That’s why she never became a pop star and remained a world class artist/composer, as well as Lauryn Hill, two geniuses surviving the dipshit world of pop culture!
Holy is the word, more useful than a saint, a divine artist; like Maria Callas, in a different world, but the same kind of unforgettable and inimitable artistry. But Laura wrote her own music as well. Extraordinary.
Stories of her being booed off the stage are greatly exaggerated, obviously. She was incredible. She wasn't ahead of her time, she existed in her own time.
@@oppothumbs1 Because she was still young and elatively inexperienced, I suggest. I think she was a wonderful singer, writer, composer, and pianist, my favourite.
I'll take this as one of the best performances at Monterey. So pure. Heaven knows why it didn't make it into the final film. Some of the performances were really second rate....then there's this lying on the cutting room floor! damn that is harsh. Rave on Laura!
+Anthony Monaghan Sorry, Anthony ... that's nonsense. The performance was so bad, it (a) became a sort of standard by which other bad performances were judged, and (b) led Nyro to swearing off public performances -- she eventually returned after Geffen worked long and hard convincing her that she belonged on a stage.
Rosie Gig Compare this to the awfulness that was the Mamas and Papas and you'll see what I mean. I didn't realise she swore of performing after this. I must re read her biography. I still think it's a great performance and find it sad that Laura felt it was below par. The live sound in those days of course added to a lot of musicians woes. Thanks for your feedback.
+Rosie Gig I just 're listened to it and I still think it's a wonderful performance, how young she was, how vulnerable, the dynamics toward the end. She's in a class of her own here, it's sad how underwhelmed she is at the end.
@@AnthonyMonaghan I agree with you that it is a remarkable performance considering the band was underehearsed and she had never performed in this sort of context before. This performance on the Monterey box set is how I discovered Laura Nyro. I agree that is a diamond in the rough as compared to some of the other performances.
Laura wasn't booed. Her complete performance at the Monterey Pop Festival has been preserved and made available, and there was noting but positive vibes from the awestruck audience.
The crowd reaction was stunned silence. There was no booing. When you see true greatness for the first time it takes awhile to lift your jaw off the floor. Look at the thumbs up/thumbs down on this video.
she dealt with a lot of personal issues including lack of confidence, which is incredible considering her immense talent as a singer, songwriter and performer. This is her at her best.
"We", her fans brought roses to her concerts. We would fill the front frame of the stage with the roses and she would accept the roses with great humility and love.
This delivery is almost theatrical. The way she knows exactly what she is saying, no words come from mere memory, but are always attached to the message. "I swear there's something better than getting off... On sweet cocaine". The way this sentence changes it's meaning half way through it, from a simple thought to an ode, to a wish. And she makes it sound and look just like that, rolling her eyes, salivating to the idea of it. What a complete artist. I absolutely adore this woman.
I love Carole Kine and her music got me thru high school when I was a weirdo and no one understood me. But when I heard Laura Nyro, I knew that this was something otherwordly. Genius comes to mind...never saw her live, but what a talent. Either you get Laura or you dont and if you do, you realize that she is without equal.
A triple threat - singer/songwriter/player-performer...of the highest caliber. Old school writer employing the best of Broadway/Brill Building craftsmanship with the times in which she came up. A true master greatly missed. So wish I could have seen her live. Grateful this even exists.
Brah this live version.. this fucking changed me altered me. It's.jn me now, in my DNA. So much love for you baby girl. I've been a devotee for about 15 years now, the biography on her is impeccably well researched and you must read it . There are no words
She was incredible! I saw her at the Carefree Theatre in West Palm Beach in the late 80s and believe me she touched the souls of everyone in that space! I was moved by her music well before that (70s) and to this day blown away by her sound and the depth of her music!
I've been watching The Complete Monterey Pop Festival, a 3-disc set including 'outtakes' when I came to this performance. Although I grew up in the 60s, I could not place the performer. She was stunning. I stopped the movie and typed 'Poverty Train' on RUclips. For the record, this song was met with applause and cries of 'Beautiful!' when she finished. Maybe it was another song that got booed. Or maybe it is a myth. At any rate, she was one of a kind, and this performance is brilliant.
I did get to see Laura play 3 times in the way back. The experiences shaped my emotional and musical life for the last 40 years - and continue today. True Love . ALL WAYZ.
The best blues-song ever, performed by the best artist ever! Simply incredible! This beautiful Lady is in her own class! Thank you & greetings from Germany!
This is like finding rare footage of Callas - my other obsession. In a way Laura was as original and inventive as Callas - she created dramas from each song, like the great lieder singers do - it's just Laura's blues style - but a genius at that. My friend knew her in high school, which apparently Laura didn't attend very much - and said she was very quiet but when she did perform the whole school fell silent. It was kind of obvious from the beginning she was very special.
Laura Nyro was so underrated and the sort of artist who writes these classic songs but whom no one has ever heard of. It's like the Paul Williams syndrome.
I was thrilled the first time I saw this (as it was edited from MONTEREY POP for the more commercial MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, who I liked, but who never reached into the soul of the outcast and outsider the way Laura did. When I read about the real reaction and her never hearing about it, I was heartbroken. I went to the memorial concert in NYC at the Beacon in 98 and had a great time...great artists and a great tribute to Laura, but something was missing...Laura. RIP Angel. xoxoxo
Some new incredibly rare film of Laura has recently been posted - search 'Timer Yale 1972'. She's absolutely radiant, totally immersed in the song, and so, so, sensual.
Always wondered what the buzz was about with Laura Nyro. Really liked her songs that other artists used. Was going through Monterey Pop Festival music on youtube and stumbled onto this video. Wow! She was an immense talent. Her style in this song was probably 40 years too early for the times. She would blow away todays talent singing similar style. This is genius pure and simple. I thought the band (piano) she had for this song did quite well. I actually liked the timing and tone.
