James Taylor - Woodstock

[altruman2000]

Part of the brilliance of James Taylor is in his choice to always write in a limited number of keys that best suit his vocal range. This is why at his current age he still effortlessly delivers during live performances. One of the great qualities of his vocal style is the way the sound flows in lilting waves. To have ultimately conquered his additiction and continue flawless performances for more than 40 years is amazing. I was awestruck when I first heard this on the Stern show.

[oyjakeka]

Absolute perfection! Nice post bro!



[Josie5100]

Pure gold

[assaglioli]

if anyone knows a tab or chords please post em, i cannot for the life of me figure out what he's playing here!

[thundah1]

@assaglioli Joni mitchell used strange tunings i wish i knew lol. Richard thompson got it down too . Post if you research it further. :)

[ponder2004]

@assaglioli its just dropped D (bass E string tuned down to D) tuning with Am7 and with all strings open except index finger on b-string  1st fret, try that for starters.

[assaglioli]

@ponder2004 thanks, just watched you play great dream from heaven, i don't know the song but you play it very well. Could you give me a simple run down of the chords which J.T. uses on this song?

[ponder2004]

@assaglioli Hi, I'll try and post something on youtube in the next few days. The chords are D, G , F, Am7, C with some mods. e.g. for the first chord in drop D tuning simply fret the b-string at the first fret and nothing else , play the bass D (e string tuned down to D) and pluck the b and g strings. you can also pluck the high e string for a little more effect. next is G chord 5x503x, then just slide that down two frets for F 3x301x and back up to G then to Am7 to D then 0x001x

[nightsoldier1112]

@ponder2004 If you do, you will be my hero for the week. I've been trying to figure it out all afternoon, but what i've come up with is at best mediocre.

Help a brother out =)

[assaglioli]

@ponder2004 thanks again, really appreciate the reply, it's brilliant.Cheers!

[besthits2011]

The best version EVER! Great song sung by a man whos soul raises the song to a new level.

[corndawgz88]

Never even liked this song until i heard him play it for howard! awesome! and a new found love for CSN

[walkertongdee]

someone should remove this video it is stuck on one frame.

[cdusio]

Dude this was an awesome version when I heard it on Howard.. JT Rocks!!

[daveumpref]

My goodness, simple voice, simple song, simple guitar and it borders on perfect!! Very few singers really move me and while I'll listen to just about anything from rock to opera, I'll stop what I'm doing when this guy starts singing. Here's the lesson to all the new singers of today. You can either sing or you can't and this guy clearly Can.

[reciprokal]

@daveumpref Well said!

[TheArsong]

@daveumpref you know the song is NOT from this guy but from joni mitchell??

[daveumpref]

@TheArsong

I know, I was just commenting on this particular performer and performance.

[Dustypilgrim1]

beyond excellence

[dlo666]

how can i down load that to my mp3 player

[cdusio]

@dlo666 I had it on a torrent. it's from music of howard stern torrent if u can find it.

[partsgirl17]

James doing this song on stern show is so good it should be illegal

[pokitts]

Favourite version of this song.

[612franklin]

Wrapped Around the WhirlWind. Joni and James Know How.....

[sfm992002]

Take a listen to who wrote and first performed it - Jonl Mitchell!

[jimmi161]

@sfm992002 I took a listen and it was awful, James Taylor made the song much better.

[FinalBossOfYT]

@sfm992002 I think anyone who would be interested already knows that by now. At least I hope.

[stillspooky]

@sfm992002 yes, it was pretty, but she sings too fast, jumbling these beautiful words

[sh55ya91ga59]

Can't stop listening to this James Taylor masterpiece. He continues to blow me away. Fantastic!

[tl46]

I'm a die-hard hard rock/metal fan, but this is gold. One of the better pieces of music I've ever heard. You're the man James. Thanks for shutting up (for the most part) Howard.

[xtop23]

damn man ...... ty for posting this !!

[soundwithin]

Pure music, pure emotion, generosity. Hearing's believing. Makes life worthwhile. Thanks JT, thanks reciprokal

[thetribalplanet]

phenomenal! i'm learning this tonight. i will give my life to LORD HOWARD STERN

[walkoff93]

i love the when fred plays this song @ 5:58 am by my car clock. i know my day won't completely suck.

[skagirl42]

james just does it for me everytime ! he is THE BEST !

[theflare22]

WOW!

[jakeandkatie]

I loved it when Howard was on regular FM, married to Allison, was funny, and had awesome live music. JT kicked ass on this one.

[plofus]

howards show is even better on sirius,the james taylor interview & performance was recently played on a best of.

