The Band

The Brown Album

[LP cover - high resolution scan] [Limited edition Japanese CD] [2000 reissue cover] [2009 24K Gold CD] [Cover photos] [Billboard ad for 8-track/cassette] [Billboard ad for "Cripple Creek"] [New York Times review] [Sheet Music] [Charts and ratings]

Perhaps the best album by any Rock and Roll group ever. Timeless, soulful, seamless, a work that goes far beyond and yet is front-porch friendly. --M.E. Cooper Music from Big Pink had been a fine, even superior debut; The Band was their masterpiece. Robbie Robertson's songwriting had grown by leaps and bounds. As players, all five musicians had reached a completely new level of ensemble cohesion. The sum was very much greater than the parts, and the parts were as good as any that existed. The album's single, "Up on Cripple Creek," became the Band's first and only Top 30 release. It was one of several songs on the album that had an "old-timey" feel. Other highlights on this masterpiece include "Rag Mama Rag," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," and "King Harvest." --Rob Bowman, All-Music Guide

In 1997 the TV channel VH-1 made a documentary program about the making of The Band, the program is available on video. Rhino released a box set in May 1998 containing this video and the CD The Band. A special vinyl LP reissue of The Band, produced using analog cutting from analog tapes, was released by EMI in 1997 as part of their Centenary series. A limited edition, remastered CD, with horrible lyrics transcriptions, came in Japan in 1998.

In August 2000 Capitol Records released a remastered The Band, produced (mostly) from the original master tapes, with 7 bonus tracks and a booklet with liner notes by Rob Bowman included (Band biographer Barney Hoskyns wrote the original liner notes for the 2000 reissue, but they were rejected by Capitol/ Robertson.)

A limited Edition "mini-sleeve" CD came on Caroline Records in the UK in 2008. Capitol released a 180 gram vinyl LP the same year. In 2009, Audio Fidelity put out a limited edition 24K Gold CD (supposedly "from the original master tapes") with "Get Up Jake" as the single bonus track.

The Band was released as a 10-track LP in Mexico (omitting "When You Awake" and "The Unfaithful Servant") titled Rock Efectivo, with psychedelic cover art and song titles in Spanish.

In 2019, 50 years after the release of The Band, Capitol/Universal Music Enterprises released remixed and expanded 50th Anniversary Editions of the album.

Tracks

1.	Across the Great Divide	(94K)
2.	Rag Mama Rag	(94K)
3.	The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down	(94K)
4.	When You Awake	(94K)
5.	Up On Cripple Creek	(94K)
6.	Whispering Pines	(94K)
7.	Jemima Surrender	(94K)
8.	Rockin' Chair	(94K)
9.	Look Out, Cleveland	(94K)
10.	Jawbone	(94K)
11.	The Unfaithful Servant	(94K)
12.	King Harvest [Has Surely Come]	(94K)

13.*	Get Up Jake Outtake - original stereo mix (mixed 7/9/69). The mono version was used as the B-Side to the single "Ain't Got No Home." This is the previously unreleased stereo version mixed by The Band.
14.*	Rag Mama Rag Alternate version - recorded in the Spring of 1969 - this is a rough mix from the first set of California mixes.
15.*	The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Alternate mix - this mix features unused overdubs - mixed by The Band 6/3/69.
16.*	Up On Cripple Creek Alternate take (take 9) - earlier performance than the released version. Recorded in the Spring of 1969.
17.*	Whispering Pines Alternate take (take 14) - recorded 6/16/69 at A&R Studios in NYC.
18.*	Jemima Surrender Alternate take - earlier take than released version recorded in the Spring of 1969. This version features Helm on drums, as opposed to the released take, which featured Manuel on drums.
19.*	King Harvest [Has Surely Come] Recorded at a house in Woodstock. EMI says Robertson remembers this taking place after the record was complete. Film footage of The Band performing this version of the song was included in the recent VH1 Classic Albums feature on the making of The Band.

