The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

From the 1978 film 'The Last Waltz'

Virgil Caine is the name, and I served on the Danville train,
Til Stoneman's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again.
In the winter of '65, We were hungry, just barely alive.
By May tenth, Richmond had fell, it's a time I remember, oh so well,

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, when all the bells were ringing,
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, and all the people were singin'. They went,
Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na,
Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na,
Na, Na, Na,


Back with my wife in Tennessee, When one day she called to me,
Said "Virgil, quick, come and see, there goes the Robert E. Lee!"
Now I don't mind choppin' wood, and I don't care if the money's no good.
Ya take what ya need and ya leave the rest,
But they should never have taken the very best.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, when all the bells were ringing,
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, and all the people were singin'. They went,
Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na,
Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na,
Na, Na, Na,

Like my father before me, I will work the land,
And like my brother above me, who took a rebel stand.
He was just eighteen, proud and brave, But a Yankee laid him in his grave,
And I swear by the mud below my feet,
You can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, when all the bells were ringing,
The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, and all the people were singin'. They went,
Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na,
Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na,
Na, Na, Na,

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Robbie
• Robertson
• Rick
• Danko
• Levon
• Helm
• Richard
• Manuel
• Garth
• Hudson
• The
• Band
• Last
• Waltz

[SwoBob]

Levon's performance just leaves me awestruck. It is as if he is singing for his very life; or more appropriately, the life of The Band. Just when you think he has given all he's got, he steps on the clutch and does that little head tilt, then he is in a new gear with the hammer down. Watch right after "I don't mind choppin' wood" and again after "He was just eight-teen, proud and brave". By the end of the song the man is absolutely vibrating. I get chills every time.

[iangcunningham]

@tanksbb 100% correct. That is what makes Levon Helm so special....listen to Rock of Ages and you can really hear it. He sings right through fills and off beat drum lines without missing a step. Perfect example is Life is a Carnival. Most drummers struggle with the drums alone in that chorus because they're so unique and way off time. Not to mention singing on time while doing it. Levon Helm is the master, no one else (maybe Phil Collins?) has ever been able to do it like he does.

[RileyFields1000]

Damn Rebels got thier ass handed to them didnt they!

[hurstUNT]

my ex can suck it

[eroc1970]

song is amazing more people need to hear this song

[jimmyyazz]

hello poster, says on the info The Band is playing at Abbey Pub in Chicago March 2nd, curious is it Levon and his group, or Garth, or Cover group?

[thisisnebraskayall]

Absolutely beautiful. The kind of song that makes your hair stand up and really gets into you. also somehow makes me proud of being American. better than any of this garbage lil wayne or the band perry are calling 'music' these days.

[TheMarpahela]

Love' The Band'

[hurstUNT]

fucking amazing

[MrMikes1991]

this is maybe the best song/performance i have ever seen period

[Quantzification]

If you like The Band check out "The Silver Rollers". Wicked new group!

[kjallesoft]

NO COMMENT: I don't know what age commenters here might be ,but anyway ,if you really enjoy this kind of music ,let me tll you: "The Last Waltz" is a defenite milestone and one of

most representative highlights of its time. Enjoy!