The band was the legendary LA session band The Wrecking Crew with Hal Blaine on drums and Tommy Tedesco on guitar. The Crew was quite a few rotating musicians and also included Leon Russell, Glenn Campbell, Larry Knechtel and Carol Kaye. They played on innumerable records such as by the Beach Boys, Monkees, Sinatra........
It is absolutely one of the most powerful songs, I have it on a cassette from Monterey and Laura's performance was right up there with Janis. People at the end were saying Beautiful, not Boo. listen to the ending
She graduated in 1965 from Music & Art HS in NYC, same class as my cousin. She was already a legend in HS. Everyone in NYC knew who she was. Her father was a piano tuner in the Bronx. Laura's mother died of ovarian cancer at age 49, just shortly after they bought their new house. And sadly, Laura died of ovarian cancer as well at age 49, which she predicted would happen. She was one of a kind and irreplaceable.
@@carollipton4584 I fully agree with your comments of 2 years ago about Laura. Certainly a unique talent that is both irreplaceable and without equal in the history of music. A sad, tragic life with the blight of the disease that claimed the lives of Laura and so many close to her. My heart goes out to Laura, her family and true devotees. Her memory and musical legacy are precious and to be treasured for all time. Rest in peace Laura, you are very special and loved for all time.
i just discovered her 2 weeks ago from a hip hop sample from Madlib's "Gods Arrival". Ever since then i can not stop listening to her music. Her voice, lyrics, and her passion for the songs she sings are amazing.
Justice Allah I'm having the same response'...I said to Myself as saw this' "I've been Looking for You all My days"...She is amazing. Vocal Delivery is Crazy Beautiful...as she is also.
Justice Allah I was watching the Wrecking Crew documentary and they play about six seconds of stone soul picnic by the 5th dimension and I was like 'what the hell was that?' and one month later I'm having the exact same experience you describe. cannot stop listening to her.
I wish she could have seen the footage, and realized that People were calling her "Beautiful", not booing. It breaks my Heart that she never got to. I know the producers of the movie invited her to come see it, but by that time she was seriously ill with cancer, and trying hard to get one last album recorded, so she didn't go. What an amazing Woman, listen to the songs on "Angel in the Dark", they do NOT sound like someone who's on her last legs, Laura always gave best, from start to finish!
Sorry, late response but this is to the others that may read this. The concert was in 1967 and the movie came out in 1968. She died of cancer in 1997. She did maybe 8 studio albums between this concert and her death. What you are saying is not correct. Angel in the Dark was the last album in the late 90's, started before she as sick and completed (sort of) while she was sick.
No artist or every performance is liked by everyone. Its absurd to think that that could ever be the case. But in Nyro's case, she is virtually universally loved and revered by the music industry (artists, producers, session musicians) as one of its greatest ever talents. Nyro is so unique she occupies her own category (whatever that is) and it takes a level of sophistication, maturity and patience to appreciate the genius of her music. However, some people 'get' her immediately. More than anything, Nyro 'moves' people - you don't just love her, you fall in love with her.
Yes, I fell in love with her when I first heard Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat Album when it was new: she's still my favourite singer, writer, composer, pianist, so beautiful a musician.
Yes exactly. They were in shock and awe mode and not sure exactly what it was that they were seeing and hearing. This was a little bit too much for them. And Laura was too raw and too new to the game. For her at this age it was all experimental. She wasn't feeling good about putting herself through the soul grinder music business who's heartbeat was tuned into the sound of a cash register. She was not public property or anyone's puppet performer. She belonged to herself and her withdrawal from the scene was absolutely natural.
Thank you for sharing this. It is amazing, as was Laura. I only regret that I didn't come to know all Laura's music until after her passing. I woud have loved to have seen in her concert.
jf q well, maybe you would have, and maybe you wouldn’t. My wife was a HUGE Laura fan, got all dolled up for a. New Year’s eve concert, and Laura walks into the stage looking great, sits at the piano. Sits. Says, I’m sorry, I can’t get into it, and walks off the stage. No knock in her fantastic music, but she could be reeeeaaaallly depressive.
I can't imagine how this gave rise to the story she was booed off the stage. What a fantastic performance! And that's even compared to Janis' legendary rendition of Ball and Chain on the same stage.
The crowd was saying "beautiful", which could be mis-heard. The booing was a myth, as stated by the maker of the Monterey film, D A Pennebaker (see youtube Poverty Train with Pennebaker intro).
I just bought the Blu-Ray version of Monterey Pop. It is the best film and the very first film of an outdoor music festival. (I will always watch "Woodstock" but Pennebacker's film shot in 16mm showed the Woodstock filmmakers what they should do.) The remastered 3rd DVD is outtakes that weren't part of the documentary. I was ASTONISHED to see Laura Nyro there! I worship at her altar. How did she get herself there? They WANTED her. She influenced Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Cyndi Lauper, Elvis Costello, etc. She is the link between the great singer-songwriters of the modern era back to the great songwriters of the Great American Songbook. Musically and lyrically.
I wish that Laura had had the chance to watch her performance with modern video and sound. She wasn’t being booed. The voice in the audience was saying “We love you.” It’s heartbreaking to think that she went the rest of her life thinking that she was a failure.
This lady is the original... Before Carol, Joni, Carly, Lady Gagme, Mealy Cirosis. Not Just first, no one can control their arrival on earth, but still the best....
Laura Nyro would have been the best thing on stage at ANY concert she was a participant in. Highly underrated, most amazing singer/performer/songwriter... right up there with Dylan... far better than Joni Mitchell IMHO. More real soul. Sadly ask the question "who wrote this song?" and most people will answer wrong: Stoney End? "Barbara Streisand?" Zzzzt! Eli's Comin'? "Three Dog Night?" Zzzzt! And When I Die? "Blood Sweat and Tears?" Zzzzzzzzt! Wedding Bell Blues/Stoned Soul Picnic/Save The Country? "Fifth Dimension?" Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt! All written by Ms. N, and usually sung better by her as well. I deem myself as one of the REALLY fortunate to have seen her live in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1969....
