Description
"Tears of Rage," the leadoff track, was a lament by parents about a rebellious child; "The Weight" considered various acts of kindness that went wrong; and "I Shall Be Released," the closing track, expressed the hopeless hope of a prisoner who determined his salvation by viewing the world in reverse ("I see my light coming shining from the west unto the east," he sang, as if the earth were spinning in the opposite direction from its usual course). Other songs took on the theme of declining institutions less clearly, but the points were made musically as much as lyrically. Tenor Richard Manuel's haunting, lonely voice gave the album much of its frightening aspect, even when he wasn't singing lead (especially his moans in "The Weight"), while Rick Danko's and Levon Helm's rough-hewn styles reinforced the songs' rustic fervor. The dominant instrument was Garth Hudson's organ, which could be icy and majestic, his other keyboards introducing novel sounds, while Robbie Robertson's unusual guitar work further destabilized the sound.
The result was an album that reflected the cultural and political turmoil of the late '60s in a way that emphasized the tragedy inherent in the conflicts. Nevertheless, Music from Big Pink came off as a shockingly divergent musical statement only a year after Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, when rock had moved toward ornate productions. Bob Dylan, the Band's mentor, had begun a move back to a simpler, if more ambiguous style with John Wesley Harding six months earlier, and Music from Big Pink initially attracted attention because of the three songs ("Tears of Rage," "This Wheel's on Fire," and "I Shall Be Released") he had either written or co-written. Soon, however, as "The Weight" became a minor singles chart entry, the album and the group made their own impact, influencing a movement more toward roots styles and country elements in rock. Over time, Music from Big Pink came to be regarded as a watershed work in the history of rock, one that introduced new tones and approaches to the constantly evolving genre.
The CD reissue released on August 29, 2000, was remastered for a clearer sound that produced a more detailed sound picture, making those rambling arrangements easier to appreciate. The reissue featured extensive liner notes by Band expert Rob Bowman and included nine bonus tracks, expanding the running time from 42 to 74 minutes. Among the new material, there were alternate takes of "Tears of Rage" and "Lonesome Suzie" (the former only marginally different, the latter a completely different approach to the song); versions of four songs previously released on the 1975 album The Basement Tapes ("Yazoo Street Scandal," "Katie's Been Gone," "Long Distance Operator," and "Orange Juice Blues [Blues for Breakfast]"); covers of country and blues material ("If I Lose," "Key to the Highway"); and one original song probably from the group's initial demo session ("Ferdinand the Imposter"). ~ William Ruhlmann, AMG
Product Details
- Artist
- Band
- Year of release
- 2000
- Label / Studio
- EMI
- Media Content Format
- Album
- CD 30days Sales Rank
- #406
- Media Format
- Audio CD
- Recording Environment
- Studio
- Number of Discs
- 1
- WOW HD Sales Rank
- #465
- Original year of release
- 1968
- SPARS Code
- AAD
- Cast & Crew
- The Band (Music Performer)
Press Reviews
4.5 stars out of 5 - "...Invoking the experience of working-class folks through music and words...[this] overflowed with distinctive singing and musicianship... Down Beat (10/01, p.66)
...[One] of the best albums in rock history....These remasterings sound incredibly rich, and each has alternate takes....this is reissuing done right." - Rating: A Entertainment Weekly (9/1/00, p.81)
...In its mixture of the mundane and the weird, of traditional and avant-garde gestures, BIG PINK retains all of that original transfixing magic... Mojo (10/00, p.126)
...Brilliant....enhancing one's admiration for [their] achievements... No Depression (9-10/00, pp.102-3)
5 stars out of 5 - "...Almost anonymously shifted the boundaries for what rock might aspire to be....it's still a collection to rake the breath away... Q (10/00, p.139)
Al Kooper Rolling Stone (8/10/68 p.21) ...MUSIC FROM BIG PINK IS an event and should be treated as one...this album was recorded in approximately two weeks...there are people who will work their lives away in vain and not touch it.
5 stars out of 5 - "...[One] of rock's few perfect albums, [an] immaculate reflection of [its] times [with] master fictions told with the spit and color of a fur trapper's memoirs...the bonus tracks are sweet gravy... Rolling Stone (8/31/00, pp.69-73)
...Austere yet fascinating, enduringly impressive both as an aesthetic manifesto and a wonderfully understated display of controlled artistry, MUSIC FROM BIG PINK remains a landmark recording which no serious collector can be without... Uncut (9/01, p.108)
Tracklisting
Disc 1:
-
Tears of Rage
(5:23)
-
To Kingdom Come
(3:22)
-
In a Station
(3:34)
-
Caledonia Mission
(2:59)
-
Weight
(4:38)
-
We Can Talk
(3:06)
-
Long Black Veil
(3:06)
-
Chest Fever
(5:18)
-
Lonesome Suzie
(4:04)
-
This Wheel's On Fire
(3:14)
-
I Shall Be Released
(3:19)
-
Yazoo Street Scandal [Outtake]
(4:01)
-
Tears of Rage [Alternate Take]
(5:32)
-
Katie's Been Gone [Outtake]
(2:46)
-
If I Lose [Outtake]
(2:29)
-
Long Distance Operator [Outtake]
(3:58)
-
Bitter to Swallow
(3:00)
-
Orange Juice Blues (Blues for Breakfast) [Demo Version][Outtake]
(3:40)
-
Key to the Highway [Outtake]
(2:28)
-
Ferdinand the Imposter [Demo Version][Outtake]
(3:59)
