The Band has an album called “The Band” and it is considered to be one of the greatest albums ever to exist. There’s a few other songs on the album that you should give a listen to for example, The Night That Drove Old Dixie Down, Across The Great Divide, Look out Cleveland, When You’re Awake and a few others but once you listen to it you will understand why it’s considered to be one of the greatest albums ever made.
Levon Helm from Turkey Scratch, Arkansas. Just a few miles from where I lived the first 30 years of my life. There will never be another Levon Helm. R.I.P. my friend.
Ya'll should check out the movie/documentary by martin scorcese "The Last Waltz", it's about their last concert- pretty badass, lots of other great musicians play with them
The "weight" is the load that we shoulder when we take on responsibility or when we try to do good. But it's also the heaviness that presses down on us when we fall into "sin" or wrestle with "temptation." It's a song about a universally human dilemma.
Load of fanny is referring to taking a book off Fannie's store Shelf it was a woman that sold books I forget in what town but when he says the Cannonball that was the train that brought him back to that place where the bookstore was if you look the story up about what it's really about it is quite interesting very deep song
“The Band” is a Canadian band with one American member, Levon Helm (drummer) from Arkansas, beautiful voice. R.I.P. Levon Helm, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel. You should hear this version when it’s done with The Staples singers, from the movie “The Last Waltz”. ,
His daughter Amy played with Phil Lesh last year and we got the weight, ophelia, and Atlantic City in one night. And a ton of sick Grateful Dead licks 😎🤙
There was a debate during the livestream when they did this song, whether to do to the Staples version or this one. This version won (and is the one I preferred, too).
Lex is one of the best music critics EVER! She knows it when she hears it! Some of her descriptions and interpretations of the music sound crazy at first. But strangely spot on when you think about them!
"It Makes No Difference": from The Last Waltz is a great song by The Band. Bassist Rick Danko really delivers on vocals. Pretty much everyone in The Band took a turn on vocals at one time or another. Great group.
@@winstonsmith8441 nope. Levon, Rick and Richard swapped vocal duties and Richard was considered their lead singer. Robbie provided back-up only. Garth zero vocals.
My fave song from the Band, had a huge crush on Rick Danko back in the day. You can feel his pain throughout the song, done brilliantly. Best guy break up song ever!
They camped out in Woodstock with Bob Dylan after his motorcycle crash, recorded "The Basement Tapes" with Dylan, which was bootlegged massively before getting an official release in 1975. Then they recorded their debut album, "Music From Big Pink" (a reference to the Woodstock house) in 1968. That's my favorite album of theirs. Then "The Band" in 1969, widely considered their masterpiece. Many, many great songs.
The Band was a collection of very talented musicians and singers that made great music that didn't belong to any genre. Levon Helm, the drummer, sings most of the hits. But Richard Manual(piano), Rick Danko(bass), could also sing anything. Robbie Robertson(guitar) was the songwriter. Garth Hudson played organ, clavinet, Sax, and pretty much anything he wanted to play. Check out "It makes no difference" from The Last Waltz to hear Danko at his best. "Whispering Pines" to hear Richard Manual touch your soul. "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down", "Cripple Creek", to hear more of Helms great voice.
@@fewwiggle yes sir they were very genre fluid. They could play anything. They backed up Dylan when he went electric. They covered songs from artists like Little Richard. They played pure Rock with artists like Ronnie Hawkins. They seem right at home with artists like the Staples, playing gospel music. Not many bands could pull off what they could do. Their career is very diverse and filled with a lot o great music.
The Band were unbelievably talented and respected. Their music was movie soundtrack material, Hollywood documentary material, and when they held their farewell concert in the mid ‘70’s…EVERYONE of note wanted to participate onstage.
Like others have already commented there are other versions worth checking out, the live version with the Staples Singers and the more recent cover by Playing For Change featuring Robbie Robertson and Ringo Starr and many others.
It’s called “Americana”. When this came out it shocked the music world. And when Eric Clapton heard the album he quit Cream and started his deep explorations into Americana-like music.
They were part of that post Beatles/Elvis wave that tried to return to a more traditional sound influenced by folk and country. In the South at the same time, groups like Allman Bros were forming the southern rock sound that had similar traditional influence.
@@ericholdsworth6611 I'll agree with that! One of the greatest albums of all time in my book! Wish they could have held it together! Are you familiar with Bobby Whitlock's You Tube channel?? He tells some great stories about his times with Eric, in and out of The Dominos.
When I think of the Band now, I think of timelessness! The music they wrote sounded like something old to begin with, so it never outdates! It was old when they wrote it. By 'old', I in no way mean that as derogatory. It's beautiful & captures a long lost piece of history. I'm getting old too, but I can remember a time when the community stood up for each other and shared the 'weight', when someone couldn't. I can remember my Dad telling me as a young boy, " Mrs. Levington lost her husband last year & her grass is getting long. Go cut her grass son & be sure to ask if there is anything she needs" or if some family was on hard times, the church would pass the hat & make sure that family had enough food to weather through those hard times! Those communities are rare today & sadly missed! This song and many others by the Band, like the 'Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' have such a period feel. Unique, trail blazing band. The BAND!