Credits

• The Band , Producer
• Robbie Robertson , Guitar / Keyboards / Vocals / Engineer
• Rick Danko , Bass / Trombone / Violin / Vocals
• John Simon , Tuba / Horn / Keyboards / Piano (Electric) / Producer / Engineer
• Levon Helm , Bass / Guitar / Mandolin / Drums / Vocals
• Garth Hudson , Organ / Piano / Trumpet / Accordion / Keyboards / Saxophone / Sax (Baritone) / Sax (Soprano) / Sax (Tenor) / Clavinet / Slide Trumpet
• Richard Manuel , Harmonica / Piano / Drums / Keyboards / Sax (Baritone) / Vocals
• Tony May , Mixing
• Joe Zagarino , Mixing
• Bob Cato , Design

Song-by-song Credits

1. Across The Great Divide
   Richard Manuel: Lead Vocal & Piano & Bariton Sax
   Rick Danko: Bass & Trombone
   Robbie Robertson: Electric Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Lowrey Organ & Tenor Sax
   Levon Helm: Drums
   John Simon: Tuba

2. Rag Mama Rag
   Levon Helm: Lead Vocal & Mandolin
   Rick Danko: Back Vocal & Violin
   Richard Manuel: Drums
   Robbie Robertson: Acoustic Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Piano
   John Simon: Tuba

3. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
   Levon Helm: Lead Vocal & Drums
   Rick Danko: Back Vocal & Bass & Violin
   Richard Manuel: Back Vocal & Piano
   Robbie Robertson: Acoustic Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Melodica & Slide Trumpet

4. When You Awake
   Rick Danko: Lead Vocal & Bass
   Levon Helm: Back Vocal & Drums
   Richard Manuel: Back Vocal (& Drums? Or is it Levon playing here?)
   Robbie Robertson: Electric Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Lowrey Organ

5. Up On Cripple Creek
   Levon Helm: Lead Vocal & Drums
   Rick Danko: Back Vocal & Bass
   Richard Manuel: Back Vocal & Piano
   Robbie Robertson: Electric Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Clavinette (through a Wah-Wah Effect) & Lowrey Organ
   

6. Whispering Pines
   Richard Manuel: 1st Lead Vocal & Piano (Bad tuning)
   Levon Helm: 2nd Lead Vocal & Drums
   Rick Danko: Bass
   Robbie Robertson: Acoustic Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Lowrey Organ
   John Simon: Electrick Piano

7. Jemima Surrender
   Levon Helm: Lead Vocal & Rythm Electrick Guitar
   Rick Danko: Back Vocal & 6 String Bass
   Richard Manuel: Back Vocal & Drums
   Robbie Robertson: Electric Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Piano & Bariton Sax
   John Simon: Tuba

8. Rockin' Chair
   Richard Manuel: 1st Lead Vocal
   Levon Helm: 2nd Lead Vocal & Mandolin
   Rick Danko: Bass & Back Vocal
   Robbie Robertson: Acoustick Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Accordion

9. Look Out Cleveland
   Rick Danko: Lead Vocal & Bass
   Levon Helm: Back Vocal & Drums
   Richard Manuel: Piano & Back Vocal
   Robbie Robertson: Lead Electric Guitar & Additional Electric Guitar
   Garth Hudson: Lowrey Organ

10. Jawbone
    Richard Manuel: Lead Vocal & Piano
    Levon Helm: Back Vocal & Drums
    Rick Danko: Bass & Back Vocal
    Robbie Robertson: Electric Guitar
    Garth Hudson: Lowrey Organ

11. The Unfaithful Servant
    Rick Danko: Lead Vocal & Bass & Trombone
    Levon Helm: Back Vocal & Drums
    Richard Manuel: Piano & Bariton Sax
    Robbie Robertson: Acoustic Guitar
    Garth Hudson: Soprano Sax
    John Simon: Tuba

12. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
    Richard Manuel: 1st Lead Vocal
    Levon Helm: 2nd Lead Vocal & Drums
    Rick Danko: Bass
    Robbie Robertson: Electric Guitar
    Garth Hudson: Lowrey Organ & Foot Pedal Bass Organ
    John Simon: Electric Piano

The Band - The Band - (43:56) - 1969 - Capitol STAO-132 - Gatefold sleeve LP
RCA Record Club edition LP: Capitol STAO-500132 (1970)
Compact Disc: Capitol 46493-2 (1986)
Special vinyl LP re-release by EMI in 1997.
Limited Edition CD: Capitol Japan TOCP-50838 (1998)
Remastered CD with bonus tracks: Capitol/EMI 50838 (2000)
Limited Edition "mini-sleeve" CD: Caroline Records 22200, UK (2008)
180 gram vinyl LP: Capitol 430081 (2008)
Ltd. ed. 24 K Gold CD with 1 bonus track: Audio Fidelity AUDFI032 (2009)

AMG Rating: Best of Genre - Should be part of any collection - This is a "First Pick" album - the artist at their peak.