The members of The Band first worked together as The Hawks, the backing band of rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins from 1959 until 1963. Afterwards, Bob Dylan recruited the quintet for his history-making 1965/1966 world tour and they joined him on the informal recordings that became the acclaimed Basement Tapes.
Dubbed "The Band" by their peers, the group left the comfort of their communal home in Saugerties, NY to begin recording as a group unto themselves. The Band recorded two of the most important albums of the late 1960s: their 1968 debut Music from Big Pink (featuring the hit single "The Weight") and 1969's The Band. These critically praised albums helped conceive country rock as something more than a genre, but rather as a celebration of "Americana." As such, throughout their career they would repopularize traditional American musical forms during the psychedelic era. The Band dissolved in 1976; Martin Scorcese's landmark concert film "The Last Waltz" documented their final performance. They reformed in 1983 without founding guitarist and main songwriter Robbie Robertson.
Although always more popular with music journalists and fellow musicians than the general public, The Band has remained an admired and influential group. They have been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Their music fused many elements: primarily old country music and early rock and roll, though the rhythm section often had a bouncy, funky punch reminiscent of Stax or Motown, and Robertson cites Curtis Mayfield and the Staple Singers as major influences. At its best, however, The Band's music was an organic synthesis of many musical genres which became more than the sum of its parts. The group's songwriting was also remarkable as, unlike much earlier rock and roll, and following upon the example set previously by The Byrds, very few of their early compositions were based on conventional blues and doo-wop chord changes.
The Band comprised Robbie Robertson (guitar); Richard Manuel (piano, harmonica, drums, saxophone); Garth Hudson (organ, piano, clavinet, accordion, synthesizer, saxophone); Rick Danko (bass guitar, violin, trombone); and Levon Helm (drums, mandolin, guitar, bass guitar) Excepting Robertson, all were multi-instrumentalists; each person's primary instrument is listed first. There was little instrument-switching when they played live, but when recording, the musicians could offer all manner of subtle aural colors and textures to enhance songs. Hudson in particular was able to coax an impressive range of timbres from his Lowrey electronic organ; on the choruses of "Tears of Rage", for example, it sounds startlingly like a mellotron. Helm's drumming was rarely flashy, but he was often praised for his subtlety and funkiness. Critic Jon Carroll famously declared that Helm was "the only drummer who can make you cry," while prolific session drummer Jim Keltner admits to appropriating several of Helm's techniques.
Singers Manuel, Danko, and Helm each brought a distinctive voice to The Band: Helm's gritty, southern voice had more than a hint of country, Danko sang in a soaring, unfettered tenor, and Manuel alternated between fragile falsetto and a wounded baritone. The singers regularly blended in unorthodox, but uncommonly effective harmonies. Though the singing was more or less evenly shared between the three men, both Danko and Helm have stated that they saw Manuel as the Band's "lead" singer.
Robertson was the unit's chief songwriter (though he sang lead vocals on only three or four songs in The Band's career). This role, and Robertson's resulting claim to the copyright of most of the compositions, would become a point of much antipathy between the group's members, especially between Robertson and Helm.
Producer John Simon is cited as a "sixth member" of The Band for producing and playing on Music from Big Pink, co-producing and playing on The Band, and playing on other songs up through The Band's 1993 reunion album Jericho.
On 10 December 1999 is when Rick Danko died in his sleep at age 56. He had been a long-time drug user. In 1997 he had been found guilty of trying to smuggle heroin into Japan. He told the presiding judge that he had begun using the drug (together with prescription morphine) to fight life-long pain resulting from a 1968 auto accident. No drugs were found in his system at the time of his death. Following the death of Rick Danko, The Band broke up for good.
Levon Helm died on 19 April 2012 from complications of throat cancer.
Acadian Driftwood
The Band Lyrics
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And the spirit was broken
The hills were smokin'
As the men withdrew
We stood on the cliffs,
Oh and watched the ships,
Slowly sinking to their rendezvous
And our homes were taken
Loved-ones forsaken,
They didn't give a damn.
Try to raise a family
End up an enemy
Over what went down on the Plains of Abraham.
