Main menu
Fretplay home Submit tabs

Woody Guthrie
Woody Guthrie tabs Woody Guthrie discography

Channels
Guitar channel Bass channel Guitar videos Reviews

Message Forum
Guitar forum Bass forum Bands and artists Promote your band Recent discussions All categories

Fretplay.com

Woody Guthrie guitar tabs

CD reviews

Library of Congress Recordings, Vols. 1-3

Woody Guthrie - Library of Congress Recordings, Vols. 1-3 Audio CD

A fair review of the Woody Guthrie "Library of Congress Recordings, Vols. 1-3" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Woody Guthrie reviews here, or go back to the Woody Guthrie tabs.

Band: Woody Guthrie
Title: Library of Congress Recordings, Vols. 1-3
Rating:

Release Date: 1992-02-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Lost Train Blues [Instrumental] 2: Railroad Blues [Instrumental] 3: Rye Whiskey 4: Old Joe Clark 5: Beaumont Rag [Instrumental] 6: Texas Oil Fields 7: Greenback Dollar 8: Boll Weevil Blues 9: So Long (It's Been Good to Know Yuh) 10: Talking Dust Bowl Blues 11: Do-Re-Mi 12: Hard Times 13: Pretty Boy Floyd 14: They Laid Jesus Christ in His Grave 15: Jolly Banker 16: I Ain't Got No Home 17: Dirty Overhalls 18: Chain Around My Leg 19: Worried Man Blues 20: Lonesome Valley 21: Walking Down That Railroad Line 22: Going Down the Road Feeling Bad 23: Dust Storm Disaster 24: Foggy Mountain Top 25: Dust Pneumonia Blues 26: California Blues 27: Dust Bowl Refugee 28: Will Rogers Highway 29: Los Angeles New Year's Flood

bound for glory
Although I have listened to most of his songs and recordings these represent those that best represent his life's poltical and musical work. This review is being used to describe several of Woody Guthrie's recordings.

My musical tastes were formed, as were many of those of the generation of 1968, by `Rock and Roll' music exemplified by the Rolling Stones and Beatles and by the blues revival, both Delta and Chicago style. However, those forms as much as they gave pleasure were only marginally political at best. In short, these were entertainers performing material that spoke to us. In the most general sense that is all one should expect of a performer. Thus, for the most part that music need not be reviewed here. Those who thought that a new musical sensibility laid the foundations for a cultural or political revolution have long ago been proven wrong.

That said, in the early 1960's there nevertheless was another form of musical sensibility that was directly tied to radical political expression- the folk revival. This entailed a search for roots and relevancy in musical expression. While not all forms of folk music lent themselves to radical politics it is hard to see the 1960's cultural rebellion without giving a nod to such figures as Dave Van Ronk, the early Bob Dylan, Utah Phillips, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and others. Whatever entertainment value these performers provided they also spoke to and prodded our political development. They did have a message and an agenda and we responded as such. That these musicians' respective agendas proved inadequate and/or short-lived does not negate their affect on the times.

As I have noted in my review of Dave Van Ronk's work when I first heard folk music in my youth I felt unsure about whether I liked it or not. As least against my strong feelings about the Rolling Stones and my favorite blues artist such as Howling Wolf and Elmore James. Then on some late night radio folk show here in Boston I heard Dave Van Ronk singing `Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies' and that was it. From that time to the present folk music has been a staple of my musical tastes. From there I expanded my play list of folk artists with a political message.

Although I had probably heard Woody's `This Land is Your Land' at some earlier point I actually learned about his music secondhand from early Bob Dylan covers of his work. While his influence has had its ebbs and flows since that time each succeeding generation of folk singers still seems to be drawn to his simple, honest tunes about the outlaws, outcasts and the forgotten people that made this country, for good or evil what it is today. Since Woody did not have a particularly good voice nor was he an exceptional guitar player the message delivered by his songs is his real legacy.

