Richie Havens Recordings

If you want to see Richie in performance, one option, apart from going to one of his shows, is to pick up a copy of his appearance at Woodstock. The original movie contained Freedom, while the Director's Cut also has Handsome Johnny. Now, there's also a DVD, called Woodstock Diaries, containing a performance of I Can't Make it Anymore. (Direct Video, DVDSV3001D, June 2002). Another option is to obtain the DVD, The Guitar Style of Richie Havens.  This has a combination of performances and interviews about how Richie tunes his guitar and how he manages to play various chords by small amendments to the tuning. The DVD, available directly from its producers, Homespun Video, also looks at his strumming style and his approaches to vocals. Altogether it is a fascinating and instructive piece of work.

Nobody Left to Crown

Produced by Jay Newland,

Brian Bacchus & Richie Havens

Say it Isn't So (Havens)

Won't Get Fooled Again (P Townsend)

Standing on the Water (A Fairweather Low)

Hurricane Waters (C Greenwood)

If I (Havens)

Nobody Left to Crown (Havens)

(Can't You Hear) Zeus's Angry Roar (Johnson/Havens)

Lives in the Balance (J Browne)

We All Know Now (Havens)

Fates (Havens)

The Great Mandala (The Wheel of Life) (P Yarrow)

One More Day (Gregson-Williams/Horne/Marsh/Cassidy)

Polydor (France)

Released March, 2008

Digipack CD 5705601

Richie Havens: acoustic guitar, vocals

Walter Parks: guitar

Stephanie Winters: cello

Keith Christopher: bass

Shawn Pelton: drums

Additional musicians -

Jay Newland: tambourine, mandolin, bass

Harry Manx, Derek Trucks: slide guitar

Jose Cochise Claussell: percussion

Brian Mitchell: electric piano, organ

David McRae: tambourine, backing vocals

Babi Floyd, Dayna Kurtz: backing vocals

Available from Amazon UK

After the collaborations with Groove Armada, which tried to reposition Richie Havens as a kind of cabaret soul-jazz artist in the vein of Terry Callier, Grace of the Sun finds him reverting to his true status as a more unique exponent of folksy soulfulness. Tracks such as "Way Down Deep" and "By the Grace of the Sun" feature the familiar hustle of Havens' hyper-rhythmic acoustic strumming and peppery hand percussion - a gentle fervour that offers his own distinctive adaptation of gospel exhortation. It's a method especially effective on a suitably feverish version of "All along the Watchtower", which adapts so well to his urgent guitar style and smokey baritone that it's hard to believe he didn't cover it years ago. [sic] The album maintains Havens' position as a liberation preacher, often returning to his signature theme of "freedom", the rousing chant with which he ignited many a festival gathering. "When" offers a wistful reflection on the erosion of American hopes and liberties and the concluding "Pulling up the Stone" likewise evokes the Sisyphean nature of liberation struggle. Havens' rhythmic guitar bed is embroidered with a range of subtle embellishments which finds its apogee in the instrumental "Dusk", whose guittarone, Turkish violin and bouzouki offer a symbolically global tour of the extended string family. (Andy Gill)

(Evangeline in UK)

Way Down Deep (Havens)

Woodstock (Joni Mitchell)

We Both Know (Havens)

Dusk (Havens, Walter Parks)

Red Flowers (Fred Neil)

All Along the Watchtower (Bob Dylan)

When (Havens)

Scarlet Flames (Jack Hammer)

Pulling Up the Stone (Havens)
 

Richie Havens, vocals, Guild guitar, electric sitar

Walter Parks, acoustic guitars, bass

Bill Perry, National electric guitar

Christopher Cunningham, Sarod, bazouki, guitars

Jorge Alfano, Shakuhachi, fretless and electric bass

Hassan Isakkut, Turkish violin, kanun

Stephanie Winters, Cello

Patrick Dawes, Conga drums, bongos, percussion

Badal Roy, Tabla

Tim Tindall, Guitarone

Always known as an interpreter, rather than a songwriter, at 61, Richie Havens has suddenly produced an album on which his own writing skills emerge more strongly than at just about any time in his long career. Six of the ten songs on Wishing Well are his own, including the wonderful "Handouts in the Rain", which he wrote 15 years ago, but has only just got around to recording. The gentle spirituality of the title track and the Dylan-tinged "Stardust and Passion" are almost as good, while the imaginative covers include a version of Pink Floyd's "On the Turning Away", reinvented as a droning Indian raga. Havens is also to be heard on the forthcoming Groove Armada album and his current renaissance is as welcome as it is unexpected. (Nigel Williamson)

