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[music playing]
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ERIC CLAPTON: I listened to
this album, and I thought,
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00:00:32,932 --> 00:00:34,167
this is it.
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00:00:34,267 --> 00:00:37,003
There's a group here that's
finally kind of amalgamated
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00:00:37,103 --> 00:00:39,472
all of the influences,
and the black influences,
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and the country influences.
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00:00:40,707 --> 00:00:42,742
And they put it
all into one thing,
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00:00:42,842 --> 00:00:46,312
with songwriting
and musicianship.
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And this is what it's about.
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It was very kind of
country, hillbilly,
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you know, I mean, a little
R&B, little rock and roll,
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00:00:55,355 --> 00:00:58,658
and a lot of that
kind of country
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or hillbilly kind of feelings.
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It felt like a
passport back to America
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00:01:06,466 --> 00:01:08,802
for people who'd
become so estranged
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00:01:08,902 --> 00:01:12,839
from their own country that
they felt like foreigners, even
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when they were in it.
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[MUSIC - THE BAND, "THE NIGHT
THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN"]
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THE BAND: (SINGING) The night
they drove Old Dixie down,
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and all the people were singing.
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They went, la, la,
la, la, la la, la,
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la la, la la, la la la la la.
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Their music was so authentic.
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It wasn't derivative
in any kind of a way,
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00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:39,232
except that it came out of
some deep American roots.
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THE BAND: (SINGING) And you
put the load right on me.
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Oh, you mean those people
who played with Bob Dylan?
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They're making their own album.
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THE BAND: (SINGING)
Any day now any day
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now, I shall be released.
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It's probably a mistake
to lump them in so heavily
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00:02:07,060 --> 00:02:08,595
with Bob Dylan.
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THE BAND: (SINGING) Rag, Mama,
rag, and know where to go.
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Rag, Mama, rag, come
on, rosin up the bow.
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We were a band on our own.
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And we were just hooking up
with Bob for a period of time.
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00:02:24,410 --> 00:02:26,146
And it was always the
plan that we were going
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to do something on our own.
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00:02:28,581 --> 00:02:30,950
Bob had kicked the
door open for us.
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00:02:31,050 --> 00:02:33,686
And we had our own
recording contract.
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00:02:33,786 --> 00:02:38,024
And they were waiting on
us to start making records.
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00:02:38,124 --> 00:02:44,197
And how they sort of drifted
into this, as they say,
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sort of Appalachian sound and
image is still a mystery to me.
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00:02:51,604 --> 00:02:54,440
But I think it was
probably a spirit
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00:02:54,541 --> 00:02:57,377
that was born from living,
you know, in Woodstock.
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[music - the band]
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00:03:07,921 --> 00:03:10,023
RICK DANKO: We
found the pink house
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00:03:10,123 --> 00:03:12,592
set in the middle of 100 acres.
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00:03:12,692 --> 00:03:14,861
And it was very inexpensive.
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00:03:14,961 --> 00:03:16,963
Garth Richard and
myself lived there.
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00:03:17,063 --> 00:03:19,532
You know, it was a little
workshop for six or seven
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00:03:19,632 --> 00:03:22,835
months, I think, just banging
stuff out on the typewriter
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in the living room, taking
it down to the basement,
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and putting music to it.
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00:03:27,373 --> 00:03:30,610
LEVON HELM: And just trying
to learn how our forces could
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00:03:30,710 --> 00:03:35,615
and would fit together under
different circumstances,
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with Rick singing lead, or
with Richard, or with me.
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00:03:39,819 --> 00:03:44,791
JOHN SIMON: Now, on this song,
I play first track with Levon's
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00:03:44,891 --> 00:03:46,559
vocal on it, which also
has most of the drums
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on it, because we were
recording four-track,
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00:03:48,962 --> 00:03:50,763
and we didn't have that
many tracks available.
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00:03:50,863 --> 00:03:52,532
So here's Levon singing a verse.
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LEVON HELM: (SINGING) I pulled
into Nazareth just feeling
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about half past dead,
just need to find a place
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00:04:01,341 --> 00:04:05,278
where I can lay my head.
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00:04:05,378 --> 00:04:10,950
Mister, can you tell me
where a man might find a bed?
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00:04:11,050 --> 00:04:14,253
He just grinned
and shook my hand.
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00:04:14,354 --> 00:04:16,522
"No," is all he said.
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00:04:16,623 --> 00:04:18,491
JOHN SIMON: And here are
all three of them singing.
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00:04:18,591 --> 00:04:20,460
THE BAND: (SINGING)
Take a load off, Fanny.
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Take a load for free.
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Take a load off Fanny, and
you put the load right on me.
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JOHN SIMON: And with
any luck, this verse
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will be Rick singing
with the guitar
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and bass on the same track.
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RICK DANKO: (SINGING)
Crazy Chester followed
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me and he caught me in the fog.
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00:04:46,352 --> 00:04:50,390
He said, "I will fix your
rag, if you'll take old Jack,
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my dog."
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00:04:52,292 --> 00:04:54,294
I said, "Wait a minute, Chester.
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You know I'm a peaceful man."
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00:04:58,665 --> 00:05:00,433
He said, "That's OK, boy.
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Won't you feed him
whenever you can?
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00:05:03,970 --> 00:05:04,971
JOHN SIMON: Everybody.
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00:05:05,071 --> 00:05:07,940
THE BAND: (SINGING)
Take a load off, Fanny.
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00:05:08,041 --> 00:05:11,411
Take a load for free.
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00:05:11,511 --> 00:05:22,088
Take a load off, Fanny, and
you put the load right on me.
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00:05:22,188 --> 00:05:24,691
LEVON HELM: For me,
when I look at it,
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it's like the first
two records were almost
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the same project, in my mind.
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00:05:29,862 --> 00:05:33,032
We had songs that
didn't get finished
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00:05:33,132 --> 00:05:36,169
in time to go on
the first record,
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00:05:36,269 --> 00:05:38,071
on the "Big Pink" record.
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00:05:38,171 --> 00:05:39,405
And we had ideas.
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00:05:39,505 --> 00:05:42,141
We knew the title
of some of the songs
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that was going to be
on the second one.
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(SINGING) Standing by your
window in pain, pistol
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in your hand, and I beg
you, dear, Molly, girl try
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00:06:00,993 --> 00:06:05,364
and understand your
man the best you can.
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00:06:05,465 --> 00:06:10,803
Across the great divide,
just grab your hat
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00:06:10,903 --> 00:06:13,806
and take that ride.
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00:06:13,906 --> 00:06:19,746
Get yourself a bride,
and bring your children
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00:06:19,846 --> 00:06:22,782
down to the riverside.
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00:06:22,882 --> 00:06:28,254
JONATHAN TAPLIN: In the
winter of '68, early '69,
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Albert called me,
Albert Grossman,
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00:06:29,889 --> 00:06:32,158
who was Bob Dylan's manager.
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00:06:32,258 --> 00:06:34,761
And he said, the
boys want to go,
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00:06:34,861 --> 00:06:36,562
or The Band wants to
go out to California
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to make their second record.
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Would you-- they want
you to be their tour
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manager, road manager,
and put it all together,
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00:06:44,470 --> 00:06:46,072
get set up out there.
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00:06:46,172 --> 00:06:48,207
And they want to build
a recording studio.
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00:06:48,307 --> 00:06:50,676
They just want to
do it in a house.
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00:06:50,777 --> 00:06:53,379
And we drove out to LA.
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00:06:53,479 --> 00:06:57,483
LEVON HELM: (SINGING) Bring your
children down to the riverside.
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00:06:57,583 --> 00:07:06,058
Pinball machine in a queen
I nearly took a bust.
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00:07:06,159 --> 00:07:09,495
Tried to keep my
hands to myself.
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00:07:09,595 --> 00:07:12,431
Ya say it's a must,
but who can ya trust?
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00:07:12,532 --> 00:07:14,767
JONATHAN TAPLIN: Somebody
from Albert's organization
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had rented this house
from Sammy Davis, Jr.
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00:07:18,070 --> 00:07:24,777
And it was a typical Sunset
Plaza, slightly overdone house.
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THE BAND: (SINGING) one-horse
town, had to stall to the fall,
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00:07:30,016 --> 00:07:31,884
now I'm gonna crawl.
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00:07:36,289 --> 00:07:38,090
JONATHAN TAPLIN: What we did
was we took the lower thing.
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00:07:38,191 --> 00:07:41,794
And we just basically
completely put
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00:07:41,894 --> 00:07:45,131
foam, and every kind
of insulation up,
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00:07:45,231 --> 00:07:47,567
and made it into a
recording studio.
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00:07:47,667 --> 00:07:53,139
And then John Simon came
out, and we got started.
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00:07:53,239 --> 00:07:56,609
Here's how we were set up in
Sammy Davis, Jr.'s pool house
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here.
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It was a big room, obviously.
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00:08:04,150 --> 00:08:07,053
And the door was over here.
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00:08:07,153 --> 00:08:09,155
Pool was over here.
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00:08:09,255 --> 00:08:14,260
And there were some
steps here that went up,
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00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,529
and some steps that went down.
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00:08:16,629 --> 00:08:21,067
And on the upper floor was
where Levon was living.
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00:08:21,167 --> 00:08:26,239
And underneath it were some
steam rooms and shower rooms
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00:08:26,339 --> 00:08:28,341
that we used for echo chambers.
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00:08:28,441 --> 00:08:31,444
The console, recording
console, was right here,
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00:08:31,544 --> 00:08:33,679
piano, upright piano--
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00:08:33,779 --> 00:08:36,282
upright piano, mind
you, was right there.
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00:08:36,382 --> 00:08:41,153
Levon's drums were over here,
with a gobo in front of them.
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00:08:41,254 --> 00:08:45,958
Garth's organ and clavinet were
over here, and here's Garth.
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00:08:46,058 --> 00:08:50,730
And Rick hung out over here,
and Robbie hung out over here.
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That was the setup.
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00:08:52,064 --> 00:08:53,799
DON WAS: I talked to Robbie
about it subsequently,
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00:08:53,900 --> 00:08:56,369
and he said it was like a
kind of clubhouse mentality--
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00:08:56,469 --> 00:09:00,840
that this was a place
we went to shoot pool,
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00:09:00,940 --> 00:09:02,341
and hang out with your buddies.
