In August 1969, the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair was held on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in upstate New York. The Fair, later referred to as simply “Woodstock,” lasted three days and featured 32 musical acts. It would be a music concert that would be a defining moment for a generation. The musical acts were the giants of the late 1960’s like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Richie Havens, Joe Cocker, The Who, Sly Stone, Santana and many more.
But this post isn’t about the acts that were giants. This post is about a song describing the event written by someone who wasn’t there. That someone was Joni Mitchell. She had been invited to the event, but didn’t attend because of a previous engagement. Supposedly, she wrote the song after watching some of the concert on TV and hearing an account of it from her then boyfriend, Graham Nash; who did perform at the event as part of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
Her version of Woodstock was released on her “Ladies of the Canyon” album in 1970. It was the B-side song on the album’s single, “Big Yellow Taxi.” Look, I’ll be frank. There is only one Joni Mitchell song I liked her singing and that was “Big Yellow Taxi.” Her version of Woodstock below is from her 1970 album and it doesn’t change my opinion of her singing.
Meanwhile, in 1970, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released their album Déjà Vu. The song Woodstock was the lead single from that album. However, an interesting thing happened during the production of that song. It turns out that Jimi Hendrix (yes, that Jimi Hendrix) had been involved in early recordings of the song almost a half a year earlier. During one session in September 1969, Hendrix played bass, Buddy Miles played drums and Stephen Stills played the organ, guitar and provided the vocals. That recording was released in 2018 on the album, Both Sides of the Sky. That version led to the later Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young released song.
The Hendrix/Stills version is below and it has Jimi Hendrix’ fingerprints all over it. Frankly, it sounds like something Hendrix would have (or could have) released with either his Experience or Band of Gypsys bands if he had lived.
Note that the Hendrix/Stills version (above) opens with a drum/organ riff. The riff is replaced by Neil Young‘s guitar work on the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young version. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s version of Woodstock is upbeat, but slightly slower than the Hendrix/Stills version. To me, Stephen Stills is competing with the music in the Hendrix/Stills version whereas the harmonies of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash add a layer of warmth to the song that the Hendrix/Stills version didn’t have.
The group’s version became a hit, reaching #11 on the Billboard’s Hot 100. This is the song most people think of when they think of the song Woodstock. It transformed Joni Mitchell’s folk song into a rock anthem. The Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young version is below:
However, it was the British country rock/folk rock band, Matthews Southern Comfort’s 1971 rendition of Woodstock that made the song an international hit. Their version is a more laid-back, country-tinged interpretation of Mitchell’s version from her “Ladies of the Canyon” album. This version strips back the folk elements and replaces them with a smoother, more mellow sound. The vocals are softer and sounds like something I’d expect to hear from a live band at a lounge bar. I know this sounds mean, but it is Joni Mitchell’s song without Joni Mitchell’s voice. The Matthews Southern Comfort’s version reached number 1 on the UK Top 50 and is below:
Just a note I found interesting. The Mitchell song is 5:30 minutes long. The Hendrix/Stills version is 5:19 minutes. The Matthews Southern Comfort version is 4:26 and the Crosby, Still, Nash & Young version is 3:53 minutes long. In short, the song is improved (and more memorable) by being shortened.
Joni Mitchell gave us a folk song that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (influenced by Hendrix) turned into a rock anthem and Matthews Southern Comfort made into an international hit. And we’re a little bit better off for it.
In August 1969, the Woodstock Music and Arts Fair was held on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in upstate New York. The Fair, later referred to as simply “Woodstock,” lasted three days and featured 32 musical acts. It would be a music concert that would be a defining moment for a generation. The musical acts were the giants of the late 1960’s like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Richie Havens, Joe Cocker, The Who, Sly Stone, Santana and many more.