# R.I.P. Robbie Robertson **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death, music\ **Created:** [August 9, 2023, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332 "2023-08-09T20:49:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/1 "2023-08-09T20:49:47Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/2 "2023-08-09T20:54:55Z")
Great musician, bit of a dick; I think that sums up most of his career. I’ll try to remember the music. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/3 "2023-08-09T20:55:38Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/4 "2023-08-09T20:58:07Z")
Damn. That’s 4/5ths gone. I’ll be watching the last waltz again. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/5 "2023-08-09T21:33:24Z")
> [@pjd](#): > > That’s 4/5ths gone. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/6 "2023-08-09T21:45:50Z")
Oh. I’m sad. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/7 "2023-08-09T22:05:08Z")
You can stay at [Big Pink](https://www.vrbo.com/en-ca/cottage-rental/p3970069) via Vrbo. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/8 "2023-08-09T22:06:04Z")
Damn. One of my all time favorites. He’s involved in the upcoming Martin Scorsese film _Killers of the Flower Moon._ ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/9 "2023-08-09T22:08:20Z")
His self-titled solo album has remained in my top 5 favorite album list since the day it came out. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/10 "2023-08-09T22:37:27Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/11 "2023-08-09T22:41:57Z")
Great songwriter. The Band has always been underrated in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/12 "2023-08-09T23:29:16Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/13 "2023-08-09T23:44:05Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/14 "2023-08-09T23:44:57Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OaXJYBHoxuo/maxresdefault.jpg "Broken Arrow") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaXJYBHoxuo) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2023, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/15 "2023-08-09T23:50:30Z")
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. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ph1GU1qQ1zQ/maxresdefault.jpg "The Weight | Featuring Ringo Starr and Robbie Robertson | Playing For Change | Song Around The World") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph1GU1qQ1zQ) ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/16 "2023-08-10T00:07:01Z")
That’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/17 "2023-08-10T01:05:08Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/18 "2023-08-10T12:30:00Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2023, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/19 "2023-08-10T12:52:43Z")
> [@Oly](#): > > Ever notice how the lyrics of The Who’s _Who Are You_ fit almost perfectly with the tune of _The Weight_? 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. ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2023, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332/20 "2023-08-11T02:09:44Z")
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.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-robbie-robertson/988332.md?page=2)