The Last Waltz (1978 album)

Last updated
The Last Waltz
LastWaltzCover.jpg
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedApril 7, 1978 (1978-04-07)
RecordedNovember 25, 1976
VenueWinterland Arena, San Francisco, CA
Genre Rock
Length129:06
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Robbie Robertson
The Band chronology
Anthology
(1978)
The Last Waltz
(1978)
To Kingdom Come
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide B+ [2]
Rolling Stone (not rated) [3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]

The Last Waltz is the second live album by The Band, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1978, catalogue 3WS 3146. It is the soundtrack to the 1978 film of the same name, and the final album by the original configuration of the Band. It peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200.

Contents

Contents

The triple album documents the Band's "farewell" concert which took place at Bill Graham's Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving Day 1976. The event included an actual Thanksgiving dinner for 5000 attendees, with ballroom dancing and a stage set for La Traviata borrowed from the San Francisco Opera. [5]

The concert featured songs by the Band interspersed with the group backing up a variety of musical guests. These included many with whom they had worked in the past, notably their previous employers Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan. Van Morrison, a Woodstock neighbor, had co-written and sung on the track "4% Pantomime" for the Cahoots album. Individual members of the Band had played with the invitees on the following albums: in 1972 with Bobby Charles for his self-titled album; in 1973 with Ringo Starr on Ringo ; in 1974 with Joni Mitchell on Court and Spark and with Neil Young on On the Beach and Homegrown (the latter album unreleased until 2020); in 1975 with Muddy Waters and Paul Butterfield on The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album; in 1976 with Eric Clapton on No Reason to Cry and with Neil Diamond on Beautiful Noise .

Sides one through five of the album consisted of songs taken from the concert. Side six comprised "The Last Waltz Suite", new numbers composed by Robertson and performed by the Band on an MGM soundstage. [6] The suite featured Emmylou Harris and, on a remake of "The Weight", Roebuck and Mavis Staples. The music received overdubs at Village Recorders and Shangri-La Studios in post-production, owing to faults recorded during the concert. [7]

On April 16, 2002, a box set reissue of the album arrived in stores, including everything released on the original with additional tracks taken from the concert.

Track listing

The performance of "Helpless" by Neil Young features backing vocals by Joni Mitchell; Paul Butterfield plays harmonica for Muddy Waters on "Mannish Boy"; Dr. John plays congas on "Coyote" and plays guitar on "Down South in New Orleans"; the entire ensemble sings back-up on the closer, "I Shall Be Released".

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Singer/Guest PerformerLength
1."Theme from The Last Waltz" Robbie Robertson  3:28
2."Up on Cripple Creek"Robertson Levon Helm 4:44
3."Who Do You Love?" Ellas McDaniel Ronnie Hawkins 4:16
4."Helpless"Young Neil Young 5:47
5."Stage Fright"Robertson Rick Danko 4:25
Total length:22:40
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Singer/Guest PerformerLength
1."Coyote"Mitchell Joni Mitchell 5:50
2."Dry Your Eyes"Diamond, Robertson Neil Diamond 3:57
3."It Makes No Difference"RobertsonRick Danko6:48
4."Such a Night" Mac Rebennack Dr. John 4:00
Total length:20:35
Side three
No.TitleWriter(s)Singer/Guest PerformerLength
1."The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"RobertsonLevon Helm4:34
2."Mystery Train" Junior Parker, Sam Phillips Paul Butterfield, Levon Helm4:59
3."Mannish Boy" Mel London, McDaniel, McKinley Morganfield Muddy Waters 6:54
4."Further on Up the Road" Robey, Veasey Eric Clapton 5:08
Total length:21:35
Side four
No.TitleWriter(s)Singer/Guest PerformerLength
1."The Shape I'm In"Robertson Richard Manuel 4:06
2."Down South in New Orleans"J. Wright, J. Anglin Bobby Charles, Dr. John3:06
3."Ophelia"RobertsonLevon Helm3:53
4."Tura Lura Lural (That's an Irish Lullaby)"Shannon Van Morrison, Richard Manuel4:15
5."Caravan"MorrisonVan Morrison6:02
Total length:21:22
Side five
No.TitleWriter(s)Singer/Guest PerformerLength
1."Life Is a Carnival"Danko, Helm, RobertsonLevon Helm, Rick Danko4:32
2."Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" Reverend Gary Davis, Rick von Schmidt Bob Dylan 3:00
3."I Don't Believe You"DylanBob Dylan3:23
4."Forever Young"DylanBob Dylan4:42
5."Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (Reprise)"Davis, von SchmidtBob Dylan2:46
6."I Shall Be Released"DylanBob Dylan, Richard Manuel6:22
Total length:24:45
Side six
No.TitleWriter(s)Singer/Guest PerformerLength
1."The Well"RobertsonRichard Manuel3:27
2."Evangeline"RobertsonRick Danko, Emmylou Harris, Levon Helm3:17
3."Out of the Blue"Robertson Robbie Robertson 3:03
4."The Weight"RobertsonLevon Helm, Mavis Staples, Pops Staples, Rick Danko4:38
5."The Last Waltz Refrain"RobertsonRichard Manuel, Robbie Robertson1:28
6."Theme from The Last Waltz"Robertson 3:22
Total length:19:25 (130:22)

