Why Woodstock still matters
The Documentary Podcast
BBC
4.3 • 2.7K Ratings
🗓️ 29 August 2019
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The Woodstock myth is a potent and evocative symbol of the '60s utopian hippie dream – the ultimate example of the unifying power of music, peace and love. To mark the 50th anniversary of one of the festival, this programme explores the impact of the now legendary celebration and why the spirit of Woodstock still carries important social lessons, providing evidence that the power of ordinary people can effect change. Musicians, artistes and organisers who were there, including John Sebastian, Roger Daltrey, Carlos Santana, Michael Lang, Michael Wadleigh, Arlo Guthrie, David Crosby, Richie Havens, Eddie Kramer and Stephen Stills, explain how the pinnacle of the optimism that they all shared as a generation included 500,000 young people enjoying three days of what was billed as "an Aquarian Exposition". Presenter: Arlo Guthrie
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | A lot happened in 1969, which helps define the way we live today in a new century. |
| 0:08.0 | Landing on the moon was one, but there was another event here on earth involving land, music, and love. |
| 0:17.0 | The sense of community up there and the sense of goodwill was palpable everywhere. |
| 0:25.0 | We are stuck. |
| 0:28.0 | 50 years ago, a many nation of 500,000 idealists gathered on a farm a short distance from New York City on America's |
| 0:36.3 | East Coast for a music and arts festival. The aim was to change the American narrative on patriotism and nationalism with a celebration of peace and love. |
| 0:52.0 | You're all groovy, you know. |
| 0:55.0 | When Joan Bayez got up to sing, she says, |
| 0:58.0 | it was all about sharing, and that's how we wanted the world to be. |
| 1:02.0 | We are the love generation. |
| 1:04.0 | Hey you look beyond, tell me what's that you see. |
| 1:08.0 | Martin to the fields of Concord. |
| 1:11.0 | I'm Arlo Guthrie. To me, and I really was there, what has now become known simply as Woodstock |
| 1:18.0 | was the dawn of something else. A moment when a generation questioned those who expected people to blindly follow their government or religious rule. |
| 1:29.0 | For me, I was watching the beginning of the world as far as I was concerned. |
| 1:35.0 | It was a gathering to challenge the politics of the day |
| 1:40.0 | with music as the driving force that fueled peaceful rebellion. |
| 1:45.0 | Woodstock succeeded against almost insurmountable odds. |
| 1:50.0 | The authorities declared it a disaster area and tried to stop it. |
| 1:54.0 | But for a whole generation, its spirit provided a deeper awareness of how to coexist on this planet of ours. |
| 2:14.0 | What we have in mind is breakfast in bed for 400,000. I was lucky enough to be one of the performers on the now legendary weekend. And for the |
| 2:19.0 | I was lucky enough to be one of the performers on the now legendary weekend. |
... |
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