Thank you Lee for your great reaction, as a fellow History buff I get it That being said watching Levon sing his heart out while his soul is drumming simultaneously I'm in awe and at times holding my breath The Last Waltz is a must see for any music lover. I also feel a sense of sadness watching as it's the end of the official "The Band" Their music is timeless and does give a feeling of being home ( if that makes sense) Love & Music Always 🎶 💜✌️🤟🎵
Levon is the coolest guy God ever put breath in. He was so hip and yet so humble, he oozed class and didn't even know how cool he was. A real great human being.
Levon is such a force on this song. As a drummer myself, I can tell you playing and singing at the same time ain't easy. Especially playing as hard as he does on this song.
Man, The Band was so good it's ridiculous. Canadian rockabilly great, and character of characters, Ronnie Hawkins, put them together as his band and drove them hard to be the best they could be, then they went on to become Bob Dylan's band, then went on to become THE Band. My favorite part of The Last Waltz is when Ronnie joins them for a rousing version of "Who Do you Love"
Watching this film is a must. The first song performed in the movie was actually the last song performed at the concert. The band had left the stage and had changed. 20 minutes later, the concert promoter came back stage and said "No one has left!" You have to go back out there! The band had been on stage for over 4 hours and were wiped. The last few songs you could tell Robbies fingers were hurting by his grimaces. This is my favorite concert movie.
We rushed to the theaters to see this concert movie when it was released, jealous then of those who were fortunate enough to be there. What a goodbye performance by the Band & their friends. ✌️❤️🎶
I was in HS when the film came out and our social studies teacher took us to see it. I instantly became a Band fan! Hadn't even realized my mom had their first two albums (Big Pink, and the brown album----soooo good!). My partner-to-be (then in his 20s), who lived in SF, attended the ThanksGivingDay concert with a buddy. They sat in the 'peanut gallery'. Those on the ground floor sat at tables and had ThanksGiving dinner---how cool! Love this film-concert and the album. They were on fire that night. Love Dr. John, Joni, Muddy Waters, The Staple singers, Paul Butterfield and the many extra musicians on that stage. This version of TNTDODD is their best, IMO. Miss these guys so much. Garth lives on!
One of the best “bands” ever! 3 of the 5 members were great vocalists. Levon has one of the greatest voices ever, and an amazing drummer! And The Last Waltz is probably the best rock doc ever made. At the height of their talents … and it was also the beginning of the end…
For my money, this is the best performance of this song they ever did. If memory serves, Helm never performed this song again after this. Edit: Nevermind, you covered it later in the video!
"Virgil Cain is my name and I rode on the Danville train..." People on the ground in war are always the ones who suffer most. I love how this song captures that, and it's just a great song in general. I love your understanding that you can't put everything from the past into a modern lens, even if now we see those things as wrong. Great analysis.
Levon was one of the greatest rock vocalists, and also one of the greatest rock drummers. The crazy thing is that he could do both at the same time! Amazing the way Levon twists his head to the side when he sings, almost like he is having an out of body experience. Next, please do "It Makes No Difference" from Last Waltz, the greatest singing performance by Bass Player Rick Danko. Also, please do "Further On Up The Road" by Eric Clapton, and "Manish Boy" by Muddy Waters.
@@missblondie2393 Yeah, that song kills me too, every time I hear it! And then I want to hear it again,,,, and again And thanks for your work as L33 Patron, its greatly appreciated!
Love watching Levon do his thing! Notice how he holds that last note on each verse a few extra beats. I've watched this performance on youtube dozens of times and I still get chills. The brass, rhythm and bass were perfect and did a couple of gorgeous chords that aren't on the studio album. Love that. To add to the suggested tunes here I'd like to add: Don't Do It (cover, which is the lead-in tune on the film, but was an encore song at the concert), Up on Cripple Creek, Shape I'm In, Who Do you Love (Ronnie Hawkins), Coyote (Joni), Such a Night (Dr. John). Love that elegant red stage! So happy for these reactions!
@@lindalee5866 Agree about Levon holding those last notes. It feels like he is giving voice to the forgotten humans, in this case he's singing for Reb-Farmer Virgil Kane. Levon's voice on those last notes has a combination of strength and weariness, fading off and echoing into the emptiness of time and space.
Wow is right! They were phenomenal ❤ still get chills. Don't know how he sang like this and played drums. Must have died a little with every performance. Always enjoy your videos!!!
