Perhaps I'm paranoid, but I believe carlsbad2's post was directed at me.
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down".
I am very fortunate in having heard this amazing song performed live by The Band on their tour in support of the s/t "brown" album. The only other live music experience I’ve had that equals it was hearing Little Village perform John Hiatt’s "Lipstick Traces" on a soundstage in Burbank in ’92. The Little Village album was not so hot, but they sure were!
The Beatles? Saw them in ’65. Hendrix? Saw him in ’68 and ’69. Cream? Saw them in ’67 and ’68. The Who? Saw them in ’68 and ’69. Who else ya wanna name? Sorry, hearing The Band live spoiled me for just about EVERYONE else. Not Iris DeMent, whom I just saw this past Thursday. Stunningly great!
Here’s J.R. Robertson, Eric Levon Helm, and some other guy talking about the song and its’ creation:
https://youtu.be/nVYBW_zCvOg?t=1
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In 1971, or ‘72 I was sitting at a bench at Sproul Plaza, which is an area in front of the U.C. Berkeley administration building, when Joan Baez walked up and performed on the steps of the administration building. Few were there at first, but I remember her rendition of The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Acoustic guitar and solo voice at ten feet.. Those were the days. |
@vonhelmholtz: I respect the Hell out of Joan Baez. But she became the object of derision amongst myself and my peers when she sang "till so much calvary came" instead of the correct "till Stoneman’s calvary came" in "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". Come on Joan, if we could hear it surely you should be able to!
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The Band…..self titled. I’m hard pressed to recall another album capable of transporting me so deeply into another mind space. ”Last night, ain’t no joke…my whole barn went up in smoke..” King Harvest. Richard Manuel’s vocals on Whispering Pines. One of the most heartfelt performances on record. On a Sunday afternoon it will take you away. |
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