+Jon Rosen Utter nonsense, John. I won't even touch the Dylan comparison, but I do feel compelled to rebut the assertion that her performance on the day was anything other than rubbish. She may well have written a few tunes that you enjoy, but even Nyro recognized that she had bombed on a historic scale that day. That explains why she assiduously avoided public performances for long afterwards. You're entitled to your opinion -- you're not entitled to your own facts.
+Rosie Gig.... Completely wrong Rosie, Jon is right. And hands down she is way better than Dylan ever was, writing & performing. I too saw her in 1969, amazing. People really don't understand Nyro's style and so they have an issue with her. Too bad you don't get it.
YES! Absolutely agree! Laura wrote all this masterpieces & her own versions are much better! She is by far the better musician & vocalist! Laura Nyro is the best artist ever! Greetings from Germany!
She died before her time..was way too good to hit the mainstream..too unique and soulful..so fortunate to have heard her in person and loved all her albums.
@@rosiegig7882 _"I won't even touch the Dylan comparison"_ You sound like every single by-the-book music journalist since the 60s. All parping a rock party line. Denying virtually everything outside of a mind-numbingly drab and dull bunch of conformist blues/country/folk ingredients. Dylan's a musical midget in comparison to Nyro. And comparing them as performers is plain comedy. I advise you to "touch" the Dylan comparison by rewatching every nuance of Nyro's performance here. Every single movement and gesture. Then watch flipping Bob and reconsider.
What an impassioned, sexy performance. She's totally in control. Apparently she only rehearsed once with the backing band and you can hear that the pianist comes in way too fast at the beginning. Then she starts singing at exactly the pace she wants to go at and the accompanist has the smarts to adapt his playing immediately. Gold.
The backing band is from the legendary group of LA session musicians The Wrecking Crew, with Hal Blaine on drums and Tommy Tedesco on guitar, but not sure who the pianist was on this occasion. Leon Russell and Glen Campbell were members of The Wrecking Crew before they got really famous.
I never met her, never saw her perform but here's the thing I think about: she and I were born the same year. A couple of mix bloods but half Italian. We both grew up in the Bronx not that far from each other. We might have even gone to the same schools. Her father worked the Catskill mountain resorts and played trumpet in the ubiquitous dance bands at all those hotels. I worked in those same hotels around the same time that she was hanging with her father I was hanging with my father who was a baker in those hotels (the Concord, Grossingers, the Granit, the Homowack, Rubins and a few others that few would recognize). Then I worked as a busboy in those hotels and I loved listening to those hotel bands; the jazz and conga bands especially. She and I, both growing up on the streets of the bronx were deeply affected by the music of the time but she was writing songs and I was singing doo wop. I feel like she was my sister. She was pure genius and I was a pure schmoe. As Willy Nelson sang, "You were always on my mind." Geez, I wish I had known her. I loved/love her music. I can't believe she died of the same disease that her mother died of and that Angelina Jolie was in the same boat and had a hysterectomy and a double mastectomy to try and head that fate off. I thought for sure that I would be dead before I turned fifty having done so many risky things in my life but here I am, almost 69 now and she is dead and gone.
Lloyd, there really isn't a way to answer your question. You would have to be privy to the mysterious process of thought that Laura possessed. There were so many choices of song she could have made that would have been more lively or meaningful but this one was a good one.
Dennis Lee she performed a whole set, including Wedding Bell Blues. It was the man who documented the fest, D.A. Pennebaker or whatever his name was, that chose to present this song from her performance. It's in the outtakes of Monterey Pop, but in my opinion should've been included in the feature film instead of that aweful instrumental by Country Joe.
@sappleseed , I was more into Punk than Disco back in the day. I almost bought "Nested", just because I liked the way she looked on the cover. I hadn't heard anything from it, and I didn't even know that she'd written the 5th Dimension/ 3Dog Night hits. But I often took a chance on albums that had cool looking covers. I didn't get it tho, and I'm kicking myself now for that mistake! I only just heard Laura for the first time this past September, and she has quickly become my all time favorite.
Part of the reason people believe the legend that Laura got "booed" for this performance is her own doing. She was not confident and felt like it went badly, so she repeatedly said later that she bombed. I think she was just a very sensitive performer - doesn't look like she bombed at all to me.
That's pretty much how I see it. Laura was a highly sensitive artist and, apparently, very critical of herself. I think her age contributed to this. Still, to me, she is pure gold, here. And that it was excised from the original film, strikes me as incongrous, at best.
I think this band wasn't up to the nuanced changes that are so central to how expressive her phrasings are. I saw her in a medium large hall, Berkeley Community Theater, just her and a piano, touring the Christmas and the Beads of Sweat album. She looked so small and played so large.
Lupco Kotevski I saw her 4 times in very intimate venues. First time was 1972. She came out onto the stage with her long dark hair dressed in that long black dress sat down at a full concert Steinway and I hope my memory of her never fails me.
You are very fortunate indeed to have seen Laura, and I'm sure your memory of her will never fade. I only 'discovered' Laura about six months ago, and I now listen to her all the time. She's taken over from Jimi Hendrix as my favourite artist after his 35 year reign. I never dreamed I'd find someone I'd like more than Jimi, but there you go!
wow, Laura Nyro was a genius. Here at Monterrey at 18 or 19 years old. She was the Grandma Crone of all women singers who wrote their own truth. Joni Mitchell was the first in her own way. But Laura sang the blues. Love her.
Laura Nyro came before Joni Mitchell (actually Mitchell was highly inspired by Nyro). Although very different stylistically, they're both formidable musical talents.
Still amazing for a teenager to sing that much from her soul. Not to mention all the songs she'd already written. What she'd done by age 21 was more than a lifetime for most.
