Top Ten Woodstock '69 Performances

Woodstock rocks! but what is the best song? Only Woodstock '69, the first one, the original.
The Top Ten
1 Soul Sacrifice - Santana

Santana was more than awesome and energetic as individual musicians as well as a band playing together. I'm sure most of Santana was doing some serious tripping, but they managed to feed off each other's strengths and bring it all together. At first the audience was surprised by the new sounds they were hearing but with each note they really into the music.The crowd was electrified by their performance because they got to hear beautiful music played by musicians that knew and loved playing together for their audience.

2 With a Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker

Still the most individually compelling performance of the entire show. Would have loved to see The Band. ShNaNa instead of The Band, are you kidding me?
Richie Havens opens Woodstock with Freedom, not shabby either. But with all the big names (Who, Jimi, Janis, CSNY) Joe was the one who stands out. Kudos to Santana--Soul Sacrifice was tremendous. So was Sly and where is he?

Oh, how I wish I was at Woodstock...
If I had a time machine, if only, I would use it just to go to Woodstock! And I wouldn't sleep or leave until it's over!

3 The Star Spangled Banner - Jimi Hendrix

I can't imagine how awesome this would have been live. Just think of the showmanship! The Grateful Dead bombed on this show haha.

Great performance by jimi hendrix who protested against the Vietnam war by imitating the sound of bombs!

4 Pinball Wizard - The Who

Love the song, love the who. Great performance

5 White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane

One of the Greatest performances by Grace Slick and Jefferson Airplane of this classic.

Super song. Thanks for "Fear and loathing in las vegas" where I found him.

6 Piece of My Heart - Janis Joplin

Janis is hands down one of the best artists ever in my opinion. She purée her heart and soul into everything word she sang and it's beautiful

7 We're Not Gonna Take It - The Who

Just watch the video on YouTube. Trust me, it's among the best live performances by any rock band! The Who members themselves didn't enjoy it and Roger Daltrey called it The Who's worst ever performance, but in my opinion, this is just as good as Live At Leeds.
The Who were really playing for their own lives at Woodstock! This has to be the best live performance of We're Not Gonna Take It/See Me, Feel Me/Listening To You, but Sparks is also another breathtaking moment of The Who's performance at Woodstock!

8 Suzy Q - Creedence Clearwater Revival

This song still gets a crowd goin' whenever it's played 42-years later!

John Fogerty et al hit it sound on for what became the haunting call of Woodstock

9 I'm Going Home - Ten Years After

Looking back 46 years after seeing the Woodstock movie at the Trans Lux East movie theater in NYC the 3 acts that stood out most for me then were; 1. Ten Years After; 2. The Who; and 3. Sly and The Family Stone. As a then 15 year old I was blown away by Alvin Lee's guitar playing on "I'm going Home". It's interesting to note that he got such a heavy sound not from a Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster but rather a semi-hollow electric guitar which he tended to favor throughout his career.

Who's # 1 is a matter of opinion, but I saw one top 10 list and TYA wasn't even on it. Not sure how anyone could rate their performance not worthy of being in the top 10. It was definitely a breakout performance for TYA.

10 Somebody to Love - Jefferson Airplane
The Contenders
11 Going Up the Country - Canned Heat

"I'm going where the water tastes like wine." Well, that says everything, doesn't it?

12 Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
13 Suite: Judy Blue Eyes - Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young

Incredible track about love, forgiveness, timelessness, the spectrum of human emotion, and perfection through musical harmony

14 Fish Cheer / Fixin to Die Rag - Country Joe Mcdonald
15 Coming Into Los Angeles - Arlo Guthrie
16 Freedom - Richie Havens

He played the longest set this was my favorite. Very passionate.

Because, no explanation needed.

17 See Me Feel Me - The Who

Don't forget these guys performed when most people were sleeping

I'm surprised this song is number 16, to me this one of the best perfomances that I would have liked to see in the top 10

Greatest band ever.pete was electrifying
Kicking Abby Hoffman offstage would have been a blast to see

18 Southbound Train - Mountain
19 Feelin' Alright - Joe Cocker
20 Evil Ways - Santana
21 At the Hop - Sha Na Na

You would think that at a hippie festival, 50s music would be laughed at, but the crowd loved it. Not to mention they did this song about 100 BPM faster than the original Danny and the Juniors classic. Hendrix, Sha Na Na, Richie Havens, and Santana rocked the festival.

22 Turn on Your Lovelight - Grateful Dead
23 Amazing Journey/Sparks - The Who

Probably the most fiery performance of these two interconnected songs by The Who...Contains all the classic who elements, psychedelic jamming...extensive guitar feedback from Townshend, Entwistles thundering bass, Moon going crazy on the drums, Roger with the tambourines...

24 Won't you try / Saturday afternoon - Jefferson Airplane.

Wall of sound. Amazing harmonies, perfect connection between the musicians. Perfect song!

25 My Generation - The Who
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