Melanie Safka Woodstock

It was around 11 PM, Friday’s concert continued and the organizers decided to fill in the with an unscheduled performer.

There is a saying that luck is when preparation meets opportunity and if so, Melanie was lucky on August 15, 1969.

She had signed a recording contract with Buddah Records, recorded an album, and released it in November 1968. Then,  according to an article for Bethel Woods by  Wade Lawrence and Scott Parker, Buddah co-founder Artie Ripp [who] was a friend of Woodstock organizer Artie Kornfeld decided to take a risk and send Melanie to the festival on the chance that she could perform.

Melanie Safka Woodstock 

Poetic License

She did and her performance carries with it a bit of Woodstock trivia. After the concert in response to what she’d experienced there, Melanie wrote her most successful song, “Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)” because, as the story goes, the Hog Farm had just handed out candles to the crowd and had them light the candles.

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Earlier, just before Tim Hardin’s set began, MC John Morris quickly told a story about a Tiny Tim concert during which the audience lighted matches and Morris asked if the Woodstock crowd could do the same. They did and the illumination impressed both Morris and the crowd.

Before Melanie began, Morris asked for a repeat:

“It’s getting later and maybe they’re wet, but let’s try the match bit again. That really did it. I’d like to see that again. One. Two. Three. Light ’em up! Ahhh..come on. Let’s go. Oh, that’s better. Woooh! Hey, that’s great.

Click to listen.

The 22-year-old was on stage less than a half-hour, but left a long impression.

Her setlist:

• Close to It All
• Momma Momma
• Beautiful People
• Animal Crackers
• Mr. Tambourine Man
• Tuning My Guitar
• Birthday of the Sun

Melanie Safka Woodstock 

Close To It All

Close To It All was one of the ten songs from her Born To Be album. on which she wrote all the songs, except her cover of Bob Dylan’s Mr Tambourine Man. 

Melanie accompanies herself with an acoustic guitar and no other backing musicians.

While walking through life I would never fall
If I could be close to it all and all
If I could be close to it all

If I had my dream it would not fall down
If I could live high on the ground
The sound of high is a good one to many around
When they wanna be close to it all

And I wanna be close to it all and all
I wanna be close to it all

The village sugar takers
Madison Avenue pink dream makers
They try to escape from it all
But instead they build walls, that’s all
But they wanna be close to it all

If I had my dream, I would fill a hall
And tell all the people tear down the wall
That keeps them from being a part of it all
‘Cause they gotta get close to it all

The village sugar takers
Madison Avenue pink dream makers
They try to escape from it all
But instead they build walls, that’s all
But they wanna be close to it all

There’s just one more thing that I wanna say
Everyone has got their own special way
That keeps them from getting too close to the day
Accept and be part of it all and all
Everyone tear down your own little wall
That keeps you from being a part of it all
‘Cause you gotta be one with the one and all
And everyone tear down your own little wall
That keeps you from being a part of it all
‘Cause you gotta be one with the one and all
You gotta be close to it all

Melanie Safka Woodstock 

Momma Momma

Momma Momma was also on her first album.

Momma Momma, I fear you reared me wrong
Momma Momma, I fear you reared me wrong
‘Cause I pick up my head, can’t tell where I belong

Momma Momma, something’s hurting me bad
Momma Momma, something’s hurting me bad
I have a yearning for something that I never had

Oh, sometimes I feel my life has come and then it’s gone
Sometimes I feel my life has come and gone
I live in this world but I’m only looking on

I can’t understand, it’s too far over my head
I can’t understand, it’s too far over my head
I’m living the life but I’m really dying instead, yeah

Momma Momma, I fear you reared me wrong
Momma Momma, I fear you reared me wrong
‘Cause I lift up my head and I can’t tell where I belong
Momma Momma Momma Momma, something’s terribly wrong

Melanie Safka Woodstock 

Beautiful People

Beautiful People did not appear on her first album, but will appear on her second which Buddah would release in October. She had recorded the album in Wessex Studios, London.

You live in the same world as I do
But somehow I never noticed
You before today
I’m ashamed to say

Beautiful people
We share the same back door
And it isn’t right
We never met before
But then
We may never meet again
If I weren’t afraid you’d laugh at me
I would run and take all your hands
And I’d gather everyone together for a day
And when we gather’d
I’ll pass buttons out that say
Beautiful people
Then you’d never have to be alone
‘Cause there’ll always be someone
With the same button on as you
Include him in everything you do

Beautiful people
You ride the same subway
As I do ev’ry morning
That’s got to tell you something
We’ve got so much in common
I go the same direction that you do
So if you take care of me
Maybe I’ll take care of you

Beautiful people
You look like friends of mine
And it’s about time
That someone said it here and now
I make a vow that some time, somehow
I’ll have a meeting
Invite ev’ryone you know
I’ll pass out buttons to
The ones who come to show
Beautiful people
Never have to be alone
‘Cause there’ll always be someone
With the same button on as you
Include him in ev’rything you do
He may be sitting right next to you
He may be beautiful people too
And if you take care of him
Maybe I’ll take care of you
And if you take care of him
Maybe I’ll take care of you…
People

Melanie Safka Woodstock 

Animal Crackers

Animal Crackers was on her first album.  Interestingly, the song refers to Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant song as he will follow Melanie.

