Some may argue that these 26 songs aren't Woody Guthrie's "best" songs, but they certainly capture the breadth of the man's musical vision. They will also remind listeners of the debt Bob Dylan owed to him.
Probably remembered most for his song "This Land is Your Land," Guthrie was not always so sanguine about America. More characteristic are feelings of anger, sadness, and a kind of grim humor. There are timeless songs: "House of the Rising Sun" and "So Long, It's Been Good to Know You." But most of the songs on this CD recall the bleak days of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. The bleakest in the collection is surely "Dust Pneumonia Blues."
The 1930s are also remembered with tributes to "Grand Coulee Dam" and "Pretty Boy Floyd." Taken together, these songs are the broken-down voice for a generation of poor, jobless, and uprooted, the people Steinbeck celebrated in "Grapes of Wrath." Listening to this CD, you are reminded of how seldom a voice like Guthrie's has made itself heard in America. This is a collection of songs well worth a long and thoughtful listen.
This is the 4th Woody Guthrie album I have bought and I enjoyed it very much. Has several new songs and many of my favorites. I would recommend it for anyone.