[Chorus]
Acadian driftwood,
Gypsy tailwind
They call my home,
The land of snow
Canadian cold front,
Movin' in
What a way to ride,
Oh what a way to go
Then some returned,
To the motherland
The high command,
Had them cast away
Some stayed on,
To finish what they started
They never parted,
They're just built that way
We had kin livin',
South of the border
They're a little older,
And they been around
They wrote in a letter
Life is a whole lot better
So pull up your stakes, children,
And come on down
Acadian driftwood,
Gypsy tailwind
They call my home,
The land of snow
Canadian cold front,
Movin' in
What a way to ride,
Oh what a way to go
Fifty under zero when the day became a threat
My clothes were wet
And I was drenched to the bone
Then out ice fishin', mmm,
Too much repetition
Make a man want to leave
The only home he's known
Sailed out of the Gulf,
Headed for St. Pierre
Nothing to declare,
All we had was gone
Broke down along the coast oh
What hurt the most
When the people there said
"You better keep movin' on"
Acadian driftwood,
Gypsy tailwind
They call my home,
The land of snow
Canadian cold front,
Movin' in
What a way to ride,
Oh what a way to go
Everlastin' summer
Filled with ill-contempt
This government
Had us walkin' in chains
This isn't my turn
This isn't my season
Can't think of one good reason
To remain oh
We worked in the sugar fields
Up from New Orleans
It was ever-green
Up until the flood
You could call it an omen
Point ya where ya goin'
Set my compass North
I got winter in my blood
Acadian driftwood,
Gypsy tailwind
They call my home,
The land of snow
Canadian cold front,
Movin' in
What a way to ride,
Oh what a way to go
Sais tu, Acadie j'ai le mal do pays
Ta neige, Acadie, fait des larmes au soleil
J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo
J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo
J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo
J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo
J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo
The Band's song Acadian Driftwood tells the story of the Acadians, a group of French settlers who were expelled from Nova Scotia by the British in the 18th century. The first verse describes the aftermath of the expulsion, with the once-beautiful hills now "smoking" and the ships that carried the Acadians away slowly sinking into the ocean. The second verse speaks to the injustice of the situation, with the Acadians' homes taken away and families broken apart. The chorus describes the land of snow that the Acadians call home, and the gypsy tailwind that carries them across it.
The third verse tells of some Acadians who returned to their motherland only to be cast away by the high command, while others stayed behind to finish their work. The fourth verse speaks of kin living south of the border, who invite the Acadians to come and join them for a better life. The fifth verse speaks to the harshness of the Canadian climate, with the singer soaked to the bone and feeling like he wants to leave the only home he's ever known. The last verse describes the Acadians working in the sugar fields of New Orleans before heading north to start anew once again. The song ends with a repeated refrain in French, "J'arrive Acadie," meaning "I'm coming, Acadia."
Overall, the song is a poignant and powerful tribute to the struggles faced by the Acadians, who were forced to leave their homes and rebuild their lives in a new land.
Line by Line Meaning
The war was over
The conflict had come to an end
And the spirit was broken
The morale of the people was crushed
The hills were smokin', As the men withdrew
The aftermath of the war resulted in destruction as soldiers retreated
We stood on the cliffs, Oh and watched the ships, Slowly sinking to their rendezvous
Witnessed the ships sinking while standing on the cliffs
They signed a treaty
A peace treaty was signed
And our homes were taken
The people's houses were seized
Loved-ones forsaken, They didn't give a damn
Families were abandoned and mistreated by authorities
Try to raise a family, End up an enemy, Over what went down on the Plains of Abraham.
Families that attempted to settle were treated as traitors due to the previous war
Acadian driftwood, Gypsy tailwind
The wandering lifestyle looking for a new home
They call my home, The land of snow
Canada is referred as the Acadians' new home
Canadian cold front, Movin' in
A wave of winter weather was on the way
What a way to ride, Oh what a way to go
Life had taken an uncertain course
Then some returned, To the motherland
Some people went back to their homeland
The high command, Had them cast away
Refugees were ordered to leave
Some stayed on, To finish what they started
Some Acadians stayed behind to keep fighting for their rights under adverse circumstances
They never parted, They're just built that way
Acadians were known for their resilience and staying power
We had kin livin', South of the border
Acadian relatives lived in the United States
They're a little older, And they been around
The older relatives had seen more of life
They wrote in a letter Life is a whole lot better
The letter reassured those who had left that things were better across the border
So pull up your stakes, children, And come on down
Leaving Canada for the United States was recommended
Fifty under zero when the day became a threat My clothes were wet And I was drenched to the bone
The cold weather was unbearable, and the artist was soaked through
Then out ice fishin', mmm, Too much repetition Make a man want to leave The only home he's known
Fishing under the ice was tedious and suggested finding a new home
Sailed out of the Gulf, Headed for St. Pierre
Leaving the Canadian Gulf and heading towards St. Pierre
Nothing to declare, All we had was gone
Having nothing to declare suggested that the travelers had lost everything
Broke down along the coast oh
The travelers encountered more difficulties
What hurt the most When the people there said "You better keep movin' on"
It was hurtful to be rejected
Everlastin' summer, Filled with ill-contempt
An endless summer of misery
This government, Had us walkin' in chains
The blame was placed on the government that had many conditions to live in the country
This isn't my turn, This isn't my season
Feeling out of place in the country
Can't think of one good reason To remain oh
Unable to come up with a single reason to stay
We worked in the sugar fields Up from New Orleans
Acadians moved to New Orleans and worked in the sugar fields
It was ever-green Up until the flood
Life was picturesque until the flood hit
You could call it an omen Point ya where ya goin'
The flood was a warning of things to come
Set my compass North I got winter in my blood
Preparing for life in Canada with its frigid winters
Sais tu, Acadie j'ai le mal do pays Ta neige, Acadie, fait des larmes au soleil J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo J'arrive Acadie, teedle um, teedle um, teedle oo
French phrases expressing homesickness for Acadia
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROBBIE ROBERTSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind