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.
To Kingdom Come
The Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sadly told his only son
Just be careful what you do
It all comes back on you
False witness spread the news
Somebody's gonna lose
Either she or me or you
Nothing we could do
So don't you say a word
Or repeat a thing you heard
Time will tell you well
If the truth truly fell
Tarred and feathered, yeah, thistles and thorns
One or the other, he kindly warned
Now you look out the window, tell me, what do you see?
I see a golden calf pointing back at me
We've been sitting here for so darn long
Waiting for the end to come along
Holy roaster on the brink
I'd take a choice, swim or sink
False witness cast an evil eye
Said I cannot tell a lie
Kings and saints don't bother me
I'm not alone, you see
So don't you say a word
Or repeat a thing you've heard
Time will tell you well
If you truly, truly fell
Tarred and feathered, yeah
Thistles and thorns
One or the other
He kindly warned
Now you look out the window, tell me
What do you see?
I see a golden calf pointing back at me
The lyrics of The Band's song To Kingdom Come can be interpreted to tell the story of a man who fought for his political beliefs until the very end, but ultimately suffered the consequences of his actions. The first verse describes him as someone who fought for his party until "kingdom come" - a metaphor for an indefinite period of time. However, he later regrets his actions and warns his only son to be careful about the choices he makes in life, since they could come back to haunt him. The second verse explores the theme of false witness; the man warns that somebody is going to lose and emphasizes that he himself has no allegiance to any king or saint. The last verse describes the man as sitting and waiting for the "end to come along," perhaps alluding to the end of his own life.
The lyrics also explore the theme of self-reflection and the consequences of one's actions. The imagery of being "tarred and feathered" speaks to the idea of being publicly humiliated or shamed, while the "golden calf" is a biblical reference to idol worship and the pursuit of material gain. The song ends on a somber note, with the man realizing the error of his ways and seeing the reflection of his own actions in the world around him.
Overall, To Kingdom Come is a powerful song that delves into complex themes of loyalty, regret, and the consequences of one's actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Fought for the party to kingdom come
He fought fiercely for his political party until the bitter end
Sadly told his only son
He regretfully cautioned his son with a warning message of the dangers of being associated with the wrong crowd
Just be careful what you do
He advised his son to make wise choices and consider the consequences of his actions
It all comes back on you
He emphasized that whatever one sows, one shall reap
False witness spread the news
Someone who bore false witness testified and spread rumors to further their own agenda
Somebody's gonna lose
In any conflict, there will be a victim or a loser
Either she or me or you
Someone will have to take the blame or responsibility
Nothing we could do
Sometimes in life, we are powerless to change the course of events
So don't you say a word
Warning against gossip or spreading rumors
Or repeat a thing you heard
Discouraging the act of repeating things heard without fact-checking or verification
Time will tell you well
The passing of time will reveal the truth
If the truth truly fell
If the truth was indeed spoken
Tarred and feathered, yeah, thistles and thorns
A punishment of disgrace and physical harm
One or the other, he kindly warned
Choose one path or the other, but be aware of the consequences
Now you look out the window, tell me, what do you see?
Reflecting on one's own actions and consequences
I see a golden calf pointing back at me
I realize that my own desires and ambitions have led me astray
We've been sitting here for so darn long
Being idle or complacent for a significant period of time
Waiting for the end to come along
Passively waiting for an outcome instead of taking action
Holy roaster on the brink
An uncertain future with potentially catastrophic consequences
I'd take a choice, swim or sink
Deciding to either fight or accept one's fate
False witness cast an evil eye
A person who bore false witness cast suspicion and doubt on others
Said I cannot tell a lie
Declaring one's commitment to honesty and integrity
Kings and saints don't bother me
Not being intimidated or influenced by powerful people
I'm not alone, you see
Having the support of others in the face of adversity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jaime Robertson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind