Possibly the first tribute album I ever owned, just before The Bridge and 'Til Things Get Brighter, and long before the market was flooded with tributes. (Evidently record companies got the idea that it was a good step up for new artists to be associated with established ones — they probably call it brand-crossover, or something.)
Equally, at the time, in 1988, Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly were still just a niche, specialist interest. I don't think I'm just imagining that most music fans probably hadn't heard of them. Whereas now many more people have that broad historical awareness of the days before rock'n'roll. Which is a good thing, right?
Anyway, if this was an early example of the tribute album, it set the template for them being generally underwhelming, more impressive on paper than on speakers. Of the best stuff, Bruce Springsteen's two contributions are solid work, if a little too reverential. I don't think I've ever heard Woody's original Philadelphia Lawyer, but Willie Nelson makes it sound like he wrote it.
Pete Seeger brings a large chorus to perform This Land is Your Land. Sister Peggy Seeger isn't included, however: I saw her recently (possibly on this programme) explaining, from an eco-feminist-with-aboriginal-sympathies perspective, why This Land is Your Land is all wrong.
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