‘Going Up the Country’, Canned Heat, and the story of Woodstock 1969’s defining anthem

‘Going Up the Country’ became closely associated with Woodstock after its studio recording accompanied a film sequence showing festival-goers arriving in 1969. The story highlights how the 1970 documentary helped shape public memory of the festival, even though Canned Heat’s musicians were not shown performing in the original film.

Canned Heat’s song reached number 11 on the Billboard chart in 1969 and drew on Henry Thomas’s 1928 blues recording ‘Bull Doze Blues’, including its quills melody. The band’s live performance was later included in the 1994 extended director’s cut. The article also describes vocalist Alan Wilson’s serious mental health struggles before Woodstock, as recalled by bandmate Bob Hite.