Personnel

The Band

The horn section

Guest personnel

Production personnel

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Robertson</span> Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist

Jaime Royal "Robbie" Robertson, OC, is a Canadian musician. He is best known for his work as lead guitarist and songwriter for the Band, and for his career as a solo recording artist. With the deaths of Richard Manuel in 1986, Rick Danko in 1999, and Levon Helm in 2012, Robertson is one of only two living original members of the Band, with the other being Garth Hudson.

<i>Everything Must Go</i> (Steely Dan album) 2003 studio album by Steely Dan

Everything Must Go is the ninth studio album by American rock group Steely Dan. It was released on June 10, 2003, by Reprise Records, and was the band's second album following their 20-year studio hiatus spanning 1980 through 2000, when they released Two Against Nature. Everything Must Go is the band's most recent studio album and their last with founding member Walter Becker before his death in 2017.

<i>The Last Waltz</i> 1978 concert film directed by Martin Scorsese

The Last Waltz was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The Last Waltz was advertised as The Band's "farewell concert appearance", and the concert had The Band joined by more than a dozen special guests, including their previous employers Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan, as well as Paul Butterfield, Bobby Charles, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood, and Neil Young. The musical director for the concert was The Band's original record producer, John Simon.

<i>Kamakiriad</i> 1993 studio album by Donald Fagen

Kamakiriad is the second solo album by Steely Dan artist Donald Fagen, released in 1993. It was his first collaboration with Steely Dan partner Walter Becker since 1986, on Rosie Vela's album Zazu. Becker played guitar and bass and produced the album. The album is a futuristic, optimistic eight-song cycle about the journey of the narrator in his high-tech car, the Kamakiri. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year 1994.

<i>The Last Waltz</i> (2002 album) 2002 soundtrack album & box set by The Band

The Last Waltz is a 2002 four-disc box set re-release of the 1978 album The Last Waltz documenting the concert The Last Waltz, the last concert by the Band with its classic line up. A full forty tracks are taken from the show in addition to rehearsal outtakes. Twenty-four tracks are previously unreleased.

<i>Wings over America</i> 1976 live album by Wings

Wings over America is a triple live album by the British–American rock band Wings, released in December 1976. The album was recorded during the American leg of the band's 1975–76 Wings Over the World tour. It peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart and reached number 1 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart.

<i>Both Sides Now</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 2000 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Both Sides Now is a concept album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell that was released in 2000. It is her 17th studio album. The album won two Grammy Awards in 2001 for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for the song "Both Sides Now" and a Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year.

<i>A Musical History</i> 2005 box set by The Band

A Musical History is the second box set to anthologize Canadian-American rock group The Band. Released by Capitol Records on September 27, 2005, it features 111 tracks spread over five compact discs and one DVD. Roughly spanning the group's journey from 1961 to 1977, from their days behind Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan through the departure of Robbie Robertson and the first disbanding of the group. The set includes highlights from each of the group's first seven studio albums and both major live recordings and nearly forty rare or previously unreleased performances.

<i>Dog Eat Dog</i> (Joni Mitchell album) 1985 studio album by Joni Mitchell

Dog Eat Dog is the 12th studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, released in 1985. It was her second album for Geffen Records.

<i>Rain Dances</i> 1977 studio album by Camel

Rain Dances is the fifth studio album by English progressive rock band Camel. It was released in 1977 on Gama Records/Decca Records, and brought a major change to the band's lineup, by replacing bassist Doug Ferguson with ex-Caravan member Richard Sinclair and by adding saxophonist Mel Collins, formerly of King Crimson.