YES!!! Great Canadian 🇨🇦 band plus Levon Helm, put together by the GreatRonnie Hawkins, their association with Bob Dylan, YOU MUST WATCH the first ever Rock Documentary by Martin Scorsese called THE LAST WALTZ of their final show.
Bob Dylan was the most successful folk musician in the world. To evolve his music from the acoustic folk he was known for, he went electric in 1966. The change shocked many of his fans but ultimately gained him a bigger audience & even more influence. To go electric Dylan needed a band and teamed up with a group from Canada that had been the band for rockabilly artist Ronnie Hawkins. Dylan and the band had a hugely successful tour in 1966. The next year they parted from Dylan and continued on known as "The Band". The Band combined elements of Americana, folk, rock, jazz, country, and R&B, influencing subsequent musicians such as the Eagles, Elton John, the Grateful Dead, and Eric Clapton.
@Ross Macintosh - fairly concise summary, but the timeline was a little longer than that description implied. The tour with Dylan was extremely volatile and controversial. Dylan was mercilessly booed when he played electric music as his fans, who cut their teeth on him as a folkie, felt betrayed. The abuse was so bad, Levon quit mid tour and left to work on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. When the tour ended, they all moved to Woodstock New York, where Dylan lived. Then Dylan had his famous motorcycle accident and that put the keebosh on a planned followup tour. Meanwhile Rick, Richard and Garth found this ugly pink house in Saugerties, NY (the next town over) and moved in there. Robbie and Dylan would drop by every day and they would just record what they were doing-jamming and song fragments-and those became "The Basement Tapes" the most bootlegged album in the history of music. While this was going on, Rick went down to find Levon and convince him to rejoin the guys in NY. They picked out the best songs from the Big Pink recordings and released the album before they had even picked a name (Richard was pushing for "The Crackers") They settled on "The Band" because that's what all their neighbors called them: as in, "Oh, are you guys here to see the band?"
The Grateful Dead formed in 1965, two years before The Band, and were playing their signature brand of psychedelic Americana that blended rock, blues, bluegrass, country, jazz, etc, from the very beginning. Several members of the two bands were friends, and they shared some of the same influences and likely influenced each other to some degree. Jerry Garcia Band regularly played an outstanding cover of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" during live shows for many years, and the Grateful Dead covered "The Weight" several times later in their career before Garcia died in 1995. There is a great documentary film called "Festival Express" about a 1970 concert tour of Canada by a group of musicians that included the Grateful Dead, The Band and Janis Joplin, all of whom traveled together from one city to the next by train. There is some great and often hilarious footage of the artists playing music and partying together on the train.
This is the first time I've realized each verse is about someone leaving a "weight" with the narrator. It's weird how watching reaction videos lets me hear things I've never noticed before in songs I've heard a thousand times.
Great observation. Its why I watch reaction videos to songs I know instead of newer horizons. I'm too old to broaden my horizons LOL. I love Robbie's story of his inspiration for the song. He opend his guitar case and the liner was stamped with Martin Guitar Company, Nazareth, Pa. I pulled into Nazareth fellin 'bout half passed dead just popped into his head. Pure songwriting genius.
One of the things I love about your reaction videos is watching Lex; her little smile when she is grooving to the music just brightens my day. I hope Brad realizes what he has in her - lucky guy! The Band broke up in the late 70s. They actually made a film of their last concert. They were known for their song writing and old school sound - even back then!
From an album called "Music from Big Pink" with the cover a painting by Bob Dylan. Released in mid-1968 and called by some the second most important (influential) album of the 1960s next to Sgt. Pepper's Lonelyhearts Club Band by The Beatles.
This is my uncles favorite song which came out during his second tour in Vietnam in 1968. He tried to talk me out of joining the military back in the late 80's saying "I served enough, saw enough, for the entire family." This song brings on so many memories, it's a great song, thank you for reacting to it.
Wife here..Have heard and loved this song all my life!!!..Yes a "folkish" "Nostalgic feel".Perfectly stated..I certainly listened to this with my Dad!!
The term you're looking for to describe this kind of music is "Americana". They were Ronnie Harkins and then Bob Dylan's back-up band before they went out on their own. They were ground breaking and that's why they made the cover of "Time" magazine and that's why Eric Clapton traveled to their home outside of Woodstock, NY and wanted to join their band. Great reaction.
When this came out in 1968, there wasn;t really a label to attach to it because it was completely different to the pop and psychedelic rock of that time. It was called "country-rock" by some people, which sort of fits, and now it's referred to in retrospect as "Americana". It drew heavily on the blues, country, folk and early rock of the American South - ironically, four of The Band were from Toronto/southern Ontario, with drummer Levon Helm as the sole American from the outskirts of Helena, Arkansas. Robbie Robertson, the guitar player who wrote most of the material, was half-Jewish half-Native, and grew up partly in Toronto and partly on the Six Nations Reserve outside of Toronto.