UK: Evangeline GEL 4040 CD

Handouts in the Rain (Havens)

Love is Alive (Gary Wright)

You'll Never Know (Havens)

Slow Down (Havens)

On the Road to Calvary (Nile)

Stardust & Passion (Havens)

Paradise (Mescall)

Alone Together (Havens)

On the Turning Away (Gilmour, Moore)

Richie Havens, vocals, guitar

Walter Parks, electric guitar

Dave Richards, Dave Phillips, bass

Jorge Alfano, fretless bass

Chris Cunningham, Bill Perry, guitars

Randy Crafton, drums, percussion

Frank Ammunziata, guitars, electric sitar

Dayna Kurtz, backing vocals

With: Steve Gorn, Hassan Iskitt, Amy Platt, Michelle Kinney, Alki Streiopoulos

The Well (Havens)

Nobody Left to Crown (Havens)*

Zodiac (Havens)*

Freedom - Extended Live Version (Havens)*

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed* (Havens/Price)

I Was Educated By Myself (Havens)*

Richie Havens, vocals, guitar

Bill Perry, lead guitar

Bob Suede, bass

Robert Gatsik, drums

Louis Small, keyboards

Emile Latimer, congas

* Live tracks recorded in San Francisco, Hawaii & New York City

They Dance Alone (Gordon Sumner)

My Father's Shoes (Cliff Eberhardt)

Darkness, Darkness (Jesse Colin Young)

The Hawk (Kris Kristofferson)

Young Boy (Havens)

The Times They Are A-Changin' (Dylan)

Fade To Blue (Billy Perry)

Medley: Intro; Old Love (Louis Small; Eric Clapton/Robert Cray)

How The Nights Can Fly (Bob Lind)

Comin' Back To Me (Marty Balin)

Don't Pass It Up (Greg Chansky)

At A Glance (Greg Chansky)

Richie Havens Vocals, guitar

Bass Jimmy Mack

Guitar Billy Perry Greg Chansky

Drums Ed Barretini

Keyboards Louis Small Paul Chansky

Flugelhorn Chuck Mangione

You Are The One (David Grow)

That's The Way I See You (Tim Moore)

After All These Years (David Grow)

Love Sometimes Says Goodbye (David Grow)

Message From The Doctor (Nick Jameson)

Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper/Rob Hyman)

You're My Tomorrow (Tim Moore)

Let The Walls Fall Down (Fuzzbee Morse)

It Ain't Over Till It's Over (Tim Moore)

Gordon Barnes – guitar

Lee Howard – bass

Stephen Parsons - drums

This album was later released under the title "Yes", against Richie's wishes, with the track, Yes (Tim Moore), which had been a single, added as the opening track.

Ike Turner might want to have a listen to Message From the Doctor and compare it to his Nutbush City Limits!

Simple Things (Jim Tulio/Allen Rubens)

Songwriter (Vince Willis)

Passin' By (Rosko)

Wake Up And Dream (Thom Bishop/Ed Tossing)

I Don't Wanna Know (John Martyn)

Shouldn't We All Be Having A Good Time (Jim Tulio/Butch Stewart/Pat Leonard/Richie Havens)

Arrow Through Me (Paul McCartney)

Runner In The Night (Jim Tulio/Chris Cameron)

Drums – Wayne Stewart, Jim Hines

Guitars – Bill Ruppert, Ross Traut, Jim Tullio, Bruce Gaitsch, Steve Burgh

Bass – Tony Brown, Rusty Taylor, Butch Stewart

Keyboards – Lonnie Reaves, Chris Cameron, CJ Vanston, Pat Leonard

Percussion – Joe Pusateri, Jim Tullio, Jim Hines, Wayne Stewart

Tenor Sax – Mark Colby

If Not For You (Dylan)

Lay Lady Lay (Dylan)

In My Life (Lennon/McCartney)

Strawberry Fields Forever (Lennon/McCartney)

All Along The Watchtower (Dylan)

Imagine (Lennon)

My Sweet Lord (Harrison)

It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Dylan)

Eleanor Rigby (Lennon/McCartney)

Just Like A Woman (Dylan)

The Long And Winding Road (Lennon/McCartney)

Let It Be (Lennon/McCartney)

License To Kill (Dylan)

The Times They Are A-Changin' (Dylan)

Working Class Hero (Lennon)

Rocky Raccoon (Lennon/McCartney)

With A Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Douglas Yeager Guitar

Paul Williams Guitar

Cliff Eberhardt Guitar

Carol Steele Percussion

Michael Raye Synth-bass, Drums

Note that this is a studio album and consists of re-recordings of some tracks previously performed on other albums, but with different arrangements.

