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.
All Our Past Times
The Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't want to be the one to take the blame.
I don't want to be the one to throw it over.
I don't want to be the one to feel ashamed.
I don't want to be the one who thinks of nothing.
I don't want to be the one to tell you what you have seen.
After all this time, well I thought that you were mine.
All our past times should be forgotten.
All our past times should be erased.
I don't care how much it costs;
Cause I don't count the loss
As long as I can see your face again.
You don't have to tell me when you're leaving,
If it's half past one, if it's maybe four.
It makes no difference where you think you're going,
But please remember not to slam the door.
All our past times should be forgotten.
All our past times should be erased.
I don't care how much it costs;
Cause I don't count the loss
As long as I can see your face again.
Yes, I don't care how much it costs;
You know I don't count the loss
As long as I can see your face again.
The Band's song All Our Past Times is a beautiful ballad about a relationship that has gone through a lot of turmoil, and the singer is not willing to let his past mistakes ruin the relationship. The opening lines of the song say, "I don't want to be the one to say I'm sorry. I don't want to be the one to take the blame." The singer is expressing his reluctance to admit his guilt or apologize for his mistakes, which could have led to the current situation.
The lyrics continue to describe the singer's fear of being responsible for ruining the relationship altogether. He says that he does not want to be the one who throws it over or feels ashamed, which suggests that he is unwilling to let his past mistakes define the relationship.
In the chorus, the singer talks about forgetting all their past mistakes and erasing them. He says that he does not care about the cost and does not count the loss as long as he can see his lover's face again. He is willing to put the past behind to preserve the relationship.
Overall, All Our Past Times is a poignant and emotional song that explores the complexities of relationships, regret, and forgiveness.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't want to be the one to say I'm sorry.
I don't want to admit my fault in this situation.
I don't want to be the one to take the blame.
I don't want to be held accountable for what went wrong.
I don't want to be the one to throw it over.
I don't want to be the one to end this relationship.
I don't want to be the one to feel ashamed.
I don't want to be the one who is embarrassed or humiliated.
I don't want to be the one who thinks of nothing.
I don't want to be the one who is indifferent or unconcerned.
I don't want to be the one to tell you what you have seen.
I don't want to be the one who explains what you already know.
After all this time, well I thought that you were mine.
I believed that our relationship was solid and exclusive.
I just want to be the one who would share this dream.
I want to be the person who can explore and pursue mutual aspirations with you.
All our past times should be forgotten.
We should both move on from our shared memories.
All our past times should be erased.
It would be best if we eliminate all reminders of the past.
I don't care how much it costs;
I'm willing to pay a high price.
Cause I don't count the loss
I'm not worried about financial loss, as long as I get to see you again.
As long as I can see your face again.
Reconnecting with you is the most important thing right now.
You don't have to tell me when you're leaving,
You're free to leave without a formal goodbye.
If it's half past one, if it's maybe four.
The time of your departure doesn't matter to me.
It makes no difference where you think you're going,
You can go wherever you want; I won't object.
But please remember not to slam the door.
I implore you to leave without causing damage or noise.
Yes, I don't care how much it costs;
Once again, I'll emphasize that price is not important.
You know I don't count the loss
I'm not concerned with any material or emotional losses.
As long as I can see your face again.
Being reunited with you is my top priority.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC PATRICK CLAPTON, RICHARD CLAIRE DANKO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ellenfriend4737
I wish Rick sang the entire song! His voice makes you want to cry! So plaintive and beautiful!
@jimsanford9215
You are so right!
@brianmiller5265
Yes.good call. Clapton sings well on songs like this. But perfect for Rick
@pearlygeoff1789
'All our past times' need to be remembered now more than ever. The Band and their friends evoke a past that has been corrupted and defiled and is now being destroyed by vile soulless deranged filth that have been spawned in the black swamp of degeneracy. The music of the Band awakened in me a sense of community and brotherhood that will stay with me forever.
@brianmiller5265
Everytime.i think that NOBODY thinks the way I do, I read something like that. Well put
@brianmiller5265
I would sell my soul to go back to when my love was alive and we would end our day embraced to sounds of The Band. Van Morrison etc. The warmth and love became 2 urns and the memories of times long gone. Ps. How could this not have been in the movie. I knew Rick and his brother Maurice. Shit man. Take care guys
@namcat53
Thank you Bill Graham! Best Thanksgiving we ever had! My first and best Winterland show...wonderful. I'm glad I saw a few there in between this and the Closing of Winterland show. THANKS!
@user-im8et3cr9m
보고, 또 보고, 또 보고...
@allisonpayne2097
A super tune with friends that lend a hand when they can😎
@jmvlock1929
Winterland looks like a very cool and casual venue. I'd like to have hung out there.