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Tim Hardin Woodstock

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Tim Hardin Woodstock

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:

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.

Daily does the light grows stronger
Do the young done, leaving one
Now that I live, need to live much longer
Gonna pain by growing dim
She said she love you
And they are face to face in love
Now my past and last week dreams are true
So real I feel like I’m indeed
Take my place
Once touched by a flame
A name into love
The family’s got me satisfied
To live with only me inside
A woman that gave me back my pride
And now my heart and mind are worm
With Suzanne and Damian
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.

Listen to your heart for my reflection
Do your eyes stay with me when I say goodbye?
Listen to my changes in direction
Follow me to feel the same as I
I hope you feel the way I do
I hope you feel my love of you
Don’t believe me if you’re not convinced of me
Please come back along the changing sky
Every time you give yourself not loving me
You upset the grace of living when you lie
I hope you feel the way I do
I hope you feel my love of you
Tim Hardin Woodstock

Speak Like A Child

At this point Tim introduces the band. Although they must all be on the stage, only Richard Bock accompanies Hardin with a cello.

I speak like a child
I look like a child
Through dancing eyes
I wish more for you
I give more to you
Than jealous replies

There’s nothing to say
That children don’t say
Through lips that smile
I wish more for you
I give more to you
Than jealous replies

I look at you
And what i saw
Was far removed
And what i saw
Was never there

I speak like a child
I look like a child
Through dancing eyes
I give more to you
I wish more for you
Than jealous replies

I look at you
And what I saw was far removed
And what i saw
Was never there

Tim Hardin Woodstock

Snow White Lady

As well-known as Hardin is for his pithy songs, Snow White Lady departs from that. There is a jazzy blues feel here with the full band backing him for nearly 16 minutes! Although, at its close Hardin says, “We’ll get warmed up here in a minute and stop making mistakes.”

Blues On My Ceiling

This song is nearly as long clocking in at ten minutes. At the end the crowd is calling out indistinguishable requests.

Blues on the ceiling over my head
Running down the walls across the floor and over my bed
Blue lights across the street blinkin’ off and on
It’s so lonely now she’s gone
I’ll never get out of these blues alive
I’ll never get out of this crazy blues alive

Love had been a dirty five letter word to me
I was into the blues over my head blue was all that I could see
Up to my neck in misery
I’ll never get out of these blues alive
I’ll never get out of this crazy blues alive

Blues keep on fooling with my weary head
Cocaine couldn’t numb the pain I’d be better off dead
Blue lights gone out at last I sleep
The bitter the blues the better they keep
I’ll never get out of these blues alive
I’ll never get out of this crazy blues alive

Tim Hardin Woodstock

Simple Song of Freedom

As has often been pointed out, it is a bit of Woodstock Haze to say that the Woodstock Music and Art Fair was a protest. While there were a few booths and speakers promoting a particular view of current events, it was not common. Having said that, Hardin’s Simple Song of Freedom is topical.

Come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you’ve never sung before
Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
We, the people here, don’t want a war

Hey, there, Mister Black Man can you hear me
I don’t want your diamonds or your game
I just want to be someone who knows to you as me
And I will bet my life you want the same

Come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you’ve never sung before
Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
We, the people here, don’t want a war

Seven hundred million are you listening
Most of what you read
Most of what you read is made of lies
But speaking one to one, ain’t it everybody’s sun
To wake to in the morning when we rise

Come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you’ve never sung before
Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
We, the people here, don’t want a war

No doubt some folks enjoy doing battle
Like presidents, Prime ministers and kings
So let’s all build them shelves
So they can fight among themselves
And leave the people be who love to sing

Come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you’ve never sung before
Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
We, the people here, don’t want a war

Come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you’ve never sung before
Speaking one to one, ain’t it everybody’s
Ain’t it everybody’s sun
To wake to in the morning when we rise
When we rise.

Tim Hardin Woodstock

Misty Roses

For an encore he responds to those requesting songs that he just can’t do that, but decides to do another of his more popular songs and one that had been covered by others: Misty Roses. It is a beautiful song and he provided more than four minutes of it.

