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Levon Helm

HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
in Non Cigar Related
Well, we lost D!ck Clark today, looks like Levon isn't far behind. This is going to be a huge loss. He put out a couple really good albums in the past few years too. I thought he had beat his throat cancer. Guess not. God bless to the backbone of The Band.

Levon Helm Faces Final Stages of Cancer

Comments

  • DirewolfDirewolf Posts: 3,493 ✭
    Read that earlier today. Is a sad thing. Atleast he'll leave behind some awesome music to carry on.
  • HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
    Pretty appropiate song from his last album:

    When I Go Away
  • beatnicbeatnic Posts: 4,133 ✭
    A classic!
  • Amos_UmwhatAmos_Umwhat Posts: 8,819 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Damn! That hurts. One of my all-time favorites.
    WARNING:  The above post may contain thoughts or ideas known to the State of Caliphornia to cause seething rage, confusion, distemper, nausea, perspiration, sphincter release, or cranial implosion to persons who implicitly trust only one news source, or find themselves at either the left or right political extreme.  Proceed at your own risk.  

    "If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed.  If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." --  Mark Twain
  • JDHJDH Posts: 2,107 ✭
    The Last Waltz is one of my favorite movies

    What a night, such a night, and if I don't do it somebody else will, but it makes no difference, because life is a carnival up on cripple creek, boy you don't know the shape I'm in, 'cause I got stagefright, such a night, so take a load off baby, take a load for free, while I wait for Ophelia just to come back home........
  • JDHJDH Posts: 2,107 ✭
    He's gone........
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    The Band... I still hear these guys on the radio today. The Weight, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up on Cripple Creek, Ophelia. Great music still. Sorry to hear this.
  • DirewolfDirewolf Posts: 3,493 ✭
    Is a sad day. The Band influenced a lot of musicians
  • HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
    So sad. As much as I loved The Band it was all about Levon for me. Dude was one of a kind.

    He did a TV special a couple of years ago, a "Levon & Friends" kind of thing. Can't remember if it was on ETV or one of the cable channels but it was really good and he seemed like he was getting his health back.

    Also, I have to admit I haven't heard everything off of his last 2 albums, Dirt Farmer and Electric Dirt, but everything I have heard is solid (including the track I linked above) and I highly recommend checking them out if you were a fan.

    Well the big band in heaven just got a little better today I guess...
  • HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
    When I Go Away (2009)

    Early in the morning
    When the church bells toll
    The choir's gonna sing
    And the hearse will roll
    On down to the graveyard
    Where it's cold and gray

    And then the sun's gonna shine
    Through the shadows
    When I go away

    Don't want no sorrow
    For this old orphan boy
    I don't want no crying
    Only tears of joy
    I'm gonna see my mother
    Gonna see my father
    And I'll be bound for glory
    In the morning
    When I go away

    I'll be lifted up to the clouds
    On the wings of angels
    There's only flesh and bones
    In the ground
    Where my troubles will stay

    See that storm over yonder
    It's gonna rain all day
    But then the sun's gonna shine
    Through the shadows
    When I go away

    (I'm going home - Lift me up)
    When I go away
    (No more trouble - I'm going home)
    (Lift me up - When I go away)
    No more crying
    (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away)
    No more trials
    (I'm going home)
    Home to leave my worries in the ground
    (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away)
    No more troubles
    (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away)
    No more crying
    (I'm going home - Lift me up - When I go away)

    No more trials (I'm going home)
    Home to leave my worries in the graveyard
    Home to leave my troubles in the graveyard
    Home to leave my trials
    And I'll be bound for glory
    In the morning
    When I go away

