Search - Various Artists :: This Land Is Your Land Live: Folk Years

What happened to my favorite song here?

Rabbi Yonassan Gershom | Minnesota, USA | 08/31/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I came here to review the 2-CD set called "This Land is Your Land" that I got from PBS when this concert aired. Well, this LOOKS like the same CD, but is it? It's got the same cover and it's put out by Rhino, but my copy has another song between "Greenfields" and "This Land is your Land" -- and that's the song that made me want the CD in the first place. The missing song is called "Just Americans" by Randy Sparks and the Minstrels. When I heard this song on PBS, I literally cried. It's the only one of the plethora of "post-9/11" songs that I can relate to, because the words celebrate the diversity of America rather than assuming you have to be a redneck in a pickup truck in order to be patriotic. It even makes specific mention of Jewish Americans like me: "We wear yarmulkes and turbans and occsionally a crown, we wear straw hats and ballcaps when the home team is in town...") In my opinion, this song ranks right up there with "This Land Is Your Land" as the one of the finest of modern folksongs. It was also a high point of this concert. So where is that song on this CD? Is the omission of "Just Americans" a typo here, or was it edited (censored?) out of later editions? For that matter, if this is a single CD "short version" of the PBS concert, then I would recommend getting the full 2-CD set instead. Mine has a total of 25 songs, including my favorite, "Just Americans.""

Great music... disappointing package

07/10/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The television show on Public TV was great, and this CD is just a part of the show that was recorded live in 2002. Although most of the songs on the CD were originally done in the 60's, many of the songs sound like the originals. If you enjoy 60's folk music, you won't be disappointed with the music on this CD. Unfortunately, the packaging is poor. Other than the list of artists and their songs, there are no liner notes or pictures of the artists. The inside of the booklet is completely blank. I've seen better booklets in budget CDs, and this was no cheap CD (costwise, at least). Rhino records usually has excellant liner notes. If the CD would have had a decent booklet with info about the artists and the songs, I would have given the package 5 stars. At least the music is great."

They Still Sound Wonderful!

E-Bead | Portland, ORUnited States | 03/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great folk-music CD. It is actually a live concert, recorded just a few years ago. Unlike so many "reunion" concerts, these acts feature the original voices and arrangements, and it sounds great! It's amazing that these people are performing 40 years after the songs were popular, and they still sound terrific! Even the Smothers Brothers repeat their unique humor... I had forgotten how wonderfully crazy they were! This is a very enjoyable trip down memory lane."