The Last Waltz is the second live album by The Band , released on Warner Bros. Records in 1978, catalogue 3WS 3146. It is the soundtrack to the 1978 film of the same name , and the final album by the original configuration of the Band. It peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 .
Contents
The triple album documents the Band's "farewell" concert which took place at Bill Graham's Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving Day 1976. The event included an actual Thanksgiving dinner for 5000 attendees, with ballroom dancing and a stage set for La Traviata borrowed from the San Francisco Opera .[5]
The concert featured songs by the Band interspersed with the group backing up a variety of musical guests. These included many with whom they had worked in the past, notably their previous employers Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan . Van Morrison , a Woodstock neighbor, had co-written and sung on the track "4% Pantomime" for the Cahoots album. Individual members of the Band had played with the invitees on the following albums: in 1972 with Bobby Charles for his self-titled album; in 1973 with Ringo Starr on Ringo ; in 1974 with Joni Mitchell on Court and Spark and with Neil Young on On the Beach and Homegrown (the latter album unreleased until 2020); in 1975 with Muddy Waters and Paul Butterfield on The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album ; in 1976 with Eric Clapton on No Reason to Cry and with Neil Diamond on Beautiful Noise .
Sides one through five of the album consisted of songs taken from the concert. Side six comprised "The Last Waltz Suite", new numbers composed by Robertson and performed by the Band on an MGM soundstage .[6] The suite featured Emmylou Harris and, on a remake of "The Weight ", Roebuck and Mavis Staples . The music received overdubs at Village Recorders and Shangri-La Studios in post-production, owing to faults recorded during the concert.[7]
On April 16, 2002, a box set reissue of the album arrived in stores, including everything released on the original with additional tracks taken from the concert.
Track listing
The performance of "Helpless " by Neil Young features backing vocals by Joni Mitchell; Paul Butterfield plays harmonica for Muddy Waters on "Mannish Boy "; Dr. John plays congas on "Coyote " and plays guitar on "Down South in New Orleans"; the entire ensemble sings back-up on the closer, "I Shall Be Released ".
Side six Title Writer(s) Singer/Guest Performer 1. "The Well" Robertson Richard Manuel 3:27 2. "Evangeline" Robertson Rick Danko, Emmylou Harris , Levon Helm 3:17 3. "Out of the Blue" Robertson Robbie Robertson 3:03 4. "The Weight " Robertson Levon Helm, Mavis Staples , Pops Staples , Rick Danko 4:38 5. "The Last Waltz Refrain" Robertson Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson 1:28 6. "Theme from The Last Waltz " Robertson 3:22 Total length: 19:25 (130:22)
Personnel
The Band
Rick Danko – bass guitar, fiddle , vocals
Levon Helm – drums, mandolin , vocals
Garth Hudson – organ, piano, accordion, synthesizer, clavinet , saxophones
Richard Manuel – piano, drums, organ, clavinet, Dobro , vocals
Robbie Robertson – guitars, piano, vocals
The horn section
Rich Cooper – trumpet, flugelhorn
James Gordon – flute, tenor saxophone , clarinet
Jerry Hey – trumpet, flugelhorn
Howard Johnson – tuba, baritone saxophone , flugelhorn, bass clarinet
Charlie Keagle – clarinet; flute; alto , tenor and soprano saxophones
Tom Malone – trombone, euphonium , alto flute , bass trombone
Larry Packer – electric violin
Horns arranged by Henry Glover , Garth Hudson , Howard Johnson , Tom Malone , John Simon and Allen Toussaint
Guest personnel
Production personnel
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
^ The Last Waltz at AllMusic
^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: B" . Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields . ISBN 089919026X . Retrieved February 21, 2019 .
^ Rolling Stone
^ Brackett, Nathan, with Hoard, Christian (eds) (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th edn). New York, NY: Fireside. p. 42. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8 .
^ Orr, John. "The Last Waltz" article from The Band Website retrieved 20-11-10 .
^ Orr, as above.
^ The Last Waltz , original vinyl issue, sleeve notes .
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 321. ISBN 0-646-11917-6 .
^ "Austriancharts.at – The Band – The Last Waltz" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "Ultratop.be – The Band – The Last Waltz" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Band – The Last Waltz" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "Lescharts.com – The Band – The Last Waltz" . Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Band – The Last Waltz" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts . Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "Charts.nz – The Band – The Last Waltz" . Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Band – The Last Waltz" . Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – The Band – The Last Waltz" . Hung Medien. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "The Band Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard . Retrieved March 13, 2021.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1978" . dutchcharts.nl . Retrieved March 13, 2021 .
^ "Top Selling Albums of 1978 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart" . Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved January 26, 2022 .
Studio albums
Live albums Compilations Films Singles Other songs Related
Discography
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan World Tour 1966
Bob Dylan and the Band 1974 Tour
Cate Brothers
Ronnie Hawkins
The Weight Band
Big Pink
Shangri-La
List of Basement Tapes songs
List of Basement Tapes songs (1975)
So Many Roads (1965, Helm, Hudson, Robertson)
The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album (1975, Helm, Hudson)
No Reason to Cry (1976, Danko, Helm, Hudson, Manuel, Robertson)
Let It Rock (1995, Bell, Ciarlante, Danko, Helm, Hudson, Weider)
Carry Me Home (2022, Helm, Weider)
Endless Highway: The Music of the Band
The Complete Last Waltz
This Wheel's on Fire: Levon Helm and the Story of the Band