Tag Archives: Woodstock Music and Art Fair

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

It was Monday 18 August 1969. Sha Na Na had left leaving everyone feeling good. Fun entertainment.

Next was the moment, that for many at the festival, as good as the long list of performers had been, was the one they had looked forward to: Jimi Hendrix.

Unfortunately, most of the crowd had had to leave before he took the stage around 9 AM.  Why? Perhaps school. Perhaps getting the family car back home. Likely a summer job. Or simply too tired, dirty, and hungry to stick it out any more.

In the minutes before, those who were able to stay could still hear helicopters, the stage crew tapping mics, called instructions,  and, of course, a request by MC Chip Monck, to please get off the light towers.

He does thank everyone there for “making all this possible…it’s been a long one, but it’s been delightful.” The crowd applauds.

After Chip introduced the band as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Hendrix politely explained that “they’d gotten tired of the Experience…so we decided to change the whole thing around and call it Gypsy Suns and Rainbows. For short…Band of Gypsys.”

Then he introduced the band. Someone in the crowd asked if he was high and he responded a few moments later that “I’ve got mine.”

The nearly 2-hour set was one of the longest in Hendrix’s cut-short career. This group performed just twice more before disbanding and was the only time Hendrix performed with a second guitarist.

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Personnel

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Setlist

  • Message to Love
  • Hear My Train a-Comin’ 
  • Spanish Castle Magic
  • Red House
  • Mastermind (Larry Lee)
  • Lover Man
  • Foxy Lady
  • Jam Back at the House (Beginnings)
  • Izabella
  • Gypsy Woman/Aware of Love (Larry Lee)
  • Fire
  • Voodoo Child (Slight Return)/Stepping Stone
  • Star Spangled Banner
  • Purple Haze
  • Woodstock Improvisation
  • Villanova Junction
  • Hey Joe
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Message to Love

A song Jimi wrote and it first appeared on his Band of Gypsys album released by Capitol Records on March 25, 1970. The band had recorded the album at the Fillmore East in January 1970.

Well I travel at the speed of a reborn man
I got a lot of love to give
From the mirrors of my hand
I sent a message of love
Don’t you run away
Look at your heart baby
Come on along with me today
Well I am what I am thank god
Some people just don’t understand
Well help them god
Find yourselef first
And then your tool
Find yourself first
Don’t you be no fool
Here comes a woman
Wrapped up in chan
Messin’ with that fool baby
Your life is pain
If you wanna be free
Come on along with me
Don’t mess with the man
He’ll never understand
I said find yourself first
And then your talent
Work hard in your mind
So you can come alive
You beter prove to the man
You’re as strong as him
Cause in the eyes of god
You’re both children to him
Da da doo doo
Everybody come alive
Everybody live alive
Everybody love alive
Everybody hear my message
Hey, ooooo

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Hear My Train a-Comin’ (Getting My Heart Back Together Again)

Written by Jimi Hendrix, it also appeared on the Band of Gypsys album

Well, I wait around the train station
Waitin’ for that train
Waitin’ for the train, yeah
Take me home, yeah
From this lonesome place
Well, now a while lotta people put me down a lotta changes
My girl had called me a disgrace
Dig
The tears burnin’
Tears burnin’ me
Tears burnin’ me
Way down in my heart
Well, you know it’s too bad, little girl,
It’s too bad
Too bad we have to part (have to part)
Dig
Gonna leave this town, yeah
Gonna leave this town
Gonna make a whole lotta money
Gonna be big, yeah
Gonna be big, yeah
I’m gonna buy this town
I’m gonna buy this town
An’ put it all in my shoe
Might even give a piece to you
That’s what I’m gonna do,
What I’m gonna do,
What I’m gonna do
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Spanish Castle Magic

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Written by Jimi Hendrix, it had been on the Axis: Bold as Love album recorded from May – June and October 1967 in London. It was released in December 1967.

It’s very far away
It takes about half a day
To get there
If we travel by my… Dragonfly
No it’s not in Spain
But all the same
You know
It’s a groovy name
And the wind’s just right
Hey
Hang on my darling
Hang on if you want to go
You know it’s really groovy place
And it’s just a little bit of a Spanish castle magic
The clouds are really low
And they overflow
With cotton candy
And battle grounds
Red and brown
But it’s all in your mind
Don’t think your time
On bad things
Just float your little mind around
Look out
Hang on my darling yeah
Hang on if you want to go
It puts everything else on the shelf
With just a little bit of Spanish castle magic
Yeah baby
Hang on my darling yeah
Hang on, hang on if you want to go
It puts everything else on the shelf
With just a little bit of Spanish castle magic
Hey
Its all in your mind
A little bit of daydream here and there
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Red House

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Written by Jimi, it had appeared on his debut album in the UK, Are You Experienced. The US release did not include Red House.

There’s a red house over yonder, that’s where my baby stays.
There’s a red house over yonder, baby, that’s where my baby stays.
Well, I ain’t been home to see my baby in about ninety nine and one half days,
‘Bout time I see her.
Wait a minute, something’s wrong.
The key wont unlock the door.
Wait a minute, something’s wrong, baby.
The key wont unlock the door.
I got a bad, bad feeling that my baby don’t live here no more.
I might as well go on back down,
Go back ‘cross yonder over the hill.
I might as well go back over yonder
Way back yonder ‘cross the hill, (That’s where I come from)
‘Cos if my baby don’t love me no more.
I know her sister will!
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Mastermind

Larry Lee had just returned from Vietnam two weeks earlier when Jimi, his Nashville guitar buddy, invited him to join his Gypsy Sun and Rainbows band. He wrote Mastermind.