The album was released in raw studio form, before it could be developed by adding improved intsrumentation.

Accordingly, this may be a CD for collectors, rather than for those who are looking for an introduction to Richie's work.

Death at an Early Age (Greg Chansky)

Lay Ye Down Boys (Loper/Melloy)

Stand Up (Danielle/Bullen)

This is the Hour (Havens/Danielle)

Dear John (Maurey Yeston)

Moonlight Rain (Havens/Danielle)

Leave Well Enough Alone (Havens/Danielle)

Things Must Change (Havens/Danielle)

Keyboards – Joe Amorusso

Bass – Jeremy Meek

Sax – Mel Collins

Drums – Tulio Depiscopo

Percussion – Danny Cummings

Guitars – Kelvin Bullen, Pino Danielle

Flute – Enzo Avitable

Every Night (Paul McCartney)

You Send Me (Sam Cooke)

We’ve Got Tonight (Bob Seger)

Ol’ 55 (Tom Waits)

Goin’ Back to my Roots (Lamont Dozier)

Dreams (Stevie Nicks)

She Touched My Heart (Jae Mason)

Fire Down Below (Bob Seger)

Here’s a Song (Richie Havens/Denny Randell)

Guitars - Jeffrey Baxter, David Spinozza, Richie Havens, Elliot Randell, Rick Derringer

Keyboards - Richard Tee, Doug Katsaros, Jack Waldman, David LeBolt

Bass - Bob Babbitt, Chuck Rainey

Drums - Allan Schwartzberg, Andy Newmark, Steve Gadd

Percussion - Montego Joe, Michael Olatunji, Andy Newmark, Steve Gadd, Allan Schwartzberg

Sax - David Woodford

Harp - Gloria Agostini

Now available on a 2-for-1 CD along with End of the Beginning as Dreaming As One: The A & M Years on Universal's Hip-O Select label

Shadows of the Past (Havens)

I Don’t Complain (Havens)

Touch the Sky (Jack Hammer)

Billy John (Christopher Bond)

We All Wanna Boogie (Allen Toussaint)

Avalon (Bobby & Billy Alessi)

Aviation Man (Tim Moore)

Nobody Left to Crown (Havens)

The End (Eve Moon)

Richie Havens Vocals, guitars

Lead & rhythm guitars Darryle Johnson

Bass Tony Broussard

Drums Herman Ernest III

Guitars Paul Williams

Keyboards David LeBolt, William Smith

Saxophone Tom Scott

Percussion Gary Coleman

Now available on a 2-for-1 CD along with Mirage as Dreaming As One: The A & M Years on Universal's Hip-O Select label

We Can’t Hide it Anymore (B Murphy)

Dreaming as One (W Smith/D Palmer)

You Can Close Your Eyes (James Taylor)

I Was Educated By Myself (Havens)

Daughter of the Night (M Rickford/H Huss)

If Not for You (Bob Dylan)

Do it Again (Walter Becker/Donald Fagen)

Wild Night (Van Morrison)

Long Train Running T Johnson)

Richie Havens Vocals, guitar

Drums Herman Ernest

Keyboards William Smith, Joey Oliver

Bass Tony Broussard

Guitar Darryle Johnson, Steve Cropper

Steel guitar Jeff Baxter

Organ Booker T Jones

Headkeeper (Dave Mason)

Wandering Angus (W. B. Yeats)

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (Bob Dylan)

Someone Suite (Havens)

Band on the Run (Paul & Linda McCartney)

The Loner (Neil Young)

The Makings of You (Curtis Mayfield)

The Indian Prayer (Rolan Vargas Moussa/Tom Pacheco)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Drums Bernard Purdie

Bass Eric Oxendine Bob Siegler Greg Reeves

Guitar Paul Williams

Piano Ralph Shuckett

Dreaming My Life Away (Havens)

23 Days in September (David Blue)

I Know I Won’t Be There (Havens)

I Don’t Need Nobody (Paula Stone)

Woman (Havens)

What’s Goin’ On (Gaye/Cleveland/Benson)

Tightrope (Leon Russell)

Mama Loves You (Jim Rado)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Percussion Daniel Ben Zebulon

Bass Eric Oxendine

Guitars Paul Williams, Eric Weissberg, Jerry Friedman

Track listing is as on LP, not as given on album sleeve.

