A Musical History


A Musical History is the second box set to anthologize Canadian-American rock group The Band. Released by Capitol Records on September 27, 2005, it features 111 tracks spread over five compact discs and one DVD. Roughly spanning the group's journey from 1961 to 1977, from their days behind Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan through the departure of Robbie Robertson and the first disbanding of the group. The set includes highlights from each of the group's first seven studio albums and both major live recordings and nearly forty rare or previously unreleased performances.
For those unwilling or unable to shell out for the full Box Set, Capitol released a single CD+DVD abridged version titled The Best of A Musical History in 2007. It included a selection of what the compilers felt were the best tracks of the five CDs, as well as a shorter version of the DVD.

Contents

Disc one

The first disc focuses on the period from 1961 through 1968, giving the first legitimate release on compact disc to four of five single sides the group recorded in 1965, the fifth previously released on 1994's Across the Great Divide. Opening with two tracks featuring an early incarnation of the group featuring Danko, Robertson and Helm backing Ronnie Hawkins, the disc goes into the first recordings of the group without Hawkins, with Helm assuming lead vocal duties. From there come the earliest tracks featuring the classic line-up, mostly 12-bar blues material, including the group's single sides, the earlier sides recorded as The Canadian Squires, the later sides as Levon and the Hawks. Sessions with Bob Dylan and demo recordings close the disc. These recordings constitute one part of a larger set that will be released as From Bacon Fat to Judgement Day, chronicling the group's journey from 1957 to 1967.

Disc two

Disc two focuses on 1968, featuring all but one track either in its original or in an alternate or extended version from the group's debut album, as well as several outtakes, a few of which are new to the set. A number with Dylan recorded at a Woody Guthrie tribute concert and a few of the group's tracks from The Basement Tapes round out the disc.

Disc three

The third CD focuses on 1969 to 1971. Eight of twelve tracks from the group's eponymous second album and an early version of a ninth constitute the first part of the disc, with five of ten from the third album, a handful of live numbers and a run-through of one track that would appear on the group's fourth album finish the disc.

Disc four

Disc four focuses on 1971 to 1973, opening with an additional four tracks from the group's fourth album. From there, nine tracks recorded during the shows that made up the group's fifth album, the live Rock of Ages, one of them previously unreleased. The disc closes with three tracks from various sessions in 1972 and 1973, two previously unreleased, and one track from the group's homage to early rock and roll, Moondog Matinee.

Disc five

The final audio disc focuses on 1973 to 1976, opening with a further three tracks and an outtake from Moondog Matinee. Three further tracks with Dylan follow, two of which were previously released on Planet Waves and Before the Flood. Three of eight tracks from the group's seventh album make up the middle of the disc. The group's last studio sessions, some of which was released on their final album for Capitol, as well as one previously unreleased live track follow. The disc closes with a handful of tracks from the live/studio hybrid The Last Waltz, recorded in 1976 and 1977 and released in 1978.

DVD

The sixth disc, a DVD, features various performances between 1970 and 1976. Among these are three of four performances the group did on their 1976 appearance on Saturday Night Live, two performances from Wembley Stadium, one performance from the sessions that produced their Rock of Ages album, two from the 1970 Festival Express tour and one from a rarely seen promotional video. All tracks are either previously unreleased in full or in total.

Track listing

All songs are written by Robbie Robertson, except where noted.

Disc one

  1. "Who Do You Love?" – 2:40 – Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks
  2. "You Know I Love You" – 2:44 – Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks
  3. "Further on Up the Road" – 3:06 – The Hawks
  4. "Nineteen Years Old" – 4:12 – The Hawks
  5. "Honky Tonk" – 3:02 – Levon & The Hawks
  6. "Bacon Fat" – 2:38 – Levon & The Hawks
  7. "Robbie's Blues" – 3:37 – Levon & The Hawks
  8. "Leave Me Alone" – 2:37 – Levon & The Hawks
  9. "Uh Uh Uh" – 2:21 – Levon & The Hawks
  10. "He Don't Love You " – 2:37 – Levon & The Hawks
  11. " The Rainmaker" – 2:59 – Levon & The Hawks
  12. "The Stones I Throw" – 1:07 – Levon & The Hawks
  13. "The Stones I Throw " – 2:06 – Levon & The Hawks
  14. "Go Go, Liza Jane" – 2:11 – Levon & The Hawks
  15. "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?" – 3:32 – Bob Dylan with Levon & The Hawks
  16. "Tell Me, Momma" – 4:05 – Bob Dylan & The Hawks
  17. "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" – 5:36 – Bob Dylan & The Hawks
  18. "Words and Numbers" – 4:09
  19. "You Don't Come Through" – 2:03
  20. "Beautiful Thing" – 1:41
  21. "Caledonia Mission" – 2:29
  22. "Odds and Ends" – 1:46 – Bob Dylan & The Band
  23. "Ferdinand the Impostor" – 4:06
  24. "Ruben Remus" – 3:13
  25. "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" – 0:55
  1. "Katie's Been Gone" – 2:45
  2. "Ain't No More Cane on the Brazos" – 3:58
  3. "Don't Ya Tell Henry" – 3:13 – Bob Dylan & The Band
  4. "Tears of Rage" – 5:21
  5. "To Kingdom Come" – 3:57
  6. "In a Station" – 3:31
  7. "The Weight" – 4:36
  8. "We Can Talk" – 3:03
  9. "Long Black Veil" – 3:03
  10. "Chest Fever" – 5:15
  11. "Lonesome Suzie" – 2:57
  12. "This Wheel's on Fire" – 3:11
  13. "I Shall Be Released" – 3:12
  14. "Yazoo Street Scandal" – 3:54
  15. "I Ain't Got No Home" – 3:44 – Bob Dylan & The Band
  16. "Orange Juice Blues" – 3:18
  17