[perez9009]

howard was alaways funny and still is!!!u must not be a true fan stop being cheap and stop using that as an excuse not 2 get sirius!!!!douchebag!!!!

[Knick42]

howard is even better on satelite radio. Maybe you just don't know.

[tl46]

one of the better performances I've ever heard. I get chills every time I hear it. amazing.

[tonloc4545]

awesome! I

[gR8FuLpOnTiAc]

thanks for posting this, i love when howard plays this version........

[micknmandy]

Awesome!!! I get the chills every time I hear this version. JT is awesome.

[308scoutrfl]

im a die hard death metal fan,but when i heard this on stern, i got chills! what an amazing talent james has! i love this version!

[interstategar]

anybody know the guitar tuning for this version by James?

[bomara66]

goosebumps

[scott9804]

I've heard this song numerous times on Howard's show, as they open with it at least once a week, and I didn't know the song or artist, I searched until I found it.... this rendition turned me onto this song along with other Joni Mitchell songs, thanks for posting it!!!!!!!!!

[jessjanicek]

This is so much better than any other version... I need it and I need it now! :)

[ANEWWORLD2012]

DO YOU LIKE GOOD MUSIC ?

LOVE PEACE AND HAPPINESS ?

come to WOODFEST 09

Davis Oklahoma 14-16 August

[vonderlinn]

This is one of the great unknown gems of all time. Thanks for posting.

[eliasroubi]

It's amazing the reaction have had to this version of the song; going along listening to Stern and the blah, blah, blah and this comes on and it blew me away - the simple guitar and voice - and I'm not a JT fan at all. It stuck with me the rest of the day and it took me several days to find a version to download and then I couldn't stop listening to it.

[bctumey]

Where did you find it? I have been looking for it for a long time

[martinaxman]

James is just magic. Each time I hear him I'm more amazed. He just keeps getting better and better.

[pabstman57]

its great when someone tells ya how important man is,how gods gonna save ya. then James Taylor comes along and reminds you your just some chemicals left over from the big bang. get over yourself.

[rythemguitar]

C.S. Nash and Young do this well also. Check it out.

[mjcclz]

We are stardust

We are golden

We are billion-year-old carbon

We are caught in the devil's bargain

And we got to get ourselves

Back to the garden

[chicosalmon]

not a metaphor fort the end of the world, just a status report on how we've lost site of whats important, and how the hippies got it right

[Wampaa]

Wonderful! Thanks for posting.

[GormanToons]

Joni Mitchell's "Woodstock" (this song) is using the concert Woodstock as a metaphor for Judgment Day at the end of the world. Chris Gorman, Composer

[dannywolv]

i don't why, but i lost it listening to this song once (this version).

[jfw657]

First time I heard this was back in 2000. I had my clock radio set for 6 AM when HS came on the air. Every morning they'd start w/a from a past show. So 6 AM I'm just waking up, dawn breaking & this song comes on. I'm lying in bed with the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. It stuck in my head all day. Went to a JT forum & posted a request for it. A guy in Australia posted an obscure link that allowed me to download the mp3 file. Uttely spine tingling rendition.

[kangochigalo]

I heard this cover for the first time last week on HS.  Wow! I thought I was experiencing something unique. Then I read the posts here. Seems like everyone who heard it felt the magic.

[blc169njkj]

James Taylor's voice stands the test of time.  Howard really lets the performers do what they do best!

[whodecayed]

I remember hearing this on the radio driving to work one morning and I thought Holy Shit. I was blown away when it appeared on the bit torrent sites. James Taylor has a great voice and Joni Mitchell is a fantastic song writer.

[rescuviza]

Thanks for sharing this great song

" .. bombers ...turning into butterflies

above our nation"

[racerjah1000]

Great song and cover by J.T. I bow before the king of all media.

[UlrichBrunnerfils]

James , you are one of the best singer / songwriter . . . and your voices get better and better . . . like Joni Mitchell . . . .

[chicosalmon]

hippie movement was to see the universe by looking inward we were all part of it and could see further if looking together song mourns the loss of innocence and rejection of what we've become

[hatzinwondering]

i love this version so much. wow. thanks for posting this. we are stardust.

[Aros1121]

Erm... for the record, JT is a religious man. I think what it's saying is that God exists and he cares for us, but God wants us to find harmony ourselves. Life would be pointless if we were 'guided' in every step we make. JT knows that, and God knows that.

[drew040]

hands down the best perfomance ever of this tune by Taylor.... Howard always brings out the artist's best!!