Incredible piano harmonisations. Incredible Randy Newman style lyrics on the tragedy of poverty. Incredible vocal performance. Did Laura Nyro ever meet Nina Simone? I did hear a Sarah Vaughan vocal lick (octave and a half chromatic slide) there too at the end.
Although Laura's songs were hits by other artists, she never broke through to the mainstream. I bought every album, because her versions of her hits by others paled in comparison with her renditions of her songs. Yes, a genius and beyond legendary for sure. She wrote numerous other songs that were just as potent as her 'hits'. What a voice, indeed!!!!!!!
I LOVE how I can sit down at my [ENTER NAME OF LATEST DEVICE TO BE DEEMED SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE] and then, in moments, bring my favorite loves back to life..like Laura..Janice, or Kenny Rankin..but I have a special place in my heart for Laura. I still miss her and, just want to hold her and tell her how amazing she is. What magic to have her music come to life. I think we all need to get together and, produce a movie about this beautiful woman.
If you really watch her performance you see she was one of the greats--equal to Joplin, Denny, Mitchell--there's no other female artist of that era to touch those four.
@TruthBeToad actually, laura nyro did in fact break her monterey performance short: this is not a "net circulated story", but established fact and was known long before there was a "net". nevertheless, this performance is of course absolutely sensational.
I am really confused. I also read that Laura was booed offstage. If anyone could clarify what happened i'd i appreciate it. I can't imagine Laura being booed off anything. She is a special artist with talent as vast as the universe. One of the great songwriter's of all time, and absolutely brilliant voice.
Hey FalconButthead, This may have been one of her first few gigs; per the RUclips interview listed below, "she had never done a gig" when John Phillips from the mamas and papas called asking her to play. "Demo That Got The Deal for Laura Nyro as told by Alan Merrill"
Have not heard that but would love to see them...will pass on any info I get on that...so sorry I never went to see her in NYC when I lived there but truly didnt get into her till after she passed...I remember GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE from college in the early 70s (one of my top ten fave albums) but then disco took over and I got lost for a few years LOL...next was Jazz and then Laura...great clip on youtube of her doing DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE live in Pitsburgh....
Anyone who says Laura Nyro got BOO'd off the stage....simply wasn't there. I was. Her set was as good as it gets. And then she went on to write every good tune for the next five years.......quit trying to kill her with false bullshit about Monterey Pops. It's the ultimate insult to a talent few really understood.
The booing was a myth - this was made clear by the maker of the Monterey Pop film, D A Pennebaker - the crowd were actually shouting "beautiful". See youtube for Pennebaker's discussion of this - Nyro Poverty Train with Pennebaker intro.
She didn't like performing all that much. She also never made a movie and wasn't on TV much, and those are where a lot of the films of 60s and 70s bands come from.
LN LOVED music but she hated the “music business”. She retired at the age of 24! She continued to write & even perform but she never was willing to play the music business games. I 1st learned of her around this time. I’ve been a loyal fan since her 1st album.
A musical genius in her prime. ...but not an easy song to perform at a pop festival. I think she got booed off the stage at one of her early festival appearances. I consider Laura as one of the all time singer-songwriters. I was in love with her for a long time.
A huge talent who got more attention as a composer . But her own versions of her songs dug much deeper than the bands who covered them .
That’s why she never became a pop star and remained a world class artist/composer, as well as Lauryn Hill, two geniuses surviving the dipshit world of pop culture!
It’s a shame the crowd could not comprehend the immense talent of this 19 year old.
Loved her so very much. So underrated. Probably the MOST UNDERRATED singer of the 20th century.
Saturday evening 17th June, 1967. Laura came on after The Byrds, and was followed by Jefferson Airplane. She was aged 19.
she's sill just a teenager here. Amazing talent
She's remarkable, holy. We are blessed to have her recordings
Holy is the word, more useful than a saint, a divine artist; like Maria Callas, in a different world, but the same kind of unforgettable and inimitable artistry. But Laura wrote her own music as well. Extraordinary.
Just when I thought I'd heard everything Monterey had to offer I catch this beautiful performance
Stories of her being booed off the stage are greatly exaggerated, obviously. She was incredible. She wasn't ahead of her time, she existed in her own time.
I like her a lot but not this song. Why couldn't see choos a better one is my only question?
@@oppothumbs1 Because she was still young and elatively inexperienced, I suggest. I think she was a wonderful singer, writer, composer, and pianist, my favourite.
She got such a raw fucking deal! I got so angry about it reading her bjo
I'll take this as one of the best performances at Monterey. So pure. Heaven knows why it didn't make it into the final film. Some of the performances were really second rate....then there's this lying on the cutting room floor! damn that is harsh. Rave on Laura!
+Anthony Monaghan Sorry, Anthony ... that's nonsense. The performance was so bad, it (a) became a sort of standard by which other bad performances were judged, and (b) led Nyro to swearing off public performances -- she eventually returned after Geffen worked long and hard convincing her that she belonged on a stage.
Rosie Gig Compare this to the awfulness that was the Mamas and Papas and you'll see what I mean. I didn't realise she swore of performing after this. I must re read her biography. I still think it's a great performance and find it sad that Laura felt it was below par. The live sound in those days of course added to a lot of musicians woes. Thanks for your feedback.
The Mamas and the Papas. Fair enough, Anthony. You win that point.
+Rosie Gig I just 're listened to it and I still think it's a wonderful performance, how young she was, how vulnerable, the dynamics toward the end. She's in a class of her own here, it's sad how underwhelmed she is at the end.
@@AnthonyMonaghan I agree with you that it is a remarkable performance considering the band was underehearsed and she had never performed in this sort of context before. This performance on the Monterey box set is how I discovered Laura Nyro. I agree that is a diamond in the rough as compared to some of the other performances.
Laura wasn't booed. Her complete performance at the Monterey Pop Festival has been preserved and made available, and there was noting but positive vibes from the awestruck audience.
Where can one get it?