You look to me
Like misty rose
Too soft to touch
But too lovely to leave alone.
If I could be
Like misty roses
I’d love you much
You’re too lovely to leave alone.
Flowers often cry
But too late to find
That their beauty has been lost
With their peace of mind.
You look to me
Like love forever
Too good to last
But too lovely not to try.
If I believed
In love forever
I’d forget the past
You’re just too lovely not to try.
Tim Hardin Woodstock

The next performance is by Ravi Shankar

 

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Bert Sommer Woodstock

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Bert Sommer Woodstock

John Morris intro…notice his asking people to “take a seat.” Funny!

You hear John Morris adding an “s” to the end of Bert’s not s-ending last name. I guess from that point, we should have known that things were not going to go well for Bert.  He is another of the missing musicians from the album, the movie, as well as the Monument!

The other missing from the Monument are Keef Hartley, Quill,  and Tim Hardin. John Sebastian’s last name is spelled “Sabastian” and though not a “performer” as such, Sri Swami Satchidananda is missing as well.

And as long as we’re pointing out monument (yet not monumental) errors, of course the name of the event was the “Woodstock Music and Art Fair” (not “Arts”).

Definitely playing with Bert were:

The  setlist of his approximately 40 minute stage appearance was:

  • Jennifer
  • The Road To Travel
  • I Wondered Where You’d Be
  • She’s Gone
  • Things Are Going My Way
  • And When It’s Over
  • Jeanette
  • America (Paul Simon)
  • A Note That Read
  • Smile
Bert Sommer Woodstock

Jennifer

Bert Sommer had appeared in the popular play Hair, and according to the Many Fantastic Colors site,  fellow Hair performer Jennifer Warnes inspired him to write his opening song which had also appeared on his first album the Road to Travel (1968) which was produced by Woodstock Ventures’ Artie Kornfeld.

Jennifer’s something you handle with care
Fragile as crystals of glass
Jennifer’s lips are as soft as the air
Kissing her here in the grass

Whoa, I’m lost in a maze
Counting the ways that she smiles
Time is slipping away
Lost in the arms of her love
So gentle and wild

Bert Sommer Woodstock

The Road to Travel

Bert Sommer Woodstock

The name of Sommer’s first album was The Road to Travel. It was his second song at Woodstock.

Here it is, it’s summertime
Still I haven’t felt my sigh
And the years are over too, since I’m gone
And my daddy wonders why
How I look and make him proud
But I’ll carry on his name when he dies

Though the years of headache pain
I’ll continue on the game
To the further road that I can travel tonight
Find my peace, of mine

Papa says it’s straightened out
Look in what my life’s about
Try to use the head that god once gave you

Bert Sommer Woodstock

I Wondered Where You’d Be

If you wonder how to play the song, you can follow this link to the song’s chords.

Seems like I’ve been here forever
Hoping you’d jangle your keys
Hours went by
As I started to cry out and show you
All of me
And as I’m laying here awake
Lost in the cost of a dream
Thinking of someone
I felt was the loved one
I wondered where you’d be
Bert Sommer Woodstock

She’s Gone

As somber and beautiful as Sommer’s songs are, before he begins his next song, he calls out in a friendly way, “Anybody from Forest Hills?” referring to an area of Queens, NY where he grew up. He then asks for a bit more volume in his acoustic guitar. He begins the song and then quickly says, “Too loud.” The song was also on his first album.

Nights by the fire when she was there
Now all I see is an empty chair
She’s gone and this man is dying

There was a time when I’d laugh and sing
All I have left is a dusty reign
She’s gone, there’s no purpose in trying

The door stays open in the day
The lock still broken
And the way I feel without her here
Is very strange and won’t change.

Bert Sommer Woodstock

Things Are Goin’ My Way

He says he want to speed things up and sings Things Are Goin’ My Way. The song gives electric guitarist the chance to do a bit more.