I was introduced to The Band in 1970 by a friend (Jack), who grew up in the South. A few of his computer engineer friends (from UC Berkeley) would hang out drinking beer, listening to music and shootin' the breeze. I was new to the group, so Jack asked me to go to his stack of vinyls and pick out an album. The one I had vaguely heard somewhere before and liked was The Band (brown cover on the album). We played it all the way through. (The guy I came with to this gathering said, "You've just become Jack's friend for life!" [Not far from the truth]) One of the songs you might like is "Up on Cripple Creek." [ Goofy aside, I guess: When I was teaching a writing class in the 90s, I tended to get bored of the same old, same old. So I gave the kids the lyrics to "Up on Cripple Creek" and to "Sugar Magnolia" by The Grateful Dead. And I just asked them to talk about what they knew about Bessie and S. Magnolia -- how they were the same and /or different and how they could tell from the lyrics. No one in the class had heard either song. (And I didn't tell them the names of the bands) They guessed at what the girls looked like, dressed like, what color hair they had, their build, what alcohol they probably drank, and so on (I wrote whatever they came up with (all of it) on the board. They pretty much came to a consensus on their guesses --- all based on what they got from the lyrics. (BTW, Apparently Bessie drank whiskey or beer, and Magnolia drank white wine. 🤣 ) Fun class. 💖💜💙
The video of the whole concert is available here on YT. About 4 hours, 20 minutes, 40-some songs , and dozens of guest artists. Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Ronnie Hawkins, Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, Dr. John, Stephen Stills, Ringo Starr, and many others. Interestingly, two artists prominent in the movie weren't even part of the concert. The parts with the Staples Singers and with Emmylou Harris were filmed later in a studio 400 miles away. Plus, there was extensive post production "correcting" of missed notes, off key singing, and other mistakes. Levon Helms' part was the only significant part without any editing.
Another great choice! Levon Helm is a frikking force of nature, both on the drums and the vocals - something about his voice is just so damn perfect, especially on this song. You should check out the song 'Growin' Trade' from his last album, 'Electric Dirt'. Levon lost his voice due to throat cancer, but he worked his off off and got it back in time to record 2 final albums. They're both excellent, but I think you'd definitely love that song in particular. His voice isn't the same, but it's unmistakably Levon. Great reaction as always - much love from Canada!
I lived in Atlanta for 13yrs after spending my first 40yrs in Chicago. After making many friends from the South I heard a whole different perspective on the War. It was really eye opening. I changed my idea of what Southern people were like. That's also where I made some of my best friends of New Yorkers which I never could have imagined that! 😆
I listened to every moment of this reaction, including all you had to say on the subject(s). I was completely INTERESTED in what you were expressing, and finding myself in agreement with you, and being impressed with your thought process and ability to express it.....that's hard af, but especially with this topic (and all the inevitable spin-offs). Enjoyed this vid a LOT, thank you! I still have my copy of "The Last Waltz" that I recorded from PBS many years ago on VHS!
I've honestly never heard a bad song from The Band. I was lucky to see them touring after their second album was released. Such great artists. Might I suggest their song, Chest Fever? It has some of the most amazing organ ever recorded in rockdom!
One of the most soulful and authentically North American bands ever!! The Band is a National Treasure. A really good book and in depth history of The band--"This Wheel's On Fire"
Supposedly, The Robert E Lee was a train named after the General. I think that's right, I'm not sure. Another great historical song by the Band is Acadian Driftwood. It describes thr migration of French Canadians to Louisiana.
I think it was a paddle wheel steamer ship, on the Tennesse River. A lot of things were named for Lee after the war, I seem to remember there was a famous boat.
How important was this show? I will be 70 soon. I rushed to see it in the theatre, I bought it on Vinyl, I bought it on 8 track, Ibought it on Cassette, and DVD. PEACE
Its a train song for sure. "Virgil Cain is my name, and I worked on the Danville Train. Till Stoneman's calvary came, and tore up the tracks again." Absolutely a train song. Virgil wasn't a soldier, he worked on the Rail Road. Civil War, brother against brother, interesting name Cain (as in Cain and Able) . Levon Helm, one of the great voices of Rock and Roll.
Joan Baez had the hit version of this song. The most successful version of the song was the one by Joan Baez, which became a RIAA-certified Gold record on 22 October 1971. In addition to chart action on the Hot 100, the record spent five weeks atop the easy listening chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 20 song for 1971. It peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 on 2 October 1971
I appreciate that, my friend. I try my best to be as fair as possible to those who are not among us still. They aren’t here to defend themselves and I would want someone to do the same for me if I were in there shoes
What I find sad about the Band is that I think everyone except Robbie really needed that group to continue. And not just for income, but because it was all they had known for so long and it gave them purpose. This version of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" is better than the record version imo and is my favorite Band song.
Since Levon is the token American of the group and a southerner, I imagine Robbie wrote this specifically for him. Great version, particularly like the live horns.
They had a lot of singles that were great, but I truly loved them once I found The Basement Tapes. Dylan and The Band recoding in a house called Big Pink.
I can never understand why The Band were not listened to by the majority of music listeners. Somehow they went under the wire especially this side of the pond. My favourite
@user-oe9hj9yI7m I agree! I was 18 when I met my future husband in 1972. One of his favorite albums was The Band. We still have, the cover has definitely seen better days😎
There is an interview in the film where the Band talks about the origins of rock & roll in America. The fusion of blues, gospel, country and folk all came together in the "middle" of the country. Pretty astute coming from a Canadian. LOL. The interviews were, to me, almost as good as the music, and very informative about the creation of the Band and the music.
Goteborg one of my favorite cities. I grew up in Denmark, came to the US as an au pair in the late sixties, Westport Ct. After 2 years I went back for an extended stay to Denmark, one of girl friends had moved to Sweden with her new husband, Lerum I visited her there. Then went back to Westport and that spring met a Swedish au pair, who was from Goteborg. Over the next 30 or more years I would visit both my friends whenever I was on vacation in Denmark.
Playing any instrument and singing well at the same time is difficult. Watching Paul McCartney play bass and sing on some of those early Beatle rockers blows my mind.
Nice to hear from the band again. Never owned any of their work; others in my crowd did, so I didn't bother. However, at this stage of my life, I doubt I'll start buying their albums now.
Robbie Robertson wrote this song after being inspired by Levon's dad who was an old southern rebel type and who Robbie liked alot. He wrote it for Levon to sing. Sadly, this performance at the Last Waltz was the last time Levon ever performed the song.
I haven’t followed my lineage that far back but I’m sure I had relatives in the civil war. Every major war of the last century had one of my forefathers in it
My fave version of this song! dbl ♥ You gotta check out their song: It Makes No Difference from this same concert. Try to find the unedited version, tho!
Nice reaction to The Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" from The Last Waltz. Great version but I'd like to point you to an earlier live version w a medley. The Band performed "Rock of Ages" 12/31/71 + 1/1/72 @ Brooklyn's Academy of Music w NYC best born players. The medley concludes w "Across the Great Divide". The opener on the LP is an absolutely fabulous Motown cover "Don't Do It" which sets a high standard that is maintained throughout this Classic concert.
There was sadness, Robbie wrote in his book, when he realized that it was their last concert he was so overwhelmed by sadness he could hardly stand it. However, after being on the road for 16 years, he wanted to stop touring. He was exhausted dealing with 3 heroin addicts (Rick, Richard and Levon) and he was married with 3 small children. He also felt by continuing to tour they were pushing their luck. Many musicians had died either from drug overdose or plane crashes. You should watch the whole movie "The Last Waltz" it explains a lot. Robbie's book "Testimony" is fascinating and Barney Hoskyns biography of The Band gives a more balanced view.
Hello from Danville Virginia, home of the Danville train. The Richmond-Danville railroad was the only route south by rail. Stoneman's cavalry tore up sections of track every night and the Confederacy worked very hard to keep the rail line open.When Richmond fell, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, and his cabinet escaped to Danville by rail They spent one week here making Danville the last capitol of the Confederacy. The house he stayed in is now a museum. Side note...I was born on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
The south seceded and chose to keep black people against the will of the US government that emancipated them. They chose and continued to be against the US government. Now it’s IVF and abortion forcing women to die during miscarriages or possibly go to jail. Always someone to be punished under the weight of domineering male hatred of women or someone not white. To me it’s so sad when they claim love a higher power.
Who knew a Canadian would capture the spirit and soul of the South so perfectly? Some of us still know what that really means. Just a ghost fading into the past. Now southern culture has become more of an agenda than a legacy. But just on a musical level this is a masterpiece.
Many of the songs Robbie wrote captured the spirit of the US, which surprised many, seeing he grew up in Canada. Robbie himself said in an interview, he thought because he was an outsider he looked at things with a fresh eye.
I said this elsewhere - I don't know that this song was just about the Civil War. I felt at the time - and still do - that it was also about the Vietnamese people, as well - people who are suffering the effects of war all around them, war they would never have chosen to fight. Most war is fought for the vested interests of people with power and money and the rest suffer.
It’s very fitting that this song was reviewed on this date, September 17th. - The date of our nation’s bloodiest day at the Battle of Sharpsburg - the Civil War battle in which 23,000 soldiers were casualties in Maryland.
