Search - Buffy Sainte-Marie :: It's My Way

Her First Album is a classic

D. Rachlin | Stow, MA USA | 10/21/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Buffy Sainte-Marie is the continent's leader in Native American music. This was her first album, on which she introduced her unique style to the vinyl record buying public back in the 60's. As a long time fan of hers, I could not give this cd five stars because it hardly matches the power and sophistication of her more recent work. Nevertheless, it contains some amazing pieces: Now that the Buffalo's Gone, (Okay, fine, they're really bison, but who cares?), is a brilliant song about the early white intervention and genocide of a way of life on the Plains. It is a metaphor for cultural destruction, and continues to be relevant. Her recent update of this song changes a few words here and there, but this original version is extraordinary. The Universal Soldier was composed on route from CA to Toronto, apparently, after BSM saw wounded Viet Nam soldiers returning in an airport. It's a war song that keeps on going. Nothing seems to change in this world, and this song should be on the airwaves daily. Mayoo Sto Hoon is Hindi, not Native American Indian. I never understood why she put this on the album, but it has a haunting melody. Buy this...buy all of her albums. Your life will improve."

Beautiful Child Ballad and some powerful familiers

Harper | 04/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Dislexia warning: I can't Spel. This album is worth it alone for the lovely "child" ballad" Lady Jean. It is simply called the incest song here which probably turnes people off, but it has great power, pathos and beauty. It is a traditional and has nothing to do with todays unfortunate problem with child rape, but centers around an adult. For those who do not know, the Child Ballads are a collection of English and Scottish ballads, not lullabys or nursery rhyms-a brittish version of Allen Lomax. This is one of the only recordings I know or found listed and is sung with a clearer, soaring voice than she often uses with prefect emphesis and timing.(althought not as clear and soft as her version of "Must I Go Bound'-Not yet availablo on CD to my knowledge -hint, hint Amazon...), The album also includes the often cutened up "Universal soldier" which she wrote. This is a must for anti-war song collectors or simply anyone watching the news these days. (Listen to it with the Joan Baez version of "with god on our side" and Judy collins singing "The Patrot Game" (the song writer bob dylan was using as a templet for "with god on our side") if you can. The personally inspired and often cuttingly ironic "Cod'in" tells of the futility of using illusion to make the pains of life dissapear. (I must add, however that the line "bettet your pain than be cought on codine" is a culter wide misunderstanding about the difference between medical use and recreational or psycholgical addiction-and that reaserch suggests some few people who can't get clean even with great effort may have Endorphin imbalences or difficiancies,and that chronic pain paitents rarely get 'addicted'. This research has a hard time going forth because of our cultural feeling that pain reliefe is a weaknesss, and docters severly undertreat pain to the point of sadism) Though codine is no longer used on the street because of the availbility of vicodin (a worse trap) taken for what it is, Cod'in is one of the most powerfull and effective songs of it's kind. "Cripple Creek" sung in a very traditinal american mountain folk style is not my personal favorite, but it's authenticity and style compaired to the very different style of "Lady Jean/The Incest Song" shows "folk", too long catoragised as 'that silly 60's stuff(not so silly often) or 'those wierd irish stupid new age things-to be much more with a much greater range. The song is reminiscent in some ways of unadulterated, harsh cajun and may please many. Don't let her seemingly tuneless peices you may have heard fool you-I believe it is taken from her Native background which has a diferent scale than the western in many Native cultres, picked up in some seldom heard post european American folk, and is a sighn of her vresitility as a singer/songwriter. a very good album over all, especially for firs time listeners -Laurianna Whiteweaver"

A Native Treasure

Jeff Farrow | 10/02/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE/It's My Way is both noteworthy for her 1960's songs illustrating the plight of Native Americans, and as being highly talented innovator of western European folk tradition and one of the first cultural fusion musicians. Often accompanying herself on a bow-harp, at other times with rich instrumental backup, her music is sometimes eerie, always uncompromising.



Little Wheel Spin and Spin

Illuminations

Fire & Fleet & Candlelight

Many a Mile"