 |
 |
THE REVIEW:
Just in case you have not heard, Pete Seeger is a great song writer. This is mostly a compilation of other artists doing Pete's songs, though he is on the collection. He has said, "My main purpose as a musician is to put songs on the people's lips, not just in their ears." That's what this double cd album is about. From the first song to the last, you will be struck by the beauty of the songs, the power of the words, and the logic of the ideas in this collection. This is a compilation of the things that Pete has been telling us all these years.
He writes: "Occasionally, an idea would come to me out of the blue, which would seem good enough to jot down on a piece of paper. Music. Words. Occasionally, both at the same time. New words to old tunes. New tunes or rhythms to other's words. Sometimes just a new verse or phrase to someone else's song. To my surprise, a few of them became well-known through other people who changed them and recorded them." That is the view of things from Pete Seeger. Humble, as is his style, but, make no mistake, these songs are Pete Seeger inside and out. They reflect what Pete stands for: people being better than they thought they could be. These songs remind us again that Pete Seeger has something important to say.
The artists on this collection include: Tommy Sands, Dolores Keane, Verdan Smailovic, Jackson Brown, Bonnie Raitt, John Gorka, Richie Havens, Peter Paul and Mary, Tom Paxton, Bruce Springsteen, Odetta, Donovan, Judy Collins, Ani Difranco, Anne Hills, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Bruce Cockburn, Tish Hinojosa, Billy Bragg, Eliza Carthy, Greg Brown, Tony Trishchka, Kim and Reggie Harris, Magpie, Cordelia's Dad, Ronnie Gilbert, Robin Flowers, Libby McLaren, Jon Stewart, Nanci Griffith, Roger McGuinn, Guy Davis, Indigo Girls, Dick Gaughan, Tom Ribbins, Martin Simpson, Casey Neal, John Trudell, Si Kahn, Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer, Tommy Makem, Holy Near, and The Weavers. Pete even sings one song at the end of vol. 2.
Some of the songs are classics: Where Have All the Flowers Gone, Turn Turn Turn, If I Had A Hammer, and Wimoweh. Some are not so well known, but are just as strong: False From True, Festival of Flowers, and To Everyone in the World. A few of the songs are not Pete's compositions, but so closely associated with him that they seem to be his, such as We Shall Overcome. On two cuts, that great voice of Chicago, Studs Terkel, reminds us about Pete's real message to us all. The information in the liner notes is worth the price of the double cd, and should be read by anyone who is interested in this music.
Appleseed Recordings #1024
PO Box 2593
West Chester, PA 19380