“I’m a farmer. I don’t know how to speak to twenty people at one time, let alone a crowd like this. But I think you people have proven something to the world–not only to the Town of Bethel, or Sullivan County, or New York State; you’ve proven something to the world. This is the largest group of people ever assembled in one place.
We have had no idea that there would be this size group, and because of that, you’ve had quite a few inconveniences as far as water, food, and so forth. Your producers have done a mammoth job to see that you’re taken care of… they’d enjoy a vote of thanks.
But above that, the important thing that you’ve proven to the world is that a half a million kids–and I call you kids because I have children that are older than you–a half million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music, and I God bless you for it!
— addressing the crowd at Woodstock on August 17, 1969
I hear you are considering changing the zoning law to prevent the festival. I hear you don’t like the look of the kids who are working at the site. I hear you don’t like their lifestyle. I hear you don’t like they are against the war and that they say so very loudly. . . I don’t particularly like the looks of some of those kids either. I don’t particularly like their lifestyle, especially the drugs and free love. And I don’t like what some of them are saying about our government.
However, if I know my American history, tens of thousands of Americans in uniform gave their lives in war after war just so those kids would have the freedom to do exactly what they are doing. That’s what this country is all about and I am not going to let you throw them out of our town just because you don’t like their dress or their hair or the way they live or what they believe. This is America and they are going to have their festival.
I made a deal with (Woodstock producer) Mike Lang before the festival started. If anything went wrong I was going to give him a crew cut. If everything was OK I was going to let my hair grow long. I guess he won the bet, but I’m so bald I’ll never be able to pay it off.
My mother wouldn’t let me go because my paper route was too big for my brothers to each do half of my route in addition to theirs. I missed a piece of history because of the morning paper.
lucky444 almost 5 years ago
In homage to Woodstock?
einarbt almost 5 years ago
I wonder what comes next in that rap song farmer Max has started to ‘sing’?
jrankin1959 almost 5 years ago
One of my favorites!
john_chubb almost 5 years ago
But foolin’ around in the fields is what makes them REALLY fertile!
sparkle 13 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
The beans are good, but tastes a little funny !!!!! lol
ChessPirate almost 5 years ago
This is what Max Yazgur actually said:
“I’m a farmer. I don’t know how to speak to twenty people at one time, let alone a crowd like this. But I think you people have proven something to the world–not only to the Town of Bethel, or Sullivan County, or New York State; you’ve proven something to the world. This is the largest group of people ever assembled in one place.
We have had no idea that there would be this size group, and because of that, you’ve had quite a few inconveniences as far as water, food, and so forth. Your producers have done a mammoth job to see that you’re taken care of… they’d enjoy a vote of thanks.
But above that, the important thing that you’ve proven to the world is that a half a million kids–and I call you kids because I have children that are older than you–a half million young people can get together and have three days of fun and music and have nothing but fun and music, and I God bless you for it!
— addressing the crowd at Woodstock on August 17, 1969
ChessPirate almost 5 years ago
And to a Bethel Town Board, before the festival:
I hear you are considering changing the zoning law to prevent the festival. I hear you don’t like the look of the kids who are working at the site. I hear you don’t like their lifestyle. I hear you don’t like they are against the war and that they say so very loudly. . . I don’t particularly like the looks of some of those kids either. I don’t particularly like their lifestyle, especially the drugs and free love. And I don’t like what some of them are saying about our government.
However, if I know my American history, tens of thousands of Americans in uniform gave their lives in war after war just so those kids would have the freedom to do exactly what they are doing. That’s what this country is all about and I am not going to let you throw them out of our town just because you don’t like their dress or their hair or the way they live or what they believe. This is America and they are going to have their festival.
ChessPirate almost 5 years ago
And:
I made a deal with (Woodstock producer) Mike Lang before the festival started. If anything went wrong I was going to give him a crew cut. If everything was OK I was going to let my hair grow long. I guess he won the bet, but I’m so bald I’ll never be able to pay it off.
— Life magazine, Special Edition, Woodstock 1969
David Rickard Premium Member almost 5 years ago
“Get off my lawn, ya dirty hippies!”
smsrt almost 5 years ago
Max Yeager I do believe.
hmvanyel almost 5 years ago
Wasn’t there a female band leader reminiscent of Joan Jett in this story line?
mattro65 almost 5 years ago
My mother wouldn’t let me go because my paper route was too big for my brothers to each do half of my route in addition to theirs. I missed a piece of history because of the morning paper.
Here's Waldo almost 5 years ago
“Hey, you, get offa my lawn…”
Sisyphos almost 5 years ago
You tell them whippersnappers, Bean Boy!