Various Artists - Woodstock Diary

very happy

I ordered the disc for my boyfriends birthday I recieved an email that it may not get here until weeks later I recieved it the day of THANK YOU. March 15, 2006

The fire of the first album returns.

Some hot tracks here! Unlike the mellowed out album "Woodstock 2," this 3rd general Woodstock album brings back some of the fire of the first album. "Love City" is intense soul, with Sly at his rockin' best. "Somebody To Love" is unrecognizable until it hits the chorus, but it totally cooks, with Grace Slick's soaring voice sliding in and out of the rock guitars. "Southbound Train" has a very powerful rock sound, with terrific guitar sustain on the lead solo. Other tracks didn't impress me nearly as much--a lot of cover tunes, ballads, and sleeze. "Blackbird" is sweet with all its vocal harmonies. "If I Were A Carpenter" has Tim Hardin's voice breaking constantly, maybe intended, maybe not, but very distracting nevertheless. However, I definitely recommend this album for its high points. October 18, 2002

Good sampler of previously unreleased Woodstock tracks

In 1994, for the 25th anniversary of the Woodstock festival, this budget CD was released, as well as the brown-covered boxed set (which I will not review here). WOODSTOCK DIARY came and went with little fanfare, but is worth seeking out, as it contains several tracks that can be found nowhere else. Most of the music is very good, especially the pair of Joe Cocker tunes (Let's Get Stoned and I Shall Be Released), Richie Havens (I Can't Make It Anymore), Janis Joplin (Try and Ball & Chain).

Sly & The Family Stone's "Love City" is a great track from their celebrated set. The other Amazon.com reviewer on this page is incorrect regarding this track. "Love City" was NOT the set opener but the set closer...BEFORE the famous encore. Sly DID in fact lead the crowd to a "higher" chant to Love City, left the stage, then came back to do Dance To The Music/Music Lover/ Higher/I Want To Take You Higher." Believe it or not, the higher chant was already a well-established routine in the Sly Stone set long before it was done at Woodstock. Most of the people already knew and expected it by August of '69, and was ready to do it whenever Sly asked them to.

There are many nice rarities here, and the liner notes are informative. Of course, I am another one who wishes that more Woodstock performances were released than what has been offered on this single CD. I wanted to get more music from Richie, Tim Hardin, Mountain, Ten Years After, and especially Canned Heat. Maybe more CDs like this for the 35th and/or 40th anniversaries? Let's hope so!!! By the way, the opening song in Sly & The Family Stone's Woodstock set was "M'Lady." June 24, 2002

Good intentions, but just doesn't make the cut

This CD does have a few good qualities. CSN's "Blackbird" was played with great harmony and clarity.The version of the Ban's "The Weight" sounds a little better than the studio version, due to more vocals and a reedy organ. The two cuts from Joe Cocker were superb- not to mention the only other songs played in his set- with gritty and loud vocals, along with a supportive backup band. Janis played her heart out with pure energy as usual in the two songs here.

This is the only good qualities I observe- with the exception of Mountain and Tim Hardin. Various songs were overdubbed with announcements and extras which are not made in the proper time as they were actually made. For example: in this CD, Grace Slick says her opening announcement and then the band takes off playing "Somebody to Love." "Somebody to Love" was the song actually played second to the last one- "White Rabbit."


It would also be nice if there would had been more selections fron Sly and the Family Stone besides one track. Though a good song, I wish there was more. Hopefully, in time, more material will surface.

In my opinion, music, especially classic rock and live complications, should be heard as THEY WERE PLAYED- IN THE ENTIRETIES OF THE SONGS. Studio "touch ups" just make good music sound bad and takes away the purpose of enjoying live recordings like music from Woodstock. Furthermore, it would be nice if music from the Incredible String Band, Sweetwater, CSN with Neil young, the Who, and Blood Sweat and Tears would be in a complication or box set of unreleased performances. I hope that rock/classic rock fans will agree. November 3, 2001

missed opportunity

This CD has a few tracks that were not available on Woodstock I, II or the boxed set. This in itself might persuade you to buy it. I still think that it's a missed opportunity though, as they could have released just previously unreleased tracks (there are plenty more in the vaults). July 9, 1999

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