    All my kin who love me
    All my friends who care
    Look beyond the dark clouds
    We're gonna meet up there
    When they lay me in the cold ground
    Bow your heads and pray (Bow your heads and pray)
    And I'll be bound for glory
    In the morning
    When I go away
    And then the sun's gonna shine
    Through the shadows
    When I go away
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Really liking that tune Heavy. Thanks for posting it.
  • beatnicbeatnic Posts: 4,133 ✭
    Thanks Heavy
  • beatnicbeatnic Posts: 4,133 ✭
    Saw a post- "Last Waltz" concert in N.O. in the late 70's. Dylon was missing, but Dr. John and others were there. One of my most memorably concerts ever.
  • y2pascoey2pascoe Posts: 1,727 ✭✭
    Worst thing about Levon Helm's passing is it probably won't get a lot of media coverage in the entertainment world. The Band was always one of those fringe rock and roll groups that never got much publicity in the main stream rock press, but was so influential to many of our best known contemporary rock perfomers. To all those that don't know Levon Helm, or The Band that well, check out "The Last Waltz" concert film directed by Martin Scoresese. It's a true testament to some of the icons of modern day rock and roll.
  • 0patience0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    y2pascoe:
    Worst thing about Levon Helm's passing is it probably won't get a lot of media coverage in the entertainment world. The Band was always one of those fringe rock and roll groups that never got much publicity in the main stream rock press, but was so influential to many of our best known contemporary rock perfomers. To all those that don't know Levon Helm, or The Band that well, check out "The Last Waltz" concert film directed by Martin Scoresese. It's a true testament to some of the icons of modern day rock and roll.
    They were never given the credit that they were do. They were a very influential band.

    For anyone who ever watched him, you got to see the love he had for what he did. He enjoyed being there in the moment. He loved the fans, the concerts, the lights and all of that. He had influences on bands like the Eagles. That says a lot.

    He is a rare breed that is rapidly disappearing.
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • laker1963laker1963 Posts: 5,046
    THE BANDS voice. Rest in Peace Levon. Sad, sad day.
  • catfishbluezzcatfishbluezz Posts: 7,000 ✭✭✭
    y2pascoe:
    Worst thing about Levon Helm's passing is it probably won't get a lot of media coverage in the entertainment world. The Band was always one of those fringe rock and roll groups that never got much publicity in the main stream rock press, but was so influential to many of our best known contemporary rock perfomers. To all those that don't know Levon Helm, or The Band that well, check out "The Last Waltz" concert film directed by Martin Scoresese. It's a true testament to some of the icons of modern day rock and roll.
    I used to watch that before gigs to get pumped... In this day and age, I can't tell you how many of my peers I have introduced that video too. The songwriting and harmonies are on another level, truly somethign a music afficianado and student shoudl pay close attention to. The Band was a dream team of musicians. They broke and bent all the songwriting rules, while creating hooks that outlast generations. Levon was the man...
  • DirewolfDirewolf Posts: 3,493 ✭
    NPR did a bit on him yesterday and replayed pieces of an interview he did not too long ago. He truly loved music
  • HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
    My local NPR station played a few The Band sets today with a bunch of Levon and various related stuff throughout the day. Heard his daughter do a nice cover of Brokedown Palace - thought you might like that Randall... this too:

    Tennesse Jed on Letterman

    Not bad for a 69 year old with throat cancer. This was on my 39th birthday...I remember sitting up watching this with a nice birthday buzz and thinking, 'damn, ol boy's still got it'...LOL
  • kevin1323kevin1323 Posts: 294 ✭
    This really was a big loss. If anyone is interested in a great read, pick up "This Wheel's on Fire" http://www.amazon.com/This-Wheels-Fire-Levon-Story/dp/1556524056/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335296518&sr=8-1
    It is a great look into the band's history. It tells a story that is often seen in the music world (band relationships fracturing b/c of publishing rights disputes) and is very one sided. However, it is hard to not side with Levon and the other guys.
    I am really glad I got to see Levon open for Widespread Panic a few years ago.
  • HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
    kevin1323:
    This really was a big loss. If anyone is interested in a great read, pick up "This Wheel's on Fire" http://www.amazon.com/This-Wheels-Fire-Levon-Story/dp/1556524056/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335296518&sr=8-1
    It is a great look into the band's history. It tells a story that is often seen in the music world (band relationships fracturing b/c of publishing rights disputes) and is very one sided. However, it is hard to not side with Levon and the other guys.
    I am really glad I got to see Levon open for Widespread Panic a few years ago.
    Thanks for the tip on the book. I'll definitely get that.

    When/where did you see Levon open up for Panic?!?! Did he join them on stage at all? I don't seem to recall that one, although I don't catch shows like I used to (and that's an understatement!).

    Oh yeah, and as a sidenote to my link to Levon on Letterman, the late nite band was playing The Band songs all night going into/out of commercial breaks on Letterman last night .
  • kevin1323kevin1323 Posts: 294 ✭
    The LHB opening for Panic was a mistake on my part. I actually saw them open for The Black Crowes. I saw Widespread Panic at the same venue, which was messing with my head.
  • HeavyHeavy Posts: 1,591 ✭✭✭
    LHB with the Black Crowes sounds awesome. I really hate I didn't catch that tour.
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