I hope I explain this well. There was no video switching system at the Last Waltz - the kind of thing you see in concert videos today or sports events, where there are 20 cameras and they're all wired to the director, who's calling off which camera is live and who should get the next shot ready. In this case, Scorsese went over each song on the setlist and created a storyboard for each camera for each line of the song, so the cameras would know what they should shoot. When Van Morrison decided to kick up his heels at the end of Caravan, it took a while for the cameraman to widen up and show it, because he had a storyboard. Muddy Waters came on when the cameras were expected to change film magazines. They only got him with one camera by good fortune.
this was released in 1969, 2 years later in 1971 Joan Baez took this song to #3 on the US charts The night chicago died 1974 by Paper Lace top 100 in the US for a week and #2 in Canada
They are endearing. And this song has always been heartbreaking to me. Levon Helm is incredible, and I saw them in concert in Boston, 1969. It was the BEST concert I have ever seen. Go deeper with them. Starting with "It Makes No Difference" - but NOT the one from The Last Waltz. There are other live versions that are better.
You've got to do a track or two (or the whole album!) from Dylan's "Planet Waves." It might be my second favorite Dylan album (depending on the day) and very much a collaboration between the boys in The Band and Bob.
If you want to hear them do a cover of a Bruce Springsteen song, check out “Atlantic City.” It’s got a great vocal by Levon, and it lets you appreciate Bruce’s songwriting it a way that you might not otherwise.
Joan Baez did an awesome cover too but I think she took some artistic license though.It's all politics both sides crap ya know. Good job Lee ty vm for the research. Just always remember the SECOND THEORY OF RELATIVITY(Physics)
I don't remember where I read it , a quote by Levon Helm saying that this performance was their finest ever of the song . Since these road hogs probably played it every night , during their career that's saying something .
I could have attended this concert at Winterland in '76, but decided not to go. Obviously a big mistake! I guess at the time I didn't fully appreciate how good The Band was, and what a special event this would turn out to be in music history.
Thank you Lee for your great reaction, as a fellow History buff I get it
That being said watching Levon sing his heart out while his soul is drumming simultaneously I'm in awe and at times holding my breath
The Last Waltz is a must see for any music lover.
I also feel a sense of sadness watching as it's the end of the official "The Band"
Their music is timeless and does give a feeling of being home ( if that makes sense)
Love & Music Always 🎶 💜✌️🤟🎵
The Band’s songs make you think the songs are brand new and that they have been around for centuries at the same time.
Wow that is the best description I’ve heard of their music. Thank you for that. It’s so true.
Others have said that, I think even Bruce Springsteen said it.
Rick and his harmony, just so perfect. Miss him.
Levon is the coolest guy God ever put breath in. He was so hip and yet so humble, he oozed class and didn't even know how cool he was. A real great human being.
My favorite version because the brass section adds a lot!!!
Levon is such a force on this song. As a drummer myself, I can tell you playing and singing at the same time ain't easy. Especially playing as hard as he does on this song.
Yeah you are so right. that’s hard as hell to pull off. Especially live. He was in the zone.
Man, The Band was so good it's ridiculous. Canadian rockabilly great, and character of characters, Ronnie Hawkins, put them together as his band and drove them hard to be the best they could be, then they went on to become Bob Dylan's band, then went on to become THE Band.
My favorite part of The Last Waltz is when Ronnie joins them for a rousing version of "Who Do you Love"
The Band is (to me), so organic. Nothing contrived, electronic, or enhanced. Just great music played by great musicians.
Watching this film is a must. The first song performed in the movie was actually the last song performed at the concert. The band had left the stage and had changed. 20 minutes later, the concert promoter came back stage and said "No one has left!"
You have to go back out there!
The band had been on stage for over 4 hours and were wiped. The last few songs you could tell Robbies fingers were hurting by his grimaces.
This is my favorite concert movie.
We rushed to the theaters to see this concert movie when it was released, jealous then of those who were fortunate enough to be there. What a goodbye performance by the Band & their friends. ✌️❤️🎶
I was in HS when the film came out and our social studies teacher took us to see it. I instantly became a Band fan! Hadn't even realized my mom had their first two albums (Big Pink, and the brown album----soooo good!). My partner-to-be (then in his 20s), who lived in SF, attended the ThanksGivingDay concert with a buddy. They sat in the 'peanut gallery'. Those on the ground floor sat at tables and had ThanksGiving dinner---how cool! Love this film-concert and the album. They were on fire that night. Love Dr. John, Joni, Muddy Waters, The Staple singers, Paul Butterfield and the many extra musicians on that stage. This version of TNTDODD is their best, IMO. Miss these guys so much. Garth lives on!
