3376. Matthews' Southern Comfort - Woodstock

From: Later That Same Year; Year: 1970; Folk Rock/Jazz Rock

I heard this version of the classic counter-culture anthem, written by Joni Mitchell and really made famous by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, for the first time the other day; I have to say I really like it. This one was released the same year as the other two and made it to number one on the British charts. Apparently Iain Matthews and the band were not intending on covering it, but had to get a fourth song for a broadcast and threw it together; everybody liked their live version of it, so they recorded it and the rest is history.
To me this interpretation is somewhere in between the Joni Mitchell original and the CSNY version. More smooth and jazzy; reminds me a lot of a folky Steely Dan. I love the guitars throughout and especially Gordon Huntley's steel guitar; it adds so much.

Hear Woodstock on YouTube.



My song pick one year ago today: King Crimson - Lament

My song pick two years ago today: Steve Vai - The Boy From Seattle

My song pick three years ago today: Jethro Tull - Bourée

My song pick four years ago today: Richard Strauss - Also Sprach Zarathustra

My song pick five years ago today: 30 Seconds to Mars - Year Zero

My song pick six years ago today: Don Williams - If Hollywood Don't Need You

My song pick seven years ago today: Cream - Strange Brew

My song pick eight years ago today: A-ha - The Living Daylights

My song pick nine years ago today: Procol Harum - Conquistador