Richard P. Havens 1983- RICHIE HAVENS***

Stop Pulling & Pushing Me/For Haven’s Sake/Strawberry Fields Forever/What More Can I Say John/I Pity The Poor Immigrant/Lady Madonna/Priests/Indian Rope Ran/Cautiously/Just Above My Hobby Horse’s Head/She’s Leaving Home/Putting Out The Vibration & Hoping It Comes Home/The Parable Of Ramon/With A Little Help From My Friends/Wear Your Love Like Heaven/Run Shaker Life-Do You Feel Good (Medley)

Richard P Havens 1983 was a sprawling double album from Richie Havens released just before his memorable Woodstock performance. More rock influenced than his more usual folk style, it includes no fewer than four Lennon-McCartney tracks. (US:80)

“There are some outstanding original compositions here, also great covers of Lennon-McCartney songs reinvented with Richie's typical warmth and raw passion.”

“Richie Havens's formidable talent, his immediately recognizable gravely voice and masterful guitar-work are simply astonishing. This is progressive folk/Woodstock roots rock. I dare anyone who listens to Lady Madonna with its exuberantly complex syncopation not to want to jump up and dance. This music grabs you by your heart and rattles it.”

“Just before his momentous appearance in the Woodstock festival and subsequent film, he released this double album. His style of music and ethos went hand-in-hand with the hippie movement in the late sixties and he was rightly championed; not just for his music but also for his integrity and personality. As always this comes across in the music, and no other person I can think of can take another writer's song and imbue so much of himself in the end product. It's testament to Haven's ability as an interpreter that he can make every cover sound like it's his own work.”

“This album found Havens largely abandoning his acoustic folkie roots. Working with an extensive collection of session players, he turned in what was essentially a full scale rock effort. Largely new studio material, the set was divided between originals and a mix of popular and obscure covers. The fourth side was given over to a series of live efforts drawn from a July 1968 concert. While the plot line was largely lost on me, it apparently had something to do with Havens' concerns about big government and the growing threat of an Orwellian style 1984 state (hence the title).”

“As you'd expect, stretched over four sides, there's quite a bit of filler. Still, coming from someone who's not a major Havens fan, this one's actually pretty good.”