"Going Up The Country" was a top ten hit for Canned Heat in late 1968, and it became the unofficial anthem of Woodstock the following summer. It featured a contra-tenor vocal by Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson and, perhaps uniquely among blues-influenced rock songs, a flute part by Jim Horn (who was not a regular member of the group). The flute seemed strikingly innovative at the time, but it was actually an adaptation of the original recording — called "Bull-Doze Blues" by Henry Thomas in the 1920s — which featured the same part, almost note-by-note, played on the "quills," a wind instrument said to resemble a pan pipe.
Here is the Henry Thomas original (1928):
Here is Canned Heat, lip syncing on television (1970), with fake flute playing (you can just listen if the lip syncing is distracting):
Here is a cover by Kitty, Daisy, and Lewis:
An acoustic version:
Canned Heat in Australia (2007), with a live flutist:
And no, I am not going to link to the Geico commercial.
It's not the weekend yet. You said you'd only be posting these extremely off-topic music posts on the weekend.
What time does Walmart close on Christmas eve? ^^^^^^
Anony, I think it was about 3:30 in the morning on Saturday in Tokyo when Steve posted this. The weekend had already started somewhere on the globe. Where in the world was Steve? Waldo has had his run.
^^^^^Sarah Huckabee, is that you?
I too am tired of how certain folks have hijacked this blog as a place to post about their own (non legal) interests.
Here's a legal question: is Al Wilson listed as the "author" of this work? Who gets the royalties for those Geico commercials? " an adaptation of the original recording"? Really?
To Quote: The Faculty Lounge
Conversations about law, culture, and academia I believe music is part of culture and certainly part of history and the history of America is filled with academic questions about race, gender, work, labor relations etc. Think of all the songs about coal miners, train engineers, factory workers, migrant laborers all embedded within frameworks of law, politics etc etc etc. I personally enjoy these additions to the blog and often want to add some versions of the songs myself. To anon, lighten up.
Hey Jeff
Reading comprehension, please. I think the person you have addressed your lecture to is going by "Anonny Prof"
I actually posted a legal question, but, you obviously didn't read it.
To ANON,
Apologies. You are quite right. And i would guess, the remaining living members of Canned Heat as Al Wilson, Bob Hite and Henry Vestine are all dead. Larry Taylor and Fito De La Parra are both alive.