The Weavers - The Weavers - Greatest Hits

This Vanguard double-LP "twofer" captures the seminal folk group, the Weavers--Ronnie Gilbert, Lee Hays, Fred Hellerman, and Pete Seeger--in 64 minutes of classic songs. Borrowing from both live and studio recordings--including the historic 1955 Carnegie Hall concert--Greatest Hits covers a wide range of favorites, among them "Kisses Sweeter than Wine," "Tzena, Tzena, Tzena," "Wimoweh," "Goodnight Irene," an intimate "Guatanamera," "Wreck of the John B.," "This Land Is Your Land," and "So Long, It's Been Good to Know You." --David Horiuchi Amazon.com

The Weavers

This is a great album, maybe one of THE folk albums. I have the LP of this; got it back in the '60's. The Weavers helped pave the way for the outspokenness of folk music in the '60's. Some of their work is just for fun, those songs we all still sing, but they made statements, too. Sadly the recording quality of this isn't like modern stuff, but I just turn it up louder. This was even pre-stereo. You have to kind of imagine yourself there. You are just one big ear.
They oughta make a movie about The Weavers, get people who sing like they sang, record it real good. But maybe it'd be better to use the actual music and have people mime it.
Anyway, every American should listen to this. July 20, 2008

a trip back in time

I had never heard of the Weavers until I watched a recent PBS documentary. I immediately got online and bought this one. This is a great CD and makes me think how great it must have been "back in the day" to be happy with simpler things (great music) instead of so caught up in all the craziness that is our world today. There are a few songs (Rock Island Line, for example) that make me turn the volume way up and sing along. April 26, 2008

Mark Torres Travel Tips For Aztlan KPFK 90.7FM Los Angeles

This release is an essential purchase for those who enjoy folk music or are excavating the folk music tradition. The Weavers were one of the first groups to attain commercial success when their version of Leadbelly's Goodnight Irene was a number 1 single in America for 7 weeks in 1950...!!!
Their success began a folk music resurgence that would eventually bring us the likes of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Peter Paul and Mary, Judy Collins, Buffie St. Marie, Phil Ochs, The Kingston Trio and countless others

All this from a group that was hounded by HUAC, blacklisters and boycotters and was eventually forced to concede any dream they might have had to make a living from their music. They didn't even release or perform their beautifully happy and hopeful song If I Had A Hammer because of the relentless pressure on them. Of course all was forgotten when Pete Paul and Mary made a hit of If I had a Hammer a decade later.

The weakest part of this release is the lack of liner notes to tell their story and put their accomplishments in perspective... The music is wonderful. February 28, 2007

Still the old magic

I would have given this review 5 stars because the Weavers are the Weavers and these are such wonderful songs. My only disappointment is that I'm afraid I've grown accustomed to the big sound of modern recordings and I wish there were some way they could boost the sound of this one. I suppose several tracks is too much to ask for, but it sounds a bit two-dimensional. February 19, 2007

not good folk

maybe good for weaver fans, but frankly i think of the weavers as sellouts to pop music. if you want good lee hays or pete seeger, listen to the almanac singers, where they at least have woody guthrie. March 31, 2002

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