Woody Guthrie (1912-1967) was the most influential folk artist of his era. He wrote thousands of songs during his lifetime that literally established the foundation for American folk music.
He was a protest artist who embraced socialism, anti-establishment values, and the plight of the common person. He always maintained that a good song did not just entertain but made you think.
Woody At Home Volumes 1 And 2 is a historical treasure trove of home recordings made between 1951 and 1952. The 32 tracks include 13 songs that were never recorded, including filled-out lyrics for his most famous composition “This Land Is Your Land.”
Woody Guthrie’s recordings were always sparse affairs, usually just a guitar and voice. These home recordings are limited by time and place. They were made on a small recording device during the early 1950s. You can hear children playing at times and some traffic in the background. They were not meant for public release, but as demos and reminders for songs in progress. Modern technology has cleaned them up as much as possible, but they remain rooted in their time period. In a way, they are representative of the essence of Woody Guthrie.
The highlight is the expanded lyrics of “This Land Is Your Land,” which present a complete story with more layers than the well-known original.
Protest pieces of all kinds dominate the release as songs such as “Peace Call,” “Innocent Man,” “You Better Get Ready,” and the gentle “Pastures Of Plenty” find Guthrie traveling in many directions. Spoken word pieces “I Just Want To Tell You Fellas” and “Einstein’s Theme Song” provide a different vehicle for his lyrics.
Woody At Home Volumes 1 And 2 can be a difficult listen today. It is from a different time, but the messages still resonate and provide a good look into both the mind of Woody Guthrie and of America in the 1950s. It may not always be a pleasurable listen, but it is an important one.