Who's you favorite singer from "The Band" and your favorite song they sing?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by SteveSDCA, May 8, 2002.

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  1. SteveSDCA

    SteveSDCA Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    San Diego
    Mine's Richard Manuel and Whispering Pines
     
  2. John Oteri

    John Oteri New Member In Memoriam

    Location:
    Hollywood, CA
    Levon.

    Anything!
     
    ruben lopez likes this.
  3. Dave

    Dave Esoteric Audio Research Specialistâ„¢

    Location:
    B.C.
    Whoever sings The Weight has got my vote.

    It doesn't say on my MFSL. Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson?
    I just started to get into The Band and don't know about any details. Are there any other stellar recordings besides this and Steve's Stagefright on cd?
     
  4. czeskleba

    czeskleba Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    Levon sings "The Weight", except for the last verse about Crazy Chester, which is sung by Rick. Robbie Robertson hardly ever sings on Band albums. Maybe about three times on all their albums (three times too many, if you ask me). "To Kingdom Come" is one example of his voice.

    My favorite is Rick, and the covers of "Long Black Veil" and "A Change is Gonna Come" are his finest hours.
     
  5. peterC

    peterC Aussie Addict

    Location:
    sydney
    If they let Robbie sing about 3 times (too many, agreed) just imagine how bad Garth's voice must be!!

    That of course is the problem with Robbie's solo albums, apart from the material.

    Levon gets my vote too with Richard not far behind.

    Levon's got that wonderful down-home drawl so suited to Robbie's songs. You should try singing those songs with an australian accent!
     
  6. Lorin

    Lorin Senior Member

    Location:
    Fl.
    Rick Danko - It Makes No Difference
     
  7. lbangs

    lbangs Senior Member

    Levon Helm - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

    Shalom, y'all!

    L. Bangs
     
  8. peterC

    peterC Aussie Addict

    Location:
    sydney
    Add Unfaithful Servant to that list.

    He was very courageous to take on "A Change is Gonna Come" considering the brilliance of the earlier versions by Sam and Otis.

    Maybe the much more recent Neville Brothers version beats them all, but then again, maybe not.
     
  9. Beagle

    Beagle Senior Member

    Location:
    Ottawa
    I've always had a soft spot for "Acadian Driftwood", to me that represents what The Band and Robbie Robertson were all about.
     
  10. Ken_McAlinden

    Ken_McAlinden MichiGort Staff

    Location:
    Livonia, MI
    I'm with Lorin: Danko and "It Makes No Difference". I particularly like the version from the "Last Waltz". The guitar and sax solos are just icing on an emotionally expressive cake. :)

    Regards,
     
  11. njwiv

    njwiv Senior Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    I can't choose among the three primary vocalists. They are so unique and arresting, each in his own way. Levon's ability to sing in his own accent without it sounding like an affectation may give him a slight edge in my mind, but early Richard is just devastating, and Rick's fluttery singing gets me every time. My choices for each vocalist off the top of my head:

    Richard - "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" -- honorable mention to "Lonesome Suzie", "Rockin' Chair", "Whispering Pines", "The Shape I'm In" and "Share Your Love With Me".

    Levon - "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" -- honorable mention to "The Weight", "Rag Mama Rag", "Up On Cripple Creek", "All La Glory", "Life Is A Carnival", "Ophelia" and "Mystery Train".

    Rick - "It Makes No Difference" -- honorable mention to "Stage Fright", "The Unfaithful Servant", "When You Awake", "A Change Is Gonna Come", and "The Saga of Pepote Rouge"

    As for Robbie, "Bessie Smith" and "To Kingdom Come" are nice but since he is not singing alone out front on those two, I'd choose "Out Of The Blue" as his best solo vocal performance with The Band.

    By the way, Garth does provide vocals on The Band's cover of "Youngblood" from the Doc Pomus tribute album Til The Night Is Gone.

    Jay
     
  12. GIG

    GIG New Member

    It's gotta be Rick - It makes no difference; sad and majestic
     
  13. TommyTunes

    TommyTunes Senior Member

    Levon, hands down favorite. I point that I would like to bring up is that having had the pleasure of seeing them several times in the 70's all the way up through their last tour, is what a MONSTER guitar player Robbie really is. Although often credited as a gifted songwriter the name is even a more accomplished guitarist, sadly his performance power never translated onto record.
    Their final live NYC show at the old Academy of Music still ranks as my number one all time favorite concert.
     
  14. DanG

    DanG On Green Dolphin Street

    Location:
    Florida
    Does Rick sing on The Rumor? If so, then all three main vocalists are on that tune, trading lines. Great stuff.

    I know there are a few tunes where they trade lines, or verses. The Weight. Daniel and the Sacred Harp.

    I don't have a favorite singer from The Band, I agree with Jay, they're each different, each exceptional.
     
  15. John Carsell

    John Carsell Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northwest Illinois
    For me it's Levon!

    And it's a tie between The Weight and Up On Cripple Creek.
     
  16. Craig

    Craig (unspecified) Staff

    Location:
    North of Seattle
    I agree with Steve W....

    Richard Manual - Whispering Pines
     
  17. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    "Up On Cripple Creek". Love the sound of the drums. It's funky. I love "StageFright" but my vote's for "UOCC".
     
  18. Henry Love

    Henry Love Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicagoland
    It Makes No Difference from The Last Waltz.Thought so the first time I saw the movie and still feel the same way after seeing the new screening.
     
  19. JPartyka

    JPartyka I Got a Home on High

    Location:
    USA
    Definitely Richard Manuel. My favorite cut featuring his vocals is probably his own song "In A Station" from Big Pink. I've always thought he was an even better songwriter than Robbie Robertson, even if he gave up writing after Stage Fright.

    To me he's just the best white soul singer ever. His voice had such a palpable ache in it.

    (Was "In A Station" ever performed live??)

    Richard, of course, excelled on so many other Band tunes, including "Katie's Been Gone," "I Shall Be Released," "Tears of Rage," "We Can Talk," "Rockin' Chair," "Across the Great Divide," "King Harvest," "Sleeping," that great early Levon & the Hawks single "He Don't Love You" ... too many to list.

    A live solo Manuel CD recorded not long before he died has just been issued in Japan. Anyone heard it yet?

    I adore Levon's and Rick's voices too ... I'm just a huge fan of everyone in that band.
     
  20. njwiv

    njwiv Senior Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Jeff,

    Jan Høiberg's amazing website dedicated to The Band indicates that "In A Station" was played live on June 26, 1976 at Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA (see the Tape Archive section at http://theband.hiof.no/ ). His site is one of the very best on the internet devoted to any subject.

    As for Richard's "new" album, checking out the Guestbook at the website, it does not appear that it will actually be released until 5/27.

    Jay
     
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