Last Sunday I put together a fun post asking people to create their own three day music festival of up to nine artists; living, dead and reunited in a combination of livng and dead. My cousin Christopher put together this intriguing list of performers. It stood out for several reasons. I loved his combination of acts and his personal explanations. It was exactly what I was hoping for. Here it is:
The common theme of my festival is that live music should entertain you. Day One: The afternoon begins with Greta Van Fleet. One of my current favourite bands. Fresh, yet classic. These boys are here to entertain with good hard rock. Next up, Mumford & Sons. If you like their studio stuff you have to see them live. There is no comparison. Night one doesn’t slow down as The Foo Fighters take the stage. Very few bands can just play with no gimmicks. Dave Grohl is one of the exceptions. A boy once said to his father, “it is sad that Kurt Cobain died so young, but I am thankful”. His dad replied ” son, that is a strange thing to say. How can you be thankful?” the son replies ” if he had not died, we never would have had the Foo Fighters”. Day 2. The hardest category. George Harrison opens the afternoon. Not only my favourite Beatle but my favourite solo artist ever. Sorry to be a copycat but earlier this week I was just thinking when I heard Stevie on the radio how I missed out on an opportunity to see him in Toronto just around the time of the helicopter crash. Stevie goes on to play a wonderful set. Day 2 winds down with in my estimation one of the greatest live entertainers ever… Mr. Tom Petty. I saw him twice and if he has an amazing level on studio tracks, he takes it to a whole other level live. Day 3. I have always said that if I had a time machine the one band I would go back to see is Queen with Freddie. Adam Lambert is a very talented young individual. He has charisma & flamboyance and a great voice; however, he is not Freddie. For me replacements in bands of this proportion have not really worked. Yes, in some instances the replacement even has more talent as a vocalist or musician (Larry Gowan can out play Dennis DeYoung from Styx on the keyboard any day of the week but somehow those power ballads are not the same). The Grateful Dead had to make the list. This band defined who I became as is the case with many bands in the teenage years. Anyone who has seen the Dead live knows it is not a concert. It is an experience unlike any other musical event. The festival closes with one of my favourite bands being reunited. One from Minnesota, one from Birmingham, England and 3 from Heaven. The Travelling Wilburys. No need to say anything here. I had such a hard time not including The Jeff Healey Band in this set. They made it on entertainment value but the other 3 helped define who I was as I grew up more than they did. Interestingly enough, 2 of my top 3 bands of all time did not make it to the festival. I said at the beginning that live music moves me like no other music. It is such a different experience than your records, CDs & radio. ELO: Jeff Lynne is a genius but his one flaw is he is also a perfectionist. This perfection in his live shows goes a little too far. It makes the live show a little artificial. (Don’t get me wrong. Loved his Toronto show in 2018). The Cars were a great band for me. Ric Ocasek was a great songwriter and they had a great sound. But Ocasek was more comfortable writing and being in the studio. Live show & touring were never his thing. For all the Cars were a great addition to my life growing up, live they did not cut it, just standing and playing. This just in! A fourth day has just been added to the festival. Bands that are living and reunite! Triumph: Canadian, my first concert and Rik Emmett is great on guitar. Great Big Sea: Canadian, sadly broken up due to Sean McCann’s mental health issues & substance abuse, and just all around fun to listen to. Thanks Ted. This was fun!”
Christopher Lindsay
Within this post there were a handful of artists that I have already featured in some way; either for the original version of their songs, or for their covers. Sometimes both. It has been 670 days of Ted Tocks Covers so naturally I have covered quite a range. One act stood out to me because I have not featured them in any way. Chris’ post made me dig a little deeper into the music mine and I found GOLD.
Today’s post will tie in the British folk rock band Mumford and Sons with a focus on what in my opinion is one of the best songs ever written; ‘The Weight’ by The Band.
Before I get to that, here is a brief introduction to my cousin Christopher. Growing up in Acton, I had the privilege of living in close proximity to my cousins, Cheri, Shannon, Shelley and Christopher. The three girls were closest to my age. I literally grew up with Shannon. So much of what we did, we did together. There are some great memories and so many connections to some wonderful people. People who in some cases we have lost touch with, or thanks to one of the positive aspects of social media, we keep in occasional contact either in person or through the positive side of Facebook. Shelley was a little bit younger than Shannon and as we grew into our teen years, she became part of our social group. Cheri was the oldest, and in many ways, she set the standard for ‘The Lindsays’ of our generation. She was a talented dancer and a model student. We were a third generation Acton family. In hindsight it was fun to grow up in the shadow of some pretty special people who were well known in this close-knit community. Christopher was a fair bit younger than me, and it wasn’t until later in my teens that we became closer. This connection can be attributed directly to the power of music. Now truthfully, it wasn’t even me that cultivated this commonality. For that, the credit must go to my friend Steve. Steve knows more about music than anyone I know. He is a musician himself who is a walking library of music history. Back in the late ‘80s, Steve and Christopher worked together at my Uncle Don’s grocery store in Acton. While they ‘worked’, Christopher and Steve talked music. They also dabbled in stocking shelves and keeping the store in a presentable state. Before I knew it, Christopher was joining us on a couple of memorable expeditions to see the Grateful Dead. Once at Kingswood Music Theatre at Canada’s Wonderland in ‘the City above Toronto; the City of Vaughan’ and the other time was in Hamilton. The Hamilton show was the last time we saw Brent Mydland play live just a few months before he died.
