The Band – The Last Waltz
The Last Waltz is a triple live album recording of The Band's final concert on 25 November 1976 at Winterland Arena in San Francisco. The album ranked 44th in Bob Mersereau's book in 2007, 31st in the Mar*Star's poll and 38th in the poll.
The Last Waltz was a bigger commercial hit than The Band's recent studio releases, reaching #13 in Canada and #16 in the US, and was met with solid critical reviews:
- AllMusic gave it 4 stars out of 5, saying that, as a soundtrack, it doesn't live up to the movie or the Band's previous live album, Rock of Ages
- Robert Christgau graded it a B+, saying that "the movie improves when you can't see it" and that he bets "this ages a lot better than Woodstock"
- Rolling Stone gave it 4 stars in both 1983 (The New Record Guide) and 1992 (The Album Guide)
The concert was also released as a film, directed by Martin Scorsese. I remember attending the film on at least two occasions in Toronto, during my spring drop-out semester as a dirt bagger, and then dragging a truck-load of friends to see it in the Sault, during the fall of 1978. My ability to recognize all the performers, and point out the intricate details of their performances, helped build my cred with the high school music crowd.
Origins: |
Toronto |
Label: |
Warner Bros. |
Release Date: |
7 April 1978 |
Producer: |
Robbie Robertson |
Style: |
rock |
Mar*Star 125: |
31 |
Mar*Star 150: |
16 |
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- "Theme from The Last Waltz" (Robbie Robertson) – 3:28
- "Up on Cripple Creek" (Robbie Robertson) – 4:24
- "Who Do You Love?" (Ellis McDaniels) – 4:16
- "Helpless" (Neil Young) – 5:47
- "Stage Fright" (Robbie Robertson) – 4:25
- "Coyote" (Joni Mitchell) – 5:50
- "Dry Your Eyes" (Neil Diamond, Robbie Robertson) – 3:57
- "It Makes No Difference" (Robbie Robertson) – 6:48
- "Such a Night" (Mac Rebennack) – 4:00
- "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Robbie Robertson) – 4:34
- "Mystery Train" (Herman Parker Jr., Sam Phillips) – 4:59
- "Mannish Boy" (Melvin London, McKinley Morganfield, Ellis McDaniels) – 6:54
- "Further on Up the Road" (J. Medwick Veasey, D.B. Robey) – 5:08
- "Shape I'm In" (Robbie Robertson) – 4:06
- "Down South in New Orleans" (Jim Anglin, Johnnie Wright, Jack Anglin) – 3:06
- "Ophelia" (Robbie Robertson) – 3:53
- "Tura Lura Lural (That's an Irish Lullaby)" (James Royce Shannon) – 4:15
- "Caravan" (Van Morrison) – 6:02
- "Life Is a Carnival" (Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson) – 4:32
- "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" (Rev. Gary Davis) – 3:00
- "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)" (Bob Dylan) – 3:23
- "Forever Young" (Bob Dylan) – 4:42
- "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (reprise)" (Rev. Gary Davis) – 2:46
- "I Shall Be Released" (Bob Dylan) – 5:22
"The Last Waltz Suite" (Robbie Robertson):
- "The Well" – 3:27
- "Evangeline" – 3:17
- "Out of the Blue" – 3:08
- "The Weight" – 4:38
- "The Last Waltz Refrain" – 1:28
- "Theme from The Last Waltz" (with orchestra) – 3:22
The Band
- Rick Danko – bass, violin, vocal (on 5, 8, 15, 19, 26, 27, 28)
- Levon Helm – drums, mandolin, vocal (on 2, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, 26, 28)
- Garth Hudson – organ, accordion, saxophone, synthesizers, horn arrangements (on 13, 16), horns (on 25)
- Richard Manuel – piano, keyboards, drums, vocal (on 14, 17, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
- Robbie Robertson – guitar, vocal (on 25, 27, 28, 29), piano (on 25, 27)
Guests
- Paul Butterfield – vocal (on 11), harmonica (on 11, 12), background vocal (on 24)
- Eric Clapton – vocal (on 13), guitar(on 13), background vocal (on 24)
- Neil Diamond – vocal (on 7), guitar (on 7), background vocal (on 24)
- Bob Dylan – vocal (on 20, 21, 22, 23, 24), guitar (on 20, 21, 22, 23)
- Emmylou Harris – vocal (on 26), guitar (on 26)
- Ronnie Hawkins – vocal (on 3), background vocal (on 24)
- Dr. John – vocal (on 9, 15), piano (on 9), conga (on 6), guitar (on 15), background vocal (on 24)
- Joni Mitchell – vocal (on 6), guitar (on 6), background vocal (on 4, 24)
- Van Morrison – vocal (on 17, 18), background vocal (on 24)
- The Staples (on 28)
- Mavis Staples – vocal
- Roebuck Staples – vocal, guitar
- Ringo Starr – drums (on 24)
- Muddy Waters – vocal (on 12)
- Ron Wood – guitar (on 24)
- Neil Young – vocal (on 4), guitar (on 4), harmonica (on 4), background vocal (on 24)
- Dennis St. John – drums (on 7)
- Bob Margolin – guitar (on 12)
- Joe "Pine Top" Perkins – piano (on 12)
- Bobby Charles – vocal (on 15), background vocal (on 24)
- John Simon – piano (on 17), horn & strong arrangement (on 30)
- Alison Hormel – backup vocal (on 30)
Horn Section
- Rich Cooper – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Jim Gordon – tenor sax, flute, clarinet
- Jerry Hay – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Howard Johnson – tuba, baritone, flugelhorn, bass clarinet, horn arrangement (on 5, 14)
- Charlie Keagle – alto sax, flute, clarinet, tenor sax, soprano sax
- Tom Malone – trombone, euphonium, alto flute, bass trombone, horn arrangement (on 5, 28)
- Larry Packer – electric fiddle
- Allen Toussaint – horn arrangement (on 10, 19)
- Henry Glover – horn arrangement (on 17)