Music From Big Pink- The Band
The Josh(pictured above- whoa): The Band-Music From Big Pink
The Josh: cover art by Bob freakin Dylan, how cool is that?
El Chriz: I didn't know that.
El Chriz: It's a great cover
The Josh: yup, one of bobby d's paintings
The Josh: Big Pink is the house they lived in in Woodstock NY and where they made the album
The Josh: okay, on to song by song
El Chriz: wait....
El Chriz: More background please...
El Chriz: Dylan had what influence on this album? He wrote some of it, correct?
The Josh: um, well The Band had come off of being Bob Dylan's backing band, and everyone just called them The Band, Dylan wrote I Shall Be Released, but I think Richard Manuel(piano for the band) co wrote it
El Chriz: Gotcha.
El Chriz: Okay, let's proceed
1. Tears Of Rage
Sir Jon: cool, yeah, I was gonna say, its all them, except for i shall be released
Sir Jon: tears of rage has to be considered one of the top albums openers of all time
The Josh: or wait, i want to say dylan co-wrote Tears Of Rage
Sir Jon: really?
Sir Jon(SJ from hereon out): we can check this
The Josh: yea that's the song i'm thinking of, it's co-written by Dylan and Richard Manuel.
I Shall Be Released is written by Dylan
El Chriz(EC from hereon out): On a Dylan side-side-side note... Jacob Dylan's music seems more inspired by The Band than his father.
The Josh(TJ from hereon out): and This Wheel's On Fire is co-written by Rick Danko(the josh's fave singer in the band) and Bob Dylan
wait, let's stay to Tears Of Rage here.
yes, i'm with jon one of the greatest album openers ever
it grabs you and pulls you in. what crazy arrangements, the weird sounding horns, the guitar tone
SJ: oh baby, it is so damn heartfelt and wrenching
TJ: it's like psychedelic country with moaning vocals
SJ: guitar tone, and the organ, incredible
yeah, their coordinated vocals are insane
TJ: yea, Garth Hudson is a monster on the organ
EC: It's an interesting opener as well... slower and more mournful than a typical album opener.
TJ: yea, kind of leading you in by the hand, then dancing with you on track 2...
EC: Exactly
I haven't absorbed any of the lyrics from this album. What do you guys think?
SJ: good point by el chriz, it doesn't blow you away by rocking out, but draws you in, tantalizes you
TJ: the lyrics are just as great as the rest of the album
SJ: the lyrics are sometimes a bit goofy, but then sometimes damn poignant
TJ: i'd agree with that
SJ: more often very incredible, I'll get to that on some of the songs
2. To Kingdom Come
TJ: stomper of a track
pushed along by Manuel's piano
EC: I don't have much to add that has any insight... but great track.
Great piano work indeed
TJ: great robbie robertson guitar solo in here too.

3. In A Station
my favorite song from the album
EC: Is that a mellotron?
TJ: i'm not sure, i know Hudson fooled around with synths a lot
it sounds great, and completely off the wall with such moaning country vocals
SJ(that's him above- yikes): wait, to kingdom come, very funky track, and much needed to pump the album up, and led by robbie's guitar!!!
EC: This is a cool song. Filled with lament... and borders on Spaghetti western sounds.
In a good way though.
It's restrained.
TJ: yea! spaghetti western is a good term, it does remind me of that
great lyrics on this track too
SJ: in a station, really?
TJ: http://theband.hiof.no/lyrics/in_a_station.html
yup, i LOVE this song
it ties with long black veil and tears of rage really
SJ: hmmm, interesting, hey, give me a sec here, have to do a lil teaching, don't leaveme in the dust
TJ: alright, we'll pause before moving on to track 4
EC: good lyrics
pause
If a rumour should delay you
I love that line. Implies a lot.
TJ: yea it does
i'm hitting some van the man morrison while we wait for sir jon to return
we should hit a Van Morrison album for one of these discussions
at some point
SJ: okay, yeah, quick comments on in a station, it sounds a little flower child-ish to me, but since they are funky and such great musicians they pull it off well
but lets move on.
4. caledonia mission
SJ: I love the guitar on this
TJ: lead vocals by Rick Danko
so good
this is where my im quote is from today
you know i do believe in your hexagram
SJ: I've always heard that robbie robertson really liked ol r&b guitar and you can hear that influence I believe on this
a lil do wop
and yes, great vocals
TJ: yea i hear that, especially the little break guitar
SJ: yes, especially that little break where it is like just him
what a smoove motha
TJ: serious
good lyrics in this track too
http://theband.hiof.no/lyrics/caledonia_mission.html
5. The Weight
one of the greatest freakin songs ever
EC: agreed
TJ: everyone knows this song, and everyone's heard take a load off fanny and you put the load right on me
great fucking lyric
EC: I'm listening now. Heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time.
TJ: and all the bible imagery in this is great
EC: You could make love to this song or kill yourself to it... depending on your mood!
TJ: so true
EC: Props to the backing vocals
TJ: Garth Hudson's piano is fantastic on this too
SJ: oh, the whines and pleads in this song
TJ: i love the switching off of lead vocals too, Levon Helm on most, but the Chester the Dog para. is Rick Danko
SJ: I just don't know what more to add to this, it just lands in like top 10 ever
TJ:not chester the dog, but chester and jack the dog
yup
SJ:yeah, I love how they switch off characters
its just beautiful
if you'll take jack my doggggg
TJ: 'shes the only one who sent me here with her regards for everyone'
SJ:biblical, like civil war stuff, its timeless
TJ:great line
SJ:you can't say enough, and most people know this song, but they don't pay enough attention to it
TJ: yup, i told chriz this morning it does get a bit overplayed, but it never ever gets old
SJ: I remember loving this song in high school and everybody was like oh yeah, that song, and I tried to convince them of its brilliance adn I just gave up b/c they weren't smart enough to get it
6. We Can Talk
TJ: a nice little pickup after The Weight
SJ: ok, this is just like a country stomp!
Tj: yea it is
SJ: I love the lyrics in this song, did you ever milk a cow?
TJ: i love how much Levon Helm taps the ride cymbal
he uses it a lot
SJ: kinda silly on purpose
TJ: yeaaaa
SJ: yeah, his drums are well put together
SJ: they are playing on country, but in a good way
TJ: and the trading off vocals, how cool
on Big Pink and The Band they did this a lot, they stopped doing it so much on stuff like Cahoots and Stage Fright which sucks
cuz i love the trading off of voices
SJ: yes, it shows the collective nature of how they did things, its inspiring
and manuel, you can't express enough how his organ and synth blow you away
TJ: well manuel did a lot of piano, organ almost always is garth hudson
but manuel did write that song
SJ: damn, I mean hudson, yeah, I'm a dummy

