"The Weight" is a song by the Canadian-American group the Band that was released as a single in 1968 and on the group's debut album Music from Big Pink. It was their first release under this name, after their previous releases as Canadian Squires and Levon and the Hawks. Written by Band member Robbie Robertson, the song is about a visitor's experiences in a town mentioned in the lyric's first line as Nazareth. "The Weight" has significantly influenced American popular music, having been listed as No. 41 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time published in 2004.[4] Pitchfork Media named it the 13th best song of the 1960s,[5] and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named it one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.[6] PBS, which broadcast performances of the song on Ramble at the Ryman (2011), Austin City Limits (2012),[7] and Quick Hits (2012), describes it as "a masterpiece of Biblical allusions, enigmatic lines and iconic characters" and notes its enduring popularity as "an essential part of the American songbook."[8]
| "The Weight" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Original French single | ||||
| Single by the Band | ||||
| from the album Music from Big Pink | ||||
| B-side | "I Shall Be Released" | |||
| Released | August 8, 1968 | |||
| Recorded | January 1968 | |||
| Studio | A&R Recorders (studio A), New York City | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:34 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Robbie Robertson | |||
| Producer(s) | John Simon | |||
| The Band singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio | ||||
| "The Weight" by the Band on YouTube | ||||
"The Weight" is one of the Band's best known songs, gaining considerable album-oriented rock airplay even though it was not a significant hit single for the group in the US, peaking at only No. 63.[9] After it was released, the record debuted just six days later on KHJ's "'Boss 30' records"[10] and peaked at No. 3 there three weeks later. The Band's recording also fared well in Canada and the UK, peaking at No. 35 in Canada and No. 21 in the UK in 1968. Cash Box called it a "powerhouse performance."[11] American Songwriter and Stereogum both ranked the song number three on their lists of the Band's greatest songs.[12][13] In 1968 and 1969, three cover versions were released; their arrangements appealed to a wide diversity of music audiences.
Composition
edit"The Weight" was written by Robbie Robertson, who found the tune by strumming idly on his guitar, a 1951 Martin D-28, when he noticed that the interior included a stamp noting that it was manufactured in Nazareth, Pennsylvania (C. F. Martin & Company is situated there) and he started crafting the lyrics as he played.[14][15] The inspiration for and influences affecting the composition of "The Weight" came from the music of the American South, the life experiences of band members, particularly Levon Helm, and movies of filmmakers Ingmar Bergman and Luis Buñuel.[15] The original members of the Band performed "The Weight" as an American Southern folk song with country music (vocals, guitars and drums) and gospel music (piano and organ) elements.
The lyrics, written in the first person, are about a traveler's arrival, visit, and departure from a town called Nazareth, in which the traveler's friend, Fanny, has asked him to look up some of her friends and send them her regards, though with each encounter, he comes away with more favors he must do, and those favors become more favors, until the weight of doing so many unexpected tasks causes him to pick up his bag and leave town altogether and return to Fanny. The singers, led by Helm, vocalize the traveler's encounters with people in the town from the perspective of a Bible Belt American Southerner, like Helm himself, a native of rural Arkansas.[16]
The characters in "The Weight" were based on real people that members of the Band knew, according to Robertson, Fanny is based on Frances "Fanny" Steloff, the founder of a New York City bookstore where he explored scripts by Buñuel.[17] Helm explained in his autobiography, This Wheel's on Fire that "Carmen" was from Helm's hometown, Turkey Scratch, Arkansas,[18] "young Anna Lee" mentioned in the third verse is Helm's longtime friend Anna Lee Amsden,[19] and, according to her, "Crazy Chester" was an eccentric resident of Fayetteville, Arkansas, who carried a cap gun. Ronnie Hawkins would tell him to "keep the peace" at his Rockwood Club when Chester arrived.