Remember that Canada is also part of North America. And their Nova Scotia music connections historically are part of what migrated down to New Orleans via French connections and became part of the Cajun & New Orleans Funk sounds. So Canada is very much a part of the "Americana" sound.
They were part of the post Beatles/Elvis wave where people wanted to return to more traditional country/folk influence. This led to groups like the Eagles. At the same time in the South, groups like the Allman Bros were forming the southern rock sound with similar traditional influences.
Ironically during this period where rock acts were trying to sound more country/folk. Actually country music was allowing more experimenting and freshness than ever with the outlaw country movement.
@@adamprice3466 Country wasn't "allowing" the Outlaw movement. Willie & Waylon & Merl moved away from the Nashville scene, (that was not accepting them), to do their own thing and create that movement. And the Band, The Byrds / Flying Burrito Brothers and Grateful Dead offshoot, New Riders of the Purple Sage, were several years ahead of that development.
Music From Big Pink. I've heard a hell of a lot of diverse music in my life. From different eras, different countries. But, that's my all-time favorite album.
One of the greatest rock bands of all time - simply put. If you have not already done so, I recommend listening to Up On Cripple Creek live from their Last Waltz Concert. Lex you are right on. During rock’s psychedelic sound, harder rock period, The Band was recording great “folkish” rock.
Americana. These guys invented it. Backed Bob Dylan on two world tours. Their first album, Music From Big Pink is considered a pivotal album in the history of popular music. One of the best albums of all time. Four Canadians and a boy from Arkansas. Eric Clapton quit his band to go join them but realized he wasn't good enough.
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (The Last Waltz version) and their cover of Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece" are definitely two from The Band you should check out.
one of the most important things to remember about the Band was is they lived and worked as a family. band members and their wifes and kids, some of them just big kids. even parents and what not. these guys were singing about a collective annie i think.
Some of the best Americana music from a bunch of Canadians (minus the drummer, he's a Yankee. lol) "Acadian Driftwood, King Harvest (Has Surely Come), It Makes No Difference" they have many to check out.
In my opinion, one of the all-time great rock songs by one of the greatest rock bands of all time. The Band is criminally underrated today, but was one of THE most respected bands by other musicians during their time.
There's so much more from them. That's America, music from many streams all flowing togeather. The drummer was from the south and a lot of the story themes come from him.
Rag Mama Rag and The Unfaithful Servant are two songs from this LP you should listen to. After the electric 60s a lot of people came down off the excitement and returned to the roots of music. The Byrds went 100% Old School Country and even played at The Grand Ol' Opry. Grateful Dead put out Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. The Band showed up and showed everyone how to do it, basically creating "Americana".
This song was from the album, "Music From Big Pink". The cover shown is from their next album which contains the 2 great songs you mentioned. Both albums are great...
Check out The Band’s I Don’t Want to Hang Up My Rock n Roll Shoes and Stage Fright. These are my 2 favorite songs of theirs. I saw them in Charlotte NC in 1974 with Bob Dylan. They were Dylan’s back up band that night and also played their own opening set. One of the greatest nights of music I’ve ever experienced.
The Band made up of 4 Canadians one American Mr Levon Helms lead singer drummer incredibly professional but elite this Band play as Bob Dylan’s Band.. checkout Up On Cripple Creek another Banger from this epic Rock Band 🎸 Great reactions 🖖🏼
Downloaded from the internet: " Actually, Robertson got the name "Nazareth" in the 1st line from the label inside guitar he wrote the song on - a Martin Guitar manufactured in Nazareth PA. Robertson himself never visited Nazareth PA. Somewhere I read Robbie Robertson's explanation of this song. He said that, in writing it, he was influenced by the film maker Luis Bunuel. Nazareth refers not to the biblical Nazareth, but to Nazareth Pennsylvania, where the Martin guitar company is located. The song is about someone traveling there and being asked to do many favors for others when he arrives." The style of music they play is often times referred to as "Americana". Wikipedia says : "Americana incorporates elements of various American roots music styles, including country, roots rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues, resulting in a distinctive roots-oriented sound that lives in a world apart from the pure forms of genres upon which it may draw". Love you guys, thanks for reacting to this iconic classic.
Back then they called this "Americana rock" The Band kinda invented it, For awhile every band wanted to sound like this. It's a mix of Rock, Country and Gospel.
Recorded and released in 1968. I love how the verses alternate between singers (Levon Helm and Rick Danko). The live version with the Staples singers is a must-see - it comes from a feature film made of their last official concert, The Last Waltz, and is one of the greatest concert movies ever made, featuring a host of guests musicians.