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Lover Man

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Written by Jimi, it would appear after he died on the Isle of Wight album, released by Polydor in November 1971.

Here he comes, baby, here comes your lover man
Here he comes, here comes your lover man
I see him out your window, baby
Leap out as fast as I can
Reach up, baby those are my runnin’ shoes
Reach up, baby, and let me get my runnin’ shoes
See your man coming, I’ve got no time to lose
I wanna love you longer than even
I wanna love you stronger, stronger but
I wanna love you all night long but
If that’s your man, baby, over yonder
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Foxy Lady

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Written by Jimi, it appeared on his debut albums both in the US and UK.

Foxy, foxy
You know you’re a cute little heart breaker, ha
foxy, yeah
And you know you’re a sweet little love maker, ha
foxy
I want to take you home, haha yeah
I won’t do you no harm no, ha
You got to be all mine, all mine
Ooh foxy lady, yeah
Foxy, foxy
Now-a I see you come down on the scene
Oh foxy
You make me want to get up and a scream
foxy, oh baby listen now
I’ve made up my mind
Yeah, I’m tired of wasting all my precious time
You got to be all mine, all mine
Foxy lady
Here I come
foxy
Yeah
I’m gonna take you home
I won’t do you no harm no
You got to be all mine, all mine
Foxy lady
Here I come baby, I’m commin’ to get ya
Ooh foxy lady yeah yeah
You look so good foxy
Oh yeah foxy
Yeah give us some foxy
Foxy foxy lady
Foxy lady
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Jam Back at the House (Beginnings)

Jimi explains…”“Yeah well A like I said before we only ran up s few numbers, so let me try and do this one. Like we were just jammin’ at the house. We don’t have A name for yet, it’s just like an instrumental. So we’ll just go along with it. It goes something’ like this. “

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Izabella

Jimi: “before we go any further, we’d like to say that you all really had A lot of patience. Three days worth. You’ve proved to the world what can happen with a little bit of love and and understanding and sooouuuunnnds.

[loud guitar feedback]

Yeah, thank you very much. i’d like to do this song dedicated
to maybe a soldier in the army. singin’ about his old lady that
he dreams about and humpin’ a machine gun instead or it could be
could be a cat maybe tryin’ to fall in love with that girl baby,
but a little bit too scared. that’s where the problems come from
sometimes isn’t it? i meen the cat is really insecure a little bit.
So the call girls groupies and they call girls this. and they call
passive people hippies and bla bla, woof, woof, all down the line
That’s because their not in love man that’s what’s happening. that’s
the other half of a man, is woman. and we’d like to play a thing called
Izabella, and don’t you ever forget it.
Girl, i dream about you every night
Every night
Hey, girl you know we got a war
Got a war to fight
So i think about you every day
Oh, and i hope you listen to me right
Hey, izabella
Girl, i’m fighting this war for the you
Hey little girl i fight this war for the children and the world and you
So i hope you hear me baby, yeah
Cause what i try to tell you is true
Hey
Izabella
I fight this war for the children and you
Hey girl, i said i fight this war for the children and you
Please save your love for me
Then i’ll know the fightin’ is true
Izabella
Hey
Izabella
I’m gonna fight this war against nature, my heart
“Thank you very much. and i’d like to go on with another slow thing.
I’d like to get by with a little bit of jam messin’ around with back
At the house. i think we’re going to call “get my heart back together
Again”
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Gypsy Woman/Aware of Love

You can hear from the Rhino soundtrack that the Jimi and the band don’t have a specific setlist already decided. Larry Lee does two songs.

From the weallbe site: “…a song originally written for The Impressions and which Hendrix and Lee had learned to perform from the soul master Curtis Mayfield when Lee and Hendrix toured with The Impressions and The Marvelettes”

Gypsy Woman
From nowhere through a caravan
Around the campfire light
A lovely woman in motion
With hair as dark as night
Her eyes were like that of a cat in the dark
That hypnotized me with love
She was a gypsy woman,
She was a gypsy woman
She danced around and round to a guitar melody
From the fire her face was all aglow
How she enchanted me
Oh, how I’d like to hold her near
And kiss and forever whisper in her ear
I love you, gypsy woman
I love you, gypsy woman
All through the caravan
She was dancing with all the men
Waiting for the rising sun
Everyone was having fun
I hate to see the lady go
Knowing she’ll never know
That I love her, I love her
She was a gypsy woman
A gypsy woman, a gypsy woman, a gypsy woman
Aware of Love
I’m aware of love
At last, I’m aware of love’
I asked my papa not long ago
Now ‘What is love’ and he said,
‘Hello, you have to find out for yourself,
You cannot learn from somebody else’
And someday you’ll be aware of love,
I’d say someday if you live long enough
You’ll be aware of love’
Auh, but I was anxious and couldn’t wait
And every little girl I took on a date
Told her that I really, really loved her
Vowed I’d never ever love another
But found it was just puppy love
I said I found yes, I did’ yes, I did
It was just puppy love’
Auh, but like papa told me one day I met you
I knew right then girl I had to get you
Took you in my arms and really kissed you
When you went away child
You know I missed you
And I, I’m aware of love
At last I have found true love’
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Fire

Also by Jimi and also appearing on the UK and US debut albums.