@@holarc ; I think it was available from Criterion. I'm not sure you can still get it.
I resemble her. I only wish I had Laura’s voice. She is really the BEST. Love ❤️ You Always Laura.
The crowd reaction was stunned silence. There was no booing. When you see true greatness for the first time it takes awhile to lift your jaw off the floor. Look at the thumbs up/thumbs down on this video.
Yes because soon after she gave a mythic concert at Carnegie Hall to her fellow New Yorkers and it was a coronation and beatification ceremony!
she dealt with a lot of personal issues including lack of confidence, which is incredible considering her immense talent as a singer, songwriter and performer. This is her at her best.
"We", her fans brought roses to her concerts. We would fill the front frame of the stage with the roses and she would accept the roses with great humility and love.
This delivery is almost theatrical. The way she knows exactly what she is saying, no words come from mere memory, but are always attached to the message. "I swear there's something better than getting off... On sweet cocaine". The way this sentence changes it's meaning half way through it, from a simple thought to an ode, to a wish. And she makes it sound and look just like that, rolling her eyes, salivating to the idea of it. What a complete artist. I absolutely adore this woman.
I love Carole Kine and her music got me thru high school when I was a weirdo and no one understood me. But when I heard Laura Nyro, I knew that this was something otherwordly. Genius comes to mind...never saw her live, but what a talent. Either you get Laura or you dont and if you do, you realize that she is without equal.
Thank you
KING?
I think this performance is divine
A triple threat - singer/songwriter/player-performer...of the highest caliber. Old school writer employing the best of Broadway/Brill Building craftsmanship with the times in which she came up. A true master greatly missed. So wish I could have seen her live. Grateful this even exists.
Brah this live version.. this fucking changed me altered me. It's.jn me now, in my DNA. So much love for you baby girl. I've been a devotee for about 15 years now, the biography on her is impeccably well researched and you must read it . There are no words
She was incredible! I saw her at the Carefree Theatre in West Palm Beach in the late 80s and believe me she touched the souls of everyone in that space! I was moved by her music well before that (70s) and to this day blown away by her sound and the depth of her music!
Pure songwriting and performance. Class by herself. Poet.
I've been watching The Complete Monterey Pop Festival, a 3-disc set including 'outtakes' when I came to this performance. Although I grew up in the 60s, I could not place the performer. She was stunning. I stopped the movie and typed 'Poverty Train' on RUclips.
For the record, this song was met with applause and cries of 'Beautiful!' when she finished. Maybe it was another song that got booed. Or maybe it is a myth. At any rate, she was one of a kind, and this performance is brilliant.
A very, very great loss to us all. I got to see her in London on her last tour and she was magnificent. I love her.
Audience yelling ‘Beautiful’.
I did get to see Laura play 3 times in the way back. The experiences shaped my emotional and musical life for the last 40 years - and continue today. True Love . ALL WAYZ.
Brilliant singer/ songwriter ❤️
i love her!
The best blues-song ever, performed by the best artist ever! Simply incredible! This beautiful Lady is in her own class! Thank you & greetings from Germany!
Hey UWE! Any new films coming from you?
Hey BOB, I am not the film-man. I am teacher for sports & history. I am also a great music-lover. Greetings from Germany!
ok, Ich verstehe, Als Ich Soldat ware hatte ich in Deutchland Gewohnnen! SchuB!
"class"
"beautiful"
"her own"
amen
Incredible vocalist, great songwriter
This is like finding rare footage of Callas - my other obsession. In a way Laura was as original and inventive as Callas - she created dramas from each song, like the great lieder singers do - it's just Laura's blues style - but a genius at that. My friend knew her in high school, which apparently Laura didn't attend very much - and said she was very quiet but when she did perform the whole school fell silent. It was kind of obvious from the beginning she was very special.
Beautiful beautifully stated. Apt and brilliant comparison. Xoxo
Laura Nyro was so underrated and the sort of artist who writes these classic songs but whom no one has ever heard of. It's like the Paul Williams syndrome.
I was thrilled the first time I saw this (as it was edited from MONTEREY POP for the more commercial MAMAS AND THE PAPAS, who I liked, but who never reached into the soul of the outcast and outsider the way Laura did. When I read about the real reaction and her never hearing about it, I was heartbroken. I went to the memorial concert in NYC at the Beacon in 98 and had a great time...great artists and a great tribute to Laura, but something was missing...Laura. RIP Angel. xoxoxo
Some new incredibly rare film of Laura has recently been posted - search 'Timer Yale 1972'. She's absolutely radiant, totally immersed in the song, and so, so, sensual.
Just amazing! So much soul! She is singing with heart with social commentary.
Always wondered what the buzz was about with Laura Nyro. Really liked her songs that other artists used. Was going through Monterey Pop Festival music on youtube and stumbled onto this video. Wow! She was an immense talent. Her style in this song was probably 40 years too early for the times. She would blow away todays talent singing similar style. This is genius pure and simple. I thought the band (piano) she had for this song did quite well. I actually liked the timing and tone.
The band was the legendary LA session band The Wrecking Crew with Hal Blaine on drums and Tommy Tedesco on guitar. The Crew was quite a few rotating musicians and also included Leon Russell, Glenn Campbell, Larry Knechtel and Carol Kaye. They played on innumerable records such as by the Beach Boys, Monkees, Sinatra........
Always loved Laura Nyro's music. She wrote some wonderful songs and sang with soul.
It is absolutely one of the most powerful songs, I have it on a cassette from Monterey and Laura's performance was right up there with Janis. People at the end were saying Beautiful, not Boo. listen to the ending
I never get tired of listening to this beautiful song. Laura was genius .
so sad she died so young
Beyond genius and treated like shit by that f-er Geffin. As were so many others.
She graduated in 1965 from Music & Art HS in NYC, same class as my cousin. She was already a legend in HS. Everyone in NYC knew who she was. Her father was a piano tuner in the Bronx. Laura's mother died of ovarian cancer at age 49, just shortly after they bought their new house. And sadly, Laura died of ovarian cancer as well at age 49, which she predicted would happen. She was one of a kind and irreplaceable.
