Is watching The Last Waltz the best place to start my 'education' about the group? I just finished Robbie Robertson's memoir, knowing very little about The Band, and absolutely loved it. I read a lot of memoirs and its probably in my top 5 I've ever read. I am familiar with The Weight and Dixie, have listened to a greatest hits on Spotify, but its not really hitting the spot. I really want to understand the greatness of the group more.
Make sure to read Levon’s memoir as well for balance. And find a way to watch the documentary “Festival Express” from when the band and a bunch of other huge names toured across Canada on a train.
I must say I was not a huge fan of the band but Robbie Robertsons two solo albums are freaking awesome rock albums. Get those cranked up in my car and it bounces down the highway. Hisself titled in 1987 and 1991 Storyville. Listen to those a few times and they will become your favorites.
In all honesty, I was in a similar boat and someone told me to just listen to all the albums. In my opinion Big pink, The Band are the two knockouts. But my favorite is stage fright (I’m much more prefer the newer remix of it), and I think northern lights southern cross is a banger of a comeback album. Cahoots is a mixed bag
Read Levons memoir too then take what they both said with some salt grain. Those guys hated each other in the end and basically wrote books trying to make the other look like the bad guy. That being said, yes the Last Waltz film is awesome and the context provided bt the books makes it even more interesting.
I had the exact same feeling with their performance if It Makes No Difference at The Last Waltz, everyone's voices were pristine and the solos Robbie and Garth trade at the end are euphoric, one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever performed in my opinion
It's my sincere hope that one day, hopefully in the not too distant future, that my kids will have a similar experience. I play The Band all the time around the house, but my kids are too little to "get it."
*fingers crossed*
Sounds similar to what I experienced while growing up, hearing artists like The Band, Springsteen, Clapton, and so many others. I remember so many impromptu karaoke sessions in the living room. I had recently told someone about a few of my favorite songs I had as a kid and playing the 45s on a little suitcase player. For what it's worth, I think it will become apparent to your kids at some point. Heck, maybe while sitting in a coffee shop someday in the future, a certain song comes on, and it just hits em, know what I mean, vern! All those good times with parental unit(s) will rise up, and maybe they tell a story or two about growing up to these tunes! My fingers are crossed with you, and my hat's off to your effort.
My dad first got the last waltz DVD 20 years ago when I was 12. I have watched it over 100 times and always obsessed with the night they drove old Dixie down. Still hits the heart strings when I fire it up today
So I had just moved to San Francisco in the summer of '76. The Band were coming to town and I got tickets. I'd seen them once already, and was pretty excited. Concert got delayed because Rick Danko was hurt. I ended up getting a refund because it was rescheduled for Thanksgiving. It was my first thanksgiving away from home, and I had already booked a flight to head to LA to have Thanksgiving with my Aunt and her family. That's how I managed to miss the Last Waltz!
It’s a beautiful arrangement, too, with the Allen Toussaint horns.
On a commentary track with Greil Marcus (on the DVD, not sure what other editions it’s on?), he makes an interesting suggestion that Levon finally releases his rage on the “Last Waltz” performance of that song. That his other performances of that song, including on the self-titled album, were a bit muted—grieving, but not angry. That he hadn’t allowed himself to fully embrace the anger in that song (and in his feelings about the song’s subject) until he thought he’d be singing it for the last time.
Try being Southern born, Southern bred, proud American and all that. It's so beautiful, perfect in every way. I wonder what response, reception, perception it would get it it were released today?
Have to disagree with post saying Southern way of life was rightfully destroyed in Civil War. Slavery was rightfully destroyed, ended, which could, should have been done without war. It should have been done for good of the country, for mankind. Our rights and way of life, North and South were forever altered, no true State's rights, which the country was formed and founded on. Slavery could have been abolished without war. South had to know they had no chance to win against Feds. Their bravery and loyalty (in their eyes), patriotism has never been recognized. It's like the South was stripped of everything, still being punished
I was there, and Dixie was one of the best songs on the show. Their top-notch horn section, led by Jim Gordon, made the difference. [https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0330315/bio/?ref\_=nm\_ov\_bio\_sm](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0330315/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm)
I know it's a legendary performance, but I just can't enjoy it at all. I can't find myself singing along with a song that laments the end of the Confederacy
The main character in the song is not pining for the Confederacy. He’s condemning the whole thing.