Alright!
Now dig this baby!
You don’t care for me,
I don’t care about that.
You got a new fool,
Hah, I like him like that.
I have only one burning desire,
Let me stand next to your fire.
[Let me stand next to your fire] Hey, let me stand next to your fire
[Let me stand next to your fire] Oh, let me stand baby
[Let me stand next to your fire] Let me stand
[Let me stand next to your fire] Yeah baby
Listen here baby,
Stop acting so crazy!
You say your mom ain’t home,
It ain’t my concern.
Just don’t play with me,
And you won’t get burned.
I have only one itching desire,
Let me stand next to your fire
[Let me stand next to your fire] Yeah, let me stand next to your fire
[Let me stand next to your fire] Let me stand
[Let me stand next to your fire] Oh, Let me stand
[Let me stand next to your fire] Oh
Oh, move over Rover,
And let Jimi take over.
Yeah, you know what I’m talking about
Yeah!
Get on with it baby!
That’s what I’m talking about.
Now dig this!
Ha!
Now listen baby!
You try to give me your money,
You better save it babe.
Save it for your rainy day.
I have only one burning desire,
Let me stand next to your fire.
[Let me stand next to your fire] Oh, let me stand
[Let me stand next to your fire] Let me stand baby
[Let me stand next to your fire] I ain’t gonna do you no harm
[Let me stand next to your fire] Oh
Yeah!
You better move it baby . . .
I ain’t gonna hurt you baby . . .
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Voodoo Child (Slight Return)/Stepping Stone

Voodoo Child originally appeared on Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland album which Reprise had released on October 1968.

Reprise Records released Stepping Stone,with Isabella, as a single on April 8, 1970. It was the last single released by Hendrix before his death.

Voodoo Child
I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Well, I stand up next to a mountain
I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island
Might even raise a little sand
‘Cause I’m a voodoo child
Voodoo child
I didn’t mean to take up all your sweet time
I’ll give it right back one of these days
I didn’t mean to take up all your sweet time
I’ll give it right back one of these days
If I’ll see you no more in this world
I’ll meet ya on the next one
Don’t be late
Don’t be late
Well, I’m a voodoo child
Lord knows I’m a voodoo child, baby
While the band still plays, he introduced the band again. He also say that the attendees can leave anytime they want. They were just jamming.
Stepping Stone

Ooh-WHEE! I sure got the blues this morning, baby
Yeah! And I’m here to tell you about it
So you might as well pick up on it! Yeah!
I’m a man
At least I’m tryin’ to be
I’ve lived before
The other half of me
I’ve lived before
That you don’t want me
But in this search
For nothing desperately
Oh, I’m tryin’ tryin’
Not to be a fool
I’m tryin’ tryin’
Lord to keep my cool, baby tryin’ so hard to keep it together
After I find, baby
That true love of mine
I’m just rollin’ screamin’
Cryin’ flyin’
Can’t be trusted, but busted
Rolling Stone
You’re a woman
At least you say you are
You’re a woman
At least you look like you are
You’re a woman
At least you taste like you are
But you can take it off
In bed with my guitar
And then you leave them
Throw me outside
To cry, cry
To the moon and the nighttime
Save my soul,
You can’t find
All you want is a ticket to ride
After you show me everything
It did prove otherwise
You just rollin’, screamin’, cryin’ good love is sometime, but can’t be trusted
Steppin’ Stone
Steppin’ Stone
Steppin’ Stone
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Star Spangled Banner

According to Joel Brattin, professor of literature at Worcester Polytechnic Institute: It was not the first time Hendrix had performed The Star Spangled Banner. In fact, there are nearly 50 live recordings of Hendrix playing the national anthem, 28 made before Woodstock. They range from about a minute to more than six minutes; the Woodstock version was three minutes and 46 seconds. It was among the best

He adds,  “And, certainly, no other version is so iconic.”

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Purple Haze

 

Purple Haze appeared on both the US and UK releases of Hendrix’s debut album.  It was released as the second single on March 17, 1967.

Purple haze all in my brain
Lately things, they don’t seem the same
Acting funny, but I don’t know why

‘Scuse me while I kiss the skyPurple haze all around
Don’t know if I’m coming up or down
Am I happy or in misery?
Whatever it is, that girl put a spell on me

Help me! Help me!
Ah no, noYeah! Purple haze all in my eyes
Don’t know if it’s day or night
You got me blowing, blowing my mind
Is it tomorrow, or just the end of time?
No, help me
No, yeah purple haze
Oh no, no
Oh, help me
Tell me, tell me
Can’t go on like this
You make me blow my mind
No, no, no
No, no, purple haze
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Woodstock Improvisation/Villanova Junction

From the Woodstock Fandom site: Following “Purple Haze” is an improvisation…by Hendrix alone. He breaks out with a lot of fascinating guitar riffs, many of them which could have formed great songs if he lived somewhat longer. It’s simply amazing watching him play, totally in control of what he’s doing, yet he’s still improvising or playing song patterns from memory. When the rest of the band rejoined they continued with their last number “Villanova Junction”, a fine instrumental Blues song.

Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Hey Joe

The crowd continues to call out requests. According to the above referenced Woodstock Fandom site, as he is about to begin the last song of his set, the last song of Sunday’s songs, and the last song of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair,

…Hendrix considered playing the very rare “Valleys of Neptune” which was only released posthumously, mostly on bootlegs. But he didn’t play the song (and never played it for the rest of his career on stage). He can be heard saying: “Ok, now don’t laugh at us. We gonna try this one song called Valleys of Neptune… oh, no I forgot the words of that, I forgot the words of that! I can’t do it.” This is quite ironic because most recordings of “Valleys of Neptune” don’t have any lyrics, so why should he play it at Woodstock with lyrics? But maybe Hendrix couldn’t remember the guitar patterns and notes or it was totally unplanned anyway. Instead he launched into “Hey Joe”, a more classic song.

