Woodstock
Iain Matthews Lyrics


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I came upon a child of God
He was walking along the road
And I asked him, "Where are you going?"
And this he told me

I'm going on down to Yasgur's Farm,
I'm gonna join in a rock and roll band.
I'm gonna camp out on the land.
I'm gonna get my soul free.

We are stardust.
We are golden.
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.

Then can I walk beside you?
I have come here to lose the smog,
And I feel to be a cog in something turning.

Well maybe it is just the time of year,
Or maybe it's the time of man.
I don't know who I am,
But you know life is for learning.

We are stardust.
We are golden.
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.

By the time we got to Woodstock,
We were half a million strong
And Everywhere there was song and celebration.

And I dreamed I saw the bombers
Riding shotgun in the sky,
And they were turning into butterflies
Above our nation.

We are stardust.
Billion year old carbon.
We are golden..
Caught in the devil's bargain
And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.





(To some semblance of a garden)

Overall Meaning

The song "Woodstock" by Iain Matthews is a powerful reflection of the 1969 Woodstock festival that took place in upstate New York. The song describes a chance encounter on the road with a young man headed to Yasgur's farm to join a rock and roll band and camp out on the land to get his soul free. The lyrics emphasize the idea of community and self-discovery, and how the festival provided an opportunity for people to come together, celebrate life, and connect with each other on a deeper level.


The chorus references the idea that we are all made of stardust, and that we need to get back to the garden, a poetic metaphor for a return to a simpler and more harmonious way of living. The singer asks to walk with the young man, hoping to lose the smog and feel like a cog in something turning, suggesting a desire to be part of a larger movement for change.


The song reaches a climax when the singer and the young man reach Woodstock and see the half a million people gathered there. The imagined image of the bomber turning into butterflies is a symbol of hope and transformation, suggesting that even the most destructive forces can be transformed into something beautiful.


Overall, the song is a poignant tribute to the Woodstock festival, a momentous event in American history that brought together people from all walks of life and inspired a generation to stand up for their beliefs and values.


Line by Line Meaning

I came upon a child of God
I met a person who had a spiritual quality


He was walking along the road
He was traveling towards an unknown destination


And I asked him, "Where are you going?"
I inquired about his future objective


And this he told me
He shared his purpose with me


I'm going on down to Yasgur's Farm,
I'm heading to Yasgur's Farm


I'm gonna join in a rock and roll band.
I plan to participate in a rock and roll group


I'm gonna camp out on the land.
I will camp on the property


I'm gonna get my soul free.
I'm going to liberate my soul


We are stardust.
We are made up of elements observed in stars


We are golden.
We are valuable and bright


And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
We need to return to our primitive and natural roots


Then can I walk beside you?
May I walk with you?


I have come here to lose the smog,
I am here to rid myself of pollution


And I feel to be a cog in something turning.
I perceive myself to be a part of a larger movement


Well maybe it is just the time of year,
Perhaps it is due to the season


Or maybe it's the time of man.
Maybe it is humanity's time for change


I don't know who I am,
I am unaware of my identity


But you know life is for learning.
However, I acknowledge that life is about education


By the time we got to Woodstock,
Once we arrived at Woodstock


We were half a million strong
We became a huge group of people


And Everywhere there was song and celebration.
Music and happiness were present everywhere


And I dreamed I saw the bombers
I once dreamt that I saw warplanes


Riding shotgun in the sky,
Flying alongside each other


And they were turning into butterflies
They transformed into butterflies


Above our nation.
Over our country


We are stardust.
We are composed of star elements


Billion-year-old carbon.
Carbon atoms that are billions of years old


We are golden..
We are precious and valuable


Caught in the devil's bargain
Trapped in the malevolent agreement


And we've got to get ourselves back to the garden.
We must return to the original state of being


(To some semblance of a garden)
(To a state approximating the concept of a garden)




Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joni Mitchell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@harleygal420

If you remember this song, you are not old. You are high quality vintage.

@scottsteel4230

Youth is not only for the young.

@tom.hoffmann6585

Harley gal you are quite kรฌnd๐Ÿ˜‡๐Ÿ˜…

@ivanppillay914

Wow, Harleygal420, take a bow for this sublime comment, my Angel!

@jean-pierreyot5871

I am old high quality vintage!

@bobvasquez1257

Thank you. Grew up with all these beautiful tunes and wish I was at Woodstock. I'm 70 years old and thank youtube for sharing the wonderful music that I grew up with. Damn wish to go back in time,

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@belvinsweatt1274

The sound of that steel guitar never gets old. Still listening in 2023!

@johnager9428

I've been listening to this classic for 53yrs and still going strong ๐Ÿ˜Š

@rodneysandel5877

That song came out in 70s who played so different from Joni Crosby still Nash they play it's so nice it's got a different it's got a different tune I can't believe how old that song is every time I hear it I was in high school

@rodneysandel5877

You're right it sounds so good it sounds just like

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