The Band released this song in 1968. For a few years in the mid-60s, the Band backed-up Bob Dylan when he ditched his acoustic guitar and went electric. The Weight was on the set list of songs the Band performed at the Woodstock music festival in 1969. It became a rock anthem for the ages when the song was included in the soundtrack of the counter-culture film classic-Easy Rider. Because of their record label restricting use of the Band recording of the Weight in a film soundtrack, the song was performed by a group called Smith in that Easy Rider soundtrack. Appreciate you covering and reacting to this song,
You were spot on in identifying heavy folk influences here. Before they were known as “The Band,” these guys were the backing band for none other than Bob Dylan, the KING of folk music. (In)famously backing him during the period when he went electric. After the split with Dylan, they adopted the name The Band. Seemingly suggesting they were ‘the best.’ Which it would be hard to argue against definitively. These were top flight musicians.
watching the 'old music' set Lex on fire, seeing that moment when the spark ignites, is very pleasing/gratifying and a living testament to the power of the music from this period of creativity.
Levon Helm as ‘Ridley’ in “The Right Stuff “ : “There was a demon in the air.” Love it. “Hey Ridley, got any Beeman’s?” “I might have me a stick.” IYKYK
The Band has an album called “The Band” and it is considered to be one of the greatest albums ever to exist. There’s a few other songs on the album that you should give a listen to for example, The Night That Drove Old Dixie Down, Across The Great Divide, Look out Cleveland, When You’re Awake and a few others but once you listen to it you will understand why it’s considered to be one of the greatest albums ever made.
Music from the Big Pink just as good.
Jawbone
Great band.
@@sw1412 I love that song 😍
Look Out Cleveland!!
The Band - The Shape I'm in. Foreshadows the Economy.
Levon Helm from Turkey Scratch, Arkansas. Just a few miles from where I lived the first 30 years of my life. There will never be another Levon Helm. R.I.P. my friend.
Ya'll should check out the movie/documentary by martin scorcese "The Last Waltz", it's about their last concert- pretty badass, lots of other great musicians play with them
That concert movie is a work of art. The Band could back anyone up, and they surely proved it in that show.
Love Van Morrison's performance.
has there been a better live concert docu-movie made? dont know, but if there is, it must be damn good
I remember Eric Clapton breaking a guitar string and Robbie Robertson step right in without skipping a beat. Pun intended
@@patrickoconnor7890 His guitar fell off his shoulder because the strap came off!
@@amaj7313 thanks for the correction, I haven't seen The Last Waltz since '78
The "weight" is the load that we shoulder when we take on responsibility or when we try to do good. But it's also the heaviness that presses down on us when we fall into "sin" or wrestle with "temptation." It's a song about a universally human dilemma.
Nice copy and paste. But actually, Robertson himself has said the song is about "the impossibility of sainthood".
@@american_cosmic Word. I also say it's about the futility of trying be that angel.
Load of fanny is referring to taking a book off Fannie's store Shelf it was a woman that sold books I forget in what town but when he says the Cannonball that was the train that brought him back to that place where the bookstore was if you look the story up about what it's really about it is quite interesting very deep song
“The Band” is a Canadian band with one American member, Levon Helm (drummer) from Arkansas, beautiful voice. R.I.P. Levon Helm, Rick Danko and Richard Manuel. You should hear this version when it’s done with The Staples singers, from the movie “The Last Waltz”.
,
"Beautiful":)
Not just from Arkansas, from Turkey Scratch, Arkansas.
His daughter Amy played with Phil Lesh last year and we got the weight, ophelia, and Atlantic City in one night. And a ton of sick Grateful Dead licks 😎🤙
They were almost like a southern band because they paid so much homage to that style of music
The band is a quintessential American band w/ some foreign exchange musicians. Robbie Robertson being the main "criminal" from Canada.
you should have watched the live version featuring the Staples singers. It's superb.
Yep, absolutely the best version.
This. Please revisit with the live version.
There was a debate during the livestream when they did this song, whether to do to the Staples version or this one. This version won (and is the one I preferred, too).
Oh yes must hear this with the Staple singers. Love it so much more.
True that, another great version of this is done by "Playing For Change". ruclips.net/video/ph1GU1qQ1zQ/видео.html
Most times Lex can recognize greatness fairly quick when she hears it I’ve found.
Yes, yes, yes. Yep.
yep very unassuming, but she has great instincts
Lex is one of the best music critics EVER! She knows it when she hears it!
Some of her descriptions and interpretations of the music sound crazy at first. But strangely spot on when you think about them!
Haven't watched many of these, but I agree.
Yes Lex is very intuitive and deep and she really loves the music .
I am learning so much listening to her interpret the songs .
Levon Helm also acted. He was Loretta Lynn's dad in the movie Coal Miner's Daughter and the Right Stuff which was about the 1st Nasa astronauts.
Great Canadian band with one American (drummer). The song was heard by anyone who saw the movie "Easy Rider".
Up on Cripple Creek, and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down are must listens by The Band!
One of my most favorite songs ever!!!!
1968. From the album "Music from Big Pink ".
From 1965 through 1967 they were literally Bob Dylan's backing band - their original name were The Hawks.
"It Makes No Difference": from The Last Waltz is a great song by The Band. Bassist Rick Danko really delivers on vocals. Pretty much everyone in The Band took a turn on vocals at one time or another. Great group.