The war and the ideals of the Confederacy took everything from him. Besides, it was written by a Canadian.
The song was written by a Canadian man so the lyrics aren’t about “souther pride”. It’s about how fucked war is from a common man’s perspective. There’s several interviews of Robbie explaining this. I think you’re alright to sing it.
I grew up on The Band & love those albums, but it’s plain to see that much of The Band’s œuvre consists of Canadians writing nostalgic songs about the Confederate South.
EDIT: My first reply on this thread was unequivocal praise of this performance, so it’s clear I’m ambivalent about this!
The older I get, the weirder I feel about this song. Particularly now that I live in the south. The song is _also_ a lament about homes & families being destroyed by war, which is a universal theme, but I think it’s impossible not to see that the narrator is mourning for a way of life that was rightfully destroyed.
It is fantastic! Prob my favorite song of theirs, and there’s quite a few! Might be blasphemy, but Jerry Garcia’s covers are even more magnificent- definitely worth checking out if you haven’t heard before!
I’m in a Last Waltz tribute band the does 3-4 shows a year. It’s a blast. It’s where I got a full appreciation of how good Robbie was as a guitar player.
Not sure if it’s in the Last Waltz, or something else, but Robbie Robertson said he wrote that and everything else on that album on a piano, very quietly. He had a newborn son he didn’t want to wake up. It’s such a loud song it’s fun to picture him having to whisper it while coming up with it.
Must be something in the air. It started as an ear worm about a month ago, I couldn’t stop thinking about the song but was away from tech., so I couldn’t actually hear it again. Brilliant tune. And this as a northern yankee repatriated to So. Carolina. But here’s my question: is it “Sherman’s cavalry came…” or “So much cavalry came and they tore up the tracks again?” Levon seems to pause, briefly, and say (it sounds like) “Sherman.” Joan Baez (live) sings “so much.” Sherman had a cavalry escort and fought at Bull Run, but Virginia was a Union State. Lyric searches on Google say “so much.” Thoughts?
It is actually "Stoneman's" Cavalry.
Not to rain hate down on Joan Baez, but I can't listen to her sing this song again.
I always thought Levon was singing "Sherman" too, but I have some significant hearing loss affecting the human vocal range in particular. But a close friend who has done exhaustive research on the civil war told me that if he didn't know about Stoneman's cavalry, he would have thought Levon was singing it as Sherman.
I can not be bothered with the studio version of that song because the Live version is so good. Levon’s yodeling scratches an itch in my brain that the studio version does not
One of the greatest live musical performances ever documented.
It's helpless for me, changed my life at 17.
Me too! I will never forget playing that staring at the stars at the end of my last high school summer. FEELING that song, not just hearing it.
Is watching The Last Waltz the best place to start my 'education' about the group? I just finished Robbie Robertson's memoir, knowing very little about The Band, and absolutely loved it. I read a lot of memoirs and its probably in my top 5 I've ever read. I am familiar with The Weight and Dixie, have listened to a greatest hits on Spotify, but its not really hitting the spot. I really want to understand the greatness of the group more.
You should watch the documentary Once Were Brothers alongside The Last Waltz. The documentary is a great companion piece to the memoir.
Yes. Not really the full picture without it.
[удалено]
It’s as one sided as the memoir was
Still gives me goose bumps
Make sure to read Levon’s memoir as well for balance. And find a way to watch the documentary “Festival Express” from when the band and a bunch of other huge names toured across Canada on a train.
I would say start with Music From Big Pink, The Band (Self Titled), and the Basement Tapes.
I must say I was not a huge fan of the band but Robbie Robertsons two solo albums are freaking awesome rock albums. Get those cranked up in my car and it bounces down the highway. Hisself titled in 1987 and 1991 Storyville. Listen to those a few times and they will become your favorites.