There was terrible suffering. That's what this song is about.
This band did Americana as well as any American band. Being a Canuck band they did well always!
One of the best “bands” ever! 3 of the 5 members were great vocalists. Levon has one of the greatest voices ever, and an amazing drummer! And The Last Waltz is probably the best rock doc ever made. At the height of their talents … and it was also the beginning of the end…
You can feel their passion. It's palpable. Keep going deeper into these guys. You'll not regret it!
We used to sing this at hi school football games in the 70s
Americana 101 - changed music instantly.
For my money, this is the best performance of this song they ever did. If memory serves, Helm never performed this song again after this.
Edit: Nevermind, you covered it later in the video!
"Virgil Cain is my name and I rode on the Danville train..." People on the ground in war are always the ones who suffer most. I love how this song captures that, and it's just a great song in general. I love your understanding that you can't put everything from the past into a modern lens, even if now we see those things as wrong. Great analysis.
A superb standard played often on FM radio stools back in the 1970’s and early 1980’s!
Levon Helm saving the very best for last ..peerless and incomparable .
Levon was one of the greatest rock vocalists, and also one of the greatest rock drummers. The crazy thing is that he could do both at the same time!
Amazing the way Levon twists his head to the side when he sings, almost like he is having an out of body experience.
Next, please do "It Makes No Difference" from Last Waltz, the greatest singing performance by Bass Player Rick Danko.
Also, please do "Further On Up The Road" by Eric Clapton, and "Manish Boy" by Muddy Waters.
It Makes No Difference is another favorite and Rick Danko's vocals always makes me tear up
@@missblondie2393 Yeah, that song kills me too, every time I hear it!
And then I want to hear it again,,,, and again
And thanks for your work as L33 Patron, its greatly appreciated!
@jraben1065 your comment is greatly appreciated 🎶✌️💜🎵
Love watching Levon do his thing! Notice how he holds that last note on each verse a few extra beats. I've watched this performance on youtube dozens of times and I still get chills. The brass, rhythm and bass were perfect and did a couple of gorgeous chords that aren't on the studio album. Love that. To add to the suggested tunes here I'd like to add: Don't Do It (cover, which is the lead-in tune on the film, but was an encore song at the concert), Up on Cripple Creek, Shape I'm In, Who Do you Love (Ronnie Hawkins), Coyote (Joni), Such a Night (Dr. John). Love that elegant red stage! So happy for these reactions!
@@lindalee5866 Agree about Levon holding those last notes. It feels like he is giving voice to the forgotten humans, in this case he's singing for Reb-Farmer Virgil Kane. Levon's voice on those last notes has a combination of strength and weariness, fading off and echoing into the emptiness of time and space.
Wow is right! They were phenomenal ❤ still get chills. Don't know how he sang like this and played drums. Must have died a little with every performance. Always enjoy your videos!!!
I grew up with this music. Especially their album The Band. One of the best albums ever.
(I am saying that as a European.) Love for your channel❤
I was introduced to The Band in 1970 by a friend (Jack), who grew up in the South. A few of his computer engineer friends (from UC Berkeley) would hang out drinking beer, listening to music and shootin' the breeze.
I was new to the group, so Jack asked me to go to his stack of vinyls and pick out an album.
The one I had vaguely heard somewhere before and liked was The Band (brown cover on the album).
We played it all the way through.
(The guy I came with to this gathering said, "You've just become Jack's friend for life!"
[Not far from the truth])
One of the songs you might like is "Up on Cripple Creek."
[ Goofy aside, I guess:
When I was teaching a writing class in the 90s, I tended to get bored of the same old, same old.
So I gave the kids the lyrics to "Up on Cripple Creek" and to "Sugar Magnolia" by The Grateful Dead. And I just asked them to talk about what they knew about Bessie and S. Magnolia -- how they were the same and /or different and how they could tell from the lyrics.
No one in the class had heard either song. (And I didn't tell them the names of the bands)
They guessed at what the girls looked like, dressed like, what color hair they had, their build, what alcohol they probably drank, and so on (I wrote whatever they came up with (all of it) on the board. They pretty much came to a consensus on their guesses --- all based on what they got from the lyrics.
(BTW, Apparently Bessie drank whiskey or beer, and Magnolia drank white wine. 🤣 )
Fun class.
💖💜💙
Hands down the best music film ever made. Stop. Rewind. And watch the whole thing from start to finish. Sublime is the word. And the guests? Wow.