Same with the Foo Fighter performance on Howard

[mitjazz]

vanilla

[pabstman57]

find god? I think it says the opposite.were a hand full of chemicals,on a rock floating in a cold dark universe,we better realize who we are before we do something we cant undo.if the scientist that constructed all of this is watching hes watching from far away so take care of your self.

[snagillim]

hello new obsession

[MrSteveUtah]

First let me say,JT cannot be beat,not by anyone.

But I just don't get the comments on here,You guys all seem to have found god with this song,I just don't get it.

The Origanal by CSN is a brilliant classic,But this,To dead and dragged out for me

[maidmarius]

The original version is actually by Joni Mitchell, and it was covered by CSNY. Taylor's rendition here is closer to Mitchell's, which can be argued to be "too dead and dragged out", but I love both versions. They're like two separate songs.

[MrSteveUtah]

Joni.Yeah,that explains alot,Some drugged up hyped up woman from the 70's just like maryanne Faithless,way over hyped

[dgiant13]

Wow.

[Impecco109]

Looking at him in this picture, and the videos of when he was young, makes me think of how fast time passes by. The changes in music, our country, and everything else.

[slowride503]

Still my favorite studio performance ever on the Stern Show. Brings tears to my eyes!

[mmeronen]

Thank you for posting this video! I heard the show live and truly felt something permanently change as I was listening to it. There are few moments in life when you experience things that alter your perception for good. I was always a fan of JT but this one put it to another stratosphere for me. I never forgot about this performance and have been praying for someone to find and post it. Thanks to you, I now have a jewel in my Ipod. I hope I can one time return the favor.

[slowhand111666]

wow....you posted my exact feelings....cant even add to that

[jthedr]

This rendition of Woodstock gets me everytime I listen to it. Classic JT on a classic radio show THS. True genuis in both respects. And like Richard, I'm going to cry like a baby if Howard's show goes of the air.

[Ehkh98]

Truth and beauty.

James Taylor's voice is pure gold.

Amazing how he took an already great song and made it even greater with his acoustic version.

Unbelievable.

[orrepairs]

This performance effects me more than anything i've ever heard in music. Every time I hear it on stern show i have to rewind and listen at least 5 times. thank you reciprokal.

[nonidentity]

i agree he does an amazing rendition - i saw him sing it on a joni mitchell tribute on cbc in canada - i WISH i could find that video somewhere....

[Quicksilver0602]

Thank you, reciprokal. I've found a few recordings of this over the years but yours captures the resonance in his voice better than most. I can't imagine why JT didn't choose to include this song in his

soon-to-be-released, "covers"...

[hatzinwondering]

i cant get enough of this version of this song.

[John17815]

A haunting presentation for the early boomers who realize the reality of youth is a past dream.

[southcoocrecords]

Hit the nail on the head.

But then again, the reality of everything is a past dream.

[Toolmusik]

sends shivers

[benahill]

That's funny. The only time I've heard this is on Howard Stern. I'm the biggest fan of both...I love you JT and Howard...

[benahill]

This was replayed on Howard Stern today, and it made me melt. I'm 36, and I'm the biggest JT fan around. He is ANGELIC!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cmhcow]

ba ba booey!

[asdfasdfd333]

what tuning is he in? open G?

[Udude420]

Open J I think

[oceanvista]

Thanks for posting this. I saw him perform this version up here in Canada on a CBC tribute show to Joni about a year ago, and sat in stunned silence that someone could honor the artist and her composition with such a hauntingly beautiful cover. It's among the best covers of any song I've ever heard.

[tl46]

this is absolute fucking gold. every note he plays is magic. i'm a Van Halen die hard. i love metallica, pearl jam, iron maiden, guns n roses, led zeppelin. this is completely out of my norm; it doesn't matter. like Eddie VH's music teacher from pasadena community college said, "if it sounds good, it is good."

[kpetten]

This is a really good cover !! :D

He does an awesome job ! :)

[nc936]

brings me to tears. so beautiful. Viva Taylor and Stern.

[staff72]

wow... The first time I heard this on Howard was amazing and still is.

[sunnchilde]

I actually heard him do this long live on Stern. I remember I was on the freeway and I remember driving in a trance. This version is fantastic. I had this song, this version, echoing in my head for years after. I spent years looking for this on James Taylor CDs and I find it here on YouTube.

[widespread9966]

ditto - same experience to the bone.

[mrclean67]

thanks so much for posting....what an amazing cover version of this song. JT is a master!

[kingcrashray]

This is the sign of a true artist.. Someone that can take someone else's music and make it their own.. OUTSTANDING JT Just seen him live what a entertainer...

[sassyandrefined]

Bravo!

[Christnagel]

I have searched high and low for this version, thanks for posting this.

