They Called It Woodstock

Image by _Robert C_ via Flickr

This post originally appeared on August 13, 2009.  Some of this has been updated.

Fifty years ago this weekend, almost half a million people descended upon Max Yasgur's dairy farm in upstate New York, whether they had tickets or not. They were there to listen to the music, commune with nature, do drugs and get naked. They also had to deal with stormy weather, lack of food, crowded roads and lack of sanitary facilities. They left with a belief that music could change the world, and a legend was born.

They called it Woodstock.

Some of the biggest acts in rock were there: Janis Joplin. Joan Baez, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Sly and the Family Stone, the Grateful Dead and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Other had their careers made by the festival: Richie Havens, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Carlos Santana and Canned Heat.

Songs were written to capture the vibe: "Woodstock" by Joni Mitchell (who didn't perform there), and "Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)" by Melanie (who did).

There were moments: Country Joe and the Fish's infamous cheer (don't ask me to repeat it), Jimi Hendrix performing "The Star Spangled Banner", two deaths, two births and four miscarriages.

Otherwise, there was little trouble in Woodstock Nation. Despite everything, there was an almost-miraculous spirit of cooperation from all who were there. It was as if war, racism and greed ceased to exist.

In reality, very little was solved by "three days of peace, love and music". The Vietnam War would continue for a few more years, stoking violent protests at home. Racism still exists even though an African-American man had been President of the United States. Greed nearly destroyed the economy and the planet, and still could. Of the thousands who attended Woodstock, most of them became who they didn't want to be when they grew up: their parents.

All this comes from the perspective of someone who was 11 years old at the time and living in Minnesota (that would be me), whose musical tastes were shaped by Top 40 AM radio, and who thought FM meant "forbidden music". Had it not been for the documentary film and the soundtrack album that came out later, Woodstock would have been nothing more than a rumor. And we would never have heard of the little bird with that name in the "Peanuts" comic strip.

In the decades since, there had been attempts to recapture the magic for a new audience.  The most recent was a 50th anniversary concert that never got off the ground because of (A) financial difficulties and (B)too many changes in venues.  Reportedly, the promoters tried to move the new Woodstock to Maryland before they finally pulled the plug.

The original Woodstock Nation had its moment in the sun amid the clouds, but to those who were there, the warmth still lingers.