Monday, 24 September 2012

Great Rock Albums of 1978: The Band- The Last Waltz


There were many movie soundtracks before 1978, I know, I had to endure my sister listening to such soundtracks as "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" and "Lady and the Tramp." Even in this pivotal year of 1978, there was "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease," but for me, it was the soundtrack from the film, "The Last Waltz" that made me ever want to listen to a soundtrack.
I went to see this film when it came out, only one cinema in the area even showed it and I must concur with the friend who I went to see it with. The movie sucked, the music was great. Seeing such great legends as Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, the guitar talents of Eric Clapton and the finale with Bob Dylan rocking away on "Baby Let Me Follow You Down" totally blew my then seventeen year old mind.
                     
The Last Waltz was the final concert by The Band after sixteen years on the road. Eight years in bars, the other eight years playing arenas. The concert actually took place on Thanksgiving Day in 1976 and there were numerous guest stars in addition to the ones pictured here, to help them take it home. From what I saw from the film, it was a great night of music and the soundtrack bears witness to it.
Track Listing:
1. Theme From the Last Waltz
2. Up On Cripple Creek
3. with Ronnie Hawkins Who Do You Love
4. with Neil Young Helpless
5. Stagefright
6.  wtih Joni Mitchell Coyote
7. with Neil Diamond  Dry Your Eyes
8. It Makes No Difference
9. with Dr John Such a Night
10. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
11. with Paul Butterfield  Mystery Train
12. with Muddy Waters  Mannish Boy
13. with Eric Clapton  Further On Up the Road
14. The Shape I'm In
15. with Bobby Charles Down South In New Orleans
16. Ophelia
17. with Van Morrison   Tura Lura Lura (It's an Irish Lullabye)
18. with Van Morrison Caravan
19. Life is a Carnival
20. with Bob Dylan  Baby Let Me Follow You Down
21  with Bob Dylan  I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Met)
22. with Bob Dylan  Forever Young
23. with Bob Dylan  Baby Let Me Follow You Down (reprise)
24. with all the guests plus Ringo Starr and Ronnie Wood   I Shall Be Released
The Last Waltz Suite
25. The Well
26. with Emmylou Harris  Evangeline
27. Out of the Blue
28. with The Staples  The Weight
29. The Last Waltz Refrain
30. The Last Waltz with Orchestra
The Band:
Robbie Robertson- guitar
Rick Danko- bass
Garth Hudson- keyboards
Richard Manuel- organ, piano, dobro guitar
Levon Helms- drums
This album definitely changed my view of movie soundtracks and since then, I have purchased and listened to a good number since. The Last Waltz is definitely a piece of music history which I would encourage everyone to listen to at least once in their life time.
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