Now we fast forward to where real life takes over. Christopher went to York University where he met his future wife Tristan. Much like Christopher, Tristan was a small town girl from Tweed, Ontario. This would be where the two would settle down and start a family. Chris was able to follow his life’s pursuit of becoming a funeral director. A direct homage to his grandfather and mentor who had done the same in Guelph, Ontario. This could be where one says, they all lived happily ever after, and in a way that is true. But there is way more.
You see, for the better part of 30 years we have been separated by both time and space. For the most part we only see each other on rare occasions and sadly it becomes the cliché; weddings and funerals. As mentioned above, it has been the music, and the power of Facebook that has kept us in relatively frequent contact. Here is a moment that defines Chris and Tristan.
Back in 2015, through my family’s association with a charity called Jesse’s Journey we got to know a beautiful family called the Sedmihradskys from Hamilton. Jesse’s Journey is a Canadian charity that generates awareness and research funds for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Andrew and his wife Kerri along with their son Max had created a massive undertaking called Max’s Big Ride. Max lives with Duchenne, and as part of their commitment to help find a cure, Andrew and Kerri developed this event that saw them ride a specially designed European bike 600 kms from Ottawa to Hamilton. The route would take them through Tweed, so I let Christopher and Tristan know because I thought they might be interested. As it turned out they were very interested. They took that level of engagement to unimaginable heights. They managed to get the whole town involved. Check this out:
Andrew, Kerri and Max were blown away at the level of support that relative strangers had managed to portray in a short time. They remain friends to this day. This in essence, defines the people that Christopher and Tristan are. They are a beautiful couple. They have known tragedy, but rather than let that define them, they have risen above, and managed to give so much of themselves to others. I think if you ask anyone in their town, they would tell you the same thing.
So, we can lament the fact that we don’t get to see each other very often or we can celebrate the fact that we can share moments from a distance and continue to bond through the music we love. It is pretty special when I open a message from Christopher, and it is another new act he has discovered and thought I might like. That is a connection that turns miles of separation into feeling like you are in the same room listening to vinyl on a turntable. That is the power of music.
So back to today’s feature act and song…
Here is Mumford and Sons doing ‘The Weight’ at the Newport Folk Festival in 2018. This is special because they perform with Mavis Staples, who is featured along with The Band in my opening. Pay attention to the artists on stage that include Brandi Carlile as they rejoice in sharing the stage with this iconic singer. This captures the spirit of the moment and it is 100% genuine. A fun performance.
‘The Weight’ in my opinion is one of the best songs ever written. As a result, I have not attempted to feature it in a post, up until today. In some ways it is untouchable in terms of analysis. I fear I would fall woefully short. The song is a collaborative effort by The Band that was inspired by Spanish filmmaker Luis Bunuel. The imagery created within the narration draws upon the fascinating characters Robbie Robertson met while visiting Levon Helm in his hometown of Turkey Scratch, Arkansas.
To me … going there was like going to the source. Because I was at such a vulnerable age then, it made a really big impact on me. Just that I had the honor joining up with this group and then even going to this place, which was close to a religious experience – even being able to put my feet on the ground there, because I was from Canada, right? So it was like, “Woah, this is where this music grows in the ground, and [flows from] the Mississippi river. My goodness.” It very much affected my songwriting and, because I knew Levon’s musicality so well, I wanted to write songs that I thought he could sing better than anybody in the world. While I was there, I was just gathering images and names, and ideas and rhythms, and I was storing all of these things … in my mind somewhere. And when it was time to sit down and write songs, when I reached into the attic to see what I was gonna write about, that’s what was there. I just felt a strong passion toward the discovery of going there, and it opened my eyes, and all my senses were overwhelmed by the feeling of that place. When I sat down to write songs, that’s all I could think of at the time.”
Robbie Robertson
The Bunuel inspiration is important because it speaks to the journey of the song’s narrator to improve their moral character. Luis Bunuel was an open critic of modern religion, particularly Catholicism. In ‘The Weight’ the narrator is on a quest for purpose and is in search of guidance. Everywhere he turns for this support turns into another series of questions or personal confusion. In the end the narrator determines that personal fulfillment was within him all along.