Levon Helm, the drummer, does most of the singing.
@@winstonsmith8441 nope. Levon, Rick and Richard swapped vocal duties and Richard was considered their lead singer. Robbie provided back-up only. Garth zero vocals.
Danko kills it on the vocals, and I still get chills when Garth comes in on the sax. Great version of a great song.
@@bigernkingpin Correct ✅
My fave song from the Band, had a huge crush on Rick Danko back in the day. You can feel his pain throughout the song, done brilliantly. Best guy break up song ever!
So happy you finally got into The Band. My favorite. Love ya
The Band is one of the true greats. Massive band,
They camped out in Woodstock with Bob Dylan after his motorcycle crash, recorded "The Basement Tapes" with Dylan, which was bootlegged massively before getting an official release in 1975. Then they recorded their debut album, "Music From Big Pink" (a reference to the Woodstock house) in 1968. That's my favorite album of theirs. Then "The Band" in 1969, widely considered their masterpiece. Many, many great songs.
The Band was a collection of very talented musicians and singers that made great music that didn't belong to any genre. Levon Helm, the drummer, sings most of the hits. But Richard Manual(piano), Rick Danko(bass), could also sing anything. Robbie Robertson(guitar) was the songwriter. Garth Hudson played organ, clavinet, Sax, and pretty much anything he wanted to play. Check out "It makes no difference" from The Last Waltz to hear Danko at his best. "Whispering Pines" to hear Richard Manual touch your soul. "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down", "Cripple Creek", to hear more of Helms great voice.
very concise, thank you very much
So you're saying The Band was genre fluid...... :-)
@@fewwiggle yes sir they were very genre fluid. They could play anything. They backed up Dylan when he went electric. They covered songs from artists like Little Richard. They played pure Rock with artists like Ronnie Hawkins. They seem right at home with artists like the Staples, playing gospel music. Not many bands could pull off what they could do. Their career is very diverse and filled with a lot o great music.
Also worth checking out the solo albums by Robbie Robertson, a nice blend of blues, folk, etc.
Richard Manuel was sadly underrated. Check out “I Shall Be Released”.
The live version with the Staple's singers is really something to behold
ITS NOT LIVE! AND ITS NOT FROM THE CONCERT!!!!
The Band were unbelievably talented and respected. Their music was movie soundtrack material, Hollywood documentary material, and when they held their farewell concert in the mid ‘70’s…EVERYONE of note wanted to participate onstage.
One of the greatest songs of all time
Like others have already commented there are other versions worth checking out, the live version with the Staples Singers and the more recent cover by Playing For Change featuring Robbie Robertson and Ringo Starr and many others.
I LOVE the Playing for Change version!! I just crack up when Ringo asks Robbie Robertson what key the song is in!!!! LOL!!
What live version with The Staples? There isn't one that I know of.
@@BobSoltis1 search for it on RUclips, it’s one of the best versions out there.
Robert Soltis, he probably means the version with The Staples from The Last Waltz
ruclips.net/video/ccJTFXvkXkA/видео.html
ANOTHER GREAT SONG " DONT DO IT " from the band from the Last v Waltz
It’s called “Americana”. When this came out it shocked the music world. And when Eric Clapton heard the album he quit Cream and started his deep explorations into Americana-like music.
They were part of that post Beatles/Elvis wave that tried to return to a more traditional sound influenced by folk and country. In the South at the same time, groups like Allman Bros were forming the southern rock sound that had similar traditional influence.
I always called it just "country rock".
Exactly! Hell, Clapton wanted to join The Band!
@@tommathews3964 But, Derek and the dominoes. They were the top shelf.
@@ericholdsworth6611 I'll agree with that! One of the greatest albums of all time in my book! Wish they could have held it together! Are you familiar with Bobby Whitlock's You Tube channel?? He tells some great stories about his times with Eric, in and out of The Dominos.
When I think of the Band now, I think of timelessness! The music they wrote sounded like something old to begin with, so it never outdates! It was old when they wrote it. By 'old', I in no way mean that as derogatory. It's beautiful & captures a long lost piece of history. I'm getting old too, but I can remember a time when the community stood up for each other and shared the 'weight', when someone couldn't. I can remember my Dad telling me as a young boy, " Mrs. Levington lost her husband last year & her grass is getting long. Go cut her grass son & be sure to ask if there is anything she needs" or if some family was on hard times, the church would pass the hat & make sure that family had enough food to weather through those hard times! Those communities are rare today & sadly missed! This song and many others by the Band, like the 'Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' have such a period feel. Unique, trail blazing band. The BAND!
YES!!! Great Canadian 🇨🇦 band plus Levon Helm, put together by the GreatRonnie Hawkins, their association with Bob Dylan, YOU MUST WATCH the first ever Rock Documentary by Martin Scorsese called THE LAST WALTZ of their final show.
Also check out Robbie Robertson's Somewhere Down the Crazy River. Smoky, sensual song.
The Band "Brown Album" is phenomenal. Back in 69/70 I'd get home from work and slap it on the stereo and dig it.
