Origin of 'The Weight'? (Robbie Robertson)

Subject: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: GUEST,Rigby
Date: 29 Dec 00 - 09:31 PM

I've been trying to learn anything about the origin of "The Weight" - I *think* I remember reading about it in a book about the history of American music, but I've been unable to find the reference. Can anyone offer anything on this? Thanks!

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 29 Dec 00 - 09:50 PM

It was written by a Canadian guitar player named (Jaime)Robbie Robertson, who started as a teenaged guitarist in The Hawks, Ronnie Hawkins band. The Hawks later backed Bob Dylan and called themselves The Band. When The Band started to do their own material, most of which was written by Robbie. "The Weight" was on The Band's first album, "Music from Big Pink."

Mike Regenstreif

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: raredance
Date: 29 Dec 00 - 10:14 PM

For a 1999 discussion and links go here:

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=10425#72146

rich r

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: catspaw49
Date: 29 Dec 00 - 10:22 PM

BLUE CLICKY TO richr's thread above

Spaw

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: raredance
Date: 29 Dec 00 - 10:32 PM

How dare you clicky on my thread, the stain may never come out.

rich r

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: Gary T
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 01:02 AM

Aw heck, rich, dye the whole thread blue and no one will ever notice.

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 10:33 AM

I think "The Weight" was Robbie Robertson's first (and best) attempt to write a Dylan song. It's a good one. So are "Acadian Driftwood", and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down". Epic tunes, one and all, and all written (I think...) by Robbie Robertson.

He eventually had a sort of falling out with the other members of The Band and went solo after that.

In more recent times he has emphasized his Native American roots and done a couple of albums in that vein, with some chanting and drumming mixed in with the modern music. Buffy Sainte-Marie was the first to do that, back in the 70's.

Robby Robertson has made quite a mark for himself in the last 10 years in Canada at least with these Native music albums. An odd case of someone who acted like he wasn't Native for the longest time (not a hint of it in his earlier career) and then seemed to discover that he was, later in life.

There is now a once yearly televised award show for Native people in Canada, focusing on all areas of achievement, but especially on the arts. Robby has won some major awards on that for his new music.

- LH

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: GUEST,Ian English
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 07:57 PM

The Weight - Although there is no doubt that the Band and Robbie Robertson made this song popular, there are far to many Racist and Religous undertones to say for certain he actually wrote the song or at least the lyrics. I suspect it was written sometime during the depression by an unamed American Negro travelling north to escape the poverty of the south.

Firstly he is turned away by a hotelier, possibly because of his colour, secondly the religous scoring and references like "I saw Carmel and The Devil" and "Go down Miss Mosses " A typical American Negro name. Then theres the Lines "Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fall, he said I will see you right if you take on Jake the Dog" with connotations both to Boxing for money, popular in the depression and also poverty itself.

Annie Lee itself is an abreviation of Annabell Lee another name popular in the Southern States and not uncommon amongst the negro cotton farmers. The religous undertones also suggest an american negro first penned the song, many negroes were raised with strong christain upbringings.

Of course this is just speculation and maybe Robbie did write this song, the question remains why are there so many names the where both popular amongst the american negroes and indicative of more impoverished times.

The interviews I have seen with Robbie indicate a strong social awareness and perhaps the credit should go to him for sourcing the song anyway.

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: GUEST,Rigby
Date: 30 Dec 00 - 11:14 PM

Damn, you guys are good! You've steered me to more information than I had hoped for. Thanks for the Blue Clicky, too!

Rigby

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From:
Date: 31 Dec 00 - 12:11 AM

according to levon helm's autobiography (the drummer for the band) robbie robertson had a bit of help writing a lot of these great songs even though he got all the credit. whoever is responsible for the weight and the other great songs that the band did, they have a great understanding of american history especially the south. levon helm was the only band member from the south (arkansas) everybody else was from canada. also, i couldn't disagree more about the song being written earlier in the century. listen to additional material by the band (i recommend "music from big pink" and "the band") and you will see how "the weight" sits nicely alongside their other songs. great songs, however, sound like they have been around for ages

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: Grab
Date: 02 Jan 01 - 02:17 PM

This page has lyrics to The Weight which are slightly different to Ian's. In particular, the "Crazy Chester" verse is different enough to twist it away from that interpretation. Don't know which are the actual lyrics - it's one of those songs which doesn't seem to mean too much to anyone except the guys who wrote it, but it's still a damn fine song to sing. The same site also has this which pulls together a lot of comments on the song from members of The Band and some critics.

Grab.

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: LR Mole
Date: 02 Jan 01 - 03:30 PM

Crazy Chester following the narrator and catching him in the fog is Elija from Moby Dick for me, running after and warning Ishmael. I have no idea why, really.

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: GUEST,Inukshuk
Date: 02 Jan 01 - 04:33 PM

We used to play this song often at bar gigs around Southern Ontario. Two of our regular guests (sisters)were neighbours and schoolmates of Robertson when they were growing up. Their father's name was Chester, an eccentric and cantankerous fellow. She said that the rack referred to a rack on a hay wagon. I forget what she said about the significance of the dog.

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: Irish sergeant
Date: 02 Jan 01 - 04:59 PM

Great song and a damned fine writer/musician. Kindest reguards, Neil

Subject: RE: Origin of 'The Weight'?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 02 Jan 01 - 06:42 PM

I think that songwriting, when it's really good, is not done from the conscious level of mind and memory, but from the subconscious and the superconscious. In other words, the write tunes in to sources he is not consciously aware of at all. You just surrender to the process. That's how Robbie Robertson may have done it, and that's how all those references may have crept in.

I've written stuff where I had no idea where it came from...until later. It's a mysterious process.

To put it another way...maybe God writes the song, and the singer is just the scribe and the voice that carries it.

- LH