Ironically, Jimi did not write this song.

Hey Joe
Where you going with that gun in your hand?
Hey Joe
I said, where you going with that gun in your hand?
I’m going down to shoot my old lady
You know, I caught her messing around with another man
I’m going down to shoot my old lady
You know, I caught her messing around with another man
And that ain’t too cool
Hey Joe
I heard you shot your woman down
You shot her down, now
Hey Joe
I heard you shot your old lady down
You shot her down to the ground
Yeah
Yes I did, I shot her
You know, I caught her messing around, messing around town
Yes I did, I shot her
You know, I caught my old lady messing around town
And I gave her the gun
I shot her!
Hey Joe (said now)
Where you going to run to now?
Where you going to run to?
Hey Joe (I said)
Where you going to run to now?
Where you, where you going to go?
Well, dig it
I’m going way down south
Way down to Mexico way
Alright
I’m going way down south
Way down where I can be free
There’s no one going to find me
Ain’t no hangman going to
He ain’t gonna put a rope around me
You better believe it right now
I got to go now
Hey Joe
You better run on down
Goodbye everybody, ow!
Hey Joe, uh
Run on down
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Denouement

The crowd continued to call for more. But Chip Monck closed the Fair with these beautiful words:
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. We’ve got one little trip we’d like to lay on you, if at all possible,  there’s a couple of packages of garbage bags here, if on your way out you wouldn’t mind taking one, filling it up, and leaving it where you fill it, that certainly would be appreciated. Anything you can do to give us a hand to leave this area somewhat the way we found it. I don’t think it will ever be quite the same, but somewhat the way we found it certainly would be appreciated.
It’s been a delight seeing you may we wish you anything that the person next to you wishes for you.
Good wishes, good day, and a good life.
Thank you 
(I am proud to say that in 2012 I was invited to a dinner that included many Woodstock people, including Chip Monck. At the end of the dinner I had the thrill of being able to read that quote to those attending.)
1 year, 1 month, and 1 day later, Jimi would die.
Jimi Hendrix Woodstock

Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

 

Morning’s twilight shone and sunrise was a few minutes away when the Paul Butterfield Blues Band came onto the stage around 6 AM. Their set would last until a little after 7.

There were four other Woodstock groups that preceded the Paul Butterfield Blues Band that had a horn section: the Keef Hartley Band, Janis Joplin’s Kozmic Blues Band, Sly and the Family Stone,  and Blood, Sweat and Tears.

For my money, the performance that tops them all (and they were all good) in terms of horn power is Butterfield. Perhaps because no other had five brass instruments, but such an advantage does not automatically mean a punchier performance.

Hopefully you can listen to this performance.

Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Personnel

Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Setlist

  • Born Under a Bad Sign
  • No Amount of Loving
  • Driftin’ and Driftin’
  • Morning Sunrise
  • All in a Day
  • Love March
  • Everything’s Gonna Be Alright
Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Born Under a Bad Sign

Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

From Wikipedia: The lyrics to “Born Under a Bad Sign” were written by Stax Records rhythm and blues singer William Bell with music by Stax bandleader Booker T. Jones (of Booker T. & the M.G.’s). It became a signature tune by Albert King.

Bell recalled, “We needed a blues song for Albert King … I had this idea in the back of my mind that I was gonna do myself. Astrology and all that stuff was pretty big then. I got this idea that [it] might work.”

Paul Butterfield is just one of many who have covered this classic tune. For all of the white kids at Woodstock (like me), likely we’d first heard Cream’s version. Butterfield’s was on the The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw album. Elektra Records had released it in December 1967.

Born under a bad sign
Been down since I began to crawl
If it wasn’t for bad luck, you know I wouldn’t have no luck at all
Hard luck and trouble is my only friend
I been on my own ever since I was ten
Born under a bad sign
Been down since I began to crawl
If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all
I can’t read, haven’t learned how to write
My whole life has been one big fight
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I began to crawl
If it wasn’t for bad luck, I said, I wouldn’t have no luck at all
That ain’t no lie
You know if it wasn’t for bad luck I wouldn’t have no kind o’ luck
If it wasn’t for real bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all
You know wine and women is all I crave
A big legged woman is gonna carry me to my grave
Born under a bad sign
I been down since I begin to crawl
If it wasn’t for bad luck, I wouldn’t have no luck at all
Yeah, my bad luck boy
Been havin’ bad luck all of my days, yes
Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

No Amount of Loving

Electra Records released the “Keep On Moving” album in october 1969
Written by Paul Butterfield and the last cut on the band’s Keep On Moving album.
When I was down, babe, you reached out your hands to guide
When I was feeling so sorry, I’ve been hurt so deep inside
I realize no amount of love, yeah,
Can take away those lies, no, baby
Yeah, tried to catch your dog, baby, but the dog was mean
Came to your door, it was closed, yeah,
You put a wound in my shoulder
For something to lean on, baby,
How much it hurts, you know the load
Oh, deep inside, you wouldn’t be too wrong,
Somewhere along the road
Yeah, all things, baby,
Catch up with you Watch yourself
Well, I’ll be around
No amount of love, can take away those lies
I’m taking them away now
I realize no amount of love, yeah
Can take away those lies, no baby
I’m taking them away
Oh, everything you gave me, baby,
You want to take it back
There’s one story, darling, that’s out of sight
Don’t want nothing from you,
Woman, I didn’t need no schooling
Until a lot less amount of loving you, baby,
For me to see the fool
I realize no amount of loving, can take away those lies
Can’t take ’em away now, I realize, baby,
Not any amount of loving
Can take away those lies,
Can’t take ’em away now, take ’em away
Oh, take ’em away now, take ’em away, babe
No amount of love, yeah
Um, baby
Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Driftin’ and Driftin’

The song is based on another song called “Driftin’ Blues.” From Wikipedia: “Driftin’ Blues” or “Drifting Blues” is a blues standard, recorded by Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers in 1945. The song is a slow blues and features Charles Brown‘s smooth, soulful vocals and piano. It was one of the biggest blues hits of the 1940s and “helped define the burgeoning postwar West Coast blues style.”