Bob Dylan was the most successful folk musician in the world. To evolve his music from the acoustic folk he was known for, he went electric in 1966. The change shocked many of his fans but ultimately gained him a bigger audience & even more influence. To go electric Dylan needed a band and teamed up with a group from Canada that had been the band for rockabilly artist Ronnie Hawkins. Dylan and the band had a hugely successful tour in 1966. The next year they parted from Dylan and continued on known as "The Band". The Band combined elements of Americana, folk, rock, jazz, country, and R&B, influencing subsequent musicians such as the Eagles, Elton John, the Grateful Dead, and Eric Clapton.
Apparently Hawkins died A few days ago
@Ross Macintosh - fairly concise summary, but the timeline was a little longer than that description implied. The tour with Dylan was extremely volatile and controversial. Dylan was mercilessly booed when he played electric music as his fans, who cut their teeth on him as a folkie, felt betrayed. The abuse was so bad, Levon quit mid tour and left to work on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. When the tour ended, they all moved to Woodstock New York, where Dylan lived. Then Dylan had his famous motorcycle accident and that put the keebosh on a planned followup tour. Meanwhile Rick, Richard and Garth found this ugly pink house in Saugerties, NY (the next town over) and moved in there. Robbie and Dylan would drop by every day and they would just record what they were doing-jamming and song fragments-and those became "The Basement Tapes" the most bootlegged album in the history of music. While this was going on, Rick went down to find Levon and convince him to rejoin the guys in NY. They picked out the best songs from the Big Pink recordings and released the album before they had even picked a name (Richard was pushing for "The Crackers") They settled on "The Band" because that's what all their neighbors called them: as in, "Oh, are you guys here to see the band?"
@@Ignats75 Thanks Todd for the history.
The Grateful Dead formed in 1965, two years before The Band, and were playing their signature brand of psychedelic Americana that blended rock, blues, bluegrass, country, jazz, etc, from the very beginning. Several members of the two bands were friends, and they shared some of the same influences and likely influenced each other to some degree. Jerry Garcia Band regularly played an outstanding cover of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" during live shows for many years, and the Grateful Dead covered "The Weight" several times later in their career before Garcia died in 1995. There is a great documentary film called "Festival Express" about a 1970 concert tour of Canada by a group of musicians that included the Grateful Dead, The Band and Janis Joplin, all of whom traveled together from one city to the next by train. There is some great and often hilarious footage of the artists playing music and partying together on the train.
1968. This takes you right back there. Easy Rider. The Band. Dylan's Backup. Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson are the only two members still with us.
Love Levon Helms, what a voice and what a story teller. RIP Levon.
Robbie Robertson wrote the song.
This is the first time I've realized each verse is about someone leaving a "weight" with the narrator. It's weird how watching reaction videos lets me hear things I've never noticed before in songs I've heard a thousand times.
Great observation. Its why I watch reaction videos to songs I know instead of newer horizons. I'm too old to broaden my horizons LOL. I love Robbie's story of his inspiration for the song. He opend his guitar case and the liner was stamped with Martin Guitar Company, Nazareth, Pa. I pulled into Nazareth fellin 'bout half passed dead just popped into his head. Pure songwriting genius.
True American music, mixture a blues, folk, country, gospel, a little of everything American
I think all canadiens though-wierd
Levon was American
A great Canadian band. On this song they let the drummer (from Arkansas) sing lead.
One of the things I love about your reaction videos is watching Lex; her little smile when she is grooving to the music just brightens my day. I hope Brad realizes what he has in her - lucky guy! The Band broke up in the late 70s. They actually made a film of their last concert. They were known for their song writing and old school sound - even back then!
From an album called "Music from Big Pink" with the cover a painting by Bob Dylan. Released in mid-1968 and called by some the second most important (influential) album of the 1960s next to Sgt. Pepper's Lonelyhearts Club Band by The Beatles.
Levon Helm Memorial Highway in Woodstock NY. Concert series at Levon Helm
Studio run by his kids.
This is my uncles favorite song which came out during his second tour in Vietnam in 1968. He tried to talk me out of joining the military back in the late 80's saying "I served enough, saw enough, for the entire family."
This song brings on so many memories, it's a great song, thank you for reacting to it.
The night they drove ol Dixie down
He was lorreta Lynn's dad in coal miners daughter
Levon Helm, second from the left on the album cover, was the drummer and the lead vocalist. Great gritty voice.
Great song. Makes me very nostalgic and puts me mentally in a specific time and place. Even in my youth it did that. Rare type of song. Great react.
You guys should check out their song: The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down live from The Last Waltz
The passion of Levon singing this song is amazing
Wife here..Have heard and loved this song all my life!!!..Yes a "folkish" "Nostalgic feel".Perfectly stated..I certainly listened to this with my Dad!!
They were Bob Dylan’s backing band for a while during the 60s before they made a big on their own
The term you're looking for to describe this kind of music is "Americana". They were Ronnie Harkins and then Bob Dylan's back-up band before they went out on their own. They were ground breaking and that's why they made the cover of "Time" magazine and that's why Eric Clapton traveled to their home outside of Woodstock, NY and wanted to join their band. Great reaction.
