Text © Robert Barry Francos / FFanzeen, 2019
Images from the Internet
Woody Guthrie All-Star
Tribute Concert 1970
Directed by Jim Brown
Hereditary Disease Foundation / Jim Brown Foundation /
MVD Visual
51 minutes, 1970 / 2019
Excuse the way I am
phrasing this, if you must, but Woody Guthrie was punk as fuck. Perhaps not in
volume or electricity, but certainly in message. For example, he quite famously
had written on his guitar, in big letters, “This machine kills Fascists.” Woody
also had a strong influence on other proto-punk folkers like Bob Dylan and Phil
Ochs.
Most people I know who
came to punk got there through the loud guitars of bands like the MC5, the
Velvet Underground, or even KISS. For me, I grew up on folk (Simon &
Garfunkel, Peter Paul & Mary, Ochs, and others; Dylan would come later for
me, after the Ramones in 1975). For example, my very first concert was Melanie
(Safka) at Carnegie Hall in early February of 1973.
Over the next few
years, before I became obsessed with the bands at CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, I
had the opportunity to see a lot of the musicians that are on this DVD (an asterisk
will appear next to the names in the Song List below, of those I saw).
The purpose of this
tribute concert was to not only honor Woody, and rightfully so, but as a
benefit for a charity to fight the disease that killed him in 1967 by robbing
him of his movement, his voice and then his life: Huntington’s Disease.
Filmed at the
Hollywood Bowl, this is the first official release of the film. I do remember
there were showings of it in 16mm at local churches along St. Mark’s Place
(between Second Ave and Tompkins Square Park), but this is my first time seeing
it.
If you read through
the song list, you will most likely see lots that you may have heard before,
especially if you’re an older camper like me, though done by other artists. His
songs were carried forth by his fans (i.e., musicians) so it makes total sense
for the rhythm to continue.
First up is a huge
line-up for his song about a post-death heaven-bound train, “This Train is
Bound for Glory” (which Peter Paul & Mary did so well with as “This Train”).
Each musician takes a turn at a stanza; like the Traveling Wilburies, where Roy
Orbison’s voice outshines the rest, there is some of that here too, with Odetta
being the fiercest and certain Joan Baez being the highest pitched.
Between songs, there
are narrations read from Woody’s words, by Will Geer (Grandpa from “The Waltons”;
d. 1978) and Peter Fonda. These lead into the next song. For example, when the
notes read are about Woody’s Oklahoma upbringing, they slide into Arlo singing “Oklahoma
Hills.”
I am not going to
discuss every song (which are listed below), but I would like to highlight
certain points and show how prescient Woody could be beyond the grave. For
example, Baez and Seeger sing the dust bowl cry, “So Long, It’s Been Good to
Know Yuh.” This song is actually bogged down, in my opinion, by the catchiness
of the chorus (same as title), so most people don’t know it beyond that. But it
may be a song for modern times as well, as climate change is severely affecting
weather patterns to where it may occur again; last time was natural, this time
it may be induced by some governmental policies. For example, where I’m living
in the Prairies now, it’s been an overtly dry spring.
This was understandably
a large focus of Woody’s music from this period, and the troupe here follows
through with his “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad,” “I Ain’t Got No Home,” and
Arlo provides a musically updated and rocking “Do Re Mi.”
The dustbowl created a
migrant class both from the US and below the border, for which Woody addressed
with the extremely powerful “Plane Wreck at
Los Gatos (Deportee).” I first learned the song from Seeger, but it is worth
checking out the devastating version elsewhere by Washington DC-based acapella
group, Sweet Honey in the Rock (who I’ve seen on more than one occasion). Here,
Baez picks it up and gives a sincerely expressive version that is just beautiful.
In these times of locking kids in cages and mass deportations, it’s worth a
listen because things have definitely come in a sad and scary circle.
Odetta’s solo “Ramblin’ Round” shows something
I have felt for a long time. She essentially had a one-hit-wonder with “John
Henry,” but her voice is amazing, and she should have been bigger and more
popular. Her sound is to folk what Aretha was to R&B: unique and powerful.
Similarly, Richie Havens steals the scene with his “900 Miles,” as he had one
of the more unique guitar playing styles and a voice that is incredibly
different than any other artist here. He was a regular at the Bottom Line in
New York, as well as some of the Greenwich Village haunts.
For “Woman at Home,” Country Joe seems to be physically
trying to channel Jim Morrison, but his vocal tones remind me more of Johnny
Thunders.
Of course, for the finale, they all gather
together to perform Woody’s arguably most well known song (well, the first verse
and chorus is etched in the general psyche), “This Land is Your Land,” in a beautifully
shared and joyful rendition that includes all the verses.
The nearly 13-minute extra is worth
the watch. Within the backstage footage and thoughts by Arlo and Ramblin’ Jack,
there are some additional songs, namely “1913 Massacre” by Ramblin' Jack, “John
Hardy” by Odetta, and Baez covers the powerful “Pastures of Plenty.”
My only nit-picking issue is that I would liked
to have the option of playing just music without the talking, so I can just use
it like an album. The talking is fascinating, but not something I need to
listen to numerous times, unlike the music.
One last thought, while most of the musicians
mentioned above play their own instruments (yes, guitars), they are backed up
by a stellar band which really enhances the sound.
I think my favorite thing is that this is not
just a tribute of playing songs, but rather each performer gives the songs the
power and concentration they deserve. There are a couple of numbers where they
read the lyrics of a sheet, but other than that, it’s an enjoyable albeit intense
presentation. So good.
Song List:
·
This Train
Is Bound for Glory: Arlo Guthrie*; Joan
Baez; Odetta* (d. 2008); Pete Seeger* (d. 2014); Country Joe McDonald; Richie
Havens (d. 2013); Ramblin' Jack Elliott; Earl Robinson (d. 1991)
·
Oklahoma Hills: Arlo Guthrie*
·
Pretty Boy Floyd: Country Joe McDonald
·
So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh:
Joan Baez; Pete Seeger -
·
Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad:
Country Joe McDonald, Arlo Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Pete Seeger
·
I Ain't Got No Home:
Pete Seeger; Arlo Guthrie
·
Do Re Mi:
Arlo Guthrie
·
Plane Wreck at Los Gatos (Deportee): Joan
Baez
·
Ramblin' Round:
Odetta
· Roll on Columbia: Pete Seeger; Earl Robinson
·
Nine Hundred Miles:
Richie Havens
·
Woman at Home: Country
Joe McDonald
·
The Sinking of the Reuben James: Pete
Seeger
·
I've Got to Know: Arlo
Guthrie; Joan Baez; Odetta; Pete Seeger; Country Joe McDonald; Richie Havens;
Ramblin' Jack Elliott; Earl Robinson
·
This Land Is Your Land: Arlo
Guthrie; Joan Baez; Odetta; Pete Seeger; Country Joe McDonald; Richie Havens;
Ramblin' Jack Elliott; Earl Robinson
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment