"...We had Spike Jones on the box...
Back in college, there was this cool band from Canada... 'The Band'... all Canadians... except for this drummer they had... Mr. Levon Helm... he was from right up the road in Helena, Arkansas...
What a Great Band they were!!!
One of my most Favorite Band performances...
'Ophelia'
What a drummer...
Or this one...
'Up On Cripple Creek'...
What a performer... what a band... I've been fortunate enough to have seen and heard him perform several times...
And then this one...
'When I Go Away...'
Early in the morning
When the church bells toll
The choir's gonna sing
And the hearse will roll
On down to the graveyard
Where it's cold and gray
And then the sun's gonna shine
Through the shadows
When I go away
Don't want no sorrow
For this old orphan boy
I don't want no crying
Only tears of joy
I'm gonna see my mother
Gonna see my father
And I'll be bound for glory
In the morning
When I go away
I'll be lifted up to the clouds
On the wings of angels
There's only flesh and bones
In the ground
Where my troubles will stay
When the church bells toll
The choir's gonna sing
And the hearse will roll
On down to the graveyard
Where it's cold and gray
And then the sun's gonna shine
Through the shadows
When I go away
Don't want no sorrow
For this old orphan boy
I don't want no crying
Only tears of joy
I'm gonna see my mother
Gonna see my father
And I'll be bound for glory
In the morning
When I go away
I'll be lifted up to the clouds
On the wings of angels
There's only flesh and bones
In the ground
Where my troubles will stay
The following announcement has been posted on Levon's webpage...
Dear Friends,
Levon is in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Please send your prayers and love to him as he makes his way through this part of his journey.
Thank you fans and music lovers who have made his life so filled with joy and celebration... he has loved nothing more than to play, to fill the room up with music, lay down the back beat, and make people dance! He did it every time he took the stage...
We appreciate all the love and support and concern.
From his daughter, Amy, and wife, Sandy
Sighs...
I don't know why this has me on the verge of tears...
God Speed, Levon Helm...
"Goin' Home..."
You were the best...
~shoes~
You got me fillin' up as well Shoes! xxxx
ReplyDeleteSigh indeed, Shoes. Ophelia... where have you gone? The same goes for Time where have you gone? It flies and it's merciless is all I know.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that. Which version of "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" do you prefer Joan Baez or the Band? I kind of like Joan's voice to the song but I like the Band's reference to Stoneman's cavalry around Danville, VA in the final days of the war.
ReplyDeleteThey should have done a follow up song about Grierson's raid in Mississippi. I guess the John Wayne movie will have to do there.
But sad news though.
Very sad news. Love and light to him and his family.
ReplyDeleteAwww shucks. It makes me sad also. But to have lived with such a musical gift was a blessing as much to his audience as to him. Hope you are well Shoes!
ReplyDelete~Huggles~ :)
Very sad. We hadn't heard of The Band, somehow, but it's got us a bit emotional nonetheless. Thank you for sharing their music with us; we're now off to seek out some more.
ReplyDeletehe will grace the stage in heaven as he did here on earth. It really hits hard when this person made an impact on your life. His music will not be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteFor Christmas my 5 yr-old grandson asked us for (and got) a crash cymbal with a bell "like Levon Helm has." We listen to "Going Back to Memphis" three days a week while driving to preschool; he and I both play air drums. I'm sorry to hear about Levon but glad to get the news from a fan.
ReplyDeleteI remember the Band. For some reason I always get them mixed up with Big Pink. I must have started listening to them the same time.
ReplyDeleteToday I told the grandkids that Levon had just died. Augie said, "At least we still have his music." Amen to that.
ReplyDeleteI heard about this too. Terrible.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tribute post & by the way, I absolutely love the pic of the train tracks-- I love that misty somewhat mystical mist at the end.
Shoes I am thining about some road trips...email me
ReplyDeleteLevon Helm went Home Thursday, April 19, 2012. What a loss. I've talked to some fellow musicians up in Clarksdale, and all are so saddened by this.
ReplyDelete@ Leah - He was a nice fellow... one doesn't hear of them too often any more... :o(
@ RCB... "Ophelia"... argh!!! What a GREAT song!!!! I'm not sure what it was about the sound of their music, but it was outstanding...
@ Ryan... I like both versions of the song, but for some reason, that of The Band's just 'speaks' to me. There is something wistful, or lamenting about it... like the hurt of war... of loss.
@ Max... he seemed especially close to his family...
@ Annie... I know! Oh how I wish I could sing... to me, he had a great voice for his music. Sadly enough, voices like his would not make it through the 'talent' shows on TV today. What a legacy he leaves behind. I could only wish to be remembered a fraction of the way he will be...
@ Jack & Jill... my favorite Band recording of all time is still their very first, but it's all good... I hope all is well with you two...
@ musicwithinyou... you summed it up best! A great deal of their music is in the sound track of my Life.
@ Blissed... how great that your Grand Son knew who Levon Helm was!! I would say he had an influential grandmother there in the mix... ;o)
@ Curmudgeon... The Band had an album, "Music From The Big Pink,"or something like that... I think that was the name they hung on their recording studio in upper New York state.
@ Princess... I know! Isn't that a GREAT photo?!?! There is somewhat of an old Southern idea of disappearing into a mist when
one passes... taking a train to Heaven sounds extremely romantic to me... well, not romantic in the 'Love' sense of things... you know what I mean... ;o)
@ Hey there, M'kay... I will see what traveling advice I can send your way... I hope all is well with you! :o)
~shoes~