@@carollipton4584 Related to Peggy. If so, sincere condolences
@@carollipton4584 I fully agree with your comments of 2 years ago about Laura. Certainly a unique talent that is both irreplaceable and without equal in the history of music. A sad, tragic life with the blight of the disease that claimed the lives of Laura and so many close to her. My heart goes out to Laura, her family and true devotees. Her memory and musical legacy are precious and to be treasured for all time. Rest in peace Laura, you are very special and loved for all time.
19 year old genius.
Remember her as one of queens of "FM Radio" scene in the 70s. She helped me study while I listened to her in college.
My absolute favorite to play on the piano. Back in the day I obtained a great piece of sheet music.
Natural Beauty in all aspects..
i just discovered her 2 weeks ago from a hip hop sample from Madlib's "Gods Arrival". Ever since then i can not stop listening to her music. Her voice, lyrics, and her passion for the songs she sings are amazing.
She rips herself apart doesn't she.
Justice Allah She was quite a lady...Welcom to her world brother. A beautiful woman filled to the brim soul.
Justice Allah I'm having the same response'...I said to Myself as saw this' "I've been Looking for You all My days"...She is amazing. Vocal Delivery is Crazy Beautiful...as she is also.
Justice Allah she wrote all the songs she sings. Yes she is brilliant.
Justice Allah I was watching the Wrecking Crew documentary and they play about six seconds of stone soul picnic by the 5th dimension and I was like 'what the hell was that?' and one month later I'm having the exact same experience you describe. cannot stop listening to her.
Why oh why oh why aren't there more live video's of Laura in her prime on RUclips or anywhere. Such mind blowing talent.
I wish she could have seen the footage, and realized that People were calling her "Beautiful", not booing. It breaks my Heart that she never got to. I know the producers of the movie invited her to come see it, but by that time she was seriously ill with cancer, and trying hard to get one last album recorded, so she didn't go. What an amazing Woman, listen to the songs on "Angel in the Dark", they do NOT sound like someone who's on her last legs, Laura always gave best, from start to finish!
Sorry, late response but this is to the others that may read this. The concert was in 1967 and the movie came out in 1968. She died of cancer in 1997. She did maybe 8 studio albums between this concert and her death. What you are saying is not correct. Angel in the Dark was the last album in the late 90's, started before she as sick and completed (sort of) while she was sick.
light years ahead of her time
WOW! Haunting and mesmerizing!
Man, she killed it.
No artist or every performance is liked by everyone. Its absurd to think that that could ever be the case. But in Nyro's case, she is virtually universally loved and revered by the music industry (artists, producers, session musicians) as one of its greatest ever talents. Nyro is so unique she occupies her own category (whatever that is) and it takes a level of sophistication, maturity and patience to appreciate the genius of her music. However, some people 'get' her immediately. More than anything, Nyro 'moves' people - you don't just love her, you fall in love with her.
I got her IMMEDIATELY 40 years ago and she moves me till this very day. R I P dear Sista !!!
Yes, I fell in love with her when I first heard Christmas And The Beads Of Sweat Album when it was new: she's still my favourite singer, writer, composer, pianist, so beautiful a musician.
INCREDIBLE! Amazing performance! This Lady is the best artist ever!
Don't get much better than this. Awesome.
audience is dead silent.....just in awe of the talent
My thought exactly.
Thanks.
Yes exactly. They were in shock and awe mode and not sure exactly what it was that they were seeing and hearing. This was a little bit too much for them. And Laura was too raw and too new to the game. For her at this age it was all experimental. She wasn't feeling good about putting herself through the soul grinder music business who's heartbeat was tuned into the sound of a cash register. She was not public property or anyone's puppet performer. She belonged to herself and her withdrawal from the scene was absolutely natural.
Beautiful performance. Thanks!!
Thank you for sharing this. It is amazing, as was Laura. I only regret that I didn't come to know all Laura's music until after her passing. I woud have loved to have seen in her concert.
jf q well, maybe you would have, and maybe you wouldn’t. My wife was a HUGE Laura fan, got all dolled up for a. New Year’s eve concert, and Laura walks into the stage looking great, sits at the piano. Sits. Says, I’m sorry, I can’t get into it, and walks off the stage. No knock in her fantastic music, but she could be reeeeaaaallly depressive.
I can't imagine how this gave rise to the story she was booed off the stage. What a fantastic performance! And that's even compared to Janis' legendary rendition of Ball and Chain on the same stage.
The crowd was saying "beautiful", which could be mis-heard. The booing was a myth, as stated by the maker of the Monterey film, D A Pennebaker (see youtube Poverty Train with Pennebaker intro).
The SOUL here so F'ing raw😮😘😎😎😘
I LOVE HER. this is the most soul i can take is this right here. lol. i love laura nyro so much. i think she is amazing.
I just bought the Blu-Ray version of Monterey Pop. It is the best film and the very first film of an outdoor music festival. (I will always watch "Woodstock" but Pennebacker's film shot in 16mm showed the Woodstock filmmakers what they should do.) The remastered 3rd DVD is outtakes that weren't part of the documentary. I was ASTONISHED to see Laura Nyro there!
I worship at her altar. How did she get herself there? They WANTED her. She influenced Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Cyndi Lauper, Elvis Costello, etc. She is the link between the great singer-songwriters of the modern era back to the great songwriters of the Great American Songbook. Musically and lyrically.
Absolutely brilliant!
I wish that Laura had had the chance to watch her performance with modern video and sound. She wasn’t being booed. The voice in the audience was saying “We love you.” It’s heartbreaking to think that she went the rest of her life thinking that she was a failure.
incredibly talented, shame she is not more well known, great songwriter.
true fans know!
