The Band has a log-cabin feel, but it’s way more fun than simple roots-rock. “Across the Great Divide” is a masterful pop tune—part Salvation Army sidewalk serenade, part Motown slide. On “Rag Mama Rag,” the group tries to make a rockabilly song with a Dixieland band’s gear. “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” earns its towering reputation, but the miniature moments have equal impact, like the ethereal lilts of “When You Awake,” the weightless sweet soul of “Whispering Pines,” and the sticky funk-rock of “Jemima Surrender.”
Other Versions
- Neil Young & Crazy Horse
- The Allman Brothers Band
- Levon Helm
- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young