The Band put out some great music, much of which Robertson wrote or co-wrote. I know he had a reputation as a bit of a dick, but I sure enjoyed his work.
Great musician, bit of a dick; I think that sums up most of his career. I’ll try to remember the music.
Ah jeez. The musicians of my youth are dropping like flies.
Besides The Band, I also enjoyed a lot of his solo music-- his eponymous solo album, Storyville, Music for the Native Americans.
Damn.
That’s 4/5ths gone.
I’ll be watching the last waltz again.
My sister was saying on the weekend that she had been listening to music of people from her youth who had passed away including The Band.
Me: Robbie Robertson died?
Her: No Garth Brooks
Her: No, I mean Garth Hudson
Her: Oh, I guess it’s just his birthday but he is pretty old.
Now I feel responsible.
Oh. I’m sad.
You can stay at Big Pink via Vrbo.
Damn. One of my all time favorites. He’s involved in the upcoming Martin Scorsese film Killers of the Flower Moon.
His self-titled solo album has remained in my top 5 favorite album list since the day it came out.
A bit before my time, but my brother liked him and I like three of his songs a great deal. He helped put Canadian music on the map.
Great songwriter. The Band has always been underrated in my opinion.
Robbie has been in my regular rotation for decades. His music was poetry.
As a fellow Torontonian, I will miss him even more. May his memory be a blessing.
The Band were AFAIC the foundation of everything we know today as Americana, roots music or what have you. And as much as I love Big Pink and The Band, I somehow seem to dig The Basement Tapes even more.
And yes, Robertson’s first solo album was pretty great, too. RIP.
I’m pretty sure this was posted here when it first came out but it’s worth another look. Robbie’s son Sebastian is one of those behind the project.
That’s awesome.
Whenever I’ve heard his name spoken, I’ve heard those opening chords for ‘The Weight’, in my head.
Exactly as he plays them in that video. It’s awesome.
My husband, back in his drunken hammerhead days, whenever he came home drunk but awake ish, would put on ‘The Last Waltz’. It was his go to ‘I’m really drunk’ music!
Great musician, great band, great music. Rest In Peace.
At the risk of hijacking, but I think it’s related enough:
Ever notice how the lyrics of The Who’s Who Are You fit almost perfectly with the tune of The Weight?
Pulled into Nazareth, was feeling ‘bout half past dead = I woke up in a Soho doorway, a policeman knew my name….and it goes on from there.
The themes of searching and moving from place to place are also similar, as well as the descriptive writing styles. But their moods, of course, are very different.
This is pretty common with standard 4/4 songs. I’m a campfire-level singer and guitar player, and a fun thing to do is sing Amazing Grace to the tune of House of the Rising Sun and vice-versa.
I don’t know anything about the scientifical parts of music. I just thought it was coincidence. But since reading your comment this morning, I’ve spent a lot of the day putting other lyrics to the tune of The Weight. It’s amazing how many fit! Pinball Wizard’s another good one. (I’m a big Who fan.)