This lady is the original... Before Carol, Joni, Carly, Lady Gagme, Mealy Cirosis. Not Just first, no one can control their arrival on earth, but still the best....
Laura Nyro would have been the best thing on stage at ANY concert she was a participant in. Highly underrated, most amazing singer/performer/songwriter... right up there with Dylan... far better than Joni Mitchell IMHO. More real soul. Sadly ask the question "who wrote this song?" and most people will answer wrong: Stoney End? "Barbara Streisand?" Zzzzt! Eli's Comin'? "Three Dog Night?" Zzzzt! And When I Die? "Blood Sweat and Tears?" Zzzzzzzzt! Wedding Bell Blues/Stoned Soul Picnic/Save The Country? "Fifth Dimension?" Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt! All written by Ms. N, and usually sung better by her as well. I deem myself as one of the REALLY fortunate to have seen her live in concert at Carnegie Hall in 1969....
+Jon Rosen Utter nonsense, John. I won't even touch the Dylan comparison, but I do feel compelled to rebut the assertion that her performance on the day was anything other than rubbish. She may well have written a few tunes that you enjoy, but even Nyro recognized that she had bombed on a historic scale that day. That explains why she assiduously avoided public performances for long afterwards. You're entitled to your opinion -- you're not entitled to your own facts.
+Rosie Gig.... Completely wrong Rosie, Jon is right. And hands down she is way better than Dylan ever was, writing & performing. I too saw her in 1969, amazing. People really don't understand Nyro's style and so they have an issue with her. Too bad you don't get it.
YES! Absolutely agree! Laura wrote all this masterpieces & her own versions are much better! She is by far the better musician & vocalist! Laura Nyro is the best artist ever! Greetings from Germany!
She died before her time..was way too good to hit the mainstream..too unique and soulful..so fortunate to have heard her in person and loved all her albums.
@@rosiegig7882 _"I won't even touch the Dylan comparison"_
You sound like every single by-the-book music journalist since the 60s. All parping a rock party line. Denying virtually everything outside of a mind-numbingly drab and dull bunch of conformist blues/country/folk ingredients. Dylan's a musical midget in comparison to Nyro. And comparing them as performers is plain comedy. I advise you to "touch" the Dylan comparison by rewatching every nuance of Nyro's performance here. Every single movement and gesture. Then watch flipping Bob and reconsider.
What an impassioned, sexy performance. She's totally in control. Apparently she only rehearsed once with the backing band and you can hear that the pianist comes in way too fast at the beginning. Then she starts singing at exactly the pace she wants to go at and the accompanist has the smarts to adapt his playing immediately. Gold.
The backing band is from the legendary group of LA session musicians The Wrecking Crew, with Hal Blaine on drums and Tommy Tedesco on guitar, but not sure who the pianist was on this occasion. Leon Russell and Glen Campbell were members of The Wrecking Crew before they got really famous.
Lupco Kotevski Explains a lot. These guys are never at the top by accident.
Just reading the book (Soul Picnic), apparently the audience was stunned more than anything, there was no booing its claimed.
Love this song for years !
Incredible soul and feeling!... What to say about lyrics? Just amazed with this great song!
Amazing how she could control the audience at that age...
And direct the backing band, the legendary Wrecking Crew of LA session musicians.
I never met her, never saw her perform but here's the thing I think about: she and I were born the same year. A couple of mix bloods but half Italian. We both grew up in the Bronx not that far from each other. We might have even gone to the same schools. Her father worked the Catskill mountain resorts and played trumpet in the ubiquitous dance bands at all those hotels. I worked in those same hotels around the same time that she was hanging with her father I was hanging with my father who was a baker in those hotels (the Concord, Grossingers, the Granit, the Homowack, Rubins and a few others that few would recognize). Then I worked as a busboy in those hotels and I loved listening to those hotel bands; the jazz and conga bands especially. She and I, both growing up on the streets of the bronx were deeply affected by the music of the time but she was writing songs and I was singing doo wop. I feel like she was my sister.
She was pure genius and I was a pure schmoe. As Willy Nelson sang, "You were always on my mind." Geez, I wish I had known her. I loved/love her music. I can't believe she died of the same disease that her mother died of and that Angelina Jolie was in the same boat and had a hysterectomy and a double mastectomy to try and head that fate off. I thought for sure that I would be dead before I turned fifty having done so many risky things in my life but here I am, almost 69 now and she is dead and gone.
+Dennis Lee
Great story, thanks.
+Dennis Lee Awesome story dude. Laura and her mother were also the same age when ovarian cancer took them, so sad.
Wow Dennis that is deep especially the last part. I can't believe I am 61 this August. I wonder why she chose this song to sing at Monterey Pop.
Lloyd, there really isn't a way to answer your question. You would have to be privy to the mysterious process of thought that Laura possessed. There were so many choices of song she could have made that would have been more lively or meaningful but this one was a good one.
Dennis Lee she performed a whole set, including Wedding Bell Blues. It was the man who documented the fest, D.A. Pennebaker or whatever his name was, that chose to present this song from her performance. It's in the outtakes of Monterey Pop, but in my opinion should've been included in the feature film instead of that aweful instrumental by Country Joe.
Phenomenal and underrated
listen to the recorded version on Eli and the Thirteenth Confession album
The most brillant album EVER!!!
@sappleseed , I was more into Punk than Disco back in the day. I almost bought "Nested", just because I liked the way she looked on the cover. I hadn't heard anything from it, and I didn't even know that she'd written the 5th Dimension/ 3Dog Night hits. But I often took a chance on albums that had cool looking covers. I didn't get it tho, and I'm kicking myself now for that mistake! I only just heard Laura for the first time this past September, and she has quickly become my all time favorite.
Part of the reason people believe the legend that Laura got "booed" for this performance is her own doing. She was not confident and felt like it went badly, so she repeatedly said later that she bombed. I think she was just a very sensitive performer - doesn't look like she bombed at all to me.
