Customer Reviews

Music from the Original Soundtrack and More: Woodstock

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

When I saw that the Woodstock soundtrack was going to be remastered and reissued along with the new DVD set I was hoping that the previous edits of certain songs would be done away with finally. I mean this is CD technology we're talking about here, not the limited space of a vinyl record (don't get me wrong, I LOVE VINYL). I got my set just this last week and cued up Santana's "Soul Sacrifice." The edits remained. BUT, as I listened to the 2-CD set in it's entirety, sounding clear and better than ever I might add, my initial disappointment with the edits soon disappeared. The "Soundtrack and More" 3 LP/2 Cassette/2 CD set is an experience all it's own and as I listened, I got so caught up in the music that no "edit" ruined it for me one bit. I hear a box set is due out in August and maybe that set will be REMIXED and remastered so as to include the songs in their unedited form. But as for the ORIGINAL Woodstock Soundtrack, the same one you purchased in the summer of 1970, this is the best it's ever sounded. Thank you Rhino for leaving it the way it was.

EPILOGUE - A six-CD box set IS due out on August 18th! And yes, the tracks are remixed and remastered from the original 8-track master tapes so they will appear in their unedited form. BUT, one problem. The 11 minute version of "I'm Going Home" by Ten Years After will not be on the box set (for reasons unstated Ten Years After didn't clear the track for inclusion). So if you still have your 4-CD 25th Anniversary box set, KEEP IT! However, we will all be treated to Canned Heat's full length "Woodstock Boogie," all 30 minutes of it! And lots and lots of previously unreleased performances from the festival's lesser known acts like Bert Sommer, Quill, and Incredible String Band.

I have been fascinated with the 60s and 70s since I was a little kid (22 years old now) and I remember listening to this album as a middle schooler and loving the Hendrix and everything else. Listening to it now still stirs up the same fascination and love of the music of the era. Some of the songs might not have top-notch sound quality, but I think that adds to the recordings and makes them feel much more raw and thrown together, much like the festival itself. The CSN (and sometimes Y) songs on this album are great to listen to, especially if you are very familiar with the originals. Also, all of the dialog and singing about protesting, peace, and stopping the war really lets you know what and when you are listening to. I am sure some people will scoff at me for not being old enough to really know about how this all happened and the significance of it; they are probably right, but I feel like I can still appreciate (to an extent) the gravity of the situation and the beauty of the music. If you like this kind of music and want to have a taste of one of the pivotal moments in popular music history, get this CD. Worth every penny.

"Sea Of Madness" is performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash, And Young as indicated in the liner notes. However, this performance is not from the Woodstock Festival, but from Fillmore East, one month later. This scam was pulled on the original album release as well. The original correct recording can be heard on the 6-CD box set, Woodstock: 40 Years on: Back to Yasgur's Farm (6CD, Limited Edition).

Well whadda you know, a soundtrack documentary of Peace and Hippiedom all captured across rock's first three-record set, now whittled down to this 2-CD set. As you might expect with a multiple artist compilation, we get treated to a vast array of styles, such as rock, pop, folk, blues and even doowop. Also, with this in mind, there's bound to be dreck. And there's enough of it. But there is good music to dazzle your ears, such as Canned Heat's ragged "Going Up The Country" and Ten Years After's "I'm Going Home". And somehow John Sebastian never fails to charm. But the great undoctored performances include Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner", which speaks volumes of world peace and rage simultaneously, Sly's participatory "I Want To Take You Higher" medley and especially Joe Cocker's communal "With A Little Help From My Friends, who gives us his most spine-tingling performance ever. The stage announcements are actually a plus and a howl, particularly the warnings for the brown acid (rumoured to be poison) and Wavy Gravy's classic dissertation concerning the breakfast in bed for 400,000 people (capitalism isn't weird). Yes, there's a slight whiff of profiteering but this may be one of the few (and last) keepsakes from the counterculture's Garden Period. Before decade's end, the arrow would start falling.

Since it's been 40 yrs, I wanted to get a better understanding of the music from Woodstock. A recent summer issue of the Smithsonian magazine about the iconic Woodstock picture & story of Nick & Bobbi sparked my interest! I really like the CD, and have listened to it a lot. I wish I would've been there in August, 1969 to hear all the groovy music live. :D

It was just like I remembered it from owning the album back in 1970! Sounds great!

The 2009 Rhino remastered "Music from the original soundtrack and more-Woodstock" is an album that I would advise anyone who loves the movie and does not own the soundtrack to purchase. The sound is excellent and the collection includes many of the now legendary performances from the festival, including Richie Haven's great opening to the festival with "Freedom", Crosby, Stills, and Nash performing "Suite:Judy Blue Eyes", The Who, Santana's show stealing "Soul Sacrifice", Sly & The Family Stone's medley (probably my personal favorite), and Jimi Hendrix's show closing performance that cemented his legend. Also included are various announcments and dialogue, including Max Yasgur's message to the crowd. A great soundtrack to a great movie and event in music and American history. I would highly recommend this album.

It is hard to believe but it's been 40 years that the Woodstock music festibval took place, and as you can well imagine, the market has been overwhelmed with all things Woodstock, in particular CD reissues and books (more on that later). This CD is a straight reissue, albeit in a remastered version, of the movie soundtrack's previous CD release.

"Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More" (2 CDs; 21 tracks; 139 min.) has never sounded better. Working with the latest-and-greatest remastering technology, the folks at Rhino have once again done an outstanding job in overseeing the quality of this reissue. The classic moments remain as if frozen in time: Country Joe McDonald's "The 'Fish' Chant, Crosby Stills & Nash's "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes" (at the conclusion of which the audience applauds and the band cries out "Thank You! We needed that. We were scared, man, this is only our second gig ever"), Joe Cocker's amazing performance of "With a Little Help From My Friends", Jefferson Airplane coming on stage as the sun rises with Grace Slick's invitation for breakfast, and of course Jimi Hendrix's astonishing set.

In the end, this is worthwhile for being able to play it in the car, rather than at home (where presumably you'll simply pop in the DVD of the movie, hopefully in a home-theatre sound setting). Finally, as to all the Woodstock-related books released this year in time for the 40th anniversary, I would readily recommend "Woodstock: Three Days That Rocked The Workd", a fantastic coffee table book edited by Mike Evans and Paul Kingsbury.

Best music I have heard in years! Brought me back to the days when music had a message for the times! Highly recommend purchase!

Lost the album years ago and had forgotten how great this music makes me feel. Reminds me of simpler times.....