When this came out in 1968, there wasn;t really a label to attach to it because it was completely different to the pop and psychedelic rock of that time. It was called "country-rock" by some people, which sort of fits, and now it's referred to in retrospect as "Americana". It drew heavily on the blues, country, folk and early rock of the American South - ironically, four of The Band were from Toronto/southern Ontario, with drummer Levon Helm as the sole American from the outskirts of Helena, Arkansas. Robbie Robertson, the guitar player who wrote most of the material, was half-Jewish half-Native, and grew up partly in Toronto and partly on the Six Nations Reserve outside of Toronto.
Exactly what I wanted to say russallert.....thank you! I've seen them live 3 times and all were amazing, memorable concerts.
Remember that Canada is also part of North America. And their Nova Scotia music connections historically are part of what migrated down to New Orleans via French connections and became part of the Cajun & New Orleans Funk sounds. So Canada is very much a part of the "Americana" sound.
They were part of the post Beatles/Elvis wave where people wanted to return to more traditional country/folk influence. This led to groups like the Eagles.
At the same time in the South, groups like the Allman Bros were forming the southern rock sound with similar traditional influences.
Ironically during this period where rock acts were trying to sound more country/folk.
Actually country music was allowing more experimenting and freshness than ever with the outlaw country movement.
@@adamprice3466 Country wasn't "allowing" the Outlaw movement. Willie & Waylon & Merl moved away from the Nashville scene, (that was not accepting them), to do their own thing and create that movement. And the Band, The Byrds / Flying Burrito Brothers and Grateful Dead offshoot, New Riders of the Purple Sage, were several years ahead of that development.
Music From Big Pink. I've heard a hell of a lot of diverse music in my life. From different eras, different countries. But, that's my all-time favorite album.
I think this genre is called Americana. This is one of my favorite covers that my husband performs when he plays shows. Great song.
One of the greatest rock bands of all time - simply put. If you have not already done so, I recommend listening to Up On Cripple Creek live from their Last Waltz Concert. Lex you are right on. During rock’s psychedelic sound, harder rock period, The Band was recording great “folkish” rock.
Best. Album. Ever.
Van Morrison- Caravan from “the Last Waltz”. An all time great performance with these guys playing with him.
Joni's "Coyote" is special too! Such a great night of music!
the best shitfaced performance in the history of music LOL.
Every member of THE Band are badass 🤘
Love this song. Especially when The Band did it on The Last Waltz. Their last concert. What a show that was.
The song may be old but the subject matter is so relevant in today's times ...
The big pink was thier first album
The Band - The last Waltz concert movie with all there friends. Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Van The Man and lots of others. 😎😈
Warm summer night ... porch sittin .. drink in hand... The Weight playing in the background .. Life doesnt get much better
Americana. These guys invented it. Backed Bob Dylan on two world tours. Their first album, Music From Big Pink is considered a pivotal album in the history of popular music. One of the best albums of all time. Four Canadians and a boy from Arkansas. Eric Clapton quit his band to go join them but realized he wasn't good enough.
And the drummer, Levin Helm, sings
You all need to watch a documentary called The Last Waltz. Great collaborations with other artists on it as well.
They came to fame as Bob Dylan's back up band. 😃
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (The Last Waltz version) and their cover of Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece" are definitely two from The Band you should check out.
This
1968, groundbreaking song/album/The Band...
one of the most important things to remember about the Band was is they lived and worked as a family. band members and their wifes and kids, some of them just big kids. even parents and what not. these guys were singing about a collective annie i think.
Some of the best Americana music from a bunch of Canadians (minus the drummer, he's a Yankee. lol) "Acadian Driftwood, King Harvest (Has Surely Come), It Makes No Difference" they have many to check out.
All 3 tunes are really great..
One of the most influential bands of all time.
In my opinion, one of the all-time great rock songs by one of the greatest rock bands of all time. The Band is criminally underrated today, but was one of THE most respected bands by other musicians during their time.
Classic tune.
There's so much more from them.
That's America, music from many streams all flowing togeather. The drummer was from the south and a lot of the story themes come from him.
Rag Mama Rag and The Unfaithful Servant are two songs from this LP you should listen to. After the electric 60s a lot of people came down off the excitement and returned to the roots of music. The Byrds went 100% Old School Country and even played at The Grand Ol' Opry. Grateful Dead put out Workingman's Dead and American Beauty. The Band showed up and showed everyone how to do it, basically creating "Americana".
This song was from the album, "Music From Big Pink". The cover shown is from their next album which contains
the 2 great songs you mentioned. Both albums are great...
@@tomst.antoine7742 Right you are - Thank you!
One of the greatest songs ever written
This song is iconic in "Easy Rider" (1969)
🎸🤘
The soundtrack had Smith singing The Weight for some reason, although the movie had The Bands version.
@@leorosendale9617 licensing issues.