Paul Butterfield cover was also on their The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw album.

I’m driftin’ and driftin’, like a ship out on the sea
I’m driftin’ and driftin’, like a ship out on the sea
Nobody seems to want me
Except the wide and open sea
My ship ain’t got no captain, my ship ain’t got no crew
My ship ain’t got no captain, my ship ain’t got no crew
Doin’ that tide dare blow me and my past and future too
I look around for a savior to search me from the hungry sea
I look around for a savior to search me from the hungry sea
Maybe he’s down at the bottom, waiting patiently for me
Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Morning Sunrise

Written by Paul Butterfield and Philip Wilson and on the Keep On Moving album.
Baby, all I can feel is the morning sunrise coming on
Yeah, I can feel all my love coming on
Yeah, try to remember the long time has passed on by
Yeah, I’m all alone these days, may we both cry
Yeah, baby, they’re gone
All I can feel is the morning sunrise coming on
Baby, all I can feel, all my love for you
Every evening
Life can be so strong when you say what you feel, yeah
It’s so hard sometimes
To leave me girl, just please me
Yeah, you wonder
If you knew love the way you know how
I believe it’s a rough time, baby
But I know it’s the right time, babe
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I know it’s the right time
And the right time is now
Yeah, I can feel it coming on
Yeah, ooh, baby, it’s the morning sunrise
Oooh, all my loving
And all my love
All I can feel and all my love is the morning sunrise
Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

All in a Day

From the Keep On Moving album, Rod Hicks, the band’s bassist , wrote it.

When days are gray that’s the murmur of the day
When days are blue that’s a part of it too
When days are cold then your love calls
It’s all in a day, it’s all in a day
All in a day, baby
All in a day, all in a day, all in a day
When days are gray it gets a man on his way
When days are blue make a man very true
When days are cold then your lover come to call
It’s all in a day, let me tell you
It’s all in a day
All in a day, baby, all in a day
If days are gray make a man want to play
If days are blue don’t you try to tell me what to do
When days are cold then your lover come to call
All in a day, it’s all in a day
All in a day, let me tell you now
All in a day
Oh, baby, came to gray, came to blue, oh
All in a day, all in a day, baby
All in a day, wait for us tomorrow
All in a day
Oh, all in a day

Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Love March

Written by Gene Dinwiddie  and Philip Wilson, it was on the band’s Keep On Moving album.

Gene explains before the start: I got a little something I’d like to lay on yall…if you bear with me a minute, please. We’re gonna do a little march right along through now. It’s a love march. We don’t carry no guns and things in this army  we got and stuff. Don’t nobody got to worry about keepin’ in step. We ain’t even got no uniforms to wear. We’re a poor army. [crowd applause]. But we run around in order to keep our heads above the water and whatnot…we sing to one another and we play to one another and we try to make each other feel good.”

The music began and Gene says, “OK. Hep two three four. All yall out there, if you wasn’t so tired we could all get up and just mark around this whole area here and be happy and stuff. Bring your little sister...”

I said marching along
Thinking as time goes by
Sing a glad song
Sing all the time
While I make all the people
Feel so good
Treat all my brothers like I should
See all the houses all in place
Living’s no longer an empty space
Marching along
Love as much as I can
Try and be strong
 
Good for the time that’s not too far
Good while no jealousy and war
Aim my sad eyes into the sun
Think of all people just as one
March
People say because my daddy did these things
Oh, yes, they say
They say that I must wear a tie and be the same
I got to treat my brother wrong
And kill him, what a shame
Oh, yeah, what a shame, yeah, yeah
But I know, yes, I know
What is it you know, right?
What you know?
There’s got to be a change
March all along
Love as much as I can
Try and be strong
[List string the shoes I had]?
Good for the time that’s not too far
Good while no jealousy and war
Aim my sad eyes into the sun
Think of all people just as one
Hep, two, three, four
Hep, two, three, four
Hep, two, three, four
Love march
Gonna be a change
Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

Everything’s Gonna Be Alright

Paul Butterfield had recorded several tunes for a debut album in December 1964, but the project was abandoned. In September 1965 Electra released The Paul Butterfield Blues Band album which became Paul’s debut album.

In 1995, The Original Lost Elektra Session album was released and Everything’s Gonna Be Alright was (finally) released.

I cannot find any reliable lyrics to the version the band did at Woodstock, but they aren’t too complicated anyway.

Butterfield Blues Band Woodstock

The next act is Sha Na Na.

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

 

It was 3 AM Monday. Those still there had heard reveille about 15 hours earlier! I was home in bed and would be at my summer job in NYC in 5 hours. Crosby, Stills and Nash was one of the bands I hated to miss. Had I known that Neil Young would be there as well, I would have been more disappointed, but c’est la vie.

The initial band’s three members were familiar to most because of the well-known bands they’d recently left: David Crosby from the Byrds, Stephen Stills from Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash from the Hollies.

