Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival 1970 [Sony]

• Artist: Various Artists
• Release Date: October 29, 1996
• Type: Contains explicit content, Collection (various artists), Live
• Genre: Rock

Review

The soundtrack to the documentary film about the 1970 rock festival, which was Woodstock-like in size, if not cultural impact. The musical lineup didn't quite match Woodstock, either, but was damn impressive, including Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, the Who, Joni Mitchell, ELP, the Moody Blues, Donovan, Miles Davis, Free, Leonard Cohen, Jethro Tull, and others (how did Kris Kristofferson sneak in?). This double CD has good sound and good (though not landmark) performances. The Who, Hendrix, and Joni Mitchell come off best; odder highlights include Leonard Cohen's ghostly version of "Suzanne," a "Nights in White Satin" from the Moodies that is quite impassioned, and Tiny Tim's "There'll Always Be an England." Cinéma vérité snippets of dialog add to the authenticity but occasionally detract from the flow. Be aware that Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row" is the 1965 studio recording, not a live performance. [This review refers to both the Castle and Sony releases of Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival 1970, as they are identical releases.] ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
All Right Now	Andy Fraser, Paul Rodgers	Free	(4:53)
My Sunday Feeling (Lyrics)	Ian Anderson	Jethro Tull	(4:11)
Suzanne (Lyrics)	Leonard Cohen	Leonard Cohen	(4:03)
Foxey Lady	Jimi Hendrix	Jimi Hendrix	(5:22)
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)	Jimi Hendrix	Jimi Hendrix	(8:35)
Can't Keep from Cryin'		Ten Years After	(11:29)
Me and Bobby McGee (Lyrics)	Fred Foster, Kris Kristofferson	Kris Kristofferson	(4:58)
Big Yellow Taxi	Joni Mitchell	Joni Mitchell	(2:55)
Woodstock (Lyrics)	Joni Mitchell	Joni Mitchell	(4:15)
Blue Rondo a la Turk/Pictures at an Exhibition/Drum Solo	Modest Mussorgsky, Dave Brubeck	Emerson, Lake & Palmer	(7:25)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
When the Music's Over (Lyrics)	Jim Morrison, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek, John Densmore	The Doors	(11:27)
Young Man Blues	Mose Allison	The Who	(5:53)
Naked Eye (Lyrics)	Pete Townshend	The Who	(6:23)
There'll Always Be an England	Hughie Charles, Ross Parker	Tiny Tim	(1:06)
Sinner Boy	Rory Gallagher	Taste	(5:06)
Let It Be	Paul McCartney, John Lennon	Taste	(3:41)
Nights in White Satin (Lyrics)	Justin Hayward	The Moody Blues	(5:01)
Catch the Wind (Lyrics)	Donovan	Donovan	(3:37)
Weaver's Answer	John "Charlie" Whitney, Roger Chapman	Family	(7:07)
Red-Eye Express	John Sebastian	John Sebastian	(3:52)
Call It Anything	Miles Davis	Miles Davis	(14:36)
Amazing Grace	John Newton	Great Awakening	(3:24)
Desolation Row (Lyrics)	Bob Dylan	Bob Dylan	(11:18)

Credits

Leonard Cohen (Arranger), Nick Church (Liner Notes), Joan Baez (Performer), Adam Block (Series Director), The Doors (Performer), Jon Astley (Producer), Taste (Performer), Lake (Arranger), Donovan (Performer), Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Performer), The Moody Blues (Performer), Geoff Kempin (Compilation Producer), Jethro Tull (Performer), Free (Performer), Ten Years After (Performer), Jimi Hendrix (Performer), John Sebastian (Performer), Hugh Gilmour (Design), The Who (Performer), Andy MacPherson (Mixing), Kris Kristofferson (Performer), Great Awakening (Performer), Tiny Tim (Performer), Elliot Mazer (Producer), Leonard Cohen (Performer), Miles Davis (Performer), Mark Feldman (Series Director), Geoff Kempin (Compilation), Jon Astley (Mixing), Andy MacPherson (Producer), Family (Performer), Joni Mitchell (Performer), Bob Dylan (Performer)