Listen to this man. Seven years of college, you know. Trying to reason with 2020 and, now, 2022.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Woodstock: Forty Years On-- Part 5

Concluding Bob Stroud's Time Warp back to the mother of all music festivals, Woodstock.

WOODSTOCK-- MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT-- An English band had a hit in the spring of 1971.
LAY DOWN (CANDLES IN THE RAIN)-- MELANIE-- She went by her first name professionally, her last name was Safka. From the summer of 1970, Melanie played Woodstock, and during her set it started raining so hard that she struggled through. And when the rain cleared, she noticed that a large portion of the audience had lit candles to alert everyone that everything was alright and bright. The scene so moved her that it was the inspiration for this song that was a huge hit for her one year later. I don't know who the bass player was, but he really lays it down. (This song always reminds me of the riots at Northern Illinois University after Kent State. The campus radio station was playing it.)

STAND-- SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE-- It's 3:30 in the morning. For my money, one of the best bands to take the stage.
EVERYDAY PEOPLE-- SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE--

THE WEIGHT-- BAND-- The group didn't have very far to travel. They lived in upstate New York and hung out in Woodstock for the most part and recorded their first album in Woodstock.
I'M GOING HOME-- TEN YEARS AFTER-- Bringing out the heavy artillery.

IZABELLA-- JIMI HENDRIX-- For the seriously depleted throng that stuck around to the bitter end, Jimi Hendrix made it worth their while.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS-- JOE COCKER-- If there is one song that took place in that three-day weekend that pretty much sums up the full experience, it seems to me that this would be it, because without a whole lot of people getting together and acting like friends to pull it off. (At least I think Joe sang this song. Who knows what he was singing?)

Three Days of Great Music. --RoadDog

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