They’d been together informally the year before and found they harmonized well. In early 1969 they signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records, recorded an album in February and March, and Atlantic released the eponymous album on May 29, 1969.

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

As they famously say at Woodstock, this was only the second time that they’d performed live and they were “scared shitless.” They’d perform for about an hour and a quarter.

Personnel:

Setlist:

Acoustic

  • Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
  • Blackbird
  • Helplessly Hoping
  • Guinnevere
  • Marrakesh Express
  • 4 + 20
  • Mr. Soul
  • I’m Wonderin’
  • You Don’t Have to Cry

Electric

  • Pre-Road Downs
  • Long Time Gone
  • Bluebird
  • Sea of Madness
  • Wooden Ships

Acoustic encores

  • Find the Cost of Freedom
  • 49 Bye-Byes
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Acoustic Set

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

From that first album, Judy Collins inspired Stephen Stills to writer the song. This was the opening track to their first album.

It’s getting to the point where I’m no fun anymore
I am sorry
Sometimes it hurts so badly I must cry out loud
I am lonely
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard
Remember what we’ve said and done and felt about each other
Oh, babe have mercy
Don’t let the past remind us of what we are not now
I am not dreaming
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Tearing yourself away from me now you are free
And I am crying
This does not mean I don’t love you I do that’s forever
Yes and for always
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard
Something inside is telling me that I’ve got your secret
Are you still listening?
Fear is the lock and laughter the key to your heart
And I love you
I am yours, you are mine, you are what you are
You make it hard
And you make it hard
And you make it hard
And you make it hard
Friday evening
Sunday in the afternoon
What have you got to lose?
Tuesday morning
Please be gone I’m tired of you
What have you got to lose?
Can I tell it like it is? (Help me I’m sufferin’)
Listen to me baby
It’s my heart that’s a sufferin’ it’s a dyin’ (Help me I’m dyin’)
And that’s what I have to lose (To lose)
I’ve got an answer
I’m going to fly away
What have I got to lose?
Will you come see me
Thursdays and Saturdays?
What have you got to lose?
Chestnut brown canary
Ruby throated sparrow
Sing a song, don’t be long
Thrill me to the marrow
Voices of the angels
Ring around the moonlight
Asking me said she so free
How can you catch the sparrow?
Lacy lilting lady
Losing love lamenting
Change my life, make it right
Be my lady
Que linda me la traiga Cuba [How beautiful Cuba brings to me]
La reina de la Mar Caribe [The Queen of the Caribbean Sea]
Cielo sol no tiene sangreahi [Sunny sky has no blood there]
Y que triste que no puedo vaya oh va, oh va [And how sad I cannot go]

 

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Blackbird

Once again, the Beatles are part of the Fair if not in actual presence, then in their music. The crowd loves their cover.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night
Blackbird fly, blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Helplessly Hoping

Another song by Stephen Stills and the third song on side two of their first album. He jokes as the song begins, “Helpless hoping as a helicopter hovers nearby.”

They start and restart.

Helplessly hoping
Her harlequin hovers nearby
Awaiting a word
Gasping at glimpses
Of gentle true spirit
He runs, wishing he could fly
Only to trip at the sound of good-bye
Wordlessly watching
He waits by the window
And wonders
At the empty place inside
Heartlessly helping himself to her bad dreams
He worries
Did he hear a good-bye? Or even hello?
They are one person
They are two alone
They are three together
They are for-or each other
Stand by the stairway
You’ll see something
Certain to tell you confusion has its cost
Love isn’t lying
It’s loose in a lady who lingers
Saying she is lost
And choking on hello
They are one person
They are two alone
They are three together
They are for-or each other
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Guinnevere

David Crosby wrote the song. It the third song on side one of their first album.

Guinnevere had green eyes
Like yours, m’lady, like yours
She’d walk down
Through the garden
In the morning after it rained
Peacocks wandered aimlessly
Underneath an orange tree
Why can’t she see me?
Guinnevere drew pentagrams
Like yours, m’lady, like yours
Late at night
When she thought
That no one was watching at all
On the wall
She shall be free
As she turns her gaze
Down the slope
To the harbor where I lay
Anchored for a day
Guinnevere had golden hair
Like yours, m’lady, like yours
Streaming out
When we’d ride
Through the warm wind down by the bay
Yesterday
Seagulls circle endlessly
I sing in silent harmony
We shall be free
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Marrakesh Express

A Graham Nash song and again from their first album. Someone calls out to get off the projector. Nash says that they’d like to do “a medley of our hit.” The band had released the song as a single with Helplessly Hoping on the B-side. It had reached 28 on Billboard.

Looking at the world
Through the sunset in your eyes
Trying to make the train
Through clear Moroccan skies
Ducks and pigs and chickens call
Animal carpet wall to wall
American ladies five foot tall in blue.
Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind
Had to get away to see what we could find
Hope the days that lie ahead
Bring us back to where they’ve led
Listen not to what’s been said to you
Would you know we’re riding
On the Marrakesh Express
Would you know we’re riding
On the Marrakesh Express
All on board that train
I’ve been saving all my money just to take you there
I smell the garden in your hair
Take the train from Casablanca going south
Blowing smoke rings from the corners of my my, my, my, my mouth
Colored cottons hang in air
Charming cobras in the square
Striped Djellebas we can wear at home
Don’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express
Don’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express
They’re taking me to Marrakesh Express
Don’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express
Don’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express
They’re taking me to Marrakesh
All on board that train
All on board that train
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

4 + 20

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

A Stephen Stills song that would appear on their next album, Déjà Vu which they’d already started to record, would finish recording in January 1970, and release on March 11, 1970. The album would include Neil Young. This performance is sung alone by Stills.

