This week the 50th anniversary of Woodstock was celebrated. “Three days of peace and music” that included historic performances by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Jefferson Airplane and more.
As is the case today, there was great social upheaval in 1969 when Woodstock took place, the Vietnam War was raging and the draft was forcing young men to risk their lives in an unnecessary war, the generation gap had younger people and older people in conflict, racism was vicious and rampant and rabid Right Wingers shouted, “Love it or leave it!” at the “communists” they detested…who were simply fellow Americans who opposed the Vietnam and the ugliness of bigotry bubbling up around the country.
It is fitting to look back to that time, when peace, love and music was the thoughtful alternative to the hatefulness and division that was plaguing America.
So this weekend’s music thread is a celebration of Woodstock’s 50th anniversary, for songs about music of the Woodstock era, the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, whether about peace, love, war, protest or songs that are just reflective of those times.
Okay man, it’s like your turn to share some groovy music from the late 60’s and early 70’s that’s gonna be a real trip! Peace!
We had the Woodstock album at our house when I was growing up. It actually belonged to my sister. We played it on my parent’s huge stereo. Growing up with Woodstock as our “norm” musically – I feel like my generation got its “fill” experientially. “Like” rock concerts or not – even as a pre teen listening to Woodstock in our living room with my teenaged sisters – I got it. Life is meant to have no borders. No restrictions. Freedom. No war. No more of the “man” telling us what to do/stealing our money just so it goes into his bank account. Those of us who lived the Woodstock era – and let it wash over us without anyone telling us it was “wrong” – we know what we know. We were FREED by it. I credit my parents back in the 1960’s – for not telling us otherwise.
It was a period full of terrible conflict and hatred (sound familiar?) but it was also a moment when what’s also beautiful in human beings flowered. Peace, love, caring for Mother Earth, freedom, individuality, self-exploration and spirituality. All these positive themes in humanity have continued in one way or another but the concentration and intensity of them when they exploded on the scene back then was so powerful and influential.
It would be seen as naive today, to be promoting love and peace as wholly as it was back then but I could imagine much worse things than promoting that and just being called “naive”.
Well said.
As to the music….here is my loudest/wildest memory because I was close, real close, since I had a stage badge pass.
This is what hangs in my music space in my house. I was there. A friend who worked for Tiger Beat Magazine was working as the mags stringer for a long feature piece. We got there late on Aug 13 1969 and parked his VW Van at the crest of a hill. We left on the 19th. He took lots of photos and interviewed lots of people. I kept our van safe and did the housekeepingm which included guarding the supplies we brought (which were considerable…my friend was a pro). Loved it but good lord we were on the edge of chaos and mayhem almost from the first note. Amazing that the event is not remembered as a tragedy….lots of good people including the locals and the police and the medical services.
WOW Murph! What an experience! We were a bit ‘gentler’ in San Francisco. I graduated College in June 1968 one mile from Haight Asbury and lived in The Marina,about 3 miles from The Haight! So my entry has to be…..
I was 10 years old at the time – with older siblings. We had the Woodstock album. That’s as close as we got to experiencing it. My sisters changed the stereo needle often on that stereo – we played the heck out of it. If you were 10 years old or 40 – you were changed by it. For me – in every good way. Sacred stuff. Look at that list of performers.