Oh, eat your animal crackers
‘Cause my mother told me so long ago
“If you eat your animal crackers
The children in Europe won’t starve anymore”
Ha ha ha…
Oh, once I went on a diet
A carbohydrate diet ain’t nice
‘Cause you can’t eat animal crackers
So, I’m gonna stay a fatty for all of my life
Ha ha ha…
But some people think that fatties are nice, yeah
I love eating ice-cream
Chocolate, vanilla and butter pecan
But I best love animal crackers
‘Cause I love helping my fellow man
Yeah, I really do

Did you ever hear of Alice’s restaurant?
I eat at Alice’s restaurant year after year
She makes an animal cracker pizza, ha
And she gives animal crackers out free with the beer
Oh, let’s give Alice a great big cheer
She knows the age of the animal cracker is here
Ah, animal crackers are in this year
Ha ha ha…
Oh, lalala…

There’s a bit of technical advice for her after the song.

Melanie Safka Woodstock 

Mr Tambourine Man

As mentioned above, Mr Tambourine Man appeared on her first album and was the only composition she didn’t write. The crowd applauds upon hearing the first notes.

Melanie Safka Woodstock 

Tuning My Guitar

Tuning My Guitar will appear on her second album.

I’m thinking what I’m doing
I’m thinking what I’ve done
I’m thinking ’bout my mother
Who never thought I’d come
Quite this far from nowhere
To hear myself be sung
But I still haven’t forgotten
I used to do it just for fun

When all the ones around me
Would wonder if they saw
Or heard me singing somewhere
Tuning my guitar

Knock once, I got ten minutes
And every night’s the same
Sometimes I wish I wasn’t in it
When I hear them call my name
Same people all around me
And I wonder who they are
I know they’re not my family
And they’re not my friends by far

They’re all the ones around me
I wonder who they are
They hide behind my curtain
And they hope I’ll be a star

An’ they say, “Get out and sell them”
But selling’s not my aim
I’m gonna sing the life I’m living
And try to ease the pain

Of all the ones around me
No matter who you are
Tonight you’re gonna hold the curtain
I’m tuning my guitar

And all the ones around me
I wonder who you are
You hide behind my curtain
And they hope I’ll be a star
But all the ones around me
Who don’t know who you are
You hide and you look uncertain
But you hope I’ll be a star

And all the ones, all around me
I don’t care who you are
Tonight you’re gonna hold the curtain
I’m tuning my guitar

All the ones, all the ones
All the ones around me
And I don’t care who you are
Tonight you’re gonna hold the curtain
I’m tuning my guitar

Oh all the ones
Who do you think that you are
Tonight you’re gonna hold the curtain
I’m tuning my guitar

Melanie Safka Woodstock 

Birthday of the Sun

The crowd calls for an encore and Birthday of the Sun was it. She did not record the song for an album until her 1971 album, The Good Book. That album was her last official one for Buddah as she left and formed her own company.

 

After her set, John Morris says, Let’s say goodnight to a very beautiful lady.  Thank her very much. Good night Melanie.

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

It was about 10 PM on Friday 15 August.  Drizzling heavily.

Why was there an Indian musician, albeit a famous Indian musician,  at a rock and folk festival? Why had Sri Swami Satchidananda  prayed over the jammed field after Richie Havens’s opening performance?

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

Indian Clew

George Harrison had first picked up a sitar on April 5, 1965 while waiting to film a scene for their movie, Help! He felt something within him (and without).

He played it on Revolver’s very first cut: Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown). George Harrison had  introduced Beatle fans to the Indian sitar and so much more.

On the 24 August 1967, less than a year later and nearly exactly two years earlier to Ravi Shankar at Woodstock, the Beatles met the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi for the first time.

Harrison’s use of the sitar and the Beatles initial casual meeting led the introduction of 1,000s of young Beatle fans to Indian music and transcendentalism.

Harrison’s interest in both led him to the study of the sitar under the most famous Indian sitar player. When asked why the Beatles weren’t at Woodstock, part of the answer is that they were certainly there in spirit.

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

Ravi et al

At 49, Shankar was one of the oldest performers. Sri Swami Satchidananda was 54, though not a performer as such. You don’t have to look far for the oldest performer, though. Table player Ustad Alla Rakha was 50.

