Woody Guthrie, 1943 Photo: Public Domain
Woody Guthrie's songs provided a soundtrack for the American Depression years, telling tales of Dustbowl hardship and the seemingly never-ending class struggle.
Guthrie’s guitar bore the legend “This Machine Kills Fascists” and his fervour and commitment as a performer found him working alongside such activists as Leadbelly and Pete Seeger.
Most importantly, Guthrie inspired generations of musicians to put their art in the service of making the world a better and fairer place.
William Dart presents a six-part introduction to the music and influence of the seminal figure of Woody Guthrie.
The man who once defined history as a bit of a battle between the rich folks and the poor folks, came from the second camp. Born in 1912, he hailed from Oklahoma and the small town of Okemsah which, with wibbly, wobbly words worthy of John Lennon, he described in a stream of superlatives.
It was ‘the most singingest, squaredancingest, drinkingest, yellingest, preachingest, walkingest, talkingest, laughingest, cryingest, shootingest, fist-fightingest, bleedingest, gamblingest, gun, club and razor carryingest of all our ranch and farm towns.
For Guthrie, though, singing came first, reared on any music he could come by, from old ballads like ‘Barbara Allen’ and ‘The Drunkard’s Dream’ to the talking blues of Christopher Allen Bouchillon.
Woody Guthrie - Part 2
Woody Guthrie and his music in the context of contemporaries such as the Almanac Singers, Earl Robinson, Pete Seeger and The Weavers. Audio
Woody Guthrie - Part 3
Bob Dylan famously wrote his "Song to Woody" in 1962, writing some of the most celebrated and trenchant protest songs of the period. Others followed, from Tom Paxton and Judy Collins, to Buffy… Audio
Woody Guthrie - Part 4
Continuing a look at the protest song singers who followed Bob Dylan - Janis Ian, Joni Mitchell, Holly Near, Bruce Springsteen and others. Audio
Woody Guthrie - Part 5
Contemporary musicians pay tribute to Woody Guthrie by covering his songs. Examples from Dolly Parton, Billy Bragg, Ry Cooder and Arlo Guthrie among others. Audio
Woody Guthrie - Part 6
The folk ballads of Britain have a strong tradition of protest songs. Examples from Jeannie Robertson, Frankie Armstrong, June Tabor, Chumbawumba and Leon Rosselson. The series ends with a bracket of… Audio
Music Details for Part 1:
Excerpts from -
Guthrie: California Blues - Woody Guthrie (Rounder)
Guthrie: Do re mi - Guthrie (Reprise)
Guthrie: Talking Dust Bowl Blues - Guthrie (Itunes)
Trad: I Ride an old paint - Almanac Singers (MCA 14992)
Cage: The Perilous Night - Tzenka Dianova (Atoll ACD 309)
Eisler: Supply and Demand - Eric Bentley (Smithsonian)
Guthrie: Eisler on the Go - Billy Bragg (Itunes)
Guthrie: Pretty Boy Floyd - Pete Seeger (Smithsonian)
Guthrie/Pratt: Avenging Annie - Andy Pratt (Razor & Tie)
Guthrie: This Land is Your Land - Cisco Houston (Itunes)
Dylan: Song to Woody - Bob Dylan (CBS)
Dylan: A hard rain’s a gonna fall - Bob Dylan (CBS)
Ochs: There but for fortune - Phil Ochs (Elektra)
Ochs: Outside of a small circle of friends - Phil Ochs (Elektra)
Ochs: The Party - Phil Ochs (Manimal Vinyl)
Ochs: Universal Soldier - Phil Ochs (Vanguard)
Sainte-Marie: God is alive, magic is afoot - Buffy Sainte-Marie (Vanguard)
Sainte-Marie: No no Keshagesh - Buffy Sainte-Marie (Appleseed)
Di Franco: J - Ani Di Franco (Righteous Babe)
Trad: The Rigs of the Time - Shirley Collins (Topic)
Tocker: Wahine Toa - Mahinārangi Tocker (Tristar)