The US version of this album came with a gatefold sleeve and ten sketches by Richie.  To see these, go to the Biography page

Fire and Rain (James Taylor)

See Me, Feel Me* (Pete Townshend)

In These Flames (Bob Brown)

Think About the Children (Bobby Scott)

Fathers & Sons (Cat Stevens)

Teach Your Children (Graham Nash)

What Have We Done (Jeffrey Kauffman)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Percussion Emile Latimer

Bass Eric Oxendine

Guitar Paul Williams

Synthesiser Bob Margouleff

*See Me, Feel Me is listed as "Tommy" on US version

To Give All Your love Away (Havens/Roth)

Younger Men Grow Older (Havens/Roth)

Girls Don’t Run Away (Havens)

End of the Seasons (Havens/Roth/Margoleff)

Some Will Wait (Havens/Roth)

Patient Lady (Havens/Roth)

Missing Train (Havens/Roth)

Alarm Clock (Havens/Roth)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Drums Bill LaVorgna

Bass Eric Oxendine

Guitar Paul Williams

Congas Daniel Ben Zebulon

Piano Alan Hand

Track 1 recorded live at the Cellar Door, Washington.

Minstrel from Gault (Havens/Roth)

It Could Be the First Day (Havens)

Ring Around the Moon (Havens)

Baby Blue (Bob Dylan)

There’s a Hole In the Future (Havens)

I Started a Joke (B. M. & R. Gibb)

Prayer (Havens)

Tiny Little Blues (Havens)

Shouldn’t All the World Be Dancing (Havens)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Drums, congas Daniel Ben Zebulon

Bass Eric Oxendine

Drums Bill LaVorgna

Guitars Paul Williams, Monte Dunn

Now available on a double CD along with Something Else Again and Mixed Bag as High Flyin' Bird: The Verve Forecast Years on Universal's Hip-O Select label

For Haven's Sake (Havens)

Strawberry Fields Forever (Lennon/McCartney)

What More Can I Say, John? (Havens)

I Pity The Poor Immigrant (Bob Dylan)

Lady Madonna (Lennon/McCartney)

Priests (Leonard Cohen)

Indian Rope Man (Havens/Price/Roth)

Cautiously (Maurey Hayden)

Just Above My Hobby Horse's Head (Havens/Roth)

She's Leaving Home (Lennon/McCartney)

Putting Out The Vibration, And Hoping It Comes Home (Havens/Roth)

Parable Of Ramon (Havens/Roth)

With A Little Help From My Friends (Lennon/McCartney)

Wear Your Love Like Heaven (D Leitch)

Medley: Run Shaker Life/Do You Feel Good? (Traditional/Havens)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Bass Arnie Moore Carol Hunter Stephen Stills Brad Campbell

Drums Skip Prokop Don MacDonald

Steel Guitar Weldon Myrick

Paul Williams Guitar

Flute Jeremy Steig

Colin Walcott Sitar

Keyboards Warren Bernhardt John Ord Paul Harris

Congas Carter CC Collins

Now available on a double CD along with RPH 1983 and Mixed Bag as High Flyin' Bird: The Verve Forecast Years on Universal's Hip-O Select label

Inside of Him (Havens)

The Klan (A. & D. Grey)

Sugarplums (John Court)

Don’t Listen to Me (Havens)

From the Prison (Jerry Merrick)

Maggie’s Farm (Bob Dylan)

Something Else Again (Havens)

New City (John Court)

Run, Shaker Life (Trad, arr. Havens)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Keyboards Warren Bernhardt

Flute Jeremy Steig

Drums Donald MacDonald, Skip Prokop, Denny Gerrard

Bass Eddie Gomez, Don Payne

Guitar Paul Williams, Adrian Guillery

Now available on a double CD along with Something Else Again and RPH 1983 as High Flyin' Bird: The Verve Forecast Years on Universal's Hip-O Select label

I Can't Make It Anymore (Gordon Lightfoot)

Morning, Morning (Kupferburg)

Adam (Havens)

Follow (Jerry Merrick)

Three Day Eternity (Havens)

Sandy (Cousineau)

Handsome Johnny (Gousset/Havens)

San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller)

Just Like A Woman (Bob Dylan)

Eleanor Rigby (Lennon/McCartney)

Richie Havens Guitar, vocals

Keyboards Paul Harris

Bass Harvey Brooks

Drums Bill LaVorgna

Guitar Howard Collins Paul Williams

Tabla Joe Price

Track 2 arranged by Bruce Langhorne

Track 3 arranged by Felix Pappalardi

900 Miles From Home

I’m a Stranger Here

My Own Way

Boots & Spanish Leather

CC Rider

3:10 to Yuma

Shadow Town

All songs: Traditional, arranged Havens.

Other instruments were added by Douglas in 1968 and the album was released to coincide with the success generated by Richie's appearance in Woodstock.

The other musicians added later include Daniel Ben Zebulon and Paul Williams.

