Track Listing

1. Tears of Rage
2. To Kingdom Come
3. In a Station
4. Caledonia Mission
5. Weight
6. We Can Talk
7. Long Black Veil
8. Chest Fever
9. Lonesome Suzie
10. This Wheel's on Fire
11. I Shall Be Released
12. Yazoo Street Scandal [*][Outtake]
13. Tears of Rage [Alternate Take][*]
14. Katie's Been Gone [*][Outtake]
15. If I Lose [*][Outtake]
16. Long Distance Operator [*][Outtake]
17. Lonesome Suzie [Alternate Take][*]
18. Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast) [Outtake-Demo][*][Demo Version
19. Key to the Highway [*][Outtake]
20. Ferdinand the Imposter [Outtake-Demo][*][Demo Version]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2133 in Music
• Released on: 2000-08-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.com essential recordings
Music from Big Pink stands as one of those rare albums that turned the rock world on its axis. On this record, released in 1968 at the height of the psychedelic revolution, the five members of the Band (along with producer-sideman John Simon) eschewed spacey diversions, opting for an earthier route. Soon enough, wah-wah pedals and tape loops were making way for fiddles and mandolins. The group's most democratic effort (Robbie Robertson would soon emerge as the ensemble's mouthpiece), the debut's 11 songs come from Robertson, bassist Rick Danko, and pianist Richard Manuel, who contributes two songs and cowrote the doleful opener, "Tears of Rage," with Bob Dylan. Manuel's role would diminish from this point hence and the balance he brought to the quintet would be missed. Many would argue that Big Pink's sequel, The Band, represents their crowning achievement. The truth is, Big Pink is the purest distillation of the Band, and their preeminent recording. This remastered reissue is generously expanded to include nine bonus tracks, a bunch highlighted by a Robertson rarity ("Ferdinand the Imposter") and a cover of the Stanley Brothers's "If I Lose." --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews

One of the twenty greatest albums ever
Before I bought this CD I had only heard The Weight and it was the main reason I bought this CD. To put it simply I was blown away by it. This album is the reason Eric Clapton disbanded cream and it is easy to see why. Every aspect of this album is beautiful and every song is great, not one stands out above the rest. I have since compiled a large collection of The Band, but this one will always be my favorite. The blending of the three voices is heard most on this album, with Richard Manuels standing out the most. In my opinion his voice is one of the most beautiful ever, and one listen of I shall be released should convince anyone of this. The album is a drastic departure from anything being recorded around the same time. It starts of with a slow song, Tears of Rage, very uncommon for the day. The songs all have a very old feel to them, and there is a lot of gospel flavor incoporated into them. It is basically the perfect album. Every band member was equally important to every song and each is one of the best at their respective instrument. In my opinion this is one of the best albums ever and this new remastered version is even better. The bonus tracks are pretty interesting especially if you don't already own the basement tapes. If you are looking to get into The Band start with this album and work your way through their catalog. It is the kind of album that gets better each time you listen to it and no music fan should be without it.

More Than A Classic!
It's great to see such a terrific album finally get the treatment it deserves-remastered sound quality, an expanded CD booklet, and the real "gravy"-all the bonus tracks! This is the album that created a musical revolution in 1968 (no small feat for the 60's!) Influencing everybody from the Beatles to Eric Clapton (whom even went so far as to make a pilgrimage to Big Pink to hang out and jam!) This was honest, well-written (by Robbie Robertson, Bob Dylan , Richard Manuel, Rick Danko) well-played (three superb singers), just plain great music! The classics are here "The Weight", "I Shall Be Released", "This Wheel's On Fire"-but others in the original line-up are just as good: "We Can Talk", "Long Black Veil", and " Tears of Rage" also standout. The bonus tracks are reason to buy this CD alone!-These are rare songs that only collectors have been able to hear: "Ferdinand The Imposter", "If I Lose" and "Orange Juice Blues" are finally available in pristine CD quality! Can we give this album 6 stars?!!

Music from Who Knows Where
It was always a close call whether this or the Band's 2nd album was their classic. This reissue and expansion presses the question to the point of impossible resolution. Not only do the outtakes enrich the release, but the remastering clearly improves the sound quality, making it much more dimensional and uncannily clear.

Time has also made it easier to assess this breakout album. It is still unclassifiable in the rock pantheon in which it finds itself. These are guys who went everywhere, heard everything, and play an incredible assortment of instruments well. They came of age when rock combos filled the juke joints and honky tonks, so yeah, you will find their work in the rock bin. In another era it might have been in the country bin, or the folk bin. At times, it sounds like each -- when it doesn't sound like old time carnival music, soul music, church music, even classical music.

For the genesis of this music is deeper than any of these categories. It goes as far back as the first European settlers on the continent; for the ultimate take on this subject consult Greil Marcus' Mystery Train and his essay inside The Basement Tapes. Simply, the music here comes from the mine that the oldest bi-racial folk tales such as Stackalee come from, where also you will find major authors such as Faulkner and Twain poaching when they try to give you a take on early times in America. Some of the stories come out like legends or folk tales, coherently told -- like Long Black Veil. All of it is in clearcut root English, but the closer you listen to some of the songs the more mysterious they become -- what are they even talking about, and who? In our era or 100 years ago? 200? All times in between at once? It is music not from "big pink" but from who knows where, and the band members freely trade the lead singer role back and forth as a song progresses, which only deepens both the wonder and the mystery, as if each of them is tossing on a piece of the whole story only they know.

While all this may sound like an academic exercise, it isn't -- The Band's school was the American road and they kept their eyes and ears wide open, playing separately and as sidemen for years, until they came together and made this. Warning: yes, it may be a bit of an acquired taste. But its well worth the effort, and is not only one of the most important rock records ever cut, but on the short list of important American music from century 20.