Robbie Robertson and The Band used a trip to the Martin Guitar factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania as the set for ‘The Weight’. This was a brilliant juxtaposition because it draws upon biblical imagery relating to Jesus Christ’s birth. This in combination with Bunuel’s provocative philosophical questions transform the song into an existential odyssey. There really are no superlatives to describe the magnitude of ‘The Weight’ as a composition. Here is Robbie Robertson’s account of the song’s spiritual inspiration.
“(Buñuel) did so many films on the impossibility of sainthood. People trying to be good in Viridiana and Nazarín, people trying to do their thing. In “The Weight” it’s the same thing. People like Buñuel would make films that had these religious connotations to them but it wasn’t necessarily a religious meaning. In Buñuel there were these people trying to be good and it’s impossible to be good. In “The Weight” it was this very simple thing. Someone says, “Listen, would you do me this favour? When you get there will you say ‘hello’ to somebody or will you give somebody this or will you pick up one of these for me? Oh? You’re going to Nazareth, that’s where the Martin guitar factory is. Do me a favour when you’re there.” This is what it’s all about. So, the guy goes and one thing leads to another and it’s like “Holy shit, what’s this turned into? I’ve only come here to say ‘hello’ for somebody and I’ve got myself in this incredible predicament.” It was very Buñuelish to me at the time.”
Robbie Robertson
It is when ‘The Weight’ is transformed from a lyrical piece to a musical passage, that it achieves its true potential. The Band bring it to life as though it is a five act play. The vocal performances by Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, Rick Danko and Robbie Robertson set a standard that has rarely been matched. As always, the musical accompaniment is top notch. Here is the studio version. I have said this before, but if I could have been in the studio watching any band create any song, I think ‘The Weight’ by The Band would be that song. It is just an epic creation.
Here are the lyrics before I go through a handful of additional covers.
I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin’ about half past dead
The Band
I just need some place where I can lay my head
“Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?”
He just grinned and shook my hand, “no” was all he said
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)
I picked up my bag, I went lookin’ for a place to hide
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walkin’ side by side
I said, “Hey, Carmen, come on let’s go downtown.”
She said, “I gotta go but my friend can stick around.”
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)
Go down, Miss Moses, there’s nothin’ you can say
It’s just old Luke and Luke’s waitin’ on the Judgment Day
“Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee?”
He said, “Do me a favor, son, won’t you stay and keep Anna Lee company?”
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)
Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fog
He said, “I will fix your rack if you take Jack, my dog.”
I said, “Wait a minute, Chester, you know I’m a peaceful man.”
He said, “That’s OK, boy, won’t you feed him when you can?”
Yeah, take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)
Catch a cannon ball now to take me down the line
My bag is sinkin’ low and I do believe it’s time
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she’s the only one
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)
To begin, here is The Band playing ‘The Weight’ at Woodstock fifty years ago. This is so fresh because it was just over a year old at the time. Garth Hudson really shines in this live performance. Musically speaking Garth Hudson was the driving force behind The Band. A genius who is revered amongst musicians to this day.
On my tour of covers of ‘The Weight’ I will begin with this spiritual rendition by the great Aretha Franklin, accompanied by the legendary Duane Allman on guitar. Seriously! This is an overload of amazing. Musically, Aretha had a vision when she opted to record this song. When they asked her who she wanted to play guitar she just said, “get me that white cat.” Everybody knew she meant Duane Allman, who had played with her friend, Wilson Pickett on ‘Hey Jude’.
Here are The Staple Singers doing their own cover of ‘The Weight’. Just beautiful.
How about Jeff Healey? This one is for you Christopher.
Weezer did a great cover of ‘The Weight’ in 2008 as a bonus track on the UK release of their Red Album.
I could go on forever. This song is known worldwide for its power. Musicians and music fans alike point to it as an example of what makes a great song. Here is the perfect way to conclude this post. As part of a series called ‘Playing for Change’ here is ‘The Weight’ featuring Robbie Robertson, Marcus King, Roberto Luti, Larkin Poe, Char, Mermans Moseng, Ari Boulala, Sol Homar, Keiko Komaki, Taimane, John Cruz, Hutch Hutchinson, Chango Spasiuk, Robin Moxey, Ahmed Al Harmi, Rajeev Shrethsa, Sanjay Shrethsa, Lukas Nelson, Sherieta Lewis, Roselyn Williams and Ringo Starr. The combination of musicians and instrumentation in this cover is literally mind blowing.
‘The Weight’ is “a song that transcends both time and space.”
What key is it in Robbie?
Ringo Starr
Too funny!
So, there you have a song that has literally touched people on a universal basis. It started in a recording studio in a house called Big Pink in Woodstock, New York and meandered its way into the collective ears, hearts and lives of millions of music fans. For the purpose of today’s post, a family from a small town in southern Ontario who love music.
There is nothing more I can say.
Ted Tocks Covers 