When I was a young man I never had a penny
My pockets always empty couldn’t turn to anyone
But then I met you one happy Sunday
It seems the things are goin’ my way
Now I see that where love is there in your life
You will find that everything’s right
‘Cause it’s so easy a-to find someone
Just try harder and you’ll find that it’s done
When I was a school boy I never was a scholar
I never earned a dollar, didn’t have a place to go
But then I met you and now I must say

It’s seems the things are goin’ my way

Bert Sommer Woodstock

And When It’s Over

Before Sommer can continue, we hear an audience chant, “Come on down” referring to those who have climbed onto the sound towers to view but in doing so threaten to destabilize the towers themselves as well as block the view of those sitting behind it.

MC John Morris  follows up on the chant with, “Like they say, come on down man. You’re gonna’ make us sit here and wait so we can’t hear the man sing until you come on down. Let’s go. Everybody. On the top, too. Let’s go. Man, you are not bigger or big enough to insult an artist who’s sitting on this stage who’s here to play for you. So get down off that tower!”

Cheering follows.

“Come on, creep, come on down.”

The crowd chants, “Down! Down! Down!”

Morris apologizes to Sommer (again adding an s to his name). Sommer chuckles and asks the crowd if they know the band the Vagrants, a group he had hung around and a group that changed its name to Mountain and would appear the next day.

And when it’s over
And as you like your cigarette
Feelin’ much older
Knowin’ that ill was no regret
Touchin’ your shoulder
Feelin’ the joy in what we’ve done
As we’ve sailed it to the sun
With our hearts and souls as one
Feelin’ free as the sea
And when it’s over
Gazin’ into your gentle light
Pullin’ you closer
Knowin’ what experience said alright
Both of us powdered
Now that is nothin’ left to hide
As we reach to touch the sky
On the love we play so high
Feelin’ free as the sea
Oh, as we sailed it to the sun
With our hearts and souls as one
Feelin’ free as the sea

Bert Sommer Woodstock

Jeanette

He asks Joanie (?) to stand up for a second, says to the band “Let’s do Jeanette next. Someone shouts out something. Bert responds “Fuck you, man”  and receives cheers.

Chords anyone?

When it was wrong

She Came along

Singing her songs

And long before the morning

What could I say

I told her to stay

Still here today

And there’s no need

For talking

 

Oh Jeanette

I love you Jeanette

And love’s what I get

When you hold me

The Secrets you told me

Don’t you want to be living here with me

Anyway

 

Deep in the night

She is the light

Have I the right

They take the love she’s bringing

There was a time

She drank my wine

It was the sign

That makes the song worth singing

 

Oh Jeanette

I love you Jeanette

And love’s what I get

When you hold me

The Secrets you told me

Don’t you want to be living here with me

Anyway

Bert Sommer Woodstock

America

For the only time in his set, singer-songwriter Sommer did a cover.  Tradition has it was the first standing ovation for any artist was for his version of Paul Simon’s America. It’s interesting how he feels it necessary to tell the audience that it’s a Simon and Garfunkel song. His version really did resonate with the crowd.

Bert Sommer Woodstock

A Note That Read

Sommer introduces the two band members before his penultimate song.

You could hear him screaming
As he looked beyond the door
His only son was lying in a heap upon the floor
And from his wrists that opened wide
His life had flown from deep inside
And in his hand a note that read
It’s better if I’m dead
‘Cause this whole life was bad,
All the times we never had
I can’t say it’s been nice because it wasn’t
And, mama, please forgive me if I’ve messed the rug
But you can have it cleaned tomorrow
Oh, and you’ll find some excuse to tell your garden club
I’m sure they’ll all express their sorrow
You could see them running
As they tried to get some help
Yeah, the neighbors all were pourin’ in
To say how bad they felt
How could this happen in our town
I hope it doesn’t get around
And in his hand a note that read
It’s better if I’m dead
‘Cause this whole life was bad,
All the times we never had
I can’t say it’s been nice because it wasn’t
And, daddy, even this can have a good side
‘Cause here’s your chance for cutting all my hair off
Oh, and from today I’ll never let you down again
‘Cause now your biggest problem is taken care of
Bert Sommer Woodstock

Smile

Before his last song hee says “If you just smile, everything will be alright.” Words true then and true now.