Listen again, and again. And each time you will realize how much music is in their music. Do it again, and enjoy. Thank you both
You could react to Whispering Pines or Life Is a Carnival. Two beautiful songs by The Band.
Their version of this song with the Staple Singers from the movie The Last Waltz is so good, it'll give you chills and bring a tear to your eye.
Check out The Band’s I Don’t Want to Hang Up My Rock n Roll Shoes and Stage Fright. These are my 2 favorite songs of theirs.
I saw them in Charlotte NC in 1974 with Bob Dylan. They were Dylan’s back up band that night and also played their own opening set. One of the greatest nights of music I’ve ever experienced.
The Band made up of 4 Canadians one American Mr Levon Helms lead singer drummer incredibly professional but elite this Band play as Bob Dylan’s Band.. checkout Up On Cripple Creek another Banger from this epic Rock Band 🎸 Great reactions 🖖🏼
They call them the band because they were THE BAND. Saw live quite a few times and never to disappoint. SERIOUSLY TALENTED
The Band are one of my favourites for sure. Any song will do.
Downloaded from the internet: " Actually, Robertson got the name "Nazareth" in the 1st line from the label inside guitar he wrote the song on - a Martin Guitar manufactured in Nazareth PA. Robertson himself never visited Nazareth PA.
Somewhere I read Robbie Robertson's explanation of this song. He said that, in writing it, he was influenced by the film maker Luis Bunuel. Nazareth refers not to the biblical Nazareth, but to Nazareth Pennsylvania, where the Martin guitar company is located. The song is about someone traveling there and being asked to do many favors for others when he arrives."
The style of music they play is often times referred to as "Americana". Wikipedia says : "Americana incorporates elements of various American roots music styles, including country, roots rock, folk, bluegrass, R&B and blues, resulting in a distinctive roots-oriented sound that lives in a world apart from the pure forms of genres upon which it may draw".
Love you guys, thanks for reacting to this iconic classic.
The Band, Nazareth, took the name for their band from hearing it in this song..
Back then they called this "Americana rock" The Band kinda invented it, For awhile every band wanted to sound like this. It's a mix of Rock, Country and Gospel.
Recorded and released in 1968. I love how the verses alternate between singers (Levon Helm and Rick Danko). The live version with the Staples singers is a must-see - it comes from a feature film made of their last official concert, The Last Waltz, and is one of the greatest concert movies ever made, featuring a host of guests musicians.
Yes sir, love to hear Danko kick in on the "Crazy Chester" verse!
ITs not live and the performance with The Staples Singers was not from the concert.
@@Ignats75 ah - good point... though it is in the movie.
A truly unique band in all aspects.
Heard often on classic rock radio, they are an amalgamation of so many genres.
It's from the album Music From The Big Pink, 1968.
The band was bob dylan back up band before they blew up you should listen to " to paint my masterpiece"
magical
The Band released this song in 1968. For a few years in the mid-60s, the Band backed-up Bob Dylan when he ditched his acoustic guitar and went electric. The Weight was on the set list of songs the Band performed at the Woodstock music festival in 1969. It became a rock anthem for the ages when the song was included in the soundtrack of the counter-culture film classic-Easy Rider. Because of their record label restricting use of the Band recording of the Weight in a film soundtrack, the song was performed by a group called Smith in that Easy Rider soundtrack. Appreciate you covering and reacting to this song,
Great choice. Maybe try their song “Acadian Driftwood”. Thanks
You were spot on in identifying heavy folk influences here. Before they were known as “The Band,” these guys were the backing band for none other than Bob Dylan, the KING of folk music. (In)famously backing him during the period when he went electric.
After the split with Dylan, they adopted the name The Band. Seemingly suggesting they were ‘the best.’ Which it would be hard to argue against definitively. These were top flight musicians.
watching the 'old music' set Lex on fire, seeing that moment when the spark ignites, is very pleasing/gratifying and a living testament to the power of the music from this period of creativity.
Beyond their own unique greatness, The Band are also well known for being Bob Dylan's band for a number of years and great albums.
The band is so underrated. In my opinion they are the best band that ever played. Love this song so much 💕
If you get the chance, check out their version of “I shall be released” and the song “The shape I’m in”
Levon Helm as ‘Ridley’ in “The Right Stuff “ : “There was a demon in the air.”
Love it. “Hey Ridley, got any Beeman’s?” “I might have me a stick.” IYKYK
these five dudes made some of the greatest music to ever grace my ears. they are like nobody else and i like it!!!
I'm a Brit. We gave y'all the Beatles, the Stones and Pink Floyd...but this tune is the 60's condensed in a jar...Sooo precious
The Band is probably the band I've listened to the most in my life. Or at least one of the most. All of the comments below are great.
"Take a load off, Annie". Not Fanny. Everyone made that mistake back then too, until we saw the lyrics printed out in Hit Parader magazine.
It's a road trip song, because it's a song that everyone can sing along to. There's a lot of room for vocal improvisation and playing with phrasing.
They were Bob Dylans band and he called them the Band.