America in an Hour
Recently, I had a chance to listen to a collection of tunes that I’d not heard in a while. That collection was The Band’s 2000 Greatest Hits compilation CD.
While listening, an idea finally “clicked” into place. It’s something I think I realized subconsciously. But it wasn’t until now that I could finally put it into words.
The collection is a wonderful description of American life.
- Feeling stretched thin and overwhelmed? Listen to The Weight.
- Smitten with the wrong person? Listen to Chest Fever.
- Spending a lot of time on the road? Try Up on Cripple Creek.
- Feeling down and out? Listen to The Shape I’m In.
- Want desperate, but carrying on anyway? Check out King Harvest (Has Surely Come).
- Have doubts, but are making yourself push through same? Give Stage Fright a listen.
- Want a big-city street vibe, of the good kind? Try Life Is a Carnival.
- In a comfortable, easy relationship? Time to Kill.
- Love lost? Ophelia and Rag Mama Rag fit the bill.
- Trying to understand the rural South, even today? Listen to The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down.
- Except for Cajun country. For that, try Acadian Driftwood.
Maybe add Arlo Guthrie’s City of New Orleans if you want a bit more background and/or the sense of things lost due to change. But even without Guthrie, the set IMO explains much.
No, it doesn’t cover everything. But it gives a pretty decent overview, IMO – even if heavily weighted towards rural and Southern.
It’s worth a listen, especially if it’s been a while. So enjoy the links above if you like.
Damn, those guys were good.
. . .
And before I forget: happy 4th, all.
Category: Pointless blather, Who knows
Hondo…Thanks. I have always liked The Band and have the CD you wrote of. You are so right. There is a lot more in their music and a lot of artist’s music than most realize. In my opinion Levon Helm brought a lot of southern influence to The Band. They are all great artists and musicians, each in their own respect. Even, bless his heart, “please don’t sing into a live mic”, Robbie Robertson. 😀
It really is something the way The Band evokes the American South so much, considering that with the sole exception of Levon Helm, the members were all Canadian.
Appreciate the Arlo Guthrie song, Hondo. I used to ride the rails everywhere I needed to go. It’s a shame that real passenger rail was replaced by Amtrak.
What, no “Devil Went Down to Georgia”?
I’d also recommend Rush’s “New World Man”.
Not sure if any you guys have seen “The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada”. It is a Tommy Lee Jones film and I think it is awesome. There is a blind old cowboy in it I think you will like.
I was really sad when this world lost Levon Helm.