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00:09:02,441 --> 00:09:04,443
And there just happened
to be a studio set up.
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00:09:04,544 --> 00:09:08,180
And if you got anything done
during the course of the day,
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00:09:08,281 --> 00:09:09,282
what a worthwhile day.
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00:09:09,382 --> 00:09:14,120
You got to hang out,
and you got some music
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00:09:14,220 --> 00:09:15,555
recorded for posterity, too.
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00:09:15,655 --> 00:09:18,257
Now, that's a really radical
approach to making records.
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00:09:18,357 --> 00:09:20,726
ROBBIE ROBERTSON: It was
the clubhouse technique
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00:09:20,826 --> 00:09:22,261
of making music--
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00:09:22,361 --> 00:09:23,629
that you could go
out to a place,
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00:09:23,729 --> 00:09:25,331
and you're not on the clock.
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00:09:25,431 --> 00:09:29,969
And you can do whatever
you want to do.
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00:09:30,069 --> 00:09:32,571
There's nobody in a glass
booth in there, saying,
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00:09:32,672 --> 00:09:33,906
what was that? or--
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00:09:34,006 --> 00:09:35,107
there's none of that.
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00:09:35,207 --> 00:09:36,342
JONATHAN TAPLIN:
There would be times
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00:09:36,442 --> 00:09:39,278
when, like, Levon
would play mandolin
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00:09:39,378 --> 00:09:40,579
and Rick would play guitar.
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00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:42,982
I mean, there was a whole
kind of exchange thing
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00:09:43,082 --> 00:09:44,317
that was going on there.
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00:09:44,417 --> 00:09:48,487
LEVON HELM: You know, we always
switched around, and tried
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00:09:48,588 --> 00:09:50,056
to play musical chairs.
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00:09:50,156 --> 00:09:53,259
Richard and I both
would play drums.
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00:09:53,359 --> 00:09:55,461
This is one of the--
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00:09:55,561 --> 00:09:59,031
of the ones where we use our
different rhythm section,
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00:09:59,131 --> 00:10:00,399
with Richard on drums.
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00:10:00,499 --> 00:10:01,701
OK, hold on, I'll
just bring them up.
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00:10:01,801 --> 00:10:02,902
As you say them,
I'll bring them up.
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00:10:03,002 --> 00:10:03,869
OK, and Richard's on drums.
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00:10:03,970 --> 00:10:05,171
OK, here he is.
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00:10:05,271 --> 00:10:06,505
- And I'm playing mandolin.
- Let's get Richard here.
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00:10:06,605 --> 00:10:07,640
Hold on a second.
- Rich playing fiddle.
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00:10:07,740 --> 00:10:08,841
Slow down.
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00:10:08,941 --> 00:10:09,942
[interposing voices]
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00:10:10,042 --> 00:10:15,481
Garth's playing bass
on the organ panel.
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00:10:15,581 --> 00:10:16,382
John's--
186
00:10:16,482 --> 00:10:18,784
Now Garth's playing piano.
187
00:10:18,884 --> 00:10:20,019
Here's you playing.
188
00:10:20,119 --> 00:10:26,092
Yeah, well, you're playing
bass on the sousaphone.
189
00:10:26,192 --> 00:10:28,961
There it is.
190
00:10:29,061 --> 00:10:29,829
Horn bass.
191
00:10:34,133 --> 00:10:35,301
And that's--
192
00:10:35,401 --> 00:10:36,202
Mr. Hudson.
193
00:10:36,302 --> 00:10:37,103
Honey hawk, honey boy.
194
00:10:37,203 --> 00:10:39,171
Honey boy.
195
00:10:39,271 --> 00:10:41,273
That's pretty well the line up.
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00:10:41,374 --> 00:10:45,745
This is our other
rhythm section line up,
197
00:10:45,845 --> 00:10:49,281
when Richard goes to the
drums, and everybody else
198
00:10:49,382 --> 00:10:50,449
goes wherever they can.
199
00:10:53,552 --> 00:10:59,859
Used it again on "Jemima"
and maybe another one.
200
00:10:59,959 --> 00:11:00,860
Here's Richard's drum break.
201
00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:01,761
Listen to this.
202
00:11:01,861 --> 00:11:04,296
Yeah.
203
00:11:04,397 --> 00:11:05,665
Put the voice up.
204
00:11:05,765 --> 00:11:09,235
THE BAND: (SINGING) --sleeping
bag, but all you want to do
205
00:11:09,335 --> 00:11:12,805
for me, mama is rag, mama, rag.
206
00:11:12,905 --> 00:11:13,973
You know where to go.
207
00:11:14,073 --> 00:11:15,608
He's doing his
licks half time, too.
208
00:11:15,708 --> 00:11:16,642
I know, it's great.
209
00:11:16,742 --> 00:11:19,779
And then doubling
up on the back beat.
210
00:11:19,879 --> 00:11:23,215
[interposing voices]
211
00:11:41,901 --> 00:11:47,339
THE BAND: (SINGING) Rag,
mama, rag, where do you roam?
212
00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:49,542
Garth just dresses
it all the way through.
213
00:11:52,878 --> 00:11:54,747
I thought it was the radio on.
214
00:11:54,847 --> 00:11:55,948
What did I know?
215
00:12:05,691 --> 00:12:08,794
I really thought that
"Rag, Mama, Rag" was going
216
00:12:08,894 --> 00:12:11,464
to be a radio song, you know.
217
00:12:11,564 --> 00:12:15,034
I didn't see it as
number one with a bullet,
218
00:12:15,134 --> 00:12:19,605
but I thought that one had
the elements that, that a song
219
00:12:19,705 --> 00:12:21,540
like "Blue Suede Shoes" had.
220
00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,777
You know, it swung good,
and it was danceable.
221
00:12:24,877 --> 00:12:27,847
And it didn't take
a whole lot of time.
222
00:12:27,947 --> 00:12:30,583
It was over that quick.
223
00:12:30,683 --> 00:12:33,052
But I've been wrong before.
224
00:12:33,152 --> 00:12:35,287
This wasn't the first time, so--
225
00:12:35,387 --> 00:12:36,822
I can't remember
ever thinking that
226
00:12:36,922 --> 00:12:40,759
was going to be a hit single,
or that it mattered whether it
227
00:12:40,860 --> 00:12:42,828
was going to be a hit single.
228
00:12:42,928 --> 00:12:47,500
I just thought it was such
a unique piece of music
229
00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,503
that I was just proud
of it as it was.
230
00:12:53,305 --> 00:12:56,175
THE BAND: (SINGING)
Rag, mama, rag.
231
00:12:56,275 --> 00:12:59,111
Where do you roam?
232
00:12:59,211 --> 00:13:03,549
Rag, mama, rag, bring your
skinny little body back home.
233
00:13:26,572 --> 00:13:28,941
Ain't it easy
when you know how?
234
00:13:29,041 --> 00:13:29,975
[laughter]
235
00:13:30,075 --> 00:13:31,343
Sounds great.
236
00:13:31,443 --> 00:13:33,312
Brother Garth.
237
00:13:33,412 --> 00:13:34,213
The master.
238
00:13:36,982 --> 00:13:38,450
BARNEY HOSKYNS: The
concept of this album
239
00:13:38,551 --> 00:13:42,421
was a very basic one, a
very loose concept, which
240
00:13:42,521 --> 00:13:48,160
was just to convey a
sense of rural America
241
00:13:48,260 --> 00:13:50,062
in all its many parts.
242
00:13:50,162 --> 00:13:52,131
You know, as we know,
some of the songs
243
00:13:52,231 --> 00:13:54,266
specifically concern the South.
244
00:13:54,366 --> 00:13:57,937
It was a piece of America
that was just more musical.
245
00:13:58,037 --> 00:14:02,141
I've no idea why, but
when I first went there
246
00:14:02,241 --> 00:14:03,943
when I was 16 years
old, and I first
247
00:14:04,043 --> 00:14:10,616
got off the bus in Arkansas,
it hit me right away.
248
00:14:10,716 --> 00:14:11,717
It smelled.
249
00:14:11,817 --> 00:14:13,085
You could smell the music.
250
00:14:16,422 --> 00:14:20,859
The air just-- you know,
just, and you tasted it.
251
00:14:20,960 --> 00:14:23,329
You could hear everything.
252
00:14:23,429 --> 00:14:27,233
Right away, I said, I get it.
253
00:14:27,333 --> 00:14:31,170
[music - "john henry"]
254
00:14:31,270 --> 00:14:33,639
BERNIE TAUPIN: And
the subject matter
255
00:14:33,739 --> 00:14:37,209
was subject matter that
was dealt with, probably,
256
00:14:37,309 --> 00:14:39,044
all the way back to the '40s.
257
00:14:39,144 --> 00:14:42,648
Because basically, many of those
songs were history lessons.
258
00:14:42,748 --> 00:14:44,550
GREIL MARCUS: I don't think
it felt like a history lesson
259
00:14:44,650 --> 00:14:45,684
at all.
260
00:14:45,784 --> 00:14:49,588
I think it felt like a
passport back to America
261
00:14:49,688 --> 00:14:52,057
for people who'd
become so estranged
262
00:14:52,157 --> 00:14:56,061
from their own country that
they felt like foreigners, even
263
00:14:56,161 --> 00:14:58,464
when they were in it.
264
00:14:58,564 --> 00:15:00,432
I think it made
people feel, yes,
265
00:15:00,532 --> 00:15:03,402
the Civil War is part of me.
266
00:15:03,502 --> 00:15:09,108
Yes, a time when people
worked on farms, and were
267
00:15:09,208 --> 00:15:12,778
destroyed when their,
when, by bad weather,
268
00:15:12,878 --> 00:15:14,880
when they were vulnerable
to things like that--
269
00:15:14,980 --> 00:15:16,682
this is part of me.
270
00:15:16,782 --> 00:15:17,983
I understand this.
271
00:15:18,083 --> 00:15:23,088
We wanted it to have that,
you know, the harvest is in,
272
00:15:23,188 --> 00:15:26,558
the carnival is in town, and
the Ferris wheel is turning.
