I bought Music From Big Pink 50 years ago in a long vanished record store in Niagara Falls, NY. Of course, it was a vinyl album. My first rock concert was a 1965 performance by Bob Dylan. Some of the performers in Dylan’s backup band later formed The Band and released this unusual album. Music From Big Pink isn’t your typical Rock & Roll album. The songs vary from folky tunes like “Long Black Veil” to uncatagorizable songs like “Chest Fever.” At the time, I had nothing in my meager record collection (maybe a dozen vinyl albums in 1969 and a couple dozen 45s–remember them?) that sounded like the music The Band put on the original 11 tracks.
This 50th Anniversary Edition has been remixed and remastered and sounds great! The Bonus Tracks features some outtakes and alternate versions which are fun to listen to. Were you a fan of The Band? Do you have a favorite song of theirs? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
1. Tears Of Rage
2. To Kingdom Come
3. In A Station
4. Caledonia Mission
5. The Weight
6. We Can Talk
7. Long Black Veil
8. Chest Fever
9. Lonesome Suzie
10. This Wheel’s On Fire
11. I Shall Be Released
Bonus Tracks:
12. Yazoo Street Scandal (Outtake)
13. Tears Of Rage (Alternate Take)
14. Long Distance Operator (Outtake)
15. Lonesome Suzie (Alternate Take)
16. Key To The Highway (Outtake)
17. I Shall Be Released (A Cappella)
Read More: The Band’s ‘Music From Big Pink’ Expanded for 50th | https://ultimateclassicrock.com/the-band-music-from-big-pink-reissue/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
Love The Band. This and their next two albums are all brilliant. Plus a couple of great live albums. My favorite songs are probably Chest Fever, I Shall Be Released, The Weight, and Stage Fright. Never saw them live except in 1966 when they backed up Bob Dylan and were still called The Hawks. Another example of a classic rock band that is never played on so called” classic rock” stations.
Steve, you’re right about The Band not getting enough (or any!) air time on classic rock stations. I’ve heard the Joan Baez version of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” at least a dozen times on Sirius/XM Radio. The Band version…zero times.
Depends on which Sirius station you listen to. I have heard them on Little Stevens Underground Garage and the Tom Petty station. I was referring to conventional radio stations not Sirius stations. Never liked Baez’s version compared to The Bands.
Steve, I believe Joan Baez’s “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” was her biggest hit.
“The Weight” and “Cripple Creek” are probably my favorites. In the 1990s, Robbie Robertson produced an album called “The Native Americans” (it was a tie-in to a tv documentary of the same name) and there are some beautiful songs on that, especially “Ghost Dance.”
Deb, I’ll have to track down a copy of THE NATIVE AMERICANS.
https://www.amazon.com/Americans-Satterfield-Coolidge-Priscilla-Robertson/dp/B000SZE0DK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=robbie+robertson+native+americans&qid=1570138683&sr=8-1
Deb, thanks for the link! I ordered a copy.
Yes. Was and still am a fan. Never got to see them live, but we did see the late Levon Helm several times, and he did a bunch of Band songs. There is a terrific 2 CD live tribute album worth checking out too.
Favorites? The Weight, Chest Fever, I Shall Be Released, This Wheel’s on Fire.
Jeff, as Steve pointed out The Band’s music rarely gets played on class rock stations. I’ll have to check out that 2-CD live tribute album.
I don’t listen to commercial radio but I do listen to Sirius/XM whenever I’m in the car, and have heard both the Band and Baez versions of “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, although the Baez version is played more frequently. The only other Band song I hear frequently on Sirius is “The Weight”, which is my favorite of their songs.
Michael, I’ve noticed Sirius/XM doesn’t stray far from the major hits of most artists.
Little Stevens Underground Garage goes deep into an artists catalog as does Deep Tracks. I hear The Weight and Chest Fever a lot and also Baby, Don’t You Do It, their cover of a Motown song. I believe The Night they drove Old Dixie Down was Baez’s only hit.
Steve, I need to dig out my old CDs of The Band and listen to “Baby, Don’t You Do It.”
I like “The Weight” but that’s about it for The Band. It was on the radio a lot at the time, then gone and I don’t think I’ve heard it since. I don’t own any of their music and am not looking to.
Rick, The Band continues to have a dedicated following. This 50th Anniversary Edition of MUSIC FROM BIG PINK is worth a listen.
Pass.
Jackie likes “Long Black Veil.”
Jeff, Jackie has excellent taste in songs.
I’ve seen a documentary once – not everybody liked Robbie Robertson and his way of treating others in the Band.
Of their songs The Weight is my favourite too.
But generally I prefer Bob Dylan – doesn’t matter who accompanies him …
Of course, several of The Band’s songs were written by Dylan – I Shall Be Released, Tears of Rage (with Richard Manuel), This Wheel’s on Fire (with Rick Danko).
Jeff, Bob Dylan supported The Band when they launched MUSIC FROM BIG PINK and their other albums.
Wolf, the other members of The Band were furious with Robbie Robertson when he left the group to pursue his solo career. They never forgave Robertson for that.