Tuesday Tunes: Woodstock

I guess I shoulda waited until the anniversary of Woodstock next month to post these various versions of the song... but when I found all three versions on Youtube, I got excited and impatient.

As we know, all three could disappear by August, due to ongoing record company greed. So, I decided to post them now.

Which version do you like best?

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First, the author's version.

Woodstock - Joni Mitchell



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Second, the movie soundtrack version.

Woodstock - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young



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And finally, one of Daisy's special (and little-known) fangirl versions, with fabulous mystical loop-de-loop guitar riffs, played all over the place in 1970 and mostly forgotten since.

I know, musical heresy, but this is my favorite version of the song!

Woodstock - Matthews Southern Comfort (great visuals!)



Enjoy!

Friday Earworms

Is everyone having an excellent start to the weekend? If you need some musical accompaniment, you've come to the right place.

Currently, I am preparing for our trip to Charlotte for HeroesCon... unfortunately, it will be even hotter tomorrow than it is now. Hydration! Packing extra kombucha and Tramadol.

Maybe I'll even meet up with my Blogdonia heroine and alter ego, Fanboy Wife. Perhaps we should have some kind of 12-Step meeting while we're there, modeled on Al-Anon: Are you married to a Fanboy? Chances are, you're as addicted to sick behavior as he is!

NO, NO, I refuse to believe it! Denial, denial!

PS: It's been awhile since I've shared my earworms, so here you go.

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I recently heard this gem on our local wonder-station, WPCI-AM, and I've been hearing it in my head ever since. Just beautiful!

Passion Play - Joni Mitchell



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This one also comes courtesy of WPCI... Good Lord, will you listen to this woman SING?! I have no idea how old this tune is, but it sounds ancient... raw and unglossed. Lovelovelove!

A Fool in Love - Ike and Tina Turner



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I was worried, the last time I posted a song by Journey, that I'd jeopardized my musical cred... and whaddaya know, Journey's been rehabbed! Tony Soprano, we owe him.

This is what is known as a "power ballad" (did Journey actually invent the power ballad?), and if I hear it just once, these lovely intertwining riffs stay lodged in my head for weeks.

Weeks, I tell you.

Send her my love - Journey



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This song has plagued me since the death of my father in late April; I'm hoping once I post it here, it will stop continuously haunting me.

Probably not, though.

Mansion on a Hill - Hank Williams



Hope you all have a great weekend.

Listen up!

Yeah, running waaaay behind... I guess these were supposed to be posted on MUSIC MONDAY, but I find that I get those sorts of things terribly confused. (Who decided on this stuff, anyway?)

Sorry for getting my blogging-traditions all tangled up! Hopefully, you will find at least one song you enjoy.

...

Below, Wishbone Ash, which is one of the all-time great rock-band names.

I wish they'd lasted a little longer, because I love that name.

In my dreams everything was all right...

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Blowin Free - Wishbone Ash (1973)



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I can guarantee that this won't last long, and the powers-that-be will likely yank it by nightfall. So, have a look NOW! It's from the old Midnight Special vault, currently selling as a box-set for astronomical amounts of money. (But I want it FREE.)

I don't know what's more amazing, Johnny Thunders' guitar, David Johansen leaping about on those deadly platform shoes and screaming like a maniac (meant in a good way), or Jerry Nolan, the drummer who actually came to party of mine once... possibly the highlight of my life and I didn't even know it. (Jerry Nolan, Johnny Thunders, Arthur 'Killer' Kane, R.I.P.)

Talkin bout PERS-ON-ALITY, YEAH YEAH YEAH!!

Personality Crisis - The New York Dolls (1973)



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Just finished the fabulous history by Sheila Weller titled Girls Like Us, about the lives of Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon. Gossip in triplicate! Highly recommended by DEAD AIR!

And it reminded me of all the cool songs by these wonderful wimminz. The book actually goes into details of what the songs were about, who inspired them, etc.

Interesting detail: Weller reports that they knew the following song would be a hit when secretaries at the record company started making copies of the demo for themselves.

When lots of us first heard it, we just stopped dead in our tracks. Calling it a "woman's song" is something of an understatement.

BTW, will you just LOOK at her? Natural beauty, totally stunning. We all wanted SO BADLY to look like Carly! (sigh)

That's the way I've always heard it should be - Carly Simon (1972)



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Of course, you all know that Carole King was writing hits when she was freaking 17 years old! An unbelievable protege and talent, as well as a national treasure.

She also liked to get married as many times as my mother. As her songs always made clear--a born-romantic, always starry-eyed, swooning and idealistic.

My God, I love this song with a passion--any version, by anybody. The line, "Tonight the stars put on a show for free," illustrated the way I always felt about the radio, that magic place where I first encountered Carole's immense talent as a wee one.

Up on the Roof - Carole King (first version by the Drifters in 1962, I don't know what year this live version was recorded)



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Listen to this voice effortlessly soar into the stratosphere, almost as if she were singing to herself in the shower or something. Bloody incredible.

Will you take me as I am?

California - Joni Mitchell (1970)

Dead Air Church: I shall be released

I did not initially do a respectful obit for Mary Travers, because she once reamed me out when I did customer service. (sings: How many roads must a CSR walk down, before you talk to her niiiiiice?) But I've decided to relent, and today I say, REST IN PEACE, Mary.

Spiritual note: Once upon a time, I would never have relented. And now, you'll notice, it only takes me about 5-6 weeks. PROGRESS!