Why should you be angry?
Why should you be sad?
Don’t be disappointed
Just smile
Just smile
Smile and the world smiles with you
Smile, all the love is in your hands
Smile ’cause we all need one another
It only takes a song to understand
I know that we’ve got to get together
A-doin’ all we can
It will start to make it better
It only takes a song to understand
Why should you be angry?
Why should you be sad?
Don’t be disappointed
Just smile
Mmh smile
Smile and the world smiles with you
Smile, all the love is in your hands
Smile ’cause we all need one another
It only takes a song to understand yeah
I know there are so many different people
A-doin’ what they can
And they all would a-love to reach you
It only takes a song to understand
Come on, smile and the world smiles with you
Smile, all the love is in your hands
Whoa you’ve got to smile, ’cause we all need one another
It only takes a song to understand. Alright!
Whoa smile and the world smiles with you
Smile, all the love is in your hands
Whoa we’ve got to smile, ’cause we all need one another
It only takes a song to understand. Yeah!
And it only takes a song to understand
Smile!

John Morris says, “The rather magnificent Bert Sommers.” 

True.

The next performance is Tim Hardin.

Bert Sommer Woodstock
Peace Love Art and Activism

Sweetwater Woodstock

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Sweetwater Woodstock

August 15, 1969

Intro by John Morris

After Richie Havens jumped started Woodstock and the second performance  there, following  Sri Swami Satchidananda‘s convocation, was the band Sweetwater who’d been stuck in traffic.

The band’s poor luck continued when in 1970 none of their performance was included on the 3-record movie soundtrack nor the 3-hour movie.

Their set began around 6:30 PM and they were on stage about an hour. An interesting piece of trivia about the band was it had no guitarist.

They had released their first album in 1968.

Sweetwater's debut album

The band members were:

Nanci Nevins: guitar, vocals
Albert Moore: flute, vocals
August Burns: cello
Alex Del Zoppo: keyboards		 Fred Herrera: bass
Elpidio Cobain: conga drums
Alan Malarowitz: drums

And their set consisted of:

  • Motherless Child
  • Look Out
  • For Pete’s Sake
  • Day Song
  • What’s Wrong
  • My Crystal Spider
  • Two Worlds
  • Why Oh Why
  • Let the Sunshine In
  • Oh Happy Day
Sweetwater Woodstock

Motherless Child

Another bit of Woodstock Sweetwater trivia would be that the last song Richie Havens had sung was Motherless Child. What did Sweetwater open with? Motherless Child. The traditional song was one that many bands covered. Their version was less emotional, but longer and since it was a larger band playing, this version was more intricate, more percussive as was the band’s style.

Sweetwater Woodstock

Look Out

Nanci Nevins wrote Look Out. It is interesting to hear a rock band without a rock guitar, or any guitar for that matter. Flute, keyboards, lots of percussion.

Look out, somebody’s comin’
He’s got the key to your door
He ain’t who you thought of
He’s not what you’re lookin’ for

Sweetwater Woodstock

Alex Del Zoppo

Before the next song, keyboardist Alex Del Zoppo explains the reason for their being late part of which was that the “man” had to stop them and bust them.

Sweetwater Woodstock

For Pete’s Sake

Nanci Nevins describes For Pete’s Sake  as a bossa nova blues. It is an instrumental and was their third single released on June 18, 1969.

Sweetwater Woodstock

 Day Song

The band described Day Song: “We’re doing a thing now, it’s sorta’ a folkie thing, it was written by Nanci and it’s about a captain and so forth sailing his ship and it includes Nanci and her acoustic guitar and the cello…”

Captain sailed the ship today
Old Love, she just sighed
Met his mother on the way
They stopped and cried
Cat on the sill
See the sad rain fall
Do as you will
I love you more than all
Old Love sailed the ship today
Captain he just sighed
Met her father on the way
They stopped and cried
Cat on the sill
See the sad rain fall
Do as you will
I love you more than all
Sing the song of sailin’ away
Sing it from your heart
Sing the song of sailin’ away
Even though we part

Sweetwater Woodstock

What’s Wrong

One of the nicest things about Rhino Record’s Woodstock release is the inclusion of stage announcements and stage patter. The collection gives a much fuller “there” experience to the listener.

