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.
Up On Cripple Creek
The Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You know where I wanna go?
Straight down the Mississippi River
To the Gulf of Mexico
To Lake Charles, Louisiana
Little Bessie, girl that I once knew
And she told me just to come on by
If there's anything she could do
Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me
If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
Good luck had just stung me
To the race track I did go
She bet on one horse to win
And I bet on another to show
Odds were in my favor
I had 'em five to one
And that nag to win came around the track
Sure enough we had won
Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me
If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
I took up all of my winnings
And I gave my little Bessie half
And she tore it up and threw it in my face
Just for a laugh
Now there's one thing in the whole wide world
I sure would like to see
That's when that little love of mine
Dips her doughnut in my tea
Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me
If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
Now me and my mate were back at the shack
We had Spike Jones on the box
She said, "I can't take the way he sings
But I love to hear him talk"
Now that just gave my heart a throb
To the bottom of my feet
And I swore and I took another pull
My Bessie can't be beat
Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me
If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
There's a flood out in California
And up north it's freezing cold
And this living off the road
Is getting pretty old
So I guess I'll call up my big mama
Tell her I'll be rolling in
But you know, deep down, I'm kinda tempted
To go and see my Bessie again
Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me
If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
The lyrics of "Up on Cripple Creek" by The Band tell a story of a man who wants to visit an old flame, Little Bessie, in Louisiana after winning money betting on horses. The singer of the song speaks of the various ways in which Bessie mends him and defends him, making him feel protected and safe. He also mentions how he wants his lover to dip her doughnut in his tea, an intimate gesture that suggests a desire for a more personal connection. The song takes the listener on a journey through the singer's emotions and thoughts as he navigates life on the road.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the song is the way it combines upbeat music with somewhat downtrodden lyrics. The singer is always in search of something, whether it's a good time, a safe haven, or a meaningful connection. This blend of hope and desperation is common in many of The Band's songs and speaks to the human experience of seeking fulfillment amidst the struggles of daily life.
Overall, "Up on Cripple Creek" is an exploration of love, loss, and the search for meaning amidst the chaos of life on the road. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a man trying to find his way in the world and learning to rely on the people he loves to get him through the tough times.
Line by Line Meaning
When I get off of this mountain
As soon as I'm done with a difficult task, I want to go somewhere else.
You know where I wanna go?
I have a specific destination in mind.
Straight down the Mississippi River
I want to travel down the Mississippi River to reach my destination quickly.
To the Gulf of Mexico
The final point on my journey's path is the Gulf of Mexico.
To Lake Charles, Louisiana
Within Louisiana, the city of Lake Charles is where I wish to go.
Little Bessie, girl that I once knew
There is a woman named Bessie that I have known previously.
And she told me just to come on by
Bessie has told me previously that I am welcome to visit her.
If there's anything she could do
Bessie has offered to help me in any way that she can.
Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me
Bessie sends me to a place called Cripple Creek.
If I spring a leak, she mends me
If I need help, Bessie is always there to provide it.
I don't have to speak, she defends me
Bessie is very loyal, and she takes care of me without requiring me to ask.
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
Having someone like Bessie to rely on is a dream come true, especially for someone who drinks a lot.
Good luck had just stung me
I had just received some good luck, but it immediately disappeared.
To the race track I did go
I went to a horse racing track.
She bet on one horse to win
Bessie placed a bet on a horse to win the race.
And I bet on another to show
I placed a bet on a different horse to come in third place.
Odds were in my favor
I had a good chance of winning my bet.
I had 'em five to one
The odds were 5:1 in my favor.
And that nag to win came around the track
The horse I bet on to come in third place actually won the race.
Sure enough we had won
I won my bet, even though I didn't expect to.
I took up all of my winnings
I collected all of my winnings from the bet.
And I gave my little Bessie half
I gave Bessie half of my winnings.
And she tore it up and threw it in my face
Bessie didn't want my money and rejected it by ripping it up and throwing it back at me.
Just for a laugh
Bessie was just joking with me and didn't mean any harm.
Now there's one thing in the whole wide world
There is one thing that I really want.
I sure would like to see
I really want to witness this one thing.
That's when that little love of mine
I'm referring to Bessie, who I'm in love with.
Dips her doughnut in my tea
I want to share a sweet moment with Bessie, who has a habit of dipping donuts in tea.
Now me and my mate were back at the shack
I was back at my home with a friend.
We had Spike Jones on the box
We were listening to a popular music artist named Spike Jones.
She said, "I can't take the way he sings
Bessie didn't like how Spike Jones sang.
But I love to hear him talk"
Bessie still enjoyed listening to Spike Jones talk, however.
Now that just gave my heart a throb
Bessie's comment made my heart skip a beat.
To the bottom of my feet
My whole body reacted to Bessie's words.
And I swore and I took another pull
I took another drink and made a promise to myself.
My Bessie can't be beat
I felt confident that Bessie was unbeatable in terms of her likability.
There's a flood out in California
There was a flood in California.
And up north it's freezing cold
The weather up north is very cold.
And this living off the road
Living life as a wanderer, without a stable home, is getting tiring.
Is getting pretty old
I'm getting tired of this lifestyle.
So I guess I'll call up my big mama
I'll call my mother and let her know I'm coming home.
Tell her I'll be rolling in
I'll be home in a short amount of time.
But you know, deep down, I'm kinda tempted
Despite my plans to go home, I'm still tempted to visit Bessie again.
To go and see my Bessie again
I really want to visit Bessie and spend some more time with her.
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Robbie Robertson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@robertberse510
I returned from Viet Nam a total mess. I discovered the "brown album" and it carried me through difficult times. The power of music cannot be measured. I listened to the vinyl so many times that I wore out the record. Robbie, you are sorely missed and many thanks to The Band.
@carolyaster5466
Welcome home and thank you. I'm sorry this message is so late in coming.
@leeSimpson-oi3wp
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@pauljacoby414
Robbie Robertson will never die because people will be listening to his music until the sun burns out. RIP
@stitch2499
Amen..
@aprildryden2718
R.I.P. Robbie Robertson. Thanks for all the great music.
@tomcipriano9977
I'm 77 now and the Band still gets my blood pumpin'.
@billashbrook3014
Me too!
@markgoggin4776
Man Iβm 33 and my cover band wants to play this song but Iβm not feeling it all. Imma learn it, but imma learn it reluctantly
@anthonykirsch6482
hey old timer, thanks for the good tunes. us young bucks will keep em alive