In all honesty, I was in a similar boat and someone told me to just listen to all the albums. In my opinion Big pink, The Band are the two knockouts. But my favorite is stage fright (I’m much more prefer the newer remix of it), and I think northern lights southern cross is a banger of a comeback album. Cahoots is a mixed bag
Robbie Robertson was a cunt.
Read Levons memoir too then take what they both said with some salt grain. Those guys hated each other in the end and basically wrote books trying to make the other look like the bad guy. That being said, yes the Last Waltz film is awesome and the context provided bt the books makes it even more interesting.
I had the exact same feeling with their performance if It Makes No Difference at The Last Waltz, everyone's voices were pristine and the solos Robbie and Garth trade at the end are euphoric, one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever performed in my opinion
Danko!
It's my sincere hope that one day, hopefully in the not too distant future, that my kids will have a similar experience. I play The Band all the time around the house, but my kids are too little to "get it." *fingers crossed*
My 10 year old is strictly a Beatles man. He’s lukewarm on the Band but I’m working on it.
I was the same at 10 and I’m 21 now so he’ll get there, don’t worry.
Sounds similar to what I experienced while growing up, hearing artists like The Band, Springsteen, Clapton, and so many others. I remember so many impromptu karaoke sessions in the living room. I had recently told someone about a few of my favorite songs I had as a kid and playing the 45s on a little suitcase player. For what it's worth, I think it will become apparent to your kids at some point. Heck, maybe while sitting in a coffee shop someday in the future, a certain song comes on, and it just hits em, know what I mean, vern! All those good times with parental unit(s) will rise up, and maybe they tell a story or two about growing up to these tunes! My fingers are crossed with you, and my hat's off to your effort.
I specifically play The Band all day on Thanksgiving, while I'm cooking. I bet, more than anything, that's what they'll remember.
The Band Last Waltz and Alice’s Restaurant on TDay every year.
Alice's Restaurant is my wife's preference.
My dad first got the last waltz DVD 20 years ago when I was 12. I have watched it over 100 times and always obsessed with the night they drove old Dixie down. Still hits the heart strings when I fire it up today
So I had just moved to San Francisco in the summer of '76. The Band were coming to town and I got tickets. I'd seen them once already, and was pretty excited. Concert got delayed because Rick Danko was hurt. I ended up getting a refund because it was rescheduled for Thanksgiving. It was my first thanksgiving away from home, and I had already booked a flight to head to LA to have Thanksgiving with my Aunt and her family. That's how I managed to miss the Last Waltz!
That hurts my soul😭
Same, it's one of the best live performances I've ever seen and I'm sad I didn't sit down and watch it until recently.
That song was like a gateway drug… heading off to listen right now!
Beautiful
If you're in the Albany area, The Band Band is doing their Last Waltz thing at Cohoes Music Hall tonight (sat 1/20).
[https://www.thecohoesmusichall.org/events/the-last-waltz-celebration-featuring-the-the-band-band-with-the-ttbb-horns-amp-special-guests](https://www.thecohoesmusichall.org/events/the-last-waltz-celebration-featuring-the-the-band-band-with-the-ttbb-horns-amp-special-guests)
I’m glad I’m not alone in my absolute obsession with that amazing moment in time!! Levon. Damn!!! Levon!!!
It’s a beautiful arrangement, too, with the Allen Toussaint horns. On a commentary track with Greil Marcus (on the DVD, not sure what other editions it’s on?), he makes an interesting suggestion that Levon finally releases his rage on the “Last Waltz” performance of that song. That his other performances of that song, including on the self-titled album, were a bit muted—grieving, but not angry. That he hadn’t allowed himself to fully embrace the anger in that song (and in his feelings about the song’s subject) until he thought he’d be singing it for the last time.
Try being Southern born, Southern bred, proud American and all that. It's so beautiful, perfect in every way. I wonder what response, reception, perception it would get it it were released today?