Before beginning What’s Wrong, Nanci Nevins mentions that Alex had written the song and that he wrote a lot of their material. She also goes to mention Albert’s t-shirt has the band’s name on it. I suppose she felt she needed to remind the audience of the band’s name. Keep in mind that Sweetwater is technically the festival’s opening act and opening acts are typically not the best known of the performers at a show or festival.

Also heard is the sound of a helicopter in the background. It is no Woodstock Haze that that sound was often part of the whole experience.

Specifically topical protest songs were not the norm at Woodstock. That the event was a protest rally is often thought but hardly supported. Having said that, What’s Wrong heads in that direction:

What’s wrong in our schools?
Politicians are blowing their cools
Over they who refuse to abide by the rules
Though they should be separate dealings

What’s wrong at the zoo?
The animals sense all our fears coming through
Our facade yet there’s not a thing that they can do
It’s hurting their poor, helpless feelings
What’s wrong?

The song is nearly 15 minutes long and gave the band a chance to display its chops.

Sweetwater Woodstock

My Chrystal Spider

The Psychedelic Sight site ranks My Crystal Spider at #47 on the top psychedelic songs.

The crystal spider crawled into Alex Del Zoppo’s brain in a waking dream. A “fantasy experience” that yielded a surrealistic web of sound for his band, Sweetwater.

While “My Crystal Spider” ranks as the most psychedelic of Sweetwater’s songs, the songwriter says his creepy-crawly creation wasn’t necessarily the product of an altered state:

“Psychedelic substances may have helped to bring this into focus, but it is not about that,” keyboardist Del Zoppo says today.

“It’s about having a runaway pet spider in an unusually whimsical environment.”

Have you seen my crystal spider
He has eyes of mercury
He has left his web of paisley
Be aware, if you care
Would you please
Send him back to me

Have you seen my crystal spider
He has eyes of mercury
He has left his web of paisley
Be aware, if you care
Would you please

Sweetwater Woodstock

Two Worlds

The band goes right into the next song, Two Worlds. It was one of the five songs in the set that had appeared on their first album.

I’ve got two worlds
But I don’t belong
I’ve got two ways
Neither’s very strong

But I’m singing songs
And working too hard
I can’t stop living
I never get tired

I’ve got two loves
To keep me satisfied
No loving pain
Ever made me cry

I’m not afraid
I just want more
The things I’ve got
Is all I live for.

At the end of the song, Nanci, as many of the Woodstock performers mentions, “There sure are a lot of people here.” She then introduces the band members.

Also said at this point by another of the band members (Moore?) is: “All you cats on the sound tower got to get down…you got to come down. You gotta!”

That constant reminder/request/demand that kids get off the sound towers was dominant theme of the weekend.

Sweetwater Woodstock

Why Oh Why

“Here’s a little music to come down the tower by.”

“This is music to get down on your knees by…so I hope you can dig it.”

I wonder what a Sweetwater song would have sounded like had they had an electric guitarist? This song is an exciting one, but I keep hearing the missing guitar licks.

Why oh why do I keep on trying. Why oh why when I know there’s
No denying. You know that I love you baby, and you know that
Love is true. If I can’t count on you baby baby then you know
What I might do.
Why oh why do I keep on telling myself that your too hip your
Gonna put me on a shelf.
Sweetwater Woodstock

Let the Sunshine In/Oh Happy Day

The band seques right into two covers: Let the Sunshine In from the then very popular play Hair and Oh Happy Day, the  very successful 1968 single by the Edwin Hawkins Singers.

“Hey the west coast really gets things started!” John Morris

Interestingly, the Bert Sommer is the next performer and he was not only in the play Hair, but his hair and head appeared on the show’s first Playbill.

The next performance would be Bert Sommer.

Sweetwater Woodstock