It's My Way! Explained

It's My Way!
Type:studio
Artist:Buffy Sainte-Marie
Cover:Buffy Sainte-Marie-Its My Way.jpg
Genre:Folk
Length:40:35
Label:Vanguard
Producer:Maynard Solomon
Next Title:Many a Mile
Next Year:1965

It's My Way! is the first album by folk musician and songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie. It was released in April 1964 through Vanguard Records.[1] [2] It was later released in Britain in early 1965 by Fontana Records.[3] [4] The album would become influential in the folk community. It is most famous for two widely covered folk standards, "Universal Soldier" and "Cod'ine", as well as "Now That the Buffalo's Gone", a lament about the continued confiscation of Indian lands, as evidenced by the building of the Kinzua Dam. The cover features a mouthbow, which was to be a trademark of her sound on her first three albums.

In 2016, It's My Way! was inducted by the Library of Congress into the National Recording Registry.[5] In 2020 the album was named as one of two jury vote winners, alongside Main Source's Breaking Atoms, of the Polaris Heritage Prize at the 2020 Polaris Music Prize.[6]

Reception

Writing for Allmusic, music critic William Ruhlman gave the album 5 of 5 stars and wrote "This is one of the most scathing topical folk albums ever made... Even decades later, the album's power is moving and disturbing."

Personnel

Notes and References

  1. Zhito. Lee . NewAlbum Releases . October 5, 2019 . Billboard. Cincinnati. The Billboard Publishing Co.. 80. April 11, 1964.
  2. News: Ostrow. Marty. Howard. Ira . It'sMyWay . Cash Box. New York . The Cash Box Publishing Co.. https://web.archive.org/web/20220629062214/https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Music/Archive-Cash-Box-IDX/60s/1964/CB-1964-04-04-OCR-Page-0022.pdf. June 29, 2022. live. 22. April 4, 1964.
  3. News: Fontana Records . Fontana Records . Fontana New Releases (advertisement) . London . Sing . The London Youth Choir . April 1965.
  4. News: Editorial Staff . Gramophone . It's My Way! . The Gramophone . Compton Mackenzie . May 1965.
  5. Web site: National Recording Registry Recognizes "Mack the Knife," Motown and Mahler. Library of Congress.
  6. https://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2020/11/16/2020-slaight-family-polaris-heritage-prize-winners-named "2020 Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize Winners Named"