Woody's relationship with the American Communist Party while no secret is not widely known. Even Bob Dylan, a worshipper of Woody's in his youth, was not aware of it. What is interesting is that the subjects of his songs fairly closely reflect the party line as it changed to reflect the winds blowing from Moscow. Woody's best work is reflected in the Popular Front style of ` This Land is Your Land' when the party developed its class collaborationist policy with the Rooseveltian Democratic Party and accordingly all liberals were good fellows and true. The Hitler-Stalin Pact was not good news for his style. Political differences between us aside, listen to his recordings and learn about hard times and struggle in an eraly period.

.

I would NOT begin with this set
Woody's first recordings! As a listening experience, sometimes a little tough going, sometimes even frustrating. As a historical document, indispensable. Poor micorphone placement compromises clarity of Woody's voice, both speech and singing. Sometimes a bad room echo obscures it even more, Woody doesn't always seem to be next to the microphone. Sound levels not adjusted when he's speaking as opposed to blowing harp and stumming away. Etc.

These also are much looser performances than "Dust Bowl Ballads" (his seminal album, recorded a month after this Library Of Congress recording) or the amazing 1944-49 recordings for Mose Asch (the Asch Recordings box set)-Woody is mellow and laid back, frequently blows guitar chord changes to some of his best songs. . . . no big deal! We still love him! But the versions of most songs are better on "Dust Bowl Ballads" (exception: Talkin' Dust Bowl) and especially the Moe Asch recordings (which is what I recommend starting out with). It's great-fascinating-hearing long extended conversations with Woody Guthrie and Alan Lomax (even though it's not exactly loose conversation. . . . it was intended to be broadcast as a radio series) It's conversational. . . . . long and drawling. It's beautiful. Woody suddenly and unexpectedly describing his childhood tragedies is riveting.

Three discs of loose version of song, followed by 5 minutes of conversation-sometimes it requires concentrated attention to really get the most out of. Sometimes Alan himself joins in and sings with Woody. . . . . it's that loose.

If you've never gotten the Asch Recordings four disc set, that's the one I'd start with, unbelievable. All 4 discs are indispensable. Woody with Cisco Houston is one of musics great rewards, and he's on a lot of that set. Add to that the equally indispensable Dust Bowl Ballads and you have the absolute essential Woody Guthrie. After you've got those two under your belt, then I would pick up these Library of Congress recordings, I place it as number 3.

A side note, Woody's harp playing is beautiful, I never see anyone mention that.

Also, you can't program out the interviews So each track starts with a song and has up to 6 minutes of conversation.

PS-I hope this doesn't sound like a bad review, because it's not! It's an amazing documentary.
.

Library of Congress Recordings - Woody Guthrie
The interviewer, Alan Lomax, is difficult to hear, probably due to the placement of the microphone. This is a great CD as far as the music and Woody's comments about his life and his songs. I am glad that I bought the CD.

Library of Congress Recordings, Vols. 1-3 Woody Guthrie

Because of Arlo, 20 years ago I went to see a 1 man show of Woody Guthrie. A good set if you wish to listen to a person question Woody. The person that did the 1 man show did a great job. I say this because he made me want to know Woody's songs.
This set was okay. I got to listen to Woody speak some of his thoughts.
But for Woody music --- The Asch Recordings are excellent!.

Library of Congress Recordings
While the recordings document his music, they also illuminate a significant moment in American history. I have owned these recordings for nearly five years and I have yet to grow tired of hearing Woody speak and sing. Woody Guthrie both witnessed and validated the myth propogated by Steinbeck in "The Grapes of Wrath. " Gurthrie's commentary is as rich with red politics as his music; and while he speaks without pretention, his ideas are sophisticated and his deliverery is calculated and genius. I have probably listened to these recordings a hundred times, each time another layer of Woody's mind and era is exposed.

You can see a complete list of all Woody Guthrie discography, or go back to the Woody Guthrie tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.