Well, this AND The Concert for Bangladesh!
Love the Band
Every song on that second album is a gem.
This is one of THE video to watch to know this era.
The video of the whole concert is available here on YT. About 4 hours, 20 minutes, 40-some songs , and dozens of guest artists. Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Ronnie Hawkins, Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield, Joni Mitchell, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, Dr. John, Stephen Stills, Ringo Starr, and many others. Interestingly, two artists prominent in the movie weren't even part of the concert. The parts with the Staples Singers and with Emmylou Harris were filmed later in a studio 400 miles away. Plus, there was extensive post production "correcting" of missed notes, off key singing, and other mistakes. Levon Helms' part was the only significant part without any editing.
@@richdiddens4059 It's great .. I particularly like Muddy Waters, Paul Butterfield and Pinetop Perkins playing Caledonia
In addition to The Last Waltz, I also love Rock of Ages. Another great live album. From '71 I think. Recorded on New Year's eve.
Another great choice! Levon Helm is a frikking force of nature, both on the drums and the vocals - something about his voice is just so damn perfect, especially on this song. You should check out the song 'Growin' Trade' from his last album, 'Electric Dirt'. Levon lost his voice due to throat cancer, but he worked his off off and got it back in time to record 2 final albums. They're both excellent, but I think you'd definitely love that song in particular. His voice isn't the same, but it's unmistakably Levon. Great reaction as always - much love from Canada!
I lived in Atlanta for 13yrs after spending my first 40yrs in Chicago. After making many friends from the South I heard a whole different perspective on the War. It was really eye opening. I changed my idea of what Southern people were like. That's also where I made some of my best friends of New Yorkers which I never could have imagined that! 😆
Liked: "...how something new can feel so.... nostalgic" Perfectly put.
What a song. The feel !
I listened to every moment of this reaction, including all you had to say on the subject(s). I was completely INTERESTED in what you were expressing, and finding myself in agreement with you, and being impressed with your thought process and ability to express it.....that's hard af, but especially with this topic (and all the inevitable spin-offs).
Enjoyed this vid a LOT, thank you!
I still have my copy of "The Last Waltz" that I recorded from PBS many years ago on VHS!
I've honestly never heard a bad song from The Band. I was lucky to see them touring after their second album was released. Such great artists. Might I suggest their song, Chest Fever? It has some of the most amazing organ ever recorded in rockdom!
One of the most soulful and authentically North American bands ever!! The Band is a National Treasure. A really good book and in depth history of The band--"This Wheel's On Fire"
Except for Levon Helm, they were all Canadian! 🤦🏽♂️
@@keef7224 Yeah, my reaction too...but they did a lot of "American" themed songs, this being one of them. Maybe they're a North American treasure?
@@keef7224 Correct-- North American Band.
This song gets lots of airplay in my truck
Fabulous Movie!
Supposedly, The Robert E Lee was a train named after the General. I think that's right, I'm not sure. Another great historical song by the Band is Acadian Driftwood. It describes thr migration of French Canadians to Louisiana.
I think it was a paddle wheel steamer ship, on the Tennesse River. A lot of things were named for Lee after the war, I seem to remember there was a famous boat.
How important was this show? I will be 70 soon. I rushed to see it in the theatre, I bought it on Vinyl, I bought it on 8 track, Ibought it on Cassette, and DVD. PEACE
Its a train song for sure. "Virgil Cain is my name, and I worked on the Danville Train. Till Stoneman's calvary came, and tore up the tracks again." Absolutely a train song. Virgil wasn't a soldier, he worked on the Rail Road. Civil War, brother against brother, interesting name Cain (as in Cain and Able) . Levon Helm, one of the great voices of Rock and Roll.
Beautiful
Joan Baez had the hit version of this song. The most successful version of the song was the one by Joan Baez, which became a RIAA-certified Gold record on 22 October 1971. In addition to chart action on the Hot 100, the record spent five weeks atop the easy listening chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 20 song for 1971. It peaked at #3 on the Hot 100 on 2 October 1971
Lee, you are spot on with your perspective.
I appreciate that, my friend. I try my best to be as fair as possible to those who are not among us still. They aren’t here to defend themselves and I would want someone to do the same for me if I were in there shoes
I love this song so much ,is a lesson in history it tells so much.
Brings back a lot of memories. First real girlfriend. We met in college 1971. I thought she was the one.
You speak so well ❤
What I find sad about the Band is that I think everyone except Robbie really needed that group to continue. And not just for income, but because it was all they had known for so long and it gave them purpose. This version of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" is better than the record version imo and is my favorite Band song.