This is described as an unauthorised album, pulled from circulation and certainly not approved of by Richie. Pity - it has some great tracks.

The US version has a different track order listed on the cover and an extra track - In The Land Of Oden - but the actual LP has only the tracks shown here, in the given order.

Babe I’m Leaving

Down In the Valley

Nora’s Dove

I’m Gonna Make You Glad

Chain Gang

Drown In My Own Tears

Daddy Roll ‘Em

It Hurts Me

That's The Bag I’m In

All songs: Traditional, arranged Havens.

Other instruments were added by Douglas in 1968 and the album was released to coincide with the success generated by Richie's appearance in Woodstock.

The other musicians added later include Daniel Ben Zebulon (credited under his pseudonym, Natoga) and Paul Williams. The single from the album credits Richie Havens "with Natoya", a misprint.

Track listings given here are based on the actual album running order, as opposed to the listing on the record sleeve.

Follow

Handsome Johnny

San Francisco Bay Blues

Just Like A Woman

No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed

The Klan

From the Prison

Run Shaker Life

Indian Rope Man

Lady Madonna

Strawberry Fields Forever

Tracks taken from:

1 - 5: Mixed Bag

6 - 9: Somethin’ Else Again

10 - 12: Richard P Havens 1983

Just Like A Woman

Medley: Run Shaker Life/Do You Feel Good

Maggie's Farm

Somethin' Else Again

She's Leaving Home

The Klan

Strawberry Fields Forever

Handsome Johnny

With a Little Help from My Friends

Tracks taken from:

1, 2, 9 & 10: Mixed Bag

3, 4, 5 & 7: Somethin’ Else Again

6, 8 & 11: Richard P Havens 1983

Drown In My Own Tears

Morning, Morning

Just Like A Woman

The Dolphins

Here Comes The Sun

God Bless The Child

The Klan

Handsome Johnny

Follow

Younger Men Grow Older

Medley: Run Shaker Life/Do You Feel Good

What About Me

Minstrel From Gault

Rocky Raccoon

San Francisco Bay Blues

Freedom

Tracks taken from:

Richie Havens’ Record

Mixed Bag

Somethin’ Else Again

Richard P Havens 1983

Woodstock OST

Alarm Clock

Great Blind Degree

On Stage

Live at the Cellar Door

What's Going On

Younger Men Grow Older

What About Me

There's A Hole In The Future

Fire And Rain

It Could Be The First Day

Minstrel From Gault

Tightrope

Open Our Eyes

Prayer

Missing Train

I Started A Joke

Teach Your Children

San Francisco Bay Blues

High Flying Bird

Here Comes The Sun

Portfolio

Alarm Clock

Great Blind Degree

Stonehenge

On Stage

Ooh Child

I Don't Need Nobody

What About Me

Minstrel From Gault

End of the Season

It Was a Very Good Year

Someone Suite

Open Our Eyes

She's Leaving Home

Tightrope

I Pity the Poor Immigrant

The Indian Prayer

Tracks taken from:

Alarm Clock (1, 6)

Mixed Bag II (2, 8, 13)

Portfolio (3, 7, 11)

Great Blind Degree (4)

Stonehenge (5, 9)

Richard P Havens, 1983 (10, 12)

Baby Blue

Wear Your Love Like Heaven

I Started a Joke

Strawberry Fields Forever

Lady Madonna

With a Little Help From My Friends

She's Leaving Home

Priests

Open Our Eyes

Prayer

Stonehenge (2, 4, 10, 11)

Richard P Havens, 1983 (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Baby Blue

Wear Your Love Like Heaven

I Started a Joke

Strawberry Fields Forever

Lady Madonna

With a Little Help From My Friends

She's Leaving Home

Priests

Open Our Eyes

Prayer

Stonehenge (2, 4, 10, 11)

Richard P Havens, 1983 (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Lady Madonna

The Klan

Ring Around the Moon

Inside of Him

Strawberry Fields Forever

Run Shaker Life

There's a Hole In the Future

Handsome Johnny

Stop Pulling & Pushing Me

Indian Rope Man

High Flyin' Bird

Tracks taken from:

Something Else Again (1, 3, 5, 7)

Mixed Bag (9, 12)

Stonehenge (4, 8)

Richard P Havens, 1983 (2, 6, 10, 11)

I Don't Wanna Know (Simple Things)

What About Me * (Great Blind Degree)

Nobody Left To Crown * (Mirage)

Dear John (Common Ground)

Things I Used to Do * (Not previously available on any recording - traditional blues number with guitar style reminiscent of live songs on RPH 1983)

Arrow Through Me (Simple Things)

Drivin' (Simple Things)

You Send Me * (Connections)