That's pretty much how I see it. Laura was a highly sensitive artist and, apparently, very critical of herself. I think her age contributed to this. Still, to me, she is pure gold, here. And that it was excised from the original film, strikes me as incongrous, at best.
I think this band wasn't up to the nuanced changes that are so central to how expressive her phrasings are.
I saw her in a medium large hall, Berkeley Community Theater, just her and a piano, touring the Christmas and the Beads of Sweat album.
She looked so small and played so large.
I find her performance mesmerizing.
Lupco Kotevski I saw her 4 times in very intimate venues. First time was 1972. She came out onto the stage with her long dark hair dressed in that long black dress sat down at a full concert Steinway and I hope my memory of her never fails me.
You are very fortunate indeed to have seen Laura, and I'm sure your memory of her will never fade. I only 'discovered' Laura about six months ago, and I now listen to her all the time. She's taken over from Jimi Hendrix as my favourite artist after his 35 year reign. I never dreamed I'd find someone I'd like more than Jimi, but there you go!
wow, Laura Nyro was a genius. Here at Monterrey at 18 or 19 years old. She was the Grandma Crone of all women singers who wrote their own truth. Joni Mitchell was the first in her own way. But Laura sang the blues. Love her.
Agreed. She was only 17 in June 1967 when she sang this!
She was only about 16 when she wrote "And when I die".
+steve rose That's inaccurate. Nyro was 19 at the time of this live performance (she was born in 1947).
Laura Nyro came before Joni Mitchell (actually Mitchell was highly inspired by Nyro). Although very different stylistically, they're both formidable musical talents.
Still amazing for a teenager to sing that much from her soul. Not to mention all the songs she'd already written. What she'd done by age 21 was more than a lifetime for most.
SPECTACULAR !
Incredible piano harmonisations. Incredible Randy Newman style lyrics on the tragedy of poverty. Incredible vocal performance. Did Laura Nyro ever meet Nina Simone? I did hear a Sarah Vaughan vocal lick (octave and a half chromatic slide) there too at the end.
Although Laura's songs were hits by other artists, she never broke through to the mainstream. I bought every album, because her versions of her hits by others paled in comparison with her renditions of her songs. Yes, a genius and beyond legendary for sure. She wrote numerous other songs that were just as potent as her 'hits'. What a voice, indeed!!!!!!!
BST When I Die is better than hers - thats about it though
The 1967 film Monterrey Pop doesn't even begin to cover all the footage, bands, & soloists at the festival. Had no idea she was there until now.
She was so great.
So........................................................
I LOVE how I can sit down at my [ENTER NAME OF LATEST DEVICE TO BE DEEMED SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE] and then, in moments, bring my favorite loves back to life..like Laura..Janice, or Kenny Rankin..but I have a special place in my heart for Laura. I still miss her and, just want to hold her and tell her how amazing she is. What magic to have her music come to life. I think we all need to get together and, produce a movie about this beautiful woman.
If you really watch her performance you see she was one of the greats--equal to Joplin, Denny, Mitchell--there's no other female artist of that era to touch those four.
Truely amazing..
A truly stunning performance. Quite why she was allegedly booed off stage at Monterey is beyond me. A genuine talent.
She wasn’t. Some newspaper writer made that up
@TruthBeToad
actually, laura nyro did in fact break her monterey performance short: this is not a "net circulated story", but established fact and was known long before there was a "net".
nevertheless, this performance is of course absolutely sensational.
I am really confused. I also read that Laura was booed offstage. If anyone could clarify what happened i'd i appreciate it. I can't imagine Laura being booed off anything. She is a special artist with talent as vast as the universe. One of the great songwriter's of all time, and absolutely brilliant voice.
Hey FalconButthead,
This may have been one of her first few gigs; per the RUclips interview listed below,
"she had never done a gig" when John Phillips from the mamas and papas called asking her to play.
"Demo That Got The Deal for Laura Nyro as told by Alan Merrill"
Have not heard that but would love to see them...will pass on any info I get on that...so sorry I never went to see her in NYC when I lived there but truly didnt get into her till after she passed...I remember GONNA TAKE A MIRACLE from college in the early 70s (one of my top ten fave albums) but then disco took over and I got lost for a few years LOL...next was Jazz and then Laura...great clip on youtube of her doing DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOVE live in Pitsburgh....
Anyone who says Laura Nyro got BOO'd off the stage....simply wasn't there. I was. Her set was as good as it gets. And then she went on to write every good tune for the next five years.......quit trying to kill her with false bullshit about Monterey Pops. It's the ultimate insult to a talent few really understood.
The booing was a myth - this was made clear by the maker of the Monterey Pop film, D A Pennebaker - the crowd were actually shouting "beautiful". See youtube for Pennebaker's discussion of this - Nyro Poverty Train with Pennebaker intro.
Beautiful!!
Gotta do this Superlative...shiny light strip... !
Why is there so little professional video of this great artist?
I just saw your message today.
she lives on vinyl, not celluloid. I's all about the music.
She didn't like performing all that much. She also never made a movie and wasn't on TV much, and those are where a lot of the films of 60s and 70s bands come from.
LN LOVED music but she hated the “music business”. She retired at the age of 24! She continued to write & even perform but she never was willing to play the music business games. I 1st learned of her around this time. I’ve been a loyal fan since her 1st album.
love you and miss you Laura
How can anybody have a negative comment about this song??
Juvenile musical knowledge and taste probably.
Just Amazing 🤗👍
I love this so much ❤
A musical genius in her prime. ...but not an easy song to perform at a pop festival. I think she got booed off the stage at one of her early festival appearances. I consider Laura as one of the all time singer-songwriters. I was in love with her for a long time.
amazing...she's just 19 years old here
Exactly. Nineteen years of age...............
This was Laura's first performance in a venue of this size. The band was not hers. Did she even have an onstage manager to coach her?
thanks for this upload!
Superb to the nth degree!