Released September 22, 1969
Recorded late 1968/1969
Studio Pool House, 8850 Evanview Drive, Los Angeles, CA
Genre Roots rock, folk rock, country rock, blues rock, Americana
Length 43:50
Label Capitol
Producer John Simon
The Band is the second studio album by the Band, released on September 22, 1969. It is also known as The Brown Album. According to Rob Bowman’s liner notes for the 2000 reissue, The Band has been viewed as a concept album, with the songs focusing on people, places and traditions associated with an older version of Americana. Thus, the songs on this album draw from historic themes for “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” and “Jawbone” (which was composed in the unusual 6/4 time signature.)
After unsuccessfully attempting sessions at a studio in New York, the Band set up shop in the pool house of a home rented by the group in the Hollywood Hills. Located at 8850 Evanview Drive in Los Angeles, California, the home was once owned by Judy Garland, Wally Cox and, at the time the group worked there, Sammy Davis, Jr. According to Robbie Robertson, the location was chosen to give the songs a Basement Tapes–like feel in what was termed “a clubhouse concept.”
Track listing
Side one
1. “Across the Great Divide” Robbie Robertson Manuel 2:53
2. “Rag Mama Rag” Robertson Helm 3:04
3. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” Robertson Helm 3:33
4. “When You Awake”
Robertson Richard Manuel
Danko 3:13
5. “Up on Cripple Creek” Robertson Helm 4:34
6. “Whispering Pines”
Robertson Manuel
Manuel 3:58
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Lead vocals Length
1. “Jemima Surrender”
Robertson Levon Helm
Helm 3:31
2. “Rockin’ Chair” Robertson Manuel 3:43
3. “Look Out Cleveland” Robertson Danko 3:09
4. “Jawbone”
Robertson Manuel
Manuel 4:20
5. “The Unfaithful Servant” Robertson Danko 4:17
6. “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” Robertson Manuel 3:39
2000 reissue bonus tracks
Personnel
The Band
Rick Danko – bass guitar, fiddle, trombone, vocals
Levon Helm – drums, mandolin, rhythm guitar, vocals
Garth Hudson – organ, clavinet, piano, accordion, melodica, soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, slide trumpet, bass pedals
Richard Manuel – piano, drums, baritone saxophone, harmonica, vocals
Robbie Robertson – electric and acoustic guitars, engineer
Additional personnel
John Simon – producer, tuba, electric piano, baritone horn, tenor saxophone, “high school and peck horns”, engineer
Tony May – engineer
Joe Zagarino – engineer
Elliot Landy – photography
Bob Cato – album design
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