Click on title to link to my blog entry upon the death of Mary Travers. The remarks below were originally written before her death and despite her passing they will suffice here.
CD Review
Washington Square Memoirs: The Great Urban Folk Revival Boom, 1950-1970, various artists, 3CD set, Rhino Records, 2001
Except for the reference to the origins of the talent brought to the city the same comments apply for this CD. Rather than repeat information that is readily available in the booklet and on the discs I’ll finish up here with some recommendations of songs that I believe that you should be sure to listen to:
Disc Two: Dave Van Ronk on “He Was A Friend Of Mine” and You’se A Viper”, The Chad Mitchell Trio on “Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream”, Hedy West on “500 Miles”, Ian &Sylvia on “Four Strong Winds”, Tom Paxton on “I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound”, Peter, Paul And Mary on “Blowin’ In The Wind”, Bob Dylan on “Boots Of Spanish Leather”, Jesse Colin Young on “Four In The Morning”, Joan Baez on “There But For Fortune”, Judy Roderick on “Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?”, Bonnie Dobson on “Morning Dew”, Buffy Sainte-Marie on “Cod’ine” and Eric Von Schmidt on “ Joshua Gone Barbados”.
Peter, Paul and Mary on “Blowin’ In The Wind”. Okay, okay I will not go into that thing again about the crass commercialization of our “pure” folk music of the 1960s by those who sought wider fame than those who wanted to keep “our thing” pure as the driven snow. When the deal went down, no less an authority than Dave Van Ronk has stated that everybody, and that means everybody wanted that big time (meaning at the time Columbia Records) recording contract. And at the career level why not. But let me leave it at this- I would still rather be spinning, let's say, Mississippi John Hurt platters in some lonesome basement if I only heard Peter, Paul and Mary’s version of this early Bob Dylan anthem to "the better angels of our natures". Folk musak, pure and simple even forty some years later. We will be hearing this version in our assisted living quarters as we go “gentle into that good night”.
CD Review
Washington Square Memoirs: The Great Urban Folk Revival Boom, 1950-1970, various artists, 3CD set, Rhino Records, 2001
Except for the reference to the origins of the talent brought to the city the same comments apply for this CD. Rather than repeat information that is readily available in the booklet and on the discs I’ll finish up here with some recommendations of songs that I believe that you should be sure to listen to:
Disc Two: Dave Van Ronk on “He Was A Friend Of Mine” and You’se A Viper”, The Chad Mitchell Trio on “Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream”, Hedy West on “500 Miles”, Ian &Sylvia on “Four Strong Winds”, Tom Paxton on “I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound”, Peter, Paul And Mary on “Blowin’ In The Wind”, Bob Dylan on “Boots Of Spanish Leather”, Jesse Colin Young on “Four In The Morning”, Joan Baez on “There But For Fortune”, Judy Roderick on “Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?”, Bonnie Dobson on “Morning Dew”, Buffy Sainte-Marie on “Cod’ine” and Eric Von Schmidt on “ Joshua Gone Barbados”.
Peter, Paul and Mary on “Blowin’ In The Wind”. Okay, okay I will not go into that thing again about the crass commercialization of our “pure” folk music of the 1960s by those who sought wider fame than those who wanted to keep “our thing” pure as the driven snow. When the deal went down, no less an authority than Dave Van Ronk has stated that everybody, and that means everybody wanted that big time (meaning at the time Columbia Records) recording contract. And at the career level why not. But let me leave it at this- I would still rather be spinning, let's say, Mississippi John Hurt platters in some lonesome basement if I only heard Peter, Paul and Mary’s version of this early Bob Dylan anthem to "the better angels of our natures". Folk musak, pure and simple even forty some years later. We will be hearing this version in our assisted living quarters as we go “gentle into that good night”.
