström October 7th, 1979 or 1882 – November 19th, 1915) was a Swedish-American, labor activist, songwriter , and member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, also known as the Wobblies). He was executed for murer after a controversial trial. After his death, he was memorialized by several folk singers” Baez was an old pro by 69 and listening to her end the first night that shimmering vibrato and soft like a river vibe lulled Woodstock to sleep. Score: 10/10.
Sweet Sir Galahad – Joan Baez – Lovely voice at service to a song I don’t much care for. Score: 6/10
Hickory Wind – Joan Baez – Wow, the old Gram Parson’s song!!! Last year she covered the T. Bone Burnett/Elvis Costello “The Scarlett Tide” -an antiwar song this side of being a spiritual, but Baez gave it a spiritual yearning and forty years earlier she gave Parson’s signature tune (she’d recorded it on “David’s Album” earlier in 69) a nostalgia that was spiritual rather than personal. Score: 8/10
Drug Store Truck Driving Man – Joan Baez featuring Jeffrey Shurtleff – I guess this was a Byrdsy night, with this Parsons-McGuin country tune. Not bad… not really playing to Joanie’s strengths. Grade: 7/10
They Live the Life – Quill – Listening to psychedelic and very talented Boston boys Quill you might be wondering why they didn’t break big. I guess they ran out of time. The drumming is real good and the native American influence different and I bet a lot of fun on the night. Score: 7/10.
That’s How I Eat – Quill – Blues boogie… wake me up when it’s over. Score: 4/10.
Donovon’s Reef – Country Joe McDonald – Is this cat a one hit wonder? This sux on ice. Score: 4/10
The Fish Cheer- Fixin’ to Die – Here’s the one hit. Look at it this way: IF THERE WAS CONSCRIPTION DURING THE IRAQ WAR SONGS AS GOOD AS THIS ONE WOULD BE AROUND and not crap like Oberst “When The President Speaks To God” or Neil Young’s awful “Impeach The President”. Sure, it borrows froma standard but it is extremely funny and very painful and whatever it means to at the Festival on a Saturday afternoon in 69 it means refusing to fight in a war and singing about and laughing about it. The difference between, say, Muhammad Ali and David Harris and the kids singing along to this song disappeared. 10/10
Persuassion – Santana – The drums on this is unbelievable and Santana is a crazy guitarist. Score: 7/10
Soul Sacrifice – Santana – As always the Latin flavor to Carlos’ guitar is a wonder and the improvisation gifted and I do like the drum solo but man it goes on and on. Score: 6/10
How Have you Been – John Sebastian – I loved Sebastian both with and without Lovin’ Spoonful but this is a crap song. Score: 4/10.
Rainbows All Over your Blues – John Sebastian – Sebastian plays to his sweet melodic sensibilities in this ragged pop come on “About rainbows” Sebastian keeps it simple. Score: 8/10
I Had A Dream – John Sebastian – Thank Jesus’ Ipod, Sebastian had a lot of songs yet to come so we don’t have to judge him on this stuff. Score: 3/10.
The Letter – Incredible String Band – My bet? Alex Chilton took one listen and said, I can write a much better song with that name. Score: 4/10
When You Find Out Who You Are – Incredible String band – Like Elizabethan music for people who have never heard Elizabethan music. Fairport Convention must have been laughing themselves sick. Score: 3/10.
Fifteen songs at $0.98 per song. 7 passes. Value: $6.86. 81/150 = 56.66% final score.
Joe Hill – Joan Baez – I saw Joan Baez play this song in the outdoor theatre in Baalbeck, built by the Romans, in Lebanon. The year? 1975. A terrific pro-worker anthemn from the thirties. Just for the heck of it, here’s the story of Joe Hill thanks Wikipedia: “Joe Hill, born Joel Emmanuel Hägglund, and also known as Joseph Hillström October 7th, 1979 or 1882 – November 19th, 1915) was a Swedish-American, labor activist, songwriter , and member of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, also known as the Wobblies). He was executed for murer after a controversial trial. After his death, he was memorialized by several folk singers” Baez was an old pro by 69 and listening to her end the first night that shimmering vibrato and soft like a river vibe lulled Woodstock to sleep. Score: 10/10.
Sweet Sir Galahad – Joan Baez – Lovely voice at service to a song I don’t much care for. Score: 6/10
Hickory Wind – Joan Baez – Wow, the old Gram Parson’s song!!! Last year she covered the T. Bone Burnett/Elvis Costello “The Scarlett Tide” -an antiwar song this side of being a spiritual, but Baez gave it a spiritual yearning and forty years earlier she gave Parson’s signature tune (she’d recorded it on “David’s Album” earlier in 69) a nostalgia that was spiritual rather than personal. Score: 8/10
Drug Store Truck Driving Man – Joan Baez featuring Jeffrey Shurtleff – I guess this was a Byrdsy night, with this Parsons-McGuin country tune. Not bad… not really playing to Joanie’s strengths. Grade: 7/10
They Live the Life – Quill – Listening to psychedelic and very talented Boston boys Quill you might be wondering why they didn’t break big. I guess they ran out of time. The drumming is real good and the native American influence different and I bet a lot of fun on the night. Score: 7/10.
That’s How I Eat – Quill – Blues boogie… wake me up when it’s over. Score: 4/10.
Donovon’s Reef – Country Joe McDonald – Is this cat a one hit wonder? This sux on ice. Score: 4/10
The Fish Cheer- Fixin’ to Die – Here’s the one hit. Look at it this way: IF THERE WAS CONSCRIPTION DURING THE IRAQ WAR SONGS AS GOOD AS THIS ONE WOULD BE AROUND and not crap like Oberst “When The President Speaks To God” or Neil Young’s awful “Impeach The President”. Sure, it borrows froma standard but it is extremely funny and very painful and whatever it means to at the Festival on a Saturday afternoon in 69 it means refusing to fight in a war and singing about and laughing about it. The difference between, say, Muhammad Ali and David Harris and the kids singing along to this song disappeared. 10/10
Persuassion – Santana – The drums on this is unbelievable and Santana is a crazy guitarist. Score: 7/10
Soul Sacrifice – Santana – As always the Latin flavor to Carlos’ guitar is a wonder and the improvisation gifted and I do like the drum solo but man it goes on and on. Score: 6/10
How Have you Been – John Sebastian – I loved Sebastian both with and without Lovin’ Spoonful but this is a crap song. Score: 4/10.
Rainbows All Over your Blues – John Sebastian – Sebastian plays to his sweet melodic sensibilities in this ragged pop come on “About rainbows” Sebastian keeps it simple. Score: 8/10
I Had A Dream – John Sebastian – Thank Jesus’ Ipod, Sebastian had a lot of songs yet to come so we don’t have to judge him on this stuff. Score: 3/10.
The Letter – Incredible String Band – My bet? Alex Chilton took one listen and said, I can write a much better song with that name. Score: 4/10
When You Find Out Who You Are – Incredible String band – Like Elizabethan music for people who have never heard Elizabethan music. Fairport Convention must have been laughing themselves sick. Score: 3/10.
Fifteen songs at $0.98 per song. 7 passes. Value: $6.86. 81/150 = 56.66% final score.