According to Robertson, "The Weight" was inspired by the surreal imagery of Buñuel's films, specifically their criticism of organized religion, particularly Catholicism. The song's lyrics and music invoke vivid imagery, the main character's perspective is influenced by the Bible, and the episodic story was inspired by the predicaments Buñuel's film characters faced that undermined their goals for maintaining or improving their moral character. Of this, Robertson once stated:
(Buñuel) did so many films on the impossibility of sainthood. People trying to be good in Viridiana and Nazarín, people trying to do their thing. In "The Weight" it's the same thing. People like Buñuel would make films that had these religious connotations to them but it wasn't necessarily a religious meaning. In Buñuel there were these people trying to be good and it's impossible to be good. In "The Weight" it was this very simple thing. Someone says, "Listen, would you do me this favour? When you get there will you say 'hello' to somebody or will you give somebody this or will you pick up one of these for me? Oh? You're going to Nazareth, that's where the Martin guitar factory is. Do me a favour when you're there." This is what it's all about. So the guy goes and one thing leads to another and it's like "Holy shit, what's this turned into? I've only come here to say 'hello' for somebody and I've got myself in this incredible predicament." It was very Buñuelish to me at the time.[20]
Legacy
editThe 1969 movie Easy Rider used the song as recorded by the Band, but it was not licensed for the soundtrack album. To deal with this, ABC-Dunhill commissioned Smith, who recorded for the label at the time, to record a cover version of the song for the soundtrack album.[21][22]
Several commercials have featured the song, including one by Cingular Wireless in 2004 that led to a lawsuit from Helm against advertising agency BBDO, claiming that he did not permit them the rights to use the song.[23] Helm would lose the lawsuit in 2012, after the court rules that BBDO said that Helm signed a contract in 1968 allowing the record label to license it at their discretion.[24] The song was featured in the films Starsky and Hutch, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,[25] The King of Staten Island,[26]
Personnel
editCredits are adapted from the liner notes of A Musical History.[27]
- Levon Helm – lead and harmony vocals, drums
- Rick Danko – co-lead and harmony vocals, bass guitar
- Richard Manuel – Hammond organ, harmony vocals
- Garth Hudson – piano
- Robbie Robertson – acoustic guitar
Songwriting credit dispute
editThe songwriting credit to Robbie Robertson for "The Weight", like credit for many of the songs performed by the Band, was disputed years later by Levon Helm. Helm insisted that the composition of the lyrics and the music was collaborative, declaring that each band member made a substantial contribution. In an interview, Helm credited Robertson with 60 percent of the lyrics, Danko and Manuel with 20 percent each of the lyrics, much of the music credit to Garth Hudson, and a small credit to himself for lyrics.[28]
Versions by other artists
edit
- Jackie DeShannon recorded "The Weight" for her 1968 album Laurel Canyon. Released as a single, it reached number 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 28, 1968.[29]
- The Staple Singers recorded it, which was released on their 1968 album Soul Folk in Action. Later, as part of the production of the concert film The Last Waltz, the group recorded a performance of the song with the Band,[30] and the song has continued to be closely associated with Mavis Staples.[31] The Staple Singers performed the song with Marty Stuart for the 1994 compilation album Rhythm, Country and Blues, which paired country singers with R&B singers.[32]
- Aretha Franklin released a cover of "The Weight" in 1969, with Duane Allman on slide guitar,[33] that reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number three on its Rhythm & Blues Singles chart on March 29, 1969.[34] The song is included on her 1970 album This Girl's in Love with You.[33]
- In 1969, Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations recorded a version of "The Weight" for their album Together.[35] Released as a single, it appeared on several charts, including numbers 46 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 and 33 on its Best Selling Soul Singles charts.[36][a]
- In 2006, Canadian country music artist Aaron Pritchett covered "The Weight" on his album Big Wheel. It was released as a single and reached number six on the Billboard Canada Country chart,[41] and number 90 on the Canadian Hot 100.[42]
- In September 2019, Robertson and Ringo Starr (of the Beatles), along with musicians from four continents, compiled an eclectic version of The Weight[43] for Playing for Change, a Certified B Corp (Social Purpose Corporation) created to inspire and connect the world through music.[44]
References
edit- ^ Fontenot, Robert. "What is Country Rock?". ThoughtCo. About.com. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
- ^ Bruce Pollock (August 26, 2005). Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era. Routledge. p. 398. ISBN 9780415970730.
- ^ Valdez, Steve (2014). "Folk rock". In Henderson, Lol; Stacey, Lee (eds.). Encyclopedia of Music in the 20th Century. London: Routledge. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-135-92946-6.
- ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". RollingStone.com. Archived from the original on April 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
- ^ "The 200 Greatest Songs of the Sixties". Pitchfork. August 18, 2006. Archived from the original on 17 March 2009. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
- ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll: 'The Weight' – The Band". Rockhall.com. 1995. Archived from the original on July 4, 2007. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
- ^ Leahey, Andrew (2012-11-08). "Watch 'The Weight' From Austin City Limits' Americana Awards Episode". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
- ^ "PBS Arts : Levon Helm Performs the Weight". PBS. Archived from the original on 2012-04-13. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 8th edition
- ^ "KHJ's 'Boss 30' Records In Southern California! Official Issue No. 163". KHJ. 1968-08-14. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 17, 1968. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ^ Beviglia, Jim (14 July 2021). "The Top 20 Songs Of The Band". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
- ^ Bracy, Timothy; Bracy, Elizabeth (May 3, 2013). "The 10 Best The Band Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
- ^ Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band
- ^ a b Myers, Marc (November 29, 2016). "'The Weight' by the Band's Robbie Robertson". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
- ^ Margolis, Lynne (2012-08-30). "No False Bones: The Legacy of Levon Helm". American Songwriter. p. 2. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
- ^ Rogovoy, Seth (December 2016). "One of the Greatest Rock and Roll Songs of All Time was Inspired by a Jewish Bookseller". Forward. Retrieved 1 Sep 2022.
- ^ Guarino, Mark (20 April 2012). "Levon Helm and The Band: a rock parable of fame, betrayal, and redemption". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- ^ Guarino, Mark (March–April 2008). "Keeping Anna Lee Company". Screen Door. No Depression. No. 74. Archived from the original on 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2013-01-26.
- ^ Grogan, Jake (2018). Origins of a Song. Kennebunkport, Maine: Cider Mill Press Books. pp. 49–50. ISBN 978-1604337754.
- ^ Kubernik, Harvey (2006). Hollywood Shack Job: Rock Music in Films & on Your Screen. UNM Press. p. 105. ISBN 9780826335425.
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Easy Rider (Music from the Soundtrack)". AllMusic. AllMusic, Netaktion LLC. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ^ "The Band's Levon Helm Loses BBDO Lawsuit Over 'The Weight' Cellphone Ad". Billboard. Associated Press. 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ Gregorian, Dareh (2012-03-02). "Ruling puts load on Levon". Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ admin (2014-07-12). "'Carrying That Weight': A Review of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes". Locus Online. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ Carlin, Shannon. "The "King Of Staten Island" Soundtrack Has Big Pete Davidson Energy". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
- ^ The Band: A Musical History (CD). The Band. Capitol Records. 2005. 72435-77409-0-6 CCAP77409-6.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Getlen, Larry (2012-04-19). "Larry Getlen's Random Thoughts: Levon Helm, RIP". Larrygetlen.com. Archived from the original on 2017-02-25. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
- ^ "Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 39. September 28, 1968. p. 82. ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ Green, Elon (2014-06-17). "Mavis Staples Remembers Singing "The Weight"". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
- ^ "Mavis Staples' All-Star Cover of 'The Weight' Brought the House Down". Uproxx. March 28, 2017. Retrieved 2023-08-10.
- ^ "Rhythm, Country & Blues – Various Artists". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ a b Unterberger, Richie. "This Girl's in Love with You – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ^ "Hot 100, Rhythm & Blues Singles". Billboard. Vol. 81, no. 13. March 29, 1969. p. 39.
- ^ "www.allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1988). "The Supremes". Top R&B Singles 1942–1988. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research. p. 396. ISBN 0-89820-068-7.
- ^ "RPM 100". RPM. No. 6093. p. 5 – via Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles". Cashbox. October 4, 1969. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
- ^ "100 Top Pops: Week of September 27, 1969" (PDF). Record World. September 27, 1969. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ "Top 50 R&B: Week of October 11, 1969" (PDF). Record World. October 11, 1969. p. 41. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ^ "Aaron Pritchett Chart History (Canada Country)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
- ^ "Aaron Pritchett Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
- ^ "The Weight with Robbie Robertson and Ringo Starr". Playing for Change. 18 September 2019.
- ^ "The Weight with Robbie Robertson and Ringo Starr". Playing for Change.
Footnotes
edit- ^ Also reached No. 36 in Canada,[37] No. 39 on U.S. Cashbox Top 100,[38] No. 37 on U.S. Record World 100 Top Pops,[39] and No. 21 on U.S. Record World Top 50 R&B.[40]