Track Listing

1. Across The Great Divide
2. Rag Mama Rag
3. Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
4. When You Awake
5. Up On Cripple Creek
6. Whispering Pines
7. Jemima Surrender
8. Rockin' Chair
9. Lookout Cleveland
10. Jawbone
11. Unfaithful Servant
12. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
13. Get Up Jake
14. Rag Mama Rag
15. Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
16. Up On Cripple Creek
17. Whispering Pines
18. Jemima Surrender
19. King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (2)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5360 in Music
• Released on: 2000-09-11
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Popularly known as The Brown Album, this is the collection people first think of when this august outfit's name is mentioned. The four parts Canadian, one part Arkansan quintet's sophomore effort boasts more soon-to-be-staples than any other Band studio recording, what with the likes of the Joan Baez hit "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", "Across the Great Divide" and "Up on Cripple Creek" standing out among the dozen uniformly memorable tracks. Lesser-known group originals such as the achingly lovely "Whispering Pines" and the cryptic "Unfaithful Servant", however, play crucial roles in giving this 1969 classic its unique flavour. Given the high standard established by The Band and its better-still 1968 predecessor, Music from Big Pink, it's not surprising the Band peaked early as a recording group. --Steven Stolder

CD Description
Initially renowned as Bob Dylan's backing group, the Band emerged from the singer's shadow to proclaim a distinctive talent. Drawing upon a musical canon embracing soul, country, folk, and rock 'n' roll, the quintet created a unique sound that was quintessentially American. Its rustic qualities were enhanced by principal songwriter Robbie Robertson, who created vistas suggestive of a pre-industrial age, and as such,captured the restlessness of the late '60s without the needfor explicit manifestos. Expressive singing, sublime melodies and telepathic musicianship instils THE BAND with quality, but its adult themes and perspectives ensure an absolute timelessness. An all-time critics' favourite.

Customer Reviews

I want to be there when THE BAND start playing
This album was brought to my attention by my Dylan ridden parents a few years ago. We don't call it the 'Brown Album' in our house, nor the Greatest Hits of The Band, we just refer to it simply as 'The Band' cause that is what it is in its most simplest, the music that symbolises the Band. Not only does each track release something different into the musical soul, but the artwork and story inside is very enjoyable. WHEN you buy it, if you haven't already, please look at the photos - at first glance, some bearded guys looking like tramps in a shabby old hut, but at a closer glance, you can see the 'coolness' of this great selection of musicians.

Each Band member with a different characteristic. Robbertson, the clever guitarist, expressive in the lyrics of many of the songs (one thing that comes to mind is the Last Waltz where he and Clapton on playing 'Further On Up The Road' and the enjoyment in both their eyes.) The dry, awakening sound of Levon Helm's voice, emphasising each point from the thought provoking lyrics, 'Up On Cripple Creek and Look Out Cleveland' my two faves from the album. The bass guitar and harmonies provided by Danko, not to mention those piercing black eyes boaring into your musical mind, especially on 'The Unfaithful Servant.' The hard hitting piano solos from Manuel that live on in 'Jawbone.' And last but by no means least, Garth Hudson, on the fancy organ, clavinette, accordion, slide trumpet and any others you can think of.

As you can probably guess, this album is in prime position in the top slots of my CD collection.

For those who haven't got this, I urhe you to buy it, for those who HAVE, then I demand you to listen to it...NOW!

One of the greatest albums of all time - give it a go.
After returning from the Reading festival I collasped upon my bed and weakly looked around me. In the corner of my room, at the front of my Vinyl collection was the cover of this album - finally - I knew why they where looking so miserable. Soaked, muddy, wet and bearded the photograph perfectly captures the tiredness and the sense of adventure which constitutes the unequal spirit of this album.

'Across The Great Divide' is as good an opening track as there ever was. Whilst it's tempting to laugh at the track as sounding like the theme tune to an American sit-com. the lyrics are equally self-depreciating and humorous. Witness the singer's nervousness as he shakyly asks - '...tell me hun, what you done, with the gun'!

Rag Mama Rag must surely be in line for a rap sample. sooner or later!. The violins, harsh and abrasive, immediately lead you into its story - sleeping bags, turn-offs, and bad comedians.