7. Long Black Veil
EC(beastly in this picture, I know): Sorry, had to write a woman who wanted her letter removed from Sound Off
Listening to #7 now.
TJ: the rare occurence when a cover surpasses every other version
EC: Great version.
TJ: The Definitive Version
EC:You think?
TJ: better than Cash's
they breathed emotion into this song
Cash's is great, but it doesn't touch this
this version is on FIRE
EC: I can't disagree... Cash's version is sparse in comparison.
Like a personal confession...
TJ: yup, both great versions
i'm not downing Cash's at all, but this version is better in my opinion
Richard Manuel's electric piano makes this song
Danko's vocals are haunting
EC: Chest Fever kicks ass
TJ: hey wait, let's not get ahead of ourselves
EC: that organ opener crushes any other attempt
Sorry... I'm listening as we go. My bad.
8. Chest Fever
TJ: we have to make it official like that
oh yes chriz
the organ intro, holy shit
and the way everything comes in, the piano joins it and the hi-hats come in
SJ: oh man, okay, hold up speed demons geez, long black veil is my second favorite on this album b/c it is the definitive, such a cool cool song and story, and then they just rip it up
you can feel everything that is going on, the song comes to life!
and yes chest fever is my favorite song on this album
it makes you want to sway when the organ comes on, and then blasts you!
she receivess.....
TJ: yea weird lyrics too
but that ending refrain on every verse is fantastic
And as my mind unweaves, I feel the freeze down in my knees, but just before she leaves, she receives
i'm inclined to say it's about drugs
as my mind unweaves...
SJ: yes, very strange, and yeah drugs makes sense
9. Lonesome Suzie
TJ: A weeper of a track. Manuel's vocals are great. The lyrics are sad
too. Great organ by Hudson, too, really fits the song. That
saxophone really adds a lot to the track too. This is like lying in
bed music with a bloody mary and possibly a naked lady next to you.
Sunday morning music, if you will.

SJ: The comedown from Chest Fever is contemplative music. The searing yet sad organ just makes you wanna close your eyes and bob your head back and forth. Robertson's picking on the geetar is beautiful, and Manuel's moan is just too much, sniff!
10. This Wheel's On Fire
TJ: Ahhh, Rick Danko vocals. That backing keyboard is fantastic, really adds this kind of haunted house feel to the song. The lyrics really are what can make you tell this song was co-written by Bob Dylan.
The guitar tone is great, sounds like it's crying. Great track.

SJ: Yeah, the lyrics are really different from anything else on this album, but the boys pull it back in. I think the song takes about 30 seconds to get going, but Danko's hounddog vocals light this wheel. I also like the driving snaredrumbeat as they push the song into drive. Very solid track.
11. I Shall Be Released
TJ: AMAZING. Manuel's falsetto vocals on a Dylan classic. The piano is fantastic. I can't say anything more about this song than it's just a flat out great song. And what a closer to the album.

SJ: That's the thing about this track. I don't think it could've been placed anywhere else on the album. It has to be right here at the end, and since it is, perfecto. I play it over and over, and since Dylan sang it in his weird voice(right?) originally then Manuel can do his falsetto!!! So simple, and yet so so great, and yes, what a way to wrap it up! Everytime I go back to this album, I'm just struck by how cool of a group these guys were, and how much I still wanna go visit Big Pink itself.

Music From Big Pink by The Band, their first album and way ahead of
its time in 1968. An astonishing debut, followed by the equally
great self titled album. In my top 5 favorite albums ever, I listen
to it at least once a week.
EC: I honestly don't have much to contribute... its a new album to me. So make note of that and add "This is an album I plan on spending much more time getting to know. I can see why it's so highly regarded and it's classic status is well deserved."