At the age of 14 (1957) Danko booked himself as an opening act for ronnie hawkins, & his band The Hawks. Hawkins asked Danko to join his band as a rythym guitarist, though later he would have Danko learn the bass, and by 1960 was Hawkins' bassist.
Around 1963 The Hawks broke away from Hawkins and the members (including Danko) would go on to continue as the Levon Helm Sextet (later renamed to The Canadian Squires and Levon and the Hawks).
In 1965, Bob Dylan recruited Levon and the Hawks to accompany him on his 1965/66 wold tour. However, Levon Helm chose not to tour with Dylan and was replaced on the tour by drummer Mickey Jones. In 1968, Danko and The Hawks, who had moved to Woodstock, where they began to be referred to as simply "the band," began recording with Dylan in the basement of a big pink house that Danko had rented (and which would soon become famous on its on as "Big Pink"). With Levon Helm back in the fold, they also released their first demo, allowing them to secure a record deal with Capitol Records. Working over the next few months, the five-piece band recorded what would become their debut album, Music From Big Pink. At this time, the group more or less officially changed their name from The Hawks to The Band, this time with a capital "B." Shortly after the album was released, Danko was seriously injured in a car crash, breaking his neck and back in nine places. Though he was laid up in traction for many weeks, he recovered and worked with The Band until 1976, when the group did their final concert at San Francisco's Winterland. The film of the concert, directed by Martin Scorsese, was released as "The Last Waltz" in 1978.
Danko would go on to record solo work on Arista Records, releasing his first solo work in 1977 (his self-titled debut). In the early 1990s, Danko teamed with Jonas Fjeld and Eric Andersen and three albums were released, Danko/Fjeld/Andersen in 1991, Ridin' on the Blinds in 1994, and One More Shot in 2001. Danko released a live album in 1997 (Rick Danko in Concert), and, in 1999, he released Live on Breeze Hill, which featured a new studio version of his much-loved song, "Sip the Wine" (the original version was on his first studio album) and was already working on material for his next work called Times Like These. On December 10, 1999, Danko's heart gave out and he passed away in his sleep. Times Like These was released posthumously the following year.
SHAKE IT
Rick Danko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't help the way you feel
No time like the present, let's not waste a minute
I can give it, and I can take it..how bout you?
I just wanna make it up ... don't wanna fake it
I just wanna shake it up ... shake it shake it shake it
Now the bottles empty, storms passin over
There's no fields of clover
No white clouds driftin over
I wanna be where the sun shines on you
I just wanna make it up, don't wanna fake it
I just wanna shake it up ... shake it shake it shake it
If you think I'm crazy, or just a bit too lazy
Well that ain't been my main excuse
I don't wanna hide, these feelings inside me
I just wanna share them all with you
I just wanna make it up, don't wanna fake it
I just wanna shake it up ... shake it shake it shake it
In the song "Shake It" by Rick Danko, the singer is expressing his desire for someone he loves. He knows that he wants this person and is tired of crying about it, but he also acknowledges that he cannot control their feelings. There is no time to waste and he wants to move forward with their relationship, giving and taking equally. He wants to make things right and not fake anything. The chorus, which repeats throughout the song, emphasizes the desire to shake things up and make a change in their relationship.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer has been feeling lonely and isolated. He has been cooped up in his room for too long and yearns for a change of scenery. He longs for fields of clover and white clouds drifting by, and most importantly, he wants to be with the person he loves. He is not afraid to express his feelings and desires, even if people think he is crazy or lazy.
The overall message of the song seems to be about shaking up one's life and not being afraid to express one's feelings. The singer is tired of feeling stuck and wants to make a change. He wants to be honest with himself and honest with the person he loves. The upbeat tempo and catchy chorus emphasize this desire for change and forward motion.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I want you, I'm tired of cryin
I am aware that I desire you and I am exhausted from crying over it.
I can't help the way you feel
I cannot control your emotions towards me.
No time like the present, let's not waste a minute
We should take advantage of the present moment and not waste any time.
I can give it, and I can take it..how bout you?
I am willing to both give and receive in this relationship, are you?
I just wanna make it up ... don't wanna fake it
I want to make things right between us and not pretend everything is okay.
I just wanna shake it up ... shake it shake it shake it
I just want to add some excitement and energy to our relationship.
Now the bottles empty, storms passin over
The alcohol is gone and the emotional storm has passed.
I've been alone here too long in my room
I have been isolating myself for too long in this room.
There's no fields of clover
There are no charming or picturesque surroundings.
No white clouds driftin over
There are no calming skies with drifting clouds.
I wanna be where the sun shines on you
I want to be where you are and see the sun shining on you.
If you think I'm crazy, or just a bit too lazy
If you consider me insane or lacking motivation.
Well that ain't been my main excuse
Those are not my primary reasons behind my actions.
I don't wanna hide, these feelings inside me
I do not wish to conceal these emotions inside of me.
I just wanna share them all with you
I desire to openly express all of these feelings with you.
I just wanna make it up, don't wanna fake it
I only want to make things better between us and not pretend everything is fine.
I just wanna shake it up ... shake it shake it shake it
Once again, I just want to add some excitement and energy to our relationship.
Contributed by Christian A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Anna-loves-you
The Band was all geniuses