273
00:15:26,659 --> 00:15:29,528
And we wanted to
have that good, good
274
00:15:29,628 --> 00:15:36,935
time taste to it, if we could.
275
00:15:37,036 --> 00:15:38,370
When we were doing
The Band album,
276
00:15:38,470 --> 00:15:43,208
and when I was
writing this song,
277
00:15:43,309 --> 00:15:46,045
my daughter, Alexandra,
was just born.
278
00:15:46,145 --> 00:15:48,914
So she was a newborn baby.
279
00:15:49,014 --> 00:15:51,550
So when I was
writing this, I had
280
00:15:51,650 --> 00:15:56,488
to be very quiet, because it
was, like, the baby's sleeping.
281
00:15:56,588 --> 00:15:58,924
Don't make any noise.
282
00:15:59,024 --> 00:16:06,398
So I just-- you know, I
kind of got used to the idea
283
00:16:06,498 --> 00:16:08,067
of working in quietness.
284
00:16:08,167 --> 00:16:10,135
We're talking about all these
subtleties and everything,
285
00:16:10,235 --> 00:16:12,971
and it was not just about
wanting to play the subtleties.
286
00:16:13,072 --> 00:16:15,040
It was about having
to play in subtleties.
287
00:16:15,140 --> 00:16:18,510
So in this song, you
can hear kind of what--
288
00:16:18,610 --> 00:16:19,712
where it came from.
289
00:16:27,619 --> 00:16:31,390
(SINGING) Virgil
Caine is the name,
290
00:16:31,490 --> 00:16:38,230
and I served on
the Danville train,
291
00:16:38,330 --> 00:16:44,403
'til Stoneman's cavalry came
and tore up the tracks again.
292
00:16:47,473 --> 00:16:57,816
In the winter of '65, we were
hungry, just barely alive.
293
00:16:57,916 --> 00:17:02,788
By May tenth, Richmond had fell.
294
00:17:02,888 --> 00:17:09,728
It's a time I
remember oh, so well.
295
00:17:09,828 --> 00:17:16,668
The night they drove Old Dixie
down, when all the bells were
296
00:17:16,769 --> 00:17:22,608
ringing, the night they
drove Old Dixie down,
297
00:17:22,708 --> 00:17:25,611
and all the people were singing.
298
00:17:25,711 --> 00:17:31,050
They went, la, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la, la, la.
299
00:17:34,686 --> 00:17:37,122
JONATHAN TAPLIN:
I remember being
300
00:17:37,222 --> 00:17:39,058
brought to tears by that song.
301
00:17:39,158 --> 00:17:40,359
It was so beautiful.
302
00:17:40,459 --> 00:17:46,698
And it was such a amazing
point of view on the South,
303
00:17:46,799 --> 00:17:54,273
and what Levon and the people he
had grown up with went through.
304
00:17:54,373 --> 00:17:56,775
And it was like
one of those things
305
00:17:56,875 --> 00:17:58,911
where you have an
epiphany, where you really
306
00:17:59,011 --> 00:18:02,381
all of a sudden see a
whole new point of view
307
00:18:02,481 --> 00:18:04,416
on something, where,
you know, I had
308
00:18:04,516 --> 00:18:11,924
always had that kind of classic
redneck stereotype in my head.
309
00:18:12,024 --> 00:18:18,530
And just in one four-minute
piece, that all changed.
310
00:18:18,630 --> 00:18:21,967
We wanted to get a song like
that, that kind of addressed
311
00:18:22,067 --> 00:18:25,871
that particular little corner.
312
00:18:25,971 --> 00:18:29,241
I remember one specific
moment, actually,
313
00:18:29,341 --> 00:18:32,811
where I was at Levon's house.
314
00:18:32,911 --> 00:18:36,315
And, and I was there with
him and his mom and dad.
315
00:18:36,415 --> 00:18:38,584
And one point in
the conversation,
316
00:18:38,684 --> 00:18:44,656
his dad said, just kiddingly,
but there was some sincerity
317
00:18:44,756 --> 00:18:48,193
in it at the same time,
and he said to me, well,
318
00:18:48,293 --> 00:18:51,663
you know, Robbie, one
of these days, the South
319
00:18:51,763 --> 00:18:54,700
is going to rise again.
320
00:18:54,800 --> 00:19:00,205
THE BAND: (SINGING) The night
they drove Old Dixie down,
321
00:19:00,305 --> 00:19:04,176
and all the bells were
ringing, the night
322
00:19:04,276 --> 00:19:10,182
they drove Old Dixie down,
and the people were singing.
323
00:19:10,282 --> 00:19:14,686
They went, la, la, la,
la, la, la, la, la, la,
324
00:19:14,786 --> 00:19:17,656
la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la.
325
00:19:45,717 --> 00:19:49,187
Oh, OK, you can edit that out.
326
00:19:49,288 --> 00:19:50,088
Great.
327
00:20:27,125 --> 00:20:31,163
Bet you thought I'd never
get out of that one.
328
00:20:31,263 --> 00:20:38,003
JOHN SIMON: Garth Hudson is a
wonderful, mad, but brilliant
329
00:20:38,103 --> 00:20:41,873
genius, great
eccentric, wonderful guy
330
00:20:41,974 --> 00:20:43,742
who has so many gifts.
331
00:20:43,842 --> 00:20:45,978
Right, right, right.
332
00:20:46,078 --> 00:20:50,616
And Garth Hudson can play
one melody with his left hand,
333
00:20:50,716 --> 00:20:53,619
another melody with
his right hand,
334
00:20:53,719 --> 00:20:55,787
a wah-wah pedal with
one foot, and another
335
00:20:55,887 --> 00:20:57,155
thing with another foot.
336
00:20:57,255 --> 00:20:58,890
And you put something in his
mouth, he can play that, too.
337
00:20:58,991 --> 00:21:00,392
He's truly one of a kind.
338
00:21:00,492 --> 00:21:04,963
I once asked Garth, maybe with
a little sarcasm in my voice,
339
00:21:05,063 --> 00:21:06,198
why he--
340
00:21:06,298 --> 00:21:08,834
how he got to be the way he is.
341
00:21:08,934 --> 00:21:10,302
He looked at me,
and he said very
342
00:21:10,402 --> 00:21:13,372
slowly, well, I played for my--
343
00:21:13,472 --> 00:21:15,540
at my uncle's funeral parlor.
344
00:21:15,641 --> 00:21:16,808
Right, right, right.
345
00:21:23,482 --> 00:21:26,118
You know, if you listen
to "Up on Cripple Creek,"
346
00:21:26,218 --> 00:21:29,054
I believe Garth was probably
the first guy to use a clavinet
347
00:21:29,154 --> 00:21:31,490
as a funk rhythm thing.
348
00:21:31,590 --> 00:21:33,592
It was before "Superstition."
349
00:21:33,692 --> 00:21:34,793
I mean, listen to that.
350
00:21:34,893 --> 00:21:36,328
I always thought it was--
you know, for years, I
351
00:21:36,428 --> 00:21:37,362
thought it was a Jew's harp.
352
00:21:37,462 --> 00:21:38,697
But you listen to
it, and he's playing
353
00:21:38,797 --> 00:21:42,467
a funky wah-wah clavinet.
354
00:21:42,567 --> 00:21:45,070
It was easy to do, of course.
355
00:21:45,170 --> 00:21:50,709
We'd tried it at home, not
for that particular song,
356
00:21:50,809 --> 00:21:54,079
but it seemed to
be good for that.
357
00:21:54,179 --> 00:21:59,284
It sounds like a bow harp,
I think it is, bowed,
358
00:21:59,384 --> 00:22:02,087
and with a metal string.
359
00:22:02,187 --> 00:22:04,056
LEVON HELM: (SINGING)
I don't have to speak.
360
00:22:04,156 --> 00:22:08,994
She defends me, a drunkard's
dream if I ever did see one.
361
00:22:12,397 --> 00:22:15,701
I picked up all of
my winnings, and I
362
00:22:15,801 --> 00:22:19,204
gave my little Bessie half.
363
00:22:19,304 --> 00:22:25,143
She tore it up and threw it
in my face, just for a laugh.
364
00:22:25,243 --> 00:22:28,914
Now there's one thing
in the whole wide world
365
00:22:29,014 --> 00:22:32,084
I sure would like to see--
366
00:22:32,184 --> 00:22:38,323
that's when that little love of
mine dips her donut in my tea.
367
00:22:38,423 --> 00:22:40,225
This affect that
Garth has the clavinet
368
00:22:40,325 --> 00:22:46,498
and the organ are kind of
like the lead instrument,
369
00:22:46,598 --> 00:22:48,934
as far as instruments
are concerned on this.
370
00:22:49,034 --> 00:22:51,470
The guitar doesn't come
wailing up or anything.
371
00:22:51,570 --> 00:22:54,573
And the piano just does
little licks here and there,
372
00:22:54,673 --> 00:22:56,308
as far as sticking out.
373
00:22:56,408 --> 00:22:58,877
The thing that sticks
out is this Jew's
374
00:22:58,977 --> 00:23:03,148
harp sound and clavinet thing--
375
00:23:03,248 --> 00:23:08,186
just this kind of an odd
construction of the song.
376
00:23:08,286 --> 00:23:12,824
But you can hear how it
all adds up in its own way.
377
00:23:20,565 --> 00:23:23,568
LEVON HELM: (SINGING) When
I get off of this mountain,
378
00:23:23,668 --> 00:23:25,570
you know where I want to--
379
00:23:31,643 --> 00:23:33,779
You can hear it even when
he's singing, the leakage.
380
00:23:33,879 --> 00:23:36,014
It's not too bad, the leakage
in the drums, actually.
381
00:23:37,349 --> 00:23:40,986
(SINGING) --an amazing
girl I once knew.
382
00:23:41,086 --> 00:23:45,991
She told me to come on down if
there's anything she could do.
383
00:23:46,091 --> 00:23:47,726
Richard and I are
dealing with this--
384
00:23:47,826 --> 00:23:53,031
[guitar playing]
385
00:23:53,131 --> 00:23:58,069
Hear how they just kind of
live together those two things?
386
00:23:58,170 --> 00:24:00,839
And then Garth's thing, this
387
00:24:00,939 --> 00:24:10,382
[clavinet playing]
388
00:24:10,482 --> 00:24:12,584
Sounds funny with
no rhythm in it.
389
00:24:15,387 --> 00:24:19,558
And what happens is, Garth plays
this Jew's harp clavinet sound.
390
00:24:19,658 --> 00:24:23,094
And then when it
gets to the choruses,
391
00:24:23,195 --> 00:24:26,498
he changes to the organ.
392
00:24:26,598 --> 00:24:29,234
He's up there playing, and then
he comes down to the keyboard.
393
00:24:29,334 --> 00:24:32,003
You can hear it
change right here.
394
00:24:32,103 --> 00:24:38,476
[organ playing]
395
00:24:38,577 --> 00:24:42,480
It's like merry-go-round
music, carnival music.
396
00:24:42,581 --> 00:24:44,149
Listen how he changes here.
397
00:24:44,249 --> 00:24:45,350
[clavinet playing]
398
00:24:45,450 --> 00:24:47,552
Quick on the draw.
399
00:24:47,652 --> 00:24:49,754
LEVON HELM: (SINGING)
Took all of my winnings,
400
00:24:49,855 --> 00:24:54,092
and I gave my
little Bessie half.
401
00:24:54,192 --> 00:24:58,230
It's quite extraordinary, the
way that Levon could play what
402
00:24:58,330 --> 00:25:03,201
he played and sing
at the same time,
403
00:25:03,301 --> 00:25:06,671
that it just didn't mix him up.
404
00:25:06,771 --> 00:25:08,540
You know, I mean,
just to put it,
405
00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:10,075
couldn't put it more
simpler than that.
406
00:25:10,175 --> 00:25:11,476
But it's true, you know?
407
00:25:14,346 --> 00:25:17,048
Well, you know, people
give me good credit,
408
00:25:17,148 --> 00:25:18,583
and I appreciate it.
409
00:25:18,683 --> 00:25:22,654
They think it's harder
to play when you sang.
410
00:25:22,754 --> 00:25:25,957
But it's actually easier,
because you play along,
411
00:25:26,057 --> 00:25:28,827
and you leave holes in
areas where you sing,
412
00:25:28,927 --> 00:25:32,330
so you can actually
punch your voice
413
00:25:32,430 --> 00:25:35,433
on the punch lines of a song.
414
00:25:35,533 --> 00:25:39,971
And by adding the cymbals
and different things,
415
00:25:40,071 --> 00:25:43,041
you can cover a couple of
little choking patterns
416
00:25:43,141 --> 00:25:45,710
that might hit you there
in the middle of a tune.
417
00:25:45,810 --> 00:25:46,945
JIM KELTNER: And he
was the first one
418
00:25:47,045 --> 00:25:51,883
that I ever saw play one,
two, three, or rather,
419
00:25:51,983 --> 00:25:55,720
one, two, three, four.
420
00:25:55,820 --> 00:25:57,656
He would pull his
hand up, and get out
421
00:25:57,756 --> 00:26:00,191
of the way of the
backbeat, just simply
422
00:26:00,292 --> 00:26:04,362
a thing to do to get out of
the way of the stick coming up.
423
00:26:04,462 --> 00:26:05,897
And I thought, wow,
what a brilliant way
424
00:26:05,997 --> 00:26:09,434
to play the regular beat.
425
00:26:09,534 --> 00:26:11,570
It kind of felt better.
426
00:26:11,670 --> 00:26:13,972
And it made it more danceable.
427
00:26:14,072 --> 00:26:16,341
So when "Cripple
Creek" come around,
428
00:26:16,441 --> 00:26:19,044
we couldn't find
a place to put it.
429
00:26:19,144 --> 00:26:22,447
If you go, up on
Cripple Creek, she
430
00:26:22,547 --> 00:26:25,850
sends me, if I sprang a
leak, that's going to get old
431
00:26:25,951 --> 00:26:27,052
pretty quick.
432
00:26:27,152 --> 00:26:28,887
So up on Cripple Creek--
433
00:26:33,258 --> 00:26:35,694
So with the half-time
feel, we were
434
00:26:35,794 --> 00:26:40,966
able to do that for "Cripple
Creek," and for three or four
435
00:26:41,066 --> 00:26:44,669
more that turned
out "The Weight"
436
00:26:44,769 --> 00:26:48,039
is another good example
back on "Big Pink."
437
00:26:48,139 --> 00:26:54,913
We just-- there were no
rules, so it felt good.
438
00:26:55,013 --> 00:26:58,316
And we went with it.
439
00:26:58,416 --> 00:27:00,051
There's a music that
comes from the heartland
440
00:27:00,151 --> 00:27:00,952
of this country.
441
00:27:01,052 --> 00:27:03,088
And Levon is part of that.
442
00:27:03,188 --> 00:27:06,191
He's tapped right into that.
443
00:27:06,291 --> 00:27:11,129
Levon's vocals
have all this soul.
444
00:27:11,229 --> 00:27:13,365
A lot of people who
live in the South
445
00:27:13,465 --> 00:27:17,168
try to sing with some kind of a
flat, neutral American accent,
446
00:27:17,268 --> 00:27:20,438
as a lot of people from Britain
try to sing with some kind
447
00:27:20,538 --> 00:27:21,506
of American accent.
448
00:27:21,606 --> 00:27:23,708
Levon sings in his own voice.
449
00:27:23,808 --> 00:27:25,343
LEVON HELM: (SINGING)
Yeah, yeah, you know I sure
450
00:27:25,443 --> 00:27:30,281
wish I could yodel
like oh, [yodeling]
451
00:27:41,693 --> 00:27:44,596
[applause]
452
00:27:44,696 --> 00:27:50,368
It's so rare with any band
that you've got this sort
453
00:27:50,468 --> 00:27:52,270
of even distribution of talent.
454
00:27:52,370 --> 00:27:58,943
Most bands have one talented
guy or girl in them, maybe two.
455
00:27:59,044 --> 00:28:05,283
This was a band of which
all five members contributed
456
00:28:05,383 --> 00:28:08,186
something very, very unique.
457
00:28:08,286 --> 00:28:11,089
They were doing things
with harmonies, again,
458
00:28:11,189 --> 00:28:16,094
that it almost didn't feel like
they needed to blend octaves.
459
00:28:16,194 --> 00:28:19,064
You felt that they
just sang in unison,
460
00:28:19,164 --> 00:28:21,299
and their voices
were so distinct
461
00:28:21,399 --> 00:28:24,602
that they just automatically
went into the right place.
462
00:28:24,702 --> 00:28:26,237
I think in that
context, when you have
463
00:28:26,337 --> 00:28:28,073
all these different
voices coming and going,
464
00:28:28,173 --> 00:28:29,307
it carries an album.
465
00:28:29,407 --> 00:28:32,444
It makes you--
holds the interest.
466
00:28:32,544 --> 00:28:34,579
And yeah, I like that a lot.
467
00:28:34,679 --> 00:28:37,415
But I don't think when I
first heard it I was really
468
00:28:37,515 --> 00:28:38,750
aware of what was going on.
469
00:28:38,850 --> 00:28:40,852
I was just absorbing the sound.
470
00:28:40,952 --> 00:28:43,488
I was just being carried
along by what I was hearing.
471
00:28:43,588 --> 00:28:48,960
The Staple Singers were
one of our favorite groups,
472
00:28:49,060 --> 00:28:52,230
singing groups, ever.
473
00:28:52,330 --> 00:28:55,400
It was like we had
early records of theirs
474
00:28:55,500 --> 00:28:58,336
that they don't even
have, just because we
475
00:28:58,436 --> 00:29:00,805
thought there was
something so special
476
00:29:00,905 --> 00:29:02,107
about the use of the voices.
477
00:29:02,207 --> 00:29:03,608
[MUSIC - STAPLE SINGERS, "WADE
IN THE WATER"]
478
00:29:03,708 --> 00:29:08,012
STAPLE SINGERS: (SINGING)
Wade in the water to the--
479
00:29:08,113 --> 00:29:12,851
wade in the water.
480
00:29:12,951 --> 00:29:17,188
He's gonna trouble the water.
481
00:29:17,288 --> 00:29:21,459
He's gonna trouble the water.
482
00:29:21,559 --> 00:29:25,663
Wade in the water.
483
00:29:25,764 --> 00:29:31,402
Wade in the water, children.
484
00:29:31,503 --> 00:29:38,610
When we would get a piece of
a song or an idea for a song,
485
00:29:38,710 --> 00:29:41,379
we'd take it as far as we could.
486
00:29:41,479 --> 00:29:44,582
Then we would start
swapping it around.
487
00:29:44,682 --> 00:29:49,087
People, different ones of
us, would sing the lead.
488
00:29:49,187 --> 00:29:52,056
And then we would back
up and start it again.
489
00:29:52,157 --> 00:29:55,426
And somebody else
would sing the lead.
490
00:29:55,527 --> 00:29:59,531
And that's how we determined,
really, who would sing lead
491
00:29:59,631 --> 00:30:01,966
and who would sing the
harmonies on our songs.
492
00:30:07,906 --> 00:30:10,441
Sound like we need to
tune that guitar, don't we?
493
00:30:10,542 --> 00:30:15,246
Hang around, Willy boy.
494
00:30:15,346 --> 00:30:18,316
Don't you raise
the sails anymore.
495
00:30:18,416 --> 00:30:19,784
Here's the chord.
496
00:30:23,788 --> 00:30:25,623
LEVON HELM: Bring
the voices with it.
497
00:30:30,128 --> 00:30:31,963
THE BAND: (SINGING)
Now there's only one
498
00:30:32,063 --> 00:30:34,399
place that was meant for me.
499
00:30:34,499 --> 00:30:35,867
Tell me who's on
top and the bottom.
500
00:30:35,967 --> 00:30:37,368
OK.
501
00:30:37,468 --> 00:30:40,271
Richard's singing the lead.
502
00:30:40,371 --> 00:30:41,272
Then here, it squishes.
503
00:30:46,578 --> 00:30:49,847
Richard's going up on top.
504
00:30:49,948 --> 00:30:51,182
And I'm doing the tonic.
505
00:30:51,282 --> 00:30:52,450
THE BAND: (SINGING)
We're gonna soothe
506
00:30:52,550 --> 00:30:54,152
away the rest of my years.
507
00:30:54,252 --> 00:30:56,621
We're gonna put
away all our fears.
508
00:30:56,721 --> 00:30:58,489
And Rick's tying it together.
509
00:30:58,590 --> 00:31:01,125
Rick's in the middle,
tying it together.
510
00:31:01,226 --> 00:31:05,530
But Richard has got the
ability to [falsetto]..
511
00:31:05,630 --> 00:31:07,198
RICHARD MANUEL: (SINGING)
Slow down, Willie Boy.
512
00:31:07,298 --> 00:31:09,033
Now Richard goes
back and sings
513
00:31:09,133 --> 00:31:10,868
the song, the body of the song.
514
00:31:10,969 --> 00:31:12,136
RICHARD MANUEL:
(SINGING) Your heart's
515
00:31:12,237 --> 00:31:16,107
gonna give right out on you.
516
00:31:16,207 --> 00:31:22,914
It's true, and I believe
I know what we should do.
517
00:31:23,014 --> 00:31:26,784
Turn the stern and
point to shore.
518
00:31:26,884 --> 00:31:30,054
The seven seas won't
carry us no more.
519
00:31:30,154 --> 00:31:31,089
Here comes three parts again.
520
00:31:31,189 --> 00:31:32,690
Now Richard will jump up.
521
00:31:32,790 --> 00:31:34,592
RICHARD MANUEL:
(SINGING) Oh, to me
522
00:31:34,692 --> 00:31:40,798
home again, down
in Old Virginny,
523
00:31:40,899 --> 00:31:44,068
with my very best friend.
524
00:31:44,168 --> 00:31:47,338
Yeah, they call
him Ragtime Willie.
525
00:31:47,438 --> 00:31:53,278
I can't wait to sniff
that air, dip that snuff.
526
00:31:53,378 --> 00:31:55,813
I won't have no care.
527
00:31:55,913 --> 00:31:59,050
That big rocking chair
won't go nowhere.
528
00:32:05,056 --> 00:32:06,424
Hear the sound--
529
00:32:06,524 --> 00:32:09,761
That's why the voices
sound pretty balanced.
530
00:32:09,861 --> 00:32:11,162
Richard.
531
00:32:11,262 --> 00:32:14,632
RICHARD MANUEL: (SINGING) The
Flying Dutchman's on the reef.
532
00:32:14,732 --> 00:32:21,572
It's my belief we
used up all our time.
533
00:32:21,673 --> 00:32:27,545
This hill's too steep to
climb, and the days that remain
534
00:32:27,645 --> 00:32:31,015
ain't worth a dime.
535
00:32:31,115 --> 00:32:39,490
Oh, to be home again,
down in Old Virginny
536
00:32:39,590 --> 00:32:42,460
with my very best friend.
537
00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,396
You can imagine if
I'd have tried to go up.
538
00:32:45,496 --> 00:32:46,364
[laughter]
539
00:32:46,464 --> 00:32:47,498
RICHARD MANUEL:
(SINGING) Would have
540
00:32:47,598 --> 00:32:51,302
been nice just to
see the folks, listen
541
00:32:51,402 --> 00:32:54,472
once again to the stale jokes.
542
00:32:54,572 --> 00:32:58,009
That big rocking chair
won't go nowhere.
543
00:33:02,580 --> 00:33:04,148
I love this part here.
544
00:33:04,248 --> 00:33:05,550
Me, too.
545
00:33:05,650 --> 00:33:08,052
RICHARD MANUEL: (SINGING) I can
hear something calling on me.
546
00:33:08,152 --> 00:33:11,622
And you know where I want to be.
547
00:33:11,723 --> 00:33:15,560
Oh, Willie, don't
you hear that sound?
548
00:33:15,660 --> 00:33:18,229
So a lot of the
times with The Band,
549
00:33:18,329 --> 00:33:21,366
it was somewhere
between real harmonies,
550
00:33:21,466 --> 00:33:25,436
and because of our lack
of education in music,
551
00:33:25,536 --> 00:33:28,439
they would be things that
just sounded interesting.
552
00:33:28,539 --> 00:33:32,443
Or it's what the only
thing the person could hit.
553
00:33:32,543 --> 00:33:35,113
You know, there was--
sometimes, the limitation
554
00:33:35,213 --> 00:33:38,483
of the instrument can provide
the originality as well.
555
00:33:44,288 --> 00:33:46,657
How did we come up
with that Chinese ending?
556
00:33:46,758 --> 00:33:49,427
I don't know, it seemed like a
good idea at the time, I guess.
557
00:33:49,527 --> 00:33:50,762
Yes.
558
00:33:50,862 --> 00:33:53,798
Sometimes I draw the parallel
between The Band and Duke
559
00:33:53,898 --> 00:33:57,135
Ellington's orchestra, because
in Duke Ellington's orchestra,
560
00:33:57,235 --> 00:33:59,837
there were special sounds,
like Johnny Hodges' tenor
561
00:33:59,937 --> 00:34:01,906
sax and Harry
Carney's baritone sax,
562
00:34:02,006 --> 00:34:04,809
and Cootie Williams' trumpet,
and Lawrence Brown's trombone.
563
00:34:04,909 --> 00:34:06,677
There were just special,
distinctive sounds
564
00:34:06,778 --> 00:34:08,413
that Duke Ellington,
and Billy Strayhorn,
565
00:34:08,513 --> 00:34:11,282
and the other arrangers were
able to pull out and use.
566
00:34:11,382 --> 00:34:16,154
And The Band was the
same way in rock music.
567
00:34:16,254 --> 00:34:22,326
As far as being technically
great, I don't think--
568
00:34:22,427 --> 00:34:24,095
Robbie wasn't that
kind of guitar player.
569
00:34:24,195 --> 00:34:25,596
Robbie was like a
feel guitar player.
570
00:34:25,696 --> 00:34:28,099
Robbie was more like George
type of guitar player.
571
00:34:28,199 --> 00:34:29,300
You, know there's
some players who
572
00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:31,969
can play 10,000 notes
a second and that,
573
00:34:32,069 --> 00:34:33,671
but it doesn't mean anything.
574
00:34:33,771 --> 00:34:36,374
People who-- you know,
sometimes I wish I
575
00:34:36,474 --> 00:34:38,609
had a little bit of dexterity.
576
00:34:38,709 --> 00:34:41,913
But I don't really want
to be that type of player.
577
00:34:42,013 --> 00:34:46,217
And I always thought Robbie
was that type of guitarist, who
578
00:34:46,317 --> 00:34:50,488
was more concerned with the
overall song and structure
579
00:34:50,588 --> 00:34:55,426
than his own personal prowess.
580
00:34:55,526 --> 00:34:57,995
I think Robbie Robertson's
a freak as a guitar player.
581
00:34:58,095 --> 00:34:58,896
I think he's--
582
00:34:58,996 --> 00:34:59,864
I think he still plays great.
583
00:34:59,964 --> 00:35:00,832
I think he played great then.
584
00:35:00,932 --> 00:35:02,066
It's mystifying.
585
00:35:02,166 --> 00:35:03,801
I've tried to analyze his sound.
586
00:35:03,901 --> 00:35:08,539
He's got a kind of bite on his
guitar playing, like BB King.
587
00:35:11,576 --> 00:35:14,378
[playing blues guitar]
588
00:35:23,721 --> 00:35:28,526
It's a wild twist on American
blues and American rhythm
589
00:35:28,626 --> 00:35:30,061
and blues guitar playing.
590
00:35:30,161 --> 00:35:32,864
But it's a smooth kind of
thing, that's like kind
591
00:35:32,964 --> 00:35:35,133
of Curtis Mayfield influenced.
592
00:35:35,233 --> 00:35:36,968
And then Curtis--
593
00:35:37,068 --> 00:35:39,904
Curtis Mayfield's thing, this--
594
00:35:40,004 --> 00:35:42,907
[playing guitar]
595
00:35:54,452 --> 00:35:59,023
In this, a lot of things
came out of that for me.
596
00:35:59,123 --> 00:36:01,893
For instance, just
this what I was playing
597
00:36:01,993 --> 00:36:03,427
reminded me of something like--
598
00:36:03,528 --> 00:36:07,131
[playing guitar]
599
00:36:07,231 --> 00:36:09,167
That I got from that--
600
00:36:09,267 --> 00:36:16,107
[playing guitar]
601
00:36:16,207 --> 00:36:19,677
I got the introduction
to "The Weight,"
602
00:36:19,777 --> 00:36:23,481
and with that attitude.
603
00:36:23,581 --> 00:36:25,016
That's all it is,
is an attitude.
604
00:36:25,116 --> 00:36:27,318
It isn't necessarily
what you're playing.
605
00:36:27,418 --> 00:36:29,787
It's what mood you're playing.
606
00:36:29,887 --> 00:36:32,423
I suppose he plays the
guitar as a songwriter
607
00:36:32,523 --> 00:36:34,392
plays the guitar.
608
00:36:34,492 --> 00:36:38,496
He'll put together in his head,
and then through his fingers,
609
00:36:38,596 --> 00:36:41,299
the series of phrases
and melodic lines
610
00:36:41,399 --> 00:36:44,569
that make sense to him,
and then make sense to you.
611
00:36:44,669 --> 00:36:47,738
And the emphasis to
me at this point, too,
612
00:36:47,838 --> 00:36:53,778
was much more on the song
writing than on jamming,
613
00:36:53,878 --> 00:36:57,114
on figuring out
songs that are built
614
00:36:57,214 --> 00:36:58,950
around the guitar playing.
615
00:36:59,050 --> 00:37:02,720
I wanted the songs to be built
around the songs themselves.
616
00:37:02,820 --> 00:37:05,923
And whatever I played, or
whatever anybody else played
617
00:37:06,023 --> 00:37:08,426
in the songs, it was
really just to say
618
00:37:08,526 --> 00:37:11,929
we are playing this song.
619
00:37:12,029 --> 00:37:17,134
And you could hear the music
to it, without the voices,
620
00:37:17,234 --> 00:37:18,603
without the singing.
