+ scroll down for Woodstock by Matthews Southern Comfort
Singles:
In Australia, Joni Mitchell‘s Woodstock was released as the B-side of Big Yellow Taxi which entered the Australian singles chart* on 31 August 1970 and peaked at #6.
The Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover entered the Australian singles chart* on 25 May 1970 and peaked at #19.
Album:
The song is on Joni Mitchell‘s album Ladies of the Canyon which entered the Australian albums chart* on 8 February 1971 and peaked at #32.
The Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young version is on Déjà Vu which entered the Australian albums chart* on 18 May 1970. It reached #1 on 13 July 1970 where it sat for 2 weeks.
Songwriter:
Joni Mitchell
Producers:
Joni: Joni Mitchell
CSNY: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Record labels of Australian releases:
Joni: Reprise
CSNY: Atlantic
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
JONI MITCHELL:
CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG:
BONUS VIDEO BELOW: Woodstock by Matthews Southern Comfort
Songfacts:
Woodstock is about the famous music festival in 1969. Joni Mitchell was scheduled to perform at the festival, but backed out on the advice of her manager David Geffen, who was concerned that she would miss a scheduled appearance on The Dick Cavett Show. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young did appear, playing an acoustic set followed by an electric set. They took the stage around 3am Monday morning – the festival was scheduled to end at midnight, but it ran long, culminating with a legendary Jimi Hendrix set that most people didn’t stay to see.
That Tuesday, Mitchell, David Crosby and Stephen Stills all appeared on The Dick Cavett Show. Crosby has said that he and Stills were talking about the festival, and Mitchell wrote the song based on their experience there. Mitchell, however, claimed that she wrote the song before the band returned.
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young’s performance at Woodstock was only their second show together. Before forming the band, Crosby had been a member of The Byrds, Nash was with The Hollies, Stills and Young were members of Buffalo Springfield. Neil Young played with the group for only part of the set.
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/crosby-stills-nash-young/woodstock
Lyrics:
Well, I came upon a child of God
He was walking along the road
And I asked him, Tell me, where are you going
This he told me
Said, I’m going down to Yasgur’s Farm
Gonna join in a rock and roll band
Got to get back to the land and set my soul free
Click for full lyrics
The Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young version is also on our Spotify playlist Bang a Gong – the 70s
Find more songs to enjoy: Bang a Gong song finder
BONUS
Woodstock by Matthews Southern Comfort entered the Australian singles chart* in Australia on 18 January 1971 and peaked at #55.
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
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