The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, by The Band

The Music Aficionado ^ | APRIL 25, 2016 | The Music Aficionado

[jacknhoo]

The late 60s saw a number of great artists looking back into the American past to find a new musical direction. Bob Dylan started the trend releasing John Wesley Harding, the album that produced All Along the Watchtower. The Byrds followed with Sweetheart of the Rodeo, a classic of Americana, and the Band released Music from Big Pink, the record that influenced countless musicians. For me the song that best symbolizes that chapter in music history is The Band’s The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down from their second album released in 1969, The Band.

[Fiji Hill]

The lyrics refer to the postwar era, when Confederate money was no longer good and the steamship Robert E. Lee began passenger service in the Mississippi valley.

[redangus]

The Robert E Lee was a train locomotive.

[Dogbert41]

I grew up with this song. Loved it being a Southern boy. Upon seeing the empty shelves this year, the song would come back to me. -The “take what you need and leave the rest, but they should never have taken the very best” reverberated every time I came across an empty isle of no toilet paper or paper towels.

[lee martell]

All due respect to The Band, but in my mind, as someone who grew up during that 70’s era, Joan Baez OWNS this song as a performer, and always will.

[ChildOfThe60s]

My 2 cents FWIW.

It is a great tune. A very emotional melody. Joan Baez’s cover is enjoyable, but not because of her singing, but because it’s a great melody to begin with.

But no one could compliment the melody and lyrics better than Levon Helm. That’s the other half of the equation IMO.

[JMS]

Absolutely agree re. Levon Helm’s vocals. This song pairs really well with their Acadian Diftwood detailing the Acadian migration from Canada to Louisiana giving us our Cajuns.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Haven’t Southerners suffered enough? I mean, there was also that night that the lights went out in Georgia! ;)

Love this song. I’m in the ‘Joan Camp’ as far as performances go on this one. :)

[inpajamas]

“Can’t sing this song anymore, so sad.”

I’m in Texas and when we have a gig, I’m not afraid or ashamed to sing it.

[FatherofFive]

I’m in Texas and when we have a gig, I’m not afraid or ashamed to sing it.

of course Texas is different. Ever sing it in Austin?

[TChad]

Interesting about Baez changing the lyrics unintentionally. I thought she did it on purpose, and disliked her version because of that. I thought she should have shown more respect for the original. It seems strange to me that no one told her that she used the wrong lyrics while she was rehearsing and recording. It’s a famous song.

[Jeff Chandler]

I loved Levon Helm’s voice.

[bigbob]

Find the live track of Marty Stuart playing “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” on Clarence’s B-bender and see what you think.

Best song on the album by far, imho.

McGuinn’s still an ass.

[Repeal The 17th]

BYRDS FAVS:
Mr. Tambourine Man-1965
Turn Turn Turn-1965
Eight Miles High-1966

[rockrr]

Man, it’s been ages since I heard that one. Thanks!

[LeoWindhorse]

Deo Vindice

[Tired of Taxes]

Great song.

[KevinB]

I was not impressed with anything on “Sweetheart of the Rodeo”

"You Ain't Going Nowhere" is good, but that's about it. I'm a big fan of Americana, but don't understand why SOTR is held in such high regard.

[deks]

I found a rather good version of this song by Dobie Gray.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SYtqI0PQLY

[Fresh Wind]

I always loved this beautiful song by The Band:

All La Glory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLXgPThb-WQ

[jacknhoo]

Excellent. Real entertainment.