621
00:37:18,703 --> 00:37:20,338
And you could hear
it with the singing,
622
00:37:20,438 --> 00:37:23,007
and it is the same song.
623
00:37:23,107 --> 00:37:26,243
It isn't like somebody
is off doing some jam
624
00:37:26,344 --> 00:37:27,411
thing on it or something.
625
00:37:27,511 --> 00:37:29,480
I just-- I didn't want that.
626
00:37:29,580 --> 00:37:30,648
I had been there.
627
00:37:30,748 --> 00:37:32,850
And it was time to
shuffle the deck
628
00:37:32,950 --> 00:37:35,620
and do something that was
just completely song oriented.
629
00:37:39,724 --> 00:37:44,028
(SINGING) Unfaithful
servant, I hear you
630
00:37:44,128 --> 00:37:47,231
leaving soon in the morning.
631
00:37:47,331 --> 00:37:50,868
What did you do to the lady?
632
00:37:50,968 --> 00:37:54,505
Now she's gonna have
to send you away.
633
00:37:54,605 --> 00:38:03,381
Unfaithful servant, you don't
have to say you're sorry.
634
00:38:03,481 --> 00:38:09,053
Was it just for the spite,
or was it just for the glory?
635
00:38:09,153 --> 00:38:18,396
Unfaithful servant, I can
hear the whistle blowing.
636
00:38:18,496 --> 00:38:28,239
Yes, that train is a-comin'
and soon you'll be a-goin'.
637
00:38:28,339 --> 00:38:31,542
The unfaithful servant,
believe it or not,
638
00:38:31,642 --> 00:38:35,579
was one of the few songs
that I've recorded in my life
639
00:38:35,680 --> 00:38:38,182
where it was done on
the very first take.
640
00:38:38,282 --> 00:38:40,151
Yeah.
641
00:38:40,251 --> 00:38:42,520
That's the one that
we recorded it.
642
00:38:42,620 --> 00:38:46,657
And then I did it 30 more
times, 40 more times.
643
00:38:46,757 --> 00:38:49,093
And John Simon, I
think, came in and said,
644
00:38:49,193 --> 00:38:53,531
hey listen to this, Rick.
645
00:38:53,631 --> 00:38:56,200
And he said, you
know, you're right.
646
00:38:56,300 --> 00:38:57,768
And that was the first take.
647
00:38:57,868 --> 00:39:03,107
(SINGING) Makes no
difference if we fade away.
648
00:39:03,207 --> 00:39:06,010
It's just as it was.
649
00:39:06,110 --> 00:39:08,946
It's much too cold
for me to stay.
650
00:39:09,046 --> 00:39:10,348
And on "Unfaithful
Servant," you
651
00:39:10,448 --> 00:39:12,383
could really hear the horns.
652
00:39:12,483 --> 00:39:15,419
It's one of the few
solos on the record.
653
00:39:15,519 --> 00:39:17,688
I mean, it's not a
solo, it's a duet.
654
00:39:17,788 --> 00:39:21,192
Right toward the end,
there's a little horn duet.
655
00:39:21,292 --> 00:39:24,095
And you can hear
that moaning, a band
656
00:39:24,195 --> 00:39:25,963
horn section sound,
that people say,
657
00:39:26,063 --> 00:39:27,164
how did you get that sound?
658
00:39:27,264 --> 00:39:30,134
Well, because that's the
only sound we could make.
659
00:39:57,561 --> 00:39:58,896
That's a good one.
660
00:39:58,996 --> 00:40:00,464
Yeah, that's fine.
661
00:40:00,564 --> 00:40:01,365
Anyway.
662
00:40:01,465 --> 00:40:03,134
The trend at the
time, of course,
663
00:40:03,234 --> 00:40:05,536
was the acid rock phase.
664
00:40:05,636 --> 00:40:06,837
That was the new trend.
665
00:40:06,937 --> 00:40:09,907
That was the new fad
that was going on,
666
00:40:10,007 --> 00:40:15,780
and tune in, turn on, and
drop out, that kind of thing,
667
00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:21,252
and hate your mom and dad, and
don't trust anybody over 30,
668
00:40:21,352 --> 00:40:26,056
and a bunch of other stuff that
didn't make a lot of sense.
669
00:40:26,157 --> 00:40:32,263
And we just steered
clear of all that,
670
00:40:32,363 --> 00:40:36,600
and tried to keep
it on musical terms,
671
00:40:36,700 --> 00:40:41,972
and got away with it, pretty
much, for the most part,
672
00:40:42,072 --> 00:40:43,207
anyway.
673
00:40:43,307 --> 00:40:44,909
And they wanted people
just to listen to the music,
674
00:40:45,009 --> 00:40:47,311
and not get too involved
with star worship
675
00:40:47,411 --> 00:40:48,379
and being star struck.
676
00:40:48,479 --> 00:40:49,880
They had been with
Dylan for many years,
677
00:40:49,980 --> 00:40:52,683
and saw how disastrous this
was, both for the audience
678
00:40:52,783 --> 00:40:57,388
and for the performer, to be
the object of so much attention
679
00:40:57,488 --> 00:40:59,056
and personality focus.
680
00:40:59,156 --> 00:41:02,426
So they had consciously
tried to avoid that.
681
00:41:02,526 --> 00:41:07,431
ROBBIE ROBERTSON: Through that
and the nature of the record,
682
00:41:07,531 --> 00:41:11,001
this kind of mysticism got
built up around The Band.
683
00:41:11,101 --> 00:41:14,038
These guys are up
there in the hills.
684
00:41:14,138 --> 00:41:17,208
They dress weird.
We didn't dress weird.
685
00:41:17,308 --> 00:41:19,643
We kind of dressed regular.
686
00:41:19,743 --> 00:41:21,412
Other people were
dressing weird,
687
00:41:21,512 --> 00:41:24,215
you know, in polka
dots and psychedelia.
688
00:41:24,315 --> 00:41:27,284
ELLIOTT LANDY: When we did the
second album cover photograph,
689
00:41:27,384 --> 00:41:29,720
I got, again, quite
a number of what
690
00:41:29,820 --> 00:41:31,522
I considered to be good
photographs that we
691
00:41:31,622 --> 00:41:33,757
looked through very carefully.
692
00:41:33,858 --> 00:41:35,593
And I had two choices.
693
00:41:35,693 --> 00:41:38,262
One of them was Levon's
back to the camera--
694
00:41:38,362 --> 00:41:40,297
everyone was looking forward
and Levon had his back
695
00:41:40,397 --> 00:41:42,666
to the camera, and the
other one was just the five
696
00:41:42,766 --> 00:41:44,468
of them looking straight on.
697
00:41:44,568 --> 00:41:45,803
RICK DANKO: The
cover picture that's
698
00:41:45,903 --> 00:41:50,774
on the brown album, The Band
album, we're standing there,
699
00:41:50,875 --> 00:41:52,042
kind of--
700
00:41:52,142 --> 00:41:53,677
it's a cloudy day, you can tell.
701
00:41:53,777 --> 00:41:56,413
But we're actually
standing in the rain.
702
00:41:56,513 --> 00:41:59,517
And that's why we
likely look that way.
703
00:41:59,617 --> 00:42:00,818
We don't look too cheerful.
704
00:42:00,918 --> 00:42:03,287
Elliott likely didn't tell
you that part of the story.
705
00:42:03,387 --> 00:42:06,457
Did he tell you we were
standing in the rain?
706
00:42:06,557 --> 00:42:10,628
Just looking at that picture,
on the sleeve for The Band,
707
00:42:10,728 --> 00:42:12,663
seeing that that
funky, little console
708
00:42:12,763 --> 00:42:14,965
in the middle of the room,
and a guy's feet up on it,
709
00:42:15,065 --> 00:42:18,269
and the wires lead, and
just the mess in that room,
710
00:42:18,369 --> 00:42:20,638
I wanted to be there.
711
00:42:20,738 --> 00:42:22,006
You know, just
because we weren't
712
00:42:22,106 --> 00:42:24,608
available to the public,
the public really wanted us,
713
00:42:24,708 --> 00:42:26,877
the promoters really wanted
us to play, you know.
714
00:42:26,977 --> 00:42:30,514
So at one point, it
just got ridiculous.
715
00:42:30,614 --> 00:42:31,682
I mean, they were--
716
00:42:31,782 --> 00:42:36,487
it went from $2,000
a night to $50,000
717
00:42:36,587 --> 00:42:40,357
a night by the time we
played our first shows.
718
00:42:40,457 --> 00:42:44,662
And we played two shows for
Bill Graham on the West Coast.
719
00:42:44,762 --> 00:42:47,998
And we also played two shows for
Bill Graham on the East Coast.
720
00:42:48,098 --> 00:42:50,901
And it was very interesting.
721
00:42:51,001 --> 00:42:52,736
JOHN SIMON: I didn't really
detect any nervousness
722
00:42:52,836 --> 00:42:54,571
on anybody's part.
723
00:42:54,672 --> 00:42:57,575
The only frustration was not
being able to finish recording,
724
00:42:57,675 --> 00:42:59,944
and having to know we
had to pick that up again
725
00:43:00,044 --> 00:43:02,379
in New York when they finished
their gig in San Francisco
726
00:43:02,479 --> 00:43:03,814
at Winterland.
727
00:43:03,914 --> 00:43:05,983
The only nervousness
that was apparent
728
00:43:06,083 --> 00:43:10,020
came after we got up there,
and Robbie, all of a sudden,
729
00:43:10,120 --> 00:43:16,927
went into some kind of
a psychosomatic malaise.
730
00:43:17,027 --> 00:43:23,200
So by the time we
got to play, or it
731
00:43:23,300 --> 00:43:25,002
was time to rehearse
for the things up there,
732
00:43:25,102 --> 00:43:26,136
I couldn't even rehearse.
733
00:43:26,236 --> 00:43:29,873
I was just two weak
to go and do that.
734
00:43:29,974 --> 00:43:32,609
And then it was the night
we were supposed to play,
735
00:43:32,710 --> 00:43:34,078
and it was like everybody
was going crazy.
736
00:43:34,178 --> 00:43:36,747
And the stress of the whole
thing wasn't helping any of it,
737
00:43:36,847 --> 00:43:38,115
either.