They just make you feel good.
Since Levon is the token American of the group and a southerner, I imagine Robbie wrote this specifically for him. Great version, particularly like the live horns.
They had a lot of singles that were great, but I truly loved them once I found The Basement Tapes.
Dylan and The Band recoding in a house called Big Pink.
I can never understand why The Band were not listened to by the majority of music listeners. Somehow they went under the wire especially this side of the pond. My favourite
@user-oe9hj9yI7m I agree! I was 18 when I met my future husband in 1972. One of his favorite albums was The Band. We still have, the cover has definitely seen better days😎
There is an interview in the film where the Band talks about the origins of rock & roll in America. The fusion of blues, gospel, country and folk all came together in the
"middle" of the country. Pretty astute coming from a Canadian. LOL. The interviews were, to me, almost as good as the music, and very informative about the creation of the Band and the music.
You are a Great Humanist! Thank you dear!
Big Hugs from Goethenburg Sweden. ❤
Goteborg one of my favorite cities. I grew up in Denmark, came to the US as an au pair in the late sixties, Westport Ct. After 2 years I went back for an extended stay to Denmark, one of girl friends had moved to Sweden with her new husband, Lerum I visited her there. Then went back to Westport and that spring met a Swedish au pair, who was from Goteborg. Over the next 30 or more years I would visit both my friends whenever I was on vacation in Denmark.
Can't leave this one out!
Playing any instrument and singing well at the same time is difficult. Watching Paul McCartney play bass and sing on some of those early Beatle rockers blows my mind.
Nice to hear from the band again. Never owned any of their work; others in my crowd did, so I didn't bother. However, at this stage of my life, I doubt I'll start buying their albums now.
I really enjoyed this ... thank you
Robbie Robertson wrote this song after being inspired by Levon's dad who was an old southern rebel type and who Robbie liked alot. He wrote it for Levon to sing. Sadly, this performance at the Last Waltz was the last time Levon ever performed the song.
joan baez does a great cover of this song. she introduced bob dylan to America when he was still unknown.
That's the version I'm familiar with. Interested to hear this.
@@nanlewis Ditto
@@nanlewis it could be because joan's version got radio play and the band's version didn't
The bands version is my favorite followed closely by Dobbie gray...
@@juliefox1743 i also like up on cripple creek, drift away by dobbie gray is great too
Im a Marylander as well. Had a relative who was a Confederate general. I love this song.
I haven’t followed my lineage that far back but I’m sure I had relatives in the civil war. Every major war of the last century had one of my forefathers in it
You really need to check out my favorite singer in The Band, Richard Manuel The Shape I'm In from this concert.
And Georgia. So beautiful. Not in the movie though
My fave version of this song! dbl ♥ You gotta check out their song: It Makes No Difference from this same concert. Try to find the unedited version, tho!
Love The Band!
From my play list.
Ah, yes, The Band. And for a time they were THE band.
Nice reaction to The Band's "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" from The Last Waltz. Great version but I'd like to point you to an earlier live version w a medley. The Band performed "Rock of Ages" 12/31/71 + 1/1/72 @ Brooklyn's Academy of Music w NYC best born players. The medley concludes w "Across the Great Divide". The opener on the LP is an absolutely fabulous Motown cover "Don't Do It" which sets a high standard that is maintained throughout this Classic concert.
Yeah, you can throw darts and hit a good song by The Band, but you just hit the bullseye with this one!
What a privilege to be part of all this !!!!!
There was sadness, Robbie wrote in his book, when he realized that it was their last concert he was so overwhelmed by sadness he could hardly stand it. However, after being on the road for 16 years, he wanted to stop touring. He was exhausted dealing with 3 heroin addicts (Rick, Richard and Levon) and he was married with 3 small children. He also felt by continuing to tour they were pushing their luck. Many musicians had died either from drug overdose or plane crashes. You should watch the whole movie "The Last Waltz" it explains a lot. Robbie's book "Testimony" is fascinating and Barney Hoskyns biography of The Band gives a more balanced view.
Hello from Danville Virginia, home of the Danville train. The Richmond-Danville railroad was the only route south by rail. Stoneman's cavalry tore up sections of track every night and the Confederacy worked very hard to keep the rail line open.When Richmond fell, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, and his cabinet escaped to Danville by rail
They spent one week here making Danville the last capitol of the Confederacy. The house he stayed in is now a museum.
Side note...I was born on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
From this concert if you haven’t done it yet you want to do Joni Mitchell coyote Robbie kills it with some killer licks great song great performance
I'm not American so to me this song is simply about how both sides in any war suffer, regardless of who is right or wrong.