<i>Beautiful Noise</i> 1976 studio album by Neil Diamond

Beautiful Noise is the tenth album by Neil Diamond and his third with Columbia Records, released in 1976. "Dry Your Eyes" was performed with The Band at their farewell show and is featured in Martin Scorsese's The Last Waltz.

<i>Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V</i> 2010 studio album by Rod Stewart

Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V is the fifth title in Rod Stewart's series of covers of pop standards, released on 19 October 2010, and his 26th studio album overall. It has sold 363,000 copies as of October 2012.

<i>The Definitive Collection</i> (Little River Band album) 2002 greatest hits album by Little River Band

The Definitive Collection is a greatest hits compilation by Australian rock group Little River Band, released in 2002. The album debuted and peaked on the ARIA chart in April 2015 at number 32 and was certified double platinum.

<i>Togetherness</i> (album) 1978 studio album by L.T.D.

Togetherness is the fifth studio album by Los Angeles, California -based band, L.T.D., released in 1978 on the A&M label.

<i>Gold Dust</i> (Tori Amos album) Album by Tori Amos

Gold Dust is the 13th solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Tori Amos, released on October 1, 2012 by Deutsche Grammophon and Mercury Classics. The album is produced by Amos with arrangements by long-time collaborator John Philip Shenale. Inspired by and following in a similar vein as Amos's previous effort, the classical music album Night of Hunters (2011), Gold Dust features some of her previously released alternative rock and baroque pop songs re-worked in an orchestral setting. The material for Gold Dust, consisting of songs selected by Amos spanning her entire catalogue from Little Earthquakes (1992) through Midwinter Graces (2009), was recorded with the Metropole Orchestra, conducted by Jules Buckley.

<i>Sunken Condos</i> 2012 studio album by Donald Fagen

Sunken Condos is the fourth and most recent solo album from Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen, released in October 2012 through Reprise Records. It contains eight new songs and a cover of Isaac Hayes' "Out of the Ghetto". Fagen began recording the album in 2010 and described it as having a lighter feel than his earlier work, rather than being a continuation of his Nightfly trilogy.

<i>Dreams</i> (Neil Diamond album) 2010 studio album by Neil Diamond

Dreams is the thirty-first studio album by Neil Diamond. It was produced by Diamond and released by Columbia Records in 2010. The album contains cover versions of popular songs that Diamond claims in the liner notes are among his favorites. Among them is "I'm a Believer", which he wrote for The Monkees back in 1966. Dreams ranked at number eight on the Billboard 200 chart.

<i>Culcha Vulcha</i> 2016 studio album by Snarky Puppy

Culcha Vulcha is an album by American jazz fusion group Snarky Puppy that was released on April 29, 2016. The album includes performances by a number of musicians associated with the band and called "the Fam". The band's first studio album in eight years since Bring Us the Bright, it was recorded at the Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas near El Paso and Atlantic Sound Studios in Brooklyn, New York, by Nic Hard.

<i>Come Tomorrow</i> (album) Album by Dave Matthews Band

Come Tomorrow is the ninth studio album by Dave Matthews Band, and was released on June 8, 2018. The album is their first since 2012's Away from the World.

<i>Immigrance</i> 2019 studio album by Snarky Puppy

Immigrance is the thirteenth album by American jazz fusion group Snarky Puppy. It was released on March 15, 2019 and debuted at #2 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart in the United States.

References

  1. The Last Waltz at AllMusic
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  3. Rolling Stone
  4. Brackett, Nathan, with Hoard, Christian (eds) (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th edn). New York, NY: Fireside. p. 42. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  5. Orr, John. "The Last Waltz" article from The Band Website retrieved 20-11-10.
  6. Orr, as above.
  7. The Last Waltz, original vinyl issue, sleeve notes.
  8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 321. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  9. "Austriancharts.at – The Band – The Last Waltz" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  10. "Ultratop.be – The Band – The Last Waltz" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Band – The Last Waltz" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  12. "Lescharts.com – The Band – The Last Waltz". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  13. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Band – The Last Waltz" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  14. "Charts.nz – The Band – The Last Waltz". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  15. "Norwegiancharts.com – The Band – The Last Waltz". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  16. "Swedishcharts.com – The Band – The Last Waltz". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  17. "The Band Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  18. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1978". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  19. "Top Selling Albums of 1978 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved January 26, 2022.