738
00:43:38,215 --> 00:43:44,388
And as a last-ditch effort,
Albert Grossman and Bill Graham
739
00:43:44,488 --> 00:43:46,423
decided to call
in this hypnotist.
740
00:43:46,523 --> 00:43:47,658
Robbie was in bed.
741
00:43:47,758 --> 00:43:53,163
And he put him in a trance.
742
00:43:53,263 --> 00:43:55,466
And then he said, whenever
you hear the word,
743
00:43:55,566 --> 00:43:59,169
"grow," these feelings
will surge over you.
744
00:43:59,269 --> 00:44:01,538
You will feel strong.
745
00:44:01,638 --> 00:44:04,441
So he brought him
out of the trance.
746
00:44:04,541 --> 00:44:06,377
And everybody is
kind of watching.
747
00:44:06,477 --> 00:44:12,049
And Robbie said,
"I feel better."
748
00:44:12,149 --> 00:44:15,853
And so he got up, and
he got out of bed.
749
00:44:15,953 --> 00:44:17,788
And he fell right on the floor.
750
00:44:17,888 --> 00:44:20,090
He just collapsed on the floor.
751
00:44:20,190 --> 00:44:21,692
So the guy, he
said, oh, I forgot.
752
00:44:21,792 --> 00:44:23,460
You've been sitting
in bed for two days--
753
00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:24,461
your legs.
754
00:44:24,561 --> 00:44:26,563
And so he put him
back in a trance.
755
00:44:26,663 --> 00:44:29,333
And he said, "Your
legs will feel
756
00:44:29,433 --> 00:44:33,704
like strong, iron springs."
757
00:44:33,804 --> 00:44:36,407
And then he put him--
758
00:44:36,507 --> 00:44:37,307
took him out of the trance.
759
00:44:37,408 --> 00:44:38,542
And Robbie got up.
760
00:44:38,642 --> 00:44:41,912
And at this point, we
were, like, two hours late
761
00:44:42,012 --> 00:44:43,747
already for the gig.
762
00:44:43,847 --> 00:44:45,416
So anyway, the first
night, you know, with me
763
00:44:45,516 --> 00:44:46,784
was pretty rough.
764
00:44:46,884 --> 00:44:49,386
And then the next day, I started
to feel a little bit better.
765
00:44:49,486 --> 00:44:50,788
And then the next
night, I felt--
766
00:44:50,888 --> 00:44:52,990
because I think we played
three nights or something.
767
00:44:53,090 --> 00:44:56,093
And by the third
night, I was kind of
768
00:44:56,193 --> 00:45:01,465
over this bug a little bit,
and was feeling better.
769
00:45:01,565 --> 00:45:05,035
But it made for great
copy and everything
770
00:45:05,135 --> 00:45:11,208
at the time, this hypnotist on
the side of the stage giving me
771
00:45:11,308 --> 00:45:12,810
these signals and everything.
772
00:45:12,910 --> 00:45:14,945
But it worked.
773
00:45:15,045 --> 00:45:16,080
ROBBIE ROBERTSON:
(SINGING) Go out
774
00:45:16,180 --> 00:45:18,882
yonder, peace in the valley.
775
00:45:18,982 --> 00:45:22,686
Come downtown, have to
rumble in the alley.
776
00:45:22,786 --> 00:45:26,657
Oh, you don't know
the shape I'm in.
777
00:45:30,194 --> 00:45:34,064
Anybody seem my lady?
778
00:45:34,164 --> 00:45:37,534
This living alone will--
it'll drive me crazy.
779
00:45:37,634 --> 00:45:42,005
Oh, you don't know
the shape I'm in.
780
00:45:42,106 --> 00:45:46,343
Richard was always
our lead singer.
781
00:45:46,443 --> 00:45:52,082
And I always just
felt real confident
782
00:45:52,182 --> 00:45:53,317
with Richard in the band.
783
00:45:53,417 --> 00:45:56,653
I knew that nobody had a
better singer in their band
784
00:45:56,754 --> 00:45:57,955
than what we had.
785
00:45:58,055 --> 00:45:59,189
Yeah, he was--
786
00:45:59,289 --> 00:46:02,359
you know, there was only
one Richard without a doubt.
787
00:46:02,459 --> 00:46:03,827
He was a friend of mine from--
788
00:46:03,927 --> 00:46:08,732
I met him before I actually
started playing in The Band.
789
00:46:08,832 --> 00:46:11,769
I met him in 1959.
790
00:46:11,869 --> 00:46:15,506
And yeah, he was a
party, party kind of guy.
791
00:46:15,606 --> 00:46:18,408
And he sure was one of
my favorite singers.
792
00:46:18,509 --> 00:46:23,647
He had this amazing power
to move you with his music,
793
00:46:23,747 --> 00:46:27,751
and with his voice,
and with his presence.
794
00:46:27,851 --> 00:46:30,787
I suppose it's just that thing
of if he came into a room,
795
00:46:30,888 --> 00:46:34,758
you just felt very drawn
to the amount of energy
796
00:46:34,858 --> 00:46:36,560
there was in this guy,
that was-- you know,
797
00:46:36,660 --> 00:46:41,031
he was very shaky, and he
was very fragile, and scared.
798
00:46:41,131 --> 00:46:46,069
And at some-- in some reverse
way, that had a lot of power.
799
00:46:46,170 --> 00:46:48,939
That drew you and attracted you.
800
00:46:49,039 --> 00:46:53,510
When we started
making The Band records,
801
00:46:53,610 --> 00:46:58,615
the hurt in his voice, the--
802
00:46:58,715 --> 00:47:05,989
it's kind of-- there's a certain
element of pain in there,
803
00:47:06,089 --> 00:47:08,025
that you didn't know whether
it's because he was trying
804
00:47:08,125 --> 00:47:12,095
to reach for the note, or he
was just a guy with, you know,
805
00:47:12,196 --> 00:47:14,431
a heart that had been hurt.
806
00:47:14,531 --> 00:47:28,345
(SINGING) If you find me in a
gloom, or catch me in a dream,
807
00:47:28,445 --> 00:47:35,819
inside my lonely room,
there is no in between.
808
00:47:38,889 --> 00:47:58,175
Whispering pines, rising of the
tide, if only one star shines,
809
00:47:58,275 --> 00:48:05,115
that's just enough
to get inside.
810
00:48:05,215 --> 00:48:10,587
I will wait until
it all goes 'round.
811
00:48:10,687 --> 00:48:17,060
With you in sight,
the lost are found.
812
00:48:20,230 --> 00:48:23,333
You know, I just--
813
00:48:23,433 --> 00:48:27,337
I, you know, it's just a--
814
00:48:27,437 --> 00:48:29,506
I'm sure it was a big
accident or a big mistake.
815
00:48:29,606 --> 00:48:32,342
In my, my head, that's
what it was, at least.
816
00:48:32,442 --> 00:48:34,711
You know, I can't believe that--
817
00:48:34,811 --> 00:48:37,748
I can't believe that
anybody feels that way.
818
00:48:37,848 --> 00:48:39,116
Richard was right there.
819
00:48:42,119 --> 00:48:43,887
And he never changed.
820
00:48:43,987 --> 00:48:46,657
Richard was as solid as
the Rock of Gibraltar.
821
00:48:46,757 --> 00:48:49,293
He wasn't wishy-washy at all.
822
00:48:49,393 --> 00:48:54,298
Richard's opinion today was
the same as it was yesterday.
823
00:48:54,398 --> 00:49:04,541
And Richard's policy was
to hold up his glass,
824
00:49:04,641 --> 00:49:07,311
and say, spend it all.
825
00:49:07,411 --> 00:49:09,179
And which is a
pretty good policy,
826
00:49:09,279 --> 00:49:10,714
when you think about it.
827
00:49:10,814 --> 00:49:14,151
ROBBIE ROBERTSON: (SINGING)
hopes will never die.
828
00:49:14,251 --> 00:49:25,462
I can feel you standing there,
but I don't see you anywhere.
829
00:49:31,501 --> 00:49:35,305
BERNIE TAUPIN: I think that
The Band took basically
830
00:49:35,405 --> 00:49:41,578
the legacy of bluegrass,
roots, rhythm and blues, Cajun,
831
00:49:41,678 --> 00:49:44,481
mountain music, whatever
you want to classify
832
00:49:44,581 --> 00:49:48,819
different terms of music
as, and basically created
833
00:49:48,919 --> 00:49:50,821
their own stew out of it.
834
00:49:50,921 --> 00:49:55,525
You take a song like "King
Harvest (Has Surely Come.)"
835
00:49:55,625 --> 00:49:57,127
Is that a blues song?
836
00:49:57,227 --> 00:50:00,897
There's a lot of blues in it,
but it's not a blues song.
837
00:50:00,997 --> 00:50:02,299
Is it a country song?
838
00:50:02,399 --> 00:50:03,500
Absolutely not.
839
00:50:03,600 --> 00:50:06,937
There's a progression
in there, a sweep, that
840
00:50:07,037 --> 00:50:09,239
country music doesn't have.
841
00:50:09,339 --> 00:50:18,181
And yet, there is an
anxiousness, a nervousness,
842
00:50:18,281 --> 00:50:21,651
a sense of being
alone in the singing,
843
00:50:21,752 --> 00:50:23,453
it's pure country music.
844
00:50:23,553 --> 00:50:24,654
Is it rock and roll?
845
00:50:24,755 --> 00:50:26,757
Sure, it's rock and roll.
846
00:50:26,857 --> 00:50:29,526
And you can go on from there.
847
00:50:29,626 --> 00:50:36,867
But there was a thing that
was absolutely essential for me
848
00:50:36,967 --> 00:50:41,538
in the song for it
to work or not work.
849
00:50:41,638 --> 00:50:44,975
And I'll show you
what this thing
850
00:50:45,075 --> 00:50:48,278
is here, as soon as the rhythm
comes back into the verse.
851
00:50:48,378 --> 00:50:49,880
THE BAND: (SINGING)
leaves from the magnolia
852
00:50:49,980 --> 00:50:51,381
trees in the meadow.
853
00:50:54,251 --> 00:50:57,187
King Harvest has surely come.
854
00:50:57,287 --> 00:50:58,388
This--
855
00:50:58,488 --> 00:51:00,957
THE BAND: (SINGING) A dry
summer, then comes fall.
856
00:51:01,057 --> 00:51:02,692
This--
857
00:51:02,793 --> 00:51:04,194
THE BAND: (SINGING)
Which I depend on--
858
00:51:04,294 --> 00:51:05,662
And the rhythm.
859
00:51:05,762 --> 00:51:07,931
And this is primarily
coming from--
860
00:51:08,031 --> 00:51:14,171
[drums and bass playing]
861
00:51:14,271 --> 00:51:20,077
What happens between the
bass and the bass drum
862
00:51:20,177 --> 00:51:25,182
was, to me, the whole basis
and foundation of the song.
863
00:51:25,282 --> 00:51:27,851
And it took us a
long time to get
864
00:51:27,951 --> 00:51:30,854
that feel so we just had it--
865
00:51:30,954 --> 00:51:33,590
that we didn't have to search
for it or fight for it.
866
00:51:33,690 --> 00:51:35,425
It was just automatically there.
867
00:51:35,525 --> 00:51:37,828
But what you don't really
want to do with that song
868
00:51:37,928 --> 00:51:39,229
is you don't want
to take it apart.
869
00:51:39,329 --> 00:51:43,767
You don't want to separate it
into its constituent elements.
870
00:51:43,867 --> 00:51:46,336
You just want to go with it.
871
00:51:46,436 --> 00:51:49,606
You want that song to take you
somewhere you haven't been.
872
00:51:49,706 --> 00:51:51,475
Or if you know the song,
you want it to take
873
00:51:51,575 --> 00:51:54,177
you where it took you before.
874
00:51:54,277 --> 00:51:56,713
You want to get
lost in that song.
875
00:51:56,813 --> 00:51:59,182
And when you're
lost in that song,
876
00:51:59,282 --> 00:52:08,258
you're floating through a
whole vast American story.
877
00:52:08,358 --> 00:52:12,729
In the story, to
me, is another piece
878
00:52:12,829 --> 00:52:16,600
that I remember from my youth,
that people looking forward,
879
00:52:16,700 --> 00:52:18,835
people out there in
the country somewhere,
880
00:52:18,935 --> 00:52:21,771
in a place we all know it,
and may have been there,
881
00:52:21,872 --> 00:52:22,772
may have not.
882
00:52:22,873 --> 00:52:25,075
But there's a lot
of, lot of people
883
00:52:25,175 --> 00:52:28,678
that the idea of
come autumn, come
884
00:52:28,778 --> 00:52:33,817
fall, that's when life begins.
885
00:52:33,917 --> 00:52:39,890
It is not the springtime where
we kind of think it begins.
886
00:52:39,990 --> 00:52:45,362
It is the fall, because
the harvests come in.
887
00:52:45,462 --> 00:52:48,565
THE BAND: (SINGING) The smell
of the leaves from the magnolia
888
00:52:48,665 --> 00:52:50,367
trees in the meadow.
889
00:52:53,403 --> 00:52:56,740
King Harvest is surely come.
890
00:52:56,840 --> 00:53:01,311
A dry summer, and
then come fall,
891
00:53:01,411 --> 00:53:05,916
which I depend on most of all.
892
00:53:06,016 --> 00:53:10,887
Hey, rainmaker, can't
you hear the call?
893
00:53:10,987 --> 00:53:14,758
Please let these
crops grow tall.
894
00:53:14,858 --> 00:53:17,027
The guy who's
singing the song,
895
00:53:17,127 --> 00:53:22,499
the farmer, this scared
person whose farm has failed,
896
00:53:22,599 --> 00:53:23,567
and whose--
897
00:53:23,667 --> 00:53:27,470
who has run to the
union, a farmers' union,
898
00:53:27,571 --> 00:53:34,110
for identity, for protection,
for a way to make a living.
899
00:53:34,211 --> 00:53:37,480
The ambiguity of that, if
you know anything at all
900
00:53:37,581 --> 00:53:42,152
about the story that's being
told there from other sources,
901
00:53:42,252 --> 00:53:46,022
it's a very, very
confusing, tricky song.
902
00:53:46,122 --> 00:53:49,893
And because it's so
confusing, you just listen
903
00:53:49,993 --> 00:53:51,995
to the worry in the voice.
904
00:53:52,095 --> 00:53:56,132
I mean, the desperation
in that singing
905
00:53:56,232 --> 00:53:59,836
gets stronger, and stronger,
and stronger as it goes on.
906
00:53:59,936 --> 00:54:03,106
And you can either embrace
it, or you can leave the room.
907
00:54:03,206 --> 00:54:07,744
THE BAND: (SINGING) Last year
this time, wasn't no joke.
908
00:54:07,844 --> 00:54:12,749
My whole farm went up in smoke.
909
00:54:12,849 --> 00:54:17,220
Our horse, Jethro,
well he went mad.
910
00:54:17,320 --> 00:54:21,224
I can't ever remember
things being that bad.
911
00:54:21,324 --> 00:54:26,696
Then here come a man
with a paper and pen,
912
00:54:26,796 --> 00:54:31,568
telling us our hard
times are about to end.
913
00:54:31,668 --> 00:54:37,407
And then, if they don't give
us what we like, he said, Men,
914
00:54:37,507 --> 00:54:39,876
that's when we
gotta go on strike.
915
00:54:43,380 --> 00:54:47,517
Corn in the fields, a little
bit of rice when the wind
916
00:54:47,617 --> 00:54:49,519
blows 'cross the water.
917
00:54:49,619 --> 00:54:51,054
I forgot that
guitar bit there.
918
00:54:51,154 --> 00:54:52,656
THE BAND: (SINGING) King
Harvest is surely come.
919
00:54:52,756 --> 00:54:55,325
So this is this guitar solo.
920
00:54:55,425 --> 00:54:59,329
[MUSIC - THE BAND, "KING
HARVEST"]
921
00:55:42,272 --> 00:55:46,876
Obviously, we didn't hear that
part on the finished product.
922
00:55:46,976 --> 00:55:49,112
It's Steinbeck, you
know, it's Faulkner.
923
00:55:49,212 --> 00:55:51,548
It's just-- I mean, and
without hoping that that
924
00:55:51,648 --> 00:55:52,849
doesn't sound pretentious.
925
00:55:52,949 --> 00:55:55,819
But it's like classic
American literature.
926
00:55:55,919 --> 00:55:58,788
And it's classic American music.
927
00:55:58,888 --> 00:56:00,423
I've got a
jukebox in my house,
928
00:56:00,523 --> 00:56:01,958
and their albums are on it.
929
00:56:02,058 --> 00:56:04,994
And I only put music
on there that--
930
00:56:05,095 --> 00:56:06,229
I want stuff on
there I don't want
931
00:56:06,329 --> 00:56:07,764
to keep changing every week.
932
00:56:07,864 --> 00:56:11,367
I want stuff that has
a long life to it.
933
00:56:11,468 --> 00:56:15,271
And that's how I valued
The Band's music.
934
00:56:15,372 --> 00:56:18,575
Their whole body of
work is very important,
935
00:56:18,675 --> 00:56:24,314
and not just to me, but to
the history of rock and roll,
936
00:56:24,414 --> 00:56:26,383
of music as it stands.
937
00:56:26,483 --> 00:56:29,953
The Band was unique in that we
didn't listen to anything else.
938
00:56:30,053 --> 00:56:32,489
We didn't care what was on
Sergeant Pepper at Pet Sounds.
939
00:56:32,589 --> 00:56:37,927
We liked them, but we
just were in isolation,
940
00:56:38,027 --> 00:56:43,466
influenced by very old,
established influences.
941
00:56:43,566 --> 00:56:45,869
So it kind of comes around,
goes around, you know.
942
00:56:45,969 --> 00:56:50,740
And I'm glad that we were able
to pass some of that along.
943
00:56:50,840 --> 00:56:52,375
Because when we were
younger, of course,
944
00:56:52,475 --> 00:56:55,879
we always wanted to change the
world, and thought we could.
945
00:56:55,979 --> 00:56:57,847
But now, I think we're smart
enough to know that we're just
946
00:56:57,947 --> 00:57:00,016
here to help the neighborhood.
947
00:57:00,116 --> 00:57:03,853
I thought, like, this
is definitely, you know--
948
00:57:03,953 --> 00:57:06,022
it's taken a while, and
it's taken some work,
949
00:57:06,122 --> 00:57:10,160
but this is a place that I
was really hoping it would go.
950
00:57:10,260 --> 00:57:12,529
The music was good.
951
00:57:12,629 --> 00:57:16,366
And everybody's
intentions seemed
952
00:57:16,466 --> 00:57:27,844
to be so right on, in our
goals and seemed to be in line.
953
00:57:27,944 --> 00:57:33,049
Everything seemed
to be righteous.
954
00:57:33,149 --> 00:57:36,953
Everything seemed
to be righteous.
955
00:57:37,053 --> 00:57:39,923
[music playing]
956
00:58:06,382 --> 00:58:07,417
It's on.
957
00:58:11,821 --> 00:58:13,256
JOHN SIMON: OK, you
want to try this?
958
00:58:13,356 --> 00:58:14,757
Let's see if it's all
right in the earphones.
959
00:58:14,858 --> 00:58:16,292
Just going to do a take.
960
00:58:16,392 --> 00:58:18,461
LEVON HELM: Let's
just do a take.
961
00:58:18,561 --> 00:58:20,797
JOHN SIMON: OK.
962
00:58:20,897 --> 00:58:23,933
Rolling, "Cranberry
Sauce," take one.
963
00:58:24,033 --> 00:58:24,834
Socks.
964
00:58:24,934 --> 00:58:27,637
- Socks.
- Cranberry Socks.
965
00:58:33,209 --> 00:58:36,279
One, two, three--
966
00:58:36,379 --> 00:58:41,384
[MUSIC - THE BAND, "WHISPERING
PINES"]
967
00:58:41,484 --> 00:58:48,892
THE BAND: (SINGING) If
you find me in the gloom,
968
00:58:48,992 --> 00:59:00,270
or catch me in a dream,
inside my lonely room,
969
00:59:00,370 --> 00:59:05,141
there is no in between.
75849
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