Four and twenty years ago, I come into this life,
The song of a woman and a man who lived in strife.
He was tired of being poor and he wasn’t into selling door to door
And he worked like the devil to be more.
A different kind of poverty now upsets me so.
Night after sleepless night, I walk the floor and I want to know- why am I so alone?
Where is my woman can I bring her home? Have I driven her away? Is she gone?
Morning comes to sunrise and I’m driven to my bed.
I see that it is empty and there’s devils in my head.
I embrace the many colored beast. I grow weary of the torment, can there be no peace?
And I find myself just wishing that my life would simply cease.

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Mr. Soul

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

A song well-known Neil Young song to Buffalo Springfield fans and Neil Young comes out on the stage. He refused to be filmed, thus there are no pictures of him at Woodstock. Young sings. It was the A-side of a Springfield single that Atco Records had released on June 15, 1967. It had been on their Buffalo Springfield Again album.

Oh, hello, Mr. Soul, I dropped by to pick up a reason
For the thought that I caught that my head is the event of the season
Why in crowds just a trace of my face could seem so pleasin’
I’ll cop out to the change, but a stranger is putting the tease on
I was down on a frown when the messenger brought me a letter
I was raised by the praise of a fan who said I upset her
Any girl in the world could have easily known me better
She said, “you’re strange, but don’t change, ” and I let her
In a while, will the smile on my face turn to plaster?
Stick around while the clown who is sick does the trick of disaster
For the race of my head and my face is moving much faster
Is it strange I should change?
I don’t know, why don’t you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don’t know, why don’t you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don’t know, why don’t you ask her?
Is it strange I should change?
I don’t know, why don’t you ask her?
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

I’m Wonderin’

A Neil Young song that would not appear on an album until 1983, Everybody’s Rockin’ a version will have a rockabilly feel.

At the end of this song, David Crosby says, “As you’ve gathered by now, our shows are very easy, it’s just the music that counts.”

I’ve been walking all night long
My footsteps made me crazy
Baby, you’ve been gone so long
I’m wonderin’ if you’ll come home
I’m hopin’ that you’ll be my baby
I’m wonderin’ if I’ll be alone
Knowin’ that I need you to save me.I’ve been talking all day long
To keep my heart from sadness
Baby, you’ve been gone so long
I’m wonderin’ if you’ll come home
I’m hopin’ that you’ll be my baby
I’m wonderin’ if I’ll be alone
Knowin’ that I need you to save me.I’m wonderin’, I’m wonderin’,
I’m wonderin’, I’m wonderin’,
I’m wonderin’, I’m wonderin’,
I’m wonderin’, I’m wonderin’.Well, I’m knowin’
that I need you to save me
Knowin’ that I need you to save me.
Knowin’ that I need you to save me.
Knowin’ that I need you to save me.
I’m wonderin’, I’m wonderin’.
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

You Don’t Have to Cry

A Stephen Stills song, the song closed side one of their debut album and the last song of this first acoustic set.

In the mornin’ when you rise
Do you think of me and how you left me cryin’?
Are you thinkin’ of telephones, and managers
And where you got to be at noon?
You are living a reality I left years ago
It quite nearly killed me
In the long run it will make you cry
Make you crazy and old before your time
And the difference between me and you
I won’t argue right or wrong
But I have time to cry, my baby
You don’t have to cry
I said cry my baby, you don’t have to cry
I said cry my baby, you don’t have to cry
In the mornin’ when you rise
Do you think of me and how you left me cryin’?
Are you thinkin’ of telephones, and managers
And where you got to be at noon?
You are living a reality I left years ago
It quite nearly killed me
In the long run it will make you cry
Make you crazy and old before your time
And the difference between me and you
I won’t argue right or wrong
But I have time to cry, my baby
You don’t have to cry
I said cry my baby, you don’t have to cry
I said cry my baby, you don’t have to cry
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Electric set

Pre-Road Downs

A Graham Nash song, it closed side one of their debut album. Graham Nash introduced the two other band members at this point: Dallas Taylor and Greg Reeves.

I have kissed you
So I’ll miss you
On the road I’ll be wantin’ you
But I have you
‘Cause I love you
And you have me ’cause you love me too, yeah

Felt forsaken
You’ll awaken
To the joys of livin’ hand in glove
And then I will
Lend you my will
And your days will be filled with love

Don’t run, the time approaches
Hotels and midnight coaches
Be sure to hide the roaches

Felt rejected
As expected
You rejected all the thoughts of words
So I’ll pray with
You to stay with
Me forever and we’ll make it work, whoa-oh-oh!

Elevated
You’re elated
‘Cause I’ve waited a year for you
If you’re thinkin’
What I’m thinkin’
Then I’m gonna make my love to you, whoa-oh-oh!

Don’t run, the time approaches
Hotels and midnight coaches
Be sure to hide the roaches

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Long Time Gone

A David Crosby song from their debut album.

