Woody Guthrie Album: “Library of Congress Recordings, Vols. 1-3”

It's one thing to hear Woody Guthrie perform his songs. His impromptu style (wherein he delays a few entries while he plays, seemingly because he's forgotten the words for a bit) belies his genius...or maybe even showcases it. Guthrie is one of a handful of musicians who can compose music--and perform it--on a moment's notice. If you're interested in this work, though, understand that the other aspect you get here is some detailed interviewing by folklorist Alan Lomax--which sets this recording apart. I myself stared at the speakers like radio listeners of the '20s and '30s, transfixed, like I was listening to stories told to me from a spiritual grandfather I never had known. His stories are alternately hilarious, wise, painful, and tragic--and utterly fascinating. The recording is not the best. The third CD in particular wavers due to an unevenly played vinyl or wax record, from which this set was recorded. However, the whole set does full justice to an American genius and an underappreciated musician. (Also recommended, if you enjoy these recordings: Bound for Glory, Guthrie's incredible autobiography.)

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

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.