The south seceded and chose to keep black people against the will of the US government that emancipated them. They chose and continued to be against the US government. Now it’s IVF and abortion forcing women to die during miscarriages or possibly go to jail. Always someone to be punished under the weight of domineering male hatred of women or someone not white. To me it’s so sad when they claim love a higher power.
Amazing song thank you🎇
The Band! Winner Winner Chicken Dinner🎉
Who knew a Canadian would capture the spirit and soul of the South so perfectly? Some of us still know what that really means. Just a ghost fading into the past. Now southern culture has become more of an agenda than a legacy. But just on a musical level this is a masterpiece.
Levon Helm was from Arkansas
Many of the songs Robbie wrote captured the spirit of the US, which surprised many, seeing he grew up in Canada. Robbie himself said in an interview, he thought because he was an outsider he looked at things with a fresh eye.
nice commentary thanks. Apropos of the season check out King Harvest.
I said this elsewhere - I don't know that this song was just about the Civil War. I felt at the time - and still do - that it was also about the Vietnamese people, as well - people who are suffering the effects of war all around them, war they would never have chosen to fight. Most war is fought for the vested interests of people with power and money and the rest suffer.
It’s very fitting that this song was reviewed on this date, September 17th. - The date of our nation’s bloodiest day at the Battle of Sharpsburg - the Civil War battle in which 23,000 soldiers were casualties in Maryland.
I hope I explain this well. There was no video switching system at the Last Waltz - the kind of thing you see in concert videos today or sports events, where there are 20 cameras and they're all wired to the director, who's calling off which camera is live and who should get the next shot ready. In this case, Scorsese went over each song on the setlist and created a storyboard for each camera for each line of the song, so the cameras would know what they should shoot. When Van Morrison decided to kick up his heels at the end of Caravan, it took a while for the cameraman to widen up and show it, because he had a storyboard. Muddy Waters came on when the cameras were expected to change film magazines. They only got him with one camera by good fortune.
this was released in 1969,
2 years later in 1971 Joan Baez took this song to #3 on the US charts
The night chicago died 1974 by Paper Lace top 100 in the US for a week and #2 in Canada
They are endearing. And this song has always been heartbreaking to me. Levon Helm is incredible, and I saw them in concert in Boston, 1969. It was the BEST concert I have ever seen. Go deeper with them. Starting with "It Makes No Difference" - but NOT the one from The Last Waltz. There are other live versions that are better.
You've got to do a track or two (or the whole album!) from Dylan's "Planet Waves." It might be my second favorite Dylan album (depending on the day) and very much a collaboration between the boys in The Band and Bob.
There is always more than one truth..... perspective related.
The "Robert E. " they refer to in the song is a passing steamboat .
Not one digital , auto tune , smartphone, changed frequency, trick in our music in the day...the world will never know today. Unfortunately. ✌️
You gotta react to The Band's Dont Do It from either the Last Waltz or the Academy of Music, and Tears of Rage at Woodstock
If you want to hear them do a cover of a Bruce Springsteen song, check out “Atlantic City.” It’s got a great vocal by Levon, and it lets you appreciate Bruce’s songwriting it a way that you might not otherwise.
Joan Baez did an awesome cover too but I think she took some artistic license though.It's all politics both sides crap ya know. Good job Lee ty vm for the research. Just always remember the SECOND THEORY OF RELATIVITY(Physics)
Tom lehrer.
I wanna go back to dixie.
😊😊😊😊
The Late Greats by Wilco. You should try them one day.
Joan Baez covered this, and made it sound beautiful. I love her version, in spite of it being about the South.
Levon felt he made contributions to the writing of the song and would not perform it in his solo years.
Song's about the Old South written by a Canadian. 😆
Very earnest music.
you pick good songs. you should check out Lucinda Williams
I don't remember where I read it , a quote by Levon Helm saying that this performance was their finest ever of the song . Since these road hogs probably played it every night , during their career that's saying something .
Love seeing Robbie lost in the sauce.
I could have attended this concert at Winterland in '76, but decided not to go. Obviously a big mistake! I guess at the time I didn't fully appreciate how good The Band was, and what a special event this would turn out to be in music history.
How often do you see the drummer doing lead vocals?
One of my bands I grew up with “Atreyu” has a great drummer/singer. Probably not your style, but he did it so well.
Sio when I have to hear a 3 chord, digital beat and lightweight auto-tuned voices singing about crap, this is the music that I have to compare it to.
You need to watch Small Faces Tin Soldier