Up On Creeky Creak is classic music, the Night they Drove Old Dixie Down - moves the listener, as a story of sorrow and a chronical of a time that has clearly past.

What makes this album great is both its undeniable sense of fun - its jaunty 'rag' rythms, and the over-riding sense of sorrow. Whispering Pines encapsulates this perfecly. The music on everytrack effortlessly complements the changing lyrical moods. Whispering Pine's eriee organ surrounds the track, dronwing the singer's longing - 'Standing by the well, wishing for the rain...'

The Band on, 'The Band', succeed in covering a massive range of musical styles and emotions - a faculty which no doubt leads to comparisons with the Beta Band et al. What really moves the listener though is the stark simplicity, and the chance to witness stories of life and stories of defeat. Stories based in the reality of the American South and the univerisal verities of the human soul.

Essential listening - a perfect album in every way
N.B. The official review above is somewhat misleading as it is written as if Joan Baez composed "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" from this album; she did not. Robbie Robertson, guitarist of the band is the composer for anyone who didn't already know. Anyway, now to the important stuff...

Having had this album for a couple of months I find myself in a far more settled place in which to write a review that I know I can stand by for good. This band is absolutely essential, in the way that the Beatles, Elvis, Cash, Springsteen, the Stones, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye etc. etc. are essential. They captured in its purest form a method of storytelling that still has as much potency and passion now as it ever did back in the late 1960's. This, in my estimations (as well as many, many other musicians and music-lovers) forcefully eclipses any of the "classic" albums at the time (St. Peppers and Pet Sounds being the most acclaimed) in every single way.

From the stunning sway of "Across the Great Divide", right through to the undeniable anguish of "King Harvest", each song tells a vivid and engaging story, sung with such passion and played with such amazing talent, that this is simply the most artistically important album of the 20th century (in my eyes at the very least; I know at least some people agree).

If nobody knows the members of the Band, prepare to be engaged in the kind of enthralling empathy that no other band I have come across has yet instilled in me...

The Band consists of three vocalists; Richard Manuel (Pianist), Rick Danko (bassist) and Levon Helm (drummer), of which Richard was most definitely the lead. His voice is truly inspiring, breathtaking, and (once you know his fate) absolutely heartbreaking. Listen to "Whispering Pines" or "Rockin' Chair" off this album and you will know what I mean... indeed, buy the "Classic Albums" dvd of this to see just what sort of impact Richard had on the music and people involved with the Band. For those of you who do not know the Band, Richard committed suicide back in 1986 while touring with the reunited (ex-Robertson) band.

Let's not forget the force of the other vocalists and musicians within however, because each made a massive impact upon the music that came out of the "Big Pink" and "Band" sessions. The most impressive songs on this album are, without doubt "Across The Great Divide", "...Dixie...", "Unfaithful Servant", "Whispering Pines", "Rockin' Chair" and "When You Awake", all bona-fide classics. The other songs are just as impressive once you know the Band's music, but are a little more dense in scope and may take a few listens to fully appreciate.

Helm, a superb drummer, singer, and mandolin player, sings "Dixie" with the kind of passion nobody from out of the South of the US could. It's undeniable and frighteningly haunting. Similarly, Danko (also deceased) puts in superb vocal performances on "When You Awake" and "Unfaithful Servant".

All the musicians (except Robertson, who wrote nearly all the songs) are exceptional multi-instrumentalists who exhibit the kind of genius (and that includes Robertsons' guitar playing and songwriting) that maybe just one part of every classic band has; the disturbing thing is that every member of this band has it in spades.

The music itself is breathtaking in scope, not because of its component parts (although they too are magical), but because of the force and complexity of the textures that these musicians created... created, may I add, in the midst of post "St. Peppers" flimsy and whimsical psychedelia, and not scarred in any way by it (as much of the late 60's, early 70's music was). The underbelly of the songs is based upon Helm's substantial drumming, Danko's persistent and beautiful bass and Garth Hudson's complex textures of hammond and Clavinette.

This is timeless music for timeless troubles, music we can all grasp something from, whether it is hope, empathy, sadness, (envy!), or simple inspiration and respect.

Once of the very few "perfect" rock albums, in my opinion far greater than any album that came out of the '60's or 70's and simply one of the most awe-inspiring examples of songwriting, storytelling and musicianship that you will ever bear witness to.
Timeless and essential.