Top Ten of Ten: #3 Dust Bowl Ballads by Woody Guthrie (1940)

This brilliant collection of songs from 1940 is a masterpiece. I write this because I am a huge Bob Dylan fan. It is comforting to hear the master at work. No one can argue that the early works of Dylan were inspired by  Woody’s  works. Woody sings about the most recognizable historic events in farming and worker’s history. This collection describes the events of the Dust Bowl era and the struggles of the working class. The songs can be funny and even sad at the same time. Guthrie uses Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” in a lot of the songs. He adds an unusual twist about how to survive without money. He points the finger at the corporate banks…very similar to the classic literary book. I tend to think of the picture of him with his guitar that has the saying “This Machine Kills Fascists” on it. If you are a fan of folk music, this is a great place to start. This collection of Guthrie hits must be cherished for two reasons. One for the events of the Dust Bowl.  The other for being the most important record that would inspire the folk rock movement. Therefore my choice for best record album from the 1940’s.