Woodstock (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Woodstock" | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Song by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | ||
| from the album Déjà Vu | ||
| Released | March 11, 1970 | |
| Recorded | 1969 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Length | 3:52 | |
| Label | Atlantic | |
| Writer(s) | Joni Mitchell | |
| Producer(s) | Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young | |
| Déjà Vu track listing | ||
| Helpless (4) | "Woodstock" (5) | Déjà Vu (6) |
"Woodstock" is a song about the Woodstock Music and Art Festival of 1969.
Joni Mitchell wrote the song from what she had heard from then-boyfriend, Graham Nash, about the festival. She had not been there herself, since she had instead chosen to appear on The Tonight Show. She wrote this song crying at home watching the show on television. It was later released on her third album, Ladies of the Canyon in 1970, on her Shadows and Light album, and again in 1996 on her Hits album.
The song later went on to be hits for Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and Matthews' Southern Comfort, the latter reaching #1 on the UK singles chart for three weeks in October 1970. David Crosby in an interview in the documentary Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind said that Mitchell had captured the feeling and importance of the Woodstock festival better than anyone who had been there.
The song was also featured in a 2002 episode of the HBO series, Six Feet Under, which was also titled "Back to the Garden", from a verse in the lyrics.
In her 2005 book Break, Blow, Burn, critic Camille Paglia wrote a chapter about the song, honoring it as "possibly the most popular and influential poem composed in English since Sylvia Plath's 'Daddy'."
Led Zeppelin incorporated Woodstock's lyrics and structure into live renditions of their song "Dazed and Confused" between 1973 and 1975. This can be seen and heard on the live album The Song Remains The Same as well as the film of the same name, which features a collection of performances (both live and staged) from 1973. The section is used as a preface to the Violin Bow solo. It can be heard on the currently unreleased "Dazed and Confused" section of the video from one of the 1975 Earl's Court concerts.
In the hit video game, Grand Theft Auto:Vice City, the song's lyrics are referenced in one of the radio talk programs.
| Preceded by: "Band Of Gold" by Freda Payne | UK number one single (Matthews Southern Comfort version) October 27 1970 | Succeeded by: "Voodoo Child" by Jimi Hendrix |
[edit] Reference
↑ Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind
[edit] External links
| Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young |
|---|
| David Crosby | Stephen Stills | Graham Nash | Neil Young |
| Discography |
| Crosby, Stills & Nash | Déjà Vu | Four Way Street | So Far | CSN | Replay | Daylight Again | Allies | American Dream | Live It Up | CSN (box set) | After The Storm | Carry On | Looking Forward | Greatest Hits |
| Songs |
| Suite: Judy Blue Eyes | Marrakesh Express | Wooden Ships | Woodstock | Chicago | Ohio | Southern Cross | Helpless | Just A Song Before I Go |
| Other related bands |
| The Byrds | Buffalo Springfield | The Hollies | CPR | Crosby & Nash | Stills-Young Band | Manassas | Crazy Horse |
| Other related people |
| Joni Mitchell | Judy Collins | Chris Hillman | Cass Elliot | Timothy B. Schmit |
