It feels especially fitting to talk about Woody Guthrie on Labor Day. The iconic folk singer was a tireless champion of the working class, giving voice to their struggles and triumphs through song.
This new collection captures Guthrie at home in Brooklyn in 1951 and 1952, recording on a reel-to-reel machine gifted by his publisher. It’s just Woody and his guitar, accompanied by the everyday sounds of the Guthrie household drifting in the background.
The songs themselves—some never heard until now—are a revelation. Stripped of embellishment, they offer a rare window into Guthrie’s artistry in its purest form. Scattered among the performances are spoken “voice memos” Guthrie left for his publisher. At one point he reflects, “When I’m sitting around at home like this, by myself, it’s a whole lot easier for me to talk like I wanna talk and say what I wanna say, sorta in my own slow way.” Later he adds, “I just want you to keep them and play them, and see the place from whence all good folk songs breed and spring.”
More than seven decades later, those words ring true. These recordings remind us that Guthrie’s music was never just entertainment—it was a living record of the people he sang for and about.
We’ll celebrate Labor Day with a trio of Guthrie-related videos. First, archival footage of Pete Seeger introducing rare footage of Guthrie performing (the song is “The Ranger’s Command”). Next is Seeger at Farm Aid in 2013 singing the “This Land Is Your Land”. The smiles of guests Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, and John Mellencamp as they sing along just about say it all. Finally, the audio from “I’m a Child Ta Fight”, a previously unheard protest song from the Woody at Home – Vol 1+2 collection.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.