The players:

Ravi Shankar, sitar; Maya Kulkarni, tamboura, and Ustad Alla Rakha,  tabla

The set:

1. Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/Gat in Sawarital
2. Tabla Solo In Jhaptal
3. Raga Manj Kmahaj

As you could hear, Ravi Shankar was serious not just about playing his music, but about the listeners. He had asked photographers to stop.

According to a Huffington Post article,  he “called it a “terrifying experience”, where the stoned audience reminded him of “the water buffaloes you see in India, submerged in the mud”. He was so upset that he did not perform in the US for the next one year and a half.”

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

Raga Puriya-Dhanashri/Gat in Sawarital

Shankar’s set is obviously not rock and roll nor folk. I suppose we can categorize it as world music, but to do so suggests we Westerner’s don’t know enough music to distinguish it more specifically than that extremely broad category that must include music that sounds nothing like Shanar’s Hindustani classical music.

Hindustani music is a whole other approach to rhythm. The tanarang.com site explains Raga Puriya-Dhanashri:

Raag Description: This Raag occupies very important place among evening melodies. It produces compassion and is emotional in character. It is very close to Raag Purvi, which employs both Madhyams.

In Raag Puriya Dhanashri, Pancham is a very prominent note which is also the center point of all the Raag expansion. However, often Pancham is skipped in Aaroh and sometimes in Avroh like: ,N r G M P ; P d P ; P d M P ; M G ; M d N S’ ; N r’ N d P ; M d M G r ; G M r G r S. Shadj is also generally skipped in both Aaroh and Avroh, like: ,N r G M P ; M d N S’ ; N r’ G’ ; G’ r’ S’ ; N r’ N d P ; d P M P ; M G M r G ; r S. Aalaps and Taans generally start from Nishad.

In this Raag P M G M r G are the Raag Vachak notes. Following are the illustrative combinations of Raag Puriya Dhanashri:

,N r G ; G M G ; M P d P d M P ; M G M r G ; G r M G r S ; ,N r S ,N r G ; G M M G r G r G M P ; M g M r ; r G ; r G M P d P d M P ; P d P M G ; M r G ; ,N r M G r G ; r S ; ,d ,N r G ; M d N S’ ; S’ N r’ S’ ; r’ N d P ; P d P M d P ; d P M G M r G r S ; P d P M G M d N S’ ; N r’ S’ ; d N r’ G’ G’ r’ S’ ; N r’ N d ; P d P M ; G M r G ; r G M P d P M ; G M r G r S 

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

Teacher

Following the opening piece, Shankar turns his concert into a class. He introduces the instruments, explains how they are played, and what they are made from. I assume he’d told Maya Kulkarni  and Ustad Alla Rakha beforehand that he was going to do this as they each demonstrate his points as he speaks.

He also explains that their playing is mostly improvised and how their head movement, for example, are ways of communicating while playing.

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

Tabla Solo In Jhaptal

Before Ustad Alla Rakha begins  Tabla Solo In Jhaptal Shanker continues to explain the music and how Rakha’s playing reflects speech and sounds.

The next day, Santana’s Afro-Caribbean collective percussion will wow the crowd, but on this evening one man did it all by himself.

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

Raga Manj Kmahaj

Again the teacher, Ravi Shankar explains the next song. “Now you will hear an evening raga Manj Kmahaj.  This will be played in the style known as thumris which is a semi-classical style…very romantic and lyrical in nature and one has much more freedom this time playing different ragas or folk tunes.”

Wikipedia states: It utilises the shuddha (pure) form of Ni on the ascent, and the komala (flat) form of Ni on the descent, creating a key asymmetry in compositional and improvisational performance. This raga has been explored more in the lighter forms of Hindustani Classical Music such as Thumri, Tappa etc. Yet a few compositions in Dhrupad and Khayal are found as well.

So there!

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

MC John Morris

It was around 11 PM when Shankar finished and there are still three more acts to follow. It was raining. MC John Morris had exclaimed to the still applauding crowd “The great Ravi Shankar. Let’s say a special thank you to a gentleman who played through the rain, who just kept playing.

And In an attempt at gallows humor, MC John Morris says, “I guess nobody’s thirsty anymore.” If there were any crickets nearby, that was what we would have heard.

But he changes tack and says, “I guess tonight we’ve been talking about a couple of people, the one thing I haven’t thanked is the nicest  finest audience aside from being the largest audience I’ve ever looked at in my life. Thank you very much. You’re a fine bunch of people.”

Applause this time!

Ravi Shankar Woodstock

The next performance is by Melanie.

Tim Hardin Woodstock

Tim Hardin was one of the names unintentionally left off the Woodstock monument that Wayne Saward created.

