The Best of The Band

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The Best of The Band
Compilation album by The Band
Released	July 15, 1976
Recorded	Early 1968 - Mid-1975
Genre	Rock
Length	47:34
Label	Capitol
Producer	The Band, John Simon
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
The Band chronology
Northern Lights - Southern Cross (1975) The Best of The Band (1976) Islands (1977)

The Best of The Band was the first greatest hits package by Canadian-American rockers The Band. Featuring ten tracks taken from six of their first seven albums (not counting 1974's Before the Flood or 1975's The Basement Tapes, both with Bob Dylan), it featured two tracks from the first, second, third and seventh albums, one each from the fourth and fifth, rounded out by the early 1975 single "Twilight".

No substitute for the albums themselves, as the group certainly were no singles act, for the uninitiated, it was still the best way to get into the group without purchasing a multi-disc anthology or all of the original LPs until the release of 2000's Greatest Hits.

[edit] Track listing

1. Up On Cripple Creek (from The Band) (Robertson; - 4:34)
2. The Shape I'm In (from Stage Fright) (Robertson; – 4:00)
3. The Weight (from Music From Big Pink) (Robertson; – 4:38)
4. It Makes No Difference (from Northern Lights/Southern Cross) (Robertson; – 6:34)
5. Life Is A Carnival (from Cahoots) (Danko-Helm-Robertson; – 4:00)
6. Twilight (from the 1975 single) (Robertson; – 3:17)
7. Don't Do It (from Rock of Ages) (Holland-Dozier-Holland; – 5:00)
8. Tears Of Rage (from Music From Big Pink) (Dylan-Manuel; – 5:23)
9. Stage Fright (from Stage Fright) (Robertson; – 3:43)
10. Ophelia (from Northern Lights/Southern Cross) (Robertson; – 3:32)
11. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (from The Band) (Robertson; – 3:33)

The Band's version of the song "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" was also featured as part of a promotional-only compilation album released by Capitol records entitled "The Greatest Music Ever Sold" (Capitol SPRO-8511/8512), which was distributed to record stores during the 1976 Holiday season as part of Capitol's "Greatest Music Ever Sold" campaign which promoted 15 "Best Of" albums issued by the record label.

[edit] Group Members and Other Participants

• Rick Danko - bass, violin and vocals
• Levon Helm - drums, tambourine and vocals
• Garth Hudson - organ, piano, clavinet, Melodica, synthesizers and wind instruments
• Richard Manuel - piano, clavinet, organ, harmonica and vocals
• Robbie Robertson - guitars
• John Simon - tenor saxophone on "Tears Of Rage"
• Allen Toussaint - brass arrangements on "Life Is A Carnival"
• The Band - producers (tracks 1, 3-6, 8-9)
• John Simon - producer (tracks 2, 7, 10-11)
• See individual albums for engineering credits

v • d • e The Band Original members Robbie Robertson • Rick Danko • Richard Manuel • Garth Hudson • Levon Helm Other members and related people Ronnie Hawkins • Bob Dylan • John Simon • Allen Toussaint • Jim Weider • Randy Ciarlante • Richard Bell • Stan Szelest Studio albums Music from Big Pink • The Band • Stage Fright • Cahoots • Moondog Matinee • Planet Waves • The Basement Tapes • Northern Lights - Southern Cross • Islands • Jericho • High On The Hog • Jubilation Live albums Rock of Ages • Before the Flood • The Last Waltz (album) • Live at Watkins Glen • The Last Waltz (box) Compilations The Best of The Band • Anthology • To Kingdom Come • Across The Great Divide • The Best of The Band, Vol. II • Greatest Hits • A Musical History • From Bacon Fat to Judgement Day Songs The Weight • This Wheel's on Fire • I Shall Be Released • Up on Cripple Creek • The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down • Don't Do It • Acadian Driftwood • Tears of Rage Related topics The Last Waltz • This Wheel's on Fire • Capitol Records • Americana • Summer Jam at Watkins Glen