It’s been a long time comin’
It’s goin’ to be a long time gone

And it appears to be a long
Appears to be a long
Appears to be a long time
Yes, a long, long, long, long time before the dawn

Turn, turn any corner
Hear, you must hear what the people say
You know there’s something that’s goin’ on around here
That surely, surely, surely won’t stand the light of day, no

And it appears to be a long (yes it does)
Appears to be a long (mm)
Appears to be a long time
Such a long, long time before the dawn

Speak out, you got to speak out against the madness
You got to speak your mind, if you dare
But don’t—no, don’t no—try to get yourself elected
If you do you had better cut your hair, mm

And it appears to be a long (yes it does)
Appears to be a long (mm)
Appears to be a long time
Such a long, long, long, long time before the dawn

It’s been a (long) long (time) time (comin’) comin’
It’s going to be (long) a long (time) time (gone) gone
But you know the darkest hour
Is always, always just before the dawn

And it appears to be a long
Appears to be a long
Appears to be a long time
Such a long, long, long, long time before the dawn

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Bluebird Revisited

A follow-up to another well-known Stephen Stills song from the Buffalo Springfield canon and the single referenced above. Graham Nash introduced the song as on their new album, but it was not there.

The pain of losing you well it made me an angry man
Was there something else that I could do? or was it over?
Had I the chance?

So I listened once again to my bluebird sing
Oh yes and children how she made the mountains ring
Now when hearts be stilled that gentle voice is spring
Oh my precious my soul says to my blue eyed sparrow
Come back, come back. I can peel away the cages
Come back, come back. I can put away the rages
Come back, come back. Can we turn the next page together?

Listen to my bluebird laugh she can tell you why
Deep within her heart you see she knows only cryin’
There she sits aloft at perch strangest color blue
Flying is forgotten now thinks only of you

Get into all those blues must be a thousand years
And each is differently used you just know
You sit there mesmerized by the depth of her eyes
I can tell you no lies
She’s got soul, she’s got soul she’s got soul, she’s got soul
She’s got soul

Soon she’s goin’ to fly away sadness is her own
Give herself a bath of tears and go home
So I listened once again to my bluebird sing
Oh yes and children how she made the mountains ring
Now when hearts be stilled that voice is spring
Oh my precious my soul says to my blue eyed sparrow
Fly back home, fly back home, fly back home

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Sea of Madness

A Neil Young song. Interestingly, as the band tunes the little riff from the Byrds famous cover of Bob Dylan’s Mr Tambourine Man can be hears and one assumes Crosby was just having some fun. The song will sort of appear on the Woodstock album the following year. Sort of because the producers of the album actually used a recording from a September 1969 performance at the Fillmore East.

How can I bring you
To the Sea of Madness
I love you so much
It’s gonna bring me sadness
I’ve never seen you
Through these eyes before
Now I don’t believe it
I think I’ll take it
Or leave it.
All I need is your sweet sweet loving
Fill my life with happiness
All I want is your heart
Every time I think of you
Mine falls apart.
I went to heaven
And I stood at the crossroads
I’ll love you tomorrow
As sure as the wind blows
Silver rain
On the mountain clover
Washes away
Until the music is over
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Wooden Ships

Written by Stills, Crosby, and the Airplane’s Paul Kantner. It was about 4 AM Monday at this point and the Airplane had done a 20+ minute version of the song about 19 hours before.

If you smile at me, I will understand
‘Cause that is something
Everybody everywhere does in the same language
I can see by your coat, my friend
You’re from the other side
There’s just one thing I got to know
Can you tell me please, who won?
Say, can I have some of your purple berries?
Yes, I’ve been eating them for six or seven weeks now
Haven’t got sick once
Probably keep us both alive
Wooden ships on the water, very free and easy
Easy, you know the way it’s supposed to be
Silver people on the shoreline, let us be
Talkin’ ’bout very free and easy
Horror grips us as we watch you die
All we can do is echo your anguished cries
Stare as all human feelings die
We are leaving, you don’t need us
Go, take your sister then, by the hand
Lead her away from this foreign land
Far away, where we might laugh again
We are leaving, you don’t need us
And it’s a fair wind blowin’ warm
Out of the south over my shoulder
Guess I’ll set a course and go
Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Back to Acoustic

Find the Cost of Freedom

A song by Stephen Still that he’d written  for the movie Easy RiderThe song would sadly become the B-side of Neil Young and the band’s sadder Ohio in less than a year.

Find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down

Find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

Encore

49 Bye-Byes

Written by Stephen Stills, the song was the closing track of side two on their debut album. It takes a bit to get going, but get going they do.

Forty Nine reasons all in a line
All of them good ones
All of them lies

Driftin’ with my lady
We’re oldest of friends
Need a little work, and there’s fences to mend

Steady girl, be my world
`Till the drifter come, now she’s gone
I let that man play his hand
I let them go, how was I to know?
I’m down on my knees
Nobody left to please

Now it’s over, they left in the spring
Her and the drifter, looking for beautiful things

Steady girl, be my world
`Till the drifter come, now she’s gone
I let that man play his hand
I let them go, how was I to know?
I’m down on my knees
Nobody left to please

On my knees
Feeling wrong
Mama’s gone
Bye bye baby

Write if you think of it, maybe
Know I love you (Know I love you)
Go if it means that much to you
Hey, but you can run, baby
If the feeling’s wrong before too long it’s crazy
And you’re trapped, babe
And you know that’s not where it’s at, babe

You’re just seein’ things through a cat’s eye, baby
That’s not my old lady

Come on and tell me, baby
You better tell me, baby
Who do you
Who do you love?
Time will tell us
Who is trying to sell us
Bye, bye, baby
Write if you think of it, maybe
Hey, but you can run, baby
If the feeling’s wrong, before too long, it’s crazy
And you’re trapped babe
And you know that’s not where it’s at baby
You’re just seein’ things through a cat’s eye, baby
That’s not my old lady

Come on and tell me, baby
You better tell me, baby
Who do you
Who do you love?

Crosby Stills Nash Young Woodstock

The next act was the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.