The following is Mama Cass Elliot, Joni Mitchell and Mary Travers, singing one of Dead Air Church's semi-official hymns, Bob Dylan's I shall be released. Awful instrumental arrangement in the background lets you know this was from 60s American TV (Mama Cass's short-lived variety show). Try to ignore it, especially the awful BRASS, ugh. Luckily, their pretty girl-harmonies survive the awfulness of the back-up.

Admit you like their sparkly outfits!

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I Shall be Released - Mama Cass, Joni Mitchell, Mary Travers (1969)

Been to Canaan

Tami did a thread on the book Girls Like Us by Sheila Weller, and asked us to name songs we liked by the three women who are the subjects of the book, Carly Simon, Joni Mitchell and Carole King.

I linked this song on the thread, and ever since, major earworm time! (This neurological phenomenon is undoubtedly exacerbated by the fact that the song gives me excellent, first-class acid flashbacks!)

I love this song with a passion, so enjoy. I was thrilled to find such a lovely version.

She always sounded fabulous!

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Been to Canaan - Carole King

This is for Mike!

Don't wanna lose my cred as certifiably OLD SCHOOL, now do I?

In my 80s-music post on Wednesday, Mike commented that I needed to turn the clock back 10 or 15 years, so these next videos are for him!

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This is like a really good movie! Great work... it was made by another young classic rock fan named Jordan Bell.

I have always imagined something remarkably similar when I hear the song. Love the hoodie-as-grim-reaper touch, where you never see the hitch-hiker's face. WELL DONE!


The Doors - Riders on the Storm (1971)



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Watching the Sonic Youth video--which has already been removed "by the user"* (((curses substantially)))--I was puzzling over whether that was a quickie-shot of Joni Mitchell from LADIES OF THE CANYON, so I went looking for it. It is; the same head-shot is featured in this one.

And I was reminded of how very much I love this song. Very, very Lilith Fair, so if you don't like female-folkies, do not listen. After all, she is the prototype, my friends.

One of the first songs to pass the Bechdel test--a song about how much a woman admires and loves a certain group of other women, and wants to be like they are. (Just try to find another one this early... go ahead, I'll wait.)

I'd say she succeeded admirably, too.


Joni Mitchell - Ladies of the Canyon (1970)



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Rather obscure Eagles song that I identified with in my youth. As a young woman, it was the first time I'd seen men acknowledge that some women may not enjoy constant sexual attention, and in fact, might even find it threatening, harmful, stifling and just thoroughly unwelcome. I therefore found it very validating at the time, although listening to it now, I realize it was an early sign I might have been in some trouble.

Or at the very least, I was getting pissed off:

there's too many hands
being laid on her
too many eyes will never see
that it's dragging her down
but you won't hear a sound
as she turns round

Obviously, a radical feminist in the making!

This song was written by Randy Meisner and Don Felder, sung by Meisner. Great guitar work and excellent production.

The Eagles - Too Many Hands (1975)



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*We finally have a baddie to blame for this phenomenon... which I have complained about before. WARNER MUSIC GROUP, capitalist swine, are keeping us from looking at Sonic Youth, as well as several other videos I have already posted--and probably a few you've already posted too!

FREE THE MUSIC!

Dead Air Church - The last time I saw Richard

Songs don't hardly get any more perfect than this, do they?

I had a "Richard moment" recently and wanted to share it. Decided it was too private... so I am sharing the song instead.


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The last time I saw Richard was Detroit in 68
And he told me all romantics meet the same fate
Someday cynical and drunk and boring someone in some dark cafe
You laugh, he said you think you're immune
Go look at your eyes, they're full of moon
You like roses and kisses and pretty men to tell you
All those pretty lies, pretty lies
When you gonna realise, they're only pretty lies
Only pretty lies
Just pretty lies

He put a quarter in the Wurlitzer, and he pushed
Three buttons and the thing began to whirr
And a bar maid came by in fishnet stockings and a bow tie
And she said drink up now it's gettin on time to close
Richard, you haven't really changed, I said
Its just that now you're romanticizing some pain that's in your head
You got tombs in your eyes,
but the songs you punched are dreaming
Listen, they sing of love so sweet, love so sweet
When you gonna get yourself back on your feet?
Oh and love can be so sweet
Love so sweet

Richard got married to a figure skater
And he bought her a dishwasher and a coffee percolator
And he drinks at home now most nights with the TV on
And all the house lights left up bright

I'm gonna blow this damn candle out
I don't want nobody comin over to my table
I got nothing to talk to anybody about
All good dreamers pass this way some day
Hiding behind bottles in dark cafes
Dark cafes

Only a dark cocoon before I get my gorgeous wings
And fly away
Only a phase
these dark cafe days



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Joni Mitchell - The Last Time I Saw Richard

[via FoxyTunes / Joni Mitchell]

Dead Air Church - Laughing

This song was recorded in 1973 for David Crosby's "solo" album (which was hardly solo) titled If Only I Could Remember My Name. Deadheads will particularly enjoy playing "name-that-musician" with this video, which includes the whole tribe of people playing on this song--as well as a look at David Crosby's long career, stretching all the way back to his time in the Byrds. Sweet, dreamy harmonies by Joni Mitchell, Grace Slick, Graham Nash. And that heartbreakingly-lovely steel guitar by Jerry Garcia. A beautiful, timeless song.

Have a peaceful sabbath, and don't forget to laugh in the sun.

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I thought I met a man
Who said he knew a man
Who knew what was going on

I was mistaken

Only another stranger
That I knew

And I thought I had found a light
To guide me through
My night and all this darkness

I was mistaken

Only reflections of a shadow
That I saw

And I thought I'd seen someone
Who seemed at last
To know the truth

I was mistaken

Only a child laughing
In the sun

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David Crosby - Laughing

[via FoxyTunes / David Crosby]