The others are Keef Hartley, Quill, and Bert Sommer. John Sebastian’s last name is spelled “Sabastian.” And though not a “performer” as such, Sri Swami Satchidananda is missing as well.

Hardin had already had an insult added to that later unintended injury by being left out of both the movie and the album.

Recent releases have remedied that mistake, but too late for Tim to know.

His band that Friday 15 August evening were:

• Tim Hardin: vocals, guitar
• Richard Bock: cello
• Ralph Towner: lead classical guitar
• Gilles Malkine: guitar
• Bill Chelf: piano
• Glen Moore: bass
• Steve “Murunga” Booder: drums

His setlist was:

(How Can We) Hang on to a Dream Once-Touched By a Flame If I Were a Carpenter Reason to Believe You Upset the Grace of Living When You Lie

Speak Like a Child Snow White Lady Blue on My Ceiling Simple Song of Freedom Misty Roses

Tim Hardin Woodstock

Matches in the Rain

Melanie will follow Ravi Shankar’s Woodstock performance. Shankar follow Hardin. As part of his Hardin introduction, MC John Morris asked the crowd to do something he’d seen on July 4, 1968 with a Tiny Tim performance. He asked the crowd to light matches. The story most heard is that Woodstock Ventures handed out candles and that their lighting inspired Melanie to write the song Candles in the Wind. Perhaps that remembrance is partially Woostock Haze.

Hardin’s and the band’s performance lasts about an hour and five minutes.

Tim Hardin Woodstock

(How Can We) Hang On To a Dream

Hardin’s songs are known for their simple beauty and short arrangements, so it is a bit surprising to see so many other musicians with him at Woodstock, but he is still up front and often solo nonetheless.

With (How Can We) Hang On To a Dream we hear Bill Chelf’s piano intro, but then I only hear Hardin’s voice.

What can I say, she’s walking away
From what we’ve seen
What can I do, still loving you
It’s all a dream

How can we hang on to a dream
How can it, will it be, the way it seems

What can I do, she’s saying we’re through
With how it was
What will I try, I still don’t see why
She says what she does

How can we hang on to a dream
How can it, will it be, the way it seems

What can I say, she’s walking away
From what we’ve seen
What can I do, still loving you
It’s all a dream

How can we hang on to a dream
How can it, will it be, the way it seems
How can we hang on to a dream

What can I say, she’s walking away
From what we’ve seen
What can I do, still loving you
It’s all a dream

How can we hang on to a dream
How can it, will it be, the way it seems
How can we hang on to a dream

Tim Hardin Woodstock

Once-Touched By Flame

Before the song begins, apparently someone calls out that they can’t hear him. He replies, “Your mics aren’t picking up either.”

Again, this simple arrangement is Chelf on piano and Hardin singing. The lyrics on line do not accurately reflect the lyrics Hardin actually sings at Woodstock. Here are what apparently are the original lyrics, not Woodstock’s.

Tim Hardin Woodstock

If I Were a Carpenter

We don’t often see the subjunctive case in English, but in what is perhaps Hardin’s best known song (because of Bobby Darin’s popular cover), such is the case.

At the song’s start, some in the crowd recognize it and applaud. This song is simply Hardin and his guitar

[Chorus]
If I were a carpenter and you were a lady
Would you marry me anyway?
Would you have my baby? (Would you have my baby)

If I were a miller and the mill should grind me
Would you miss your lover man?
Your soft shoe shiner (Soft shoe shiner)
Yeah, yeah
Oh baby

If a tinker were my trade would you still find me?
Absolutely, yes I would
Come give me your tomorrow

[Chorus]

See my love through loneliness
See my love through sorrows
I’m giving you my in this
Come give me your tomorrow
Please baby
Pretty, pretty, pretty please, baby
Oh yeah yeah
Sweet baby, baby, baby…

Tim Hardin Woodstock

Reason To Believe

Hardin segues right into Reason To Believe and again he simply accompanies himself on acoustic guitar.

If I listened long enough to you
I’d find a way to believe that it’s all true
Knowing that you lied straight faced while I cried
Still I look to find a reason to believe

Someone like you makes it hard to live
Without somebody else
Someone like you makes it easy to give
Never thinking of myself

If I gave you time to change my mind
I’d find a way to leave the past behind
Knowing that you lied straight faced while I cried
Still I look to find a reason to believe

If I listened long enough to you
I’d find a way to believe it’s all true
Knowing that you lied straight faced while I cried
Still I look to find a reason to believe

On his Tim Hardin 1 album, this song is a mere 2 minutes. Here he stretches it out (thankfully) to 4:43.

Tim Hardin Woodstock

You Upset the Grace of Living When You Lie

Again someone calls out a request and he responds that maybe he’ll do it. This song again is just himself on acoustic guitar.