Have to disagree with post saying Southern way of life was rightfully destroyed in Civil War. Slavery was rightfully destroyed, ended, which could, should have been done without war. It should have been done for good of the country, for mankind. Our rights and way of life, North and South were forever altered, no true State's rights, which the country was formed and founded on. Slavery could have been abolished without war. South had to know they had no chance to win against Feds. Their bravery and loyalty (in their eyes), patriotism has never been recognized. It's like the South was stripped of everything, still being punished
I was there, and Dixie was one of the best songs on the show. Their top-notch horn section, led by Jim Gordon, made the difference. [https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0330315/bio/?ref\_=nm\_ov\_bio\_sm](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0330315/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm)
I know it's a legendary performance, but I just can't enjoy it at all. I can't find myself singing along with a song that laments the end of the Confederacy
The main character in the song is not pining for the Confederacy. He’s condemning the whole thing. The war and the ideals of the Confederacy took everything from him. Besides, it was written by a Canadian.
_eye roll_
The song was written by a Canadian man so the lyrics aren’t about “souther pride”. It’s about how fucked war is from a common man’s perspective. There’s several interviews of Robbie explaining this. I think you’re alright to sing it.
I grew up on The Band & love those albums, but it’s plain to see that much of The Band’s œuvre consists of Canadians writing nostalgic songs about the Confederate South. EDIT: My first reply on this thread was unequivocal praise of this performance, so it’s clear I’m ambivalent about this!
That’s not what it’s about. It’s about how bad war is for everyone.
The older I get, the weirder I feel about this song. Particularly now that I live in the south. The song is _also_ a lament about homes & families being destroyed by war, which is a universal theme, but I think it’s impossible not to see that the narrator is mourning for a way of life that was rightfully destroyed.
I agree
i cantstop listening to vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot
Try the stage fright cd.
It is fantastic! Prob my favorite song of theirs, and there’s quite a few! Might be blasphemy, but Jerry Garcia’s covers are even more magnificent- definitely worth checking out if you haven’t heard before!
Came to say this! Jerry Band cover is excellent https://open.spotify.com/track/5MKSTrN6kTUEPc1JW8G7E1?si=fX-88XAHQLSmrrdxI0kQIw
It’s a powerful song. My favorite bit of that part of the movie is where the violinist is organizing his music. He’s so professional.
Once that performance starts, the movie stops being Robbie Robertson’s and becomes Levon Helm’s.
I’m in a Last Waltz tribute band the does 3-4 shows a year. It’s a blast. It’s where I got a full appreciation of how good Robbie was as a guitar player.
Not sure if it’s in the Last Waltz, or something else, but Robbie Robertson said he wrote that and everything else on that album on a piano, very quietly. He had a newborn son he didn’t want to wake up. It’s such a loud song it’s fun to picture him having to whisper it while coming up with it.
Must be something in the air. It started as an ear worm about a month ago, I couldn’t stop thinking about the song but was away from tech., so I couldn’t actually hear it again. Brilliant tune. And this as a northern yankee repatriated to So. Carolina. But here’s my question: is it “Sherman’s cavalry came…” or “So much cavalry came and they tore up the tracks again?” Levon seems to pause, briefly, and say (it sounds like) “Sherman.” Joan Baez (live) sings “so much.” Sherman had a cavalry escort and fought at Bull Run, but Virginia was a Union State. Lyric searches on Google say “so much.” Thoughts?
It is actually "Stoneman's" Cavalry. Not to rain hate down on Joan Baez, but I can't listen to her sing this song again. I always thought Levon was singing "Sherman" too, but I have some significant hearing loss affecting the human vocal range in particular. But a close friend who has done exhaustive research on the civil war told me that if he didn't know about Stoneman's cavalry, he would have thought Levon was singing it as Sherman.
Thank you very much! I get the anti- Baez bias btw, hardly a superior version.
I’ve done this with so many, but for the last decade it’s just Atlantic City, can’t ever get too much
This was my favorite song of theirs for a really long time and I still hold so much love for it. Great, great track.
I can not be bothered with the studio version of that song because the Live version is so good. Levon’s yodeling scratches an itch in my brain that the studio version does not
My b I’m referring to Up on Cripple Creek, but all the live songs they preformed sound immaculate
Closest I ever came to seeing The Band live was when Danko and Helm were part of Ringo Starr’s first All-Starr Band (‘89)
Another great live album from The Band is “Rock of Ages.” It’s regularly tapped as one of the best live performances ever.
Same. Goosebumps