The Band - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

kchinnable Says:

Nov 13, 2009 - i love when he sings "like the brother above me" ahhhhh!

patchmack2 Says:

Nov 14, 2009 - amen man. have faith.

MrChombs Says:

Nov 14, 2009 - I got shivvers down my spine.Top shelf song.Forever

Free1108 Says:

Nov 15, 2009 - I agree whole-heartedly. I have very bitter feelings over what Robbie did to this awesome group of musicians. I'm sure you have seen the video on here, "The Band-The Weight", where at :57 Levon tells someone offstage to make sure Robbie's mic is off. Gotta Love It!!!!!

trajan75 Says:

Nov 15, 2009 - I think the line is "You can't raise the Caine back up when it's in the feed" It's a play on an old Southern proverb, but I'm a New Yorker so I could be wrong. The provider has it as "when it's in defeat" which I believe is wrong.

avgeragewhiteman Says:

Nov 15, 2009 - Like my father before me I will work the land Like my brother above me who took a rebel stand He was just 18, proud and brave, but a Yankee laid him in his grave I swear by the mud below my feet, you can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat. Virgil Caine is his name, so his brother's last name would also be Caine. It is in reference to his dead brother. It is not a reference to cane, sugar or otherwise.

avgeragewhiteman Says:

Nov 15, 2009 - "Marching Through Georgia" (1865) was composed by Henry Clay Work. "Marching Through Georgia" was one of the most popular Civil War songs for decades after the Civil War, as it glorified the North's remembrance of victory. However, it was also extremely unpopular in the South, as it seemed to praise the often senseless destruction that General Sherman's forces inflicted on Georgia during their devastating month-long march at the end of 1864. Gloating arse Yankees.......... Dave in Atlanta...

trajan75 Says:

Nov 15, 2009 - Yes I understand that, but I still think it's a play on words of an old Southern proverb. His brother Caine is dead. He won't be coming back. You can't raise the cane(Caine) back up when in it's in the feed. The cane has been fed to the hogs his brother is in the ground." Raising Cain" was a synonym for raising hell. You can't raise Cain or cane when it's in the feed. And Virgil can't raise his brother Caine. I learned the expression when I was stationed in Fort Jackson S.C. in 1970.

patriotplus Says:

Nov 15, 2009 - God bless the Canadians!

Bellows74 Says:

Nov 16, 2009 - I Cannot Help But Cry When I hear This....One Of The Most Beauyifull Peices Of MUSIC EVER........THANK YOU Robbie, Levon, Rick, Garth and Richard.....Bless You All...

weremensch Says:

Nov 16, 2009 - The March to the Sea was the only campaign in the entire war that was both decisive and fairly inexpensive in terms of human life (on both sides). If one of them has to be glorified, that's it. Besides, Georgia actually had it relatively easy. Foote's comment about South Carolina was spot on (the main US infantry weapon seemed to be the friction match); and a crow did need to bring his own lunch to the Shenendoah valley by 1865. Few in Georgia actually starved, for all the horror stories.

ningahasabestfreind Says:

Nov 17, 2009 - Its not a sad song till you hear the lyrics

HarpyMcDraw Says:

Nov 18, 2009 - awesome

avgeragewhiteman Says:

Nov 18, 2009 - He was just eighteen, proud and brave But a Yankee laid him in his grave I swear by the(mud/blood)* below my feet You can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat Note the careful juxtaposition of words - Virgil Caine a Caine raise a Caine raising Cain Ain't no more cane being raised The choice of names is perfect for a story about the Civil War, which was described as 'The War Between Brothers.' Cain and Abel.

avgeragewhiteman Says:

Nov 18, 2009 - Atlanta was burned to the ground, relatively easy?

elirednecker Says:

Nov 18, 2009 - This song is one of the greatest pieces of music ever written, one of the few that can actually be considered right there with Bach and Beethoven. Eric Clapton says in his autobiography that this is the most haunting moment ever in recorded music and I believe it. God Bless The Band

scottishsanny Says:

Nov 18, 2009 - God bless Dylan for finding the "Band".....

Bellows74 Says:

Nov 18, 2009 - God Bless RONNIE HAWKINS from Northern Ontario...These guys were his first....

houndman6 Says:

Nov 18, 2009 - Sherman now burns in hell. GBD

arpscec Says:

Nov 19, 2009 - Houndman -- No more so than Jackson, Forrest, or any of the other generals - blue or gray. War IS Hell, and all civil wars are a special kind of hell. As for the music, this is a great song. Even though I am more familiar with the Joan Baez version, I have special respect for the original.

trajan75 Says:

Nov 19, 2009 - Every version of the lyrics I've seen on the internet agrees with you, so I guess that's that.

avgeragewhiteman Says:

Nov 21, 2009 - In your defence Joan Baez adulterated the original version. She changed the words "till Stoneman's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again" to "till so much cavalry came and tore up the tracks again" Also she changed "in defeat" to "in the feed", I think she sings it correctly now though.

SRVTOP7ALLTIME Says:

Nov 21, 2009 - Truly one of the greatest classic rock songs ever written. Personally this song touches on multiple emotions for me; with Levon's amazing vocal!

TheCrazywill98 Says:

Nov 22, 2009 - CLASSIC!

borski67 Says:

Nov 22, 2009 - You couldn't have said it better. True,original, authentic American music.