[InuyashaPrincess14]

I love James Taylor's version of this song. I've never heard Joni's version but James' will blow it out of the water. I first heard him perform it on the rock n'roll hall of fame induction ceremony.

[eastcoastjimmy]

Only several pieces of music could get me to choke up. This number, Joe Walsh's vesion of Desperado and Cydi Lauper's True Colors and Time after Time. Usually at 6:03 in the a.m. during the "bits". Thanks JT, thanks Joni. thanks Joe, thanks Don, Thanks Cyndi, Thanks Howard. You can probably catch Cyndi and Joe on Youtube.......F Jackie!

[67genxer]

right!

[lauwil3]

you are so right on!! I love all those same songs!! Unreal.. this version..skin tingling!! JT is a treasure.~~~_/)~~Rob

[Elijahmon]

Thank you Reciprokal for posting, Thank you Howard for making him do this for you in your studio. First done for RnR hall of fame induction of CSN, last bit of the show, everyone together, Woodstock is chosen as bit to do....James kept throwing everyone off in practice with his version, but they liked it so much, they had him do solo while they did another bit i dont remember...IT WAS CUT! THE ORIGIONAL, FOR WHATEVER REASON IS UNAVAILABLE AS FAR AS I KNOW, not in the transcript or the replay.thx

[edjorg]

breath-stealing.

[manofmusicx]

bitchen

[iluvdamusic]

As referenced by a few others here, I'll just add that JT first performed this amazing rendition at the 1997 Rock Hall induction ceremony - the year that both Joni and CSN were inducted. The show later aired on VH-1, so it should be a fairly easy clip to locate if people are looking to seek it out.

[kyrillion]

Seems to be more influenced by the CSNY version than the original (including changing the line to 'we are billion year old carbon' - not as scientifically close as Joni's version!.

Very beautiful rendition.

[DrAss2001]

THIS IS1,000,000,000,000,000,000,00­0,000,000,000,000,000,000 TIMES BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL!!!!!!!!!

The Great Dr. Ass Has Spoken

[mr1620]

This is played in dropped D without a capo. I just stumbled on this and it will keep me busy for a while. Typical JT...sounds easy to play at first....

[cesarhf]

He sang this In Howard Stern's Studio a few years ago. You can actually hear Howard say something in the beggining.

Oquatanzinwa!

[stratmosphere]

Thank you for posting this. By far the best version of this song. If we could only get the video....

[reciprokal]

Unfortunately I don't think one exists...

I could be wrong, but I believe this in-studio performance happened before Stern had cameras on his radio show at all times.

[ravenfn]

Actually, I first saw James do this song on TV! It was several years ago and I can't remember where, but that is what made me do a Youtube search - to try to find that footage.

I'm still thankful that you posted this audio clip. He reinvented this song and created something extraordinary. Timeless, IMO!

[stillspooky]

@reciprokal it was, I heard it live on the radio about 1997

[Cblender1]

@reciprokal

Not true he had the cams, just not the licensing required to show the video, As with most of his in studio's.

[reciprokal]

@Cblender1

Ahh I bet you are correct my friend! What a shame though!

[matthewcates1]

Man, I love how stripped down this is. Wow. Amazing. It totally changes the whole song.

[clownbaby83]

omg. this is so great. i got the chills

[Fuzzbear]

anyone have any tabs of his version?

[420gluten]

I can't stop playing this. This is simply awsome. Howard Stern is the man, he brings the very best out of his guest performers !

Thanks a million for posting this !

[chicagoairguitar]

Probably the best Stern appearance. I was always a fan, but I didn't realize he could sound like that.

Thanks for the post.

[JASONWCACURA]

This is easily the best version of this song. My fav musical appearnce on Stern. Thanks for the post.

[knuttsaq]

I totally agree. I remember when this used to sometimes play at the intro to the old show (before Sirius) and listening to this at 3 a.m. (west coast) was haunting. Beautiful song.

[GormanToons]

This song is about Jesus. Chris Gorman 1-08-08

[19631966]

It doesn't get any better than this. Thanks Bro.

[19631966]

Thanks for posting this. I've been looking for this for a long time. Great song, great artist.

[Cicodawg]

Ditto... I have been looking for this ever since hearing it replayed on sirius a long long time ago. Finally somone has posted it... thanks!! I couldn't agree more with every single post about Jame Tayor and his version of this song.

[scottgw2]

Simply amazing.

[ademers85]

thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this!

[aev1982]

Thank you so much for posting this. This version of "Woodstock" gives me the chills everytime I hear it. Easily one of the best live performances on Stern's show.

[opusnone]

Wholeheartedly agree.