At the end of this month it will be 50 years since this single reached the top of the UK charts.
It was written by Joni Mitchell, who did not make it to the Woodstock festival, so it is based on what her then boyfriend Graham Nash told her about the event.
Matthews Southern Comfort were led by Iain Matthews, who had previously been in Fairport Convention, sharing vocal duties with Judie Dyble and then Sandy Denny. This is their own arrangement of Joni Mitchell's song.
Now based in the Netherlands, Matthews has appeared on more than 100 LPs and is still touring - see his website.
I am Joni Mitchell's most passionate fan but this version of Woodstock is one of the very few versions of her songs that is actually better than the original and the best song about Woodstock. Interestingly, Woodstock took place only 3 days after the Manson murders in Hollywood.
ReplyDeleteI love Joni Mitchell too, but I find her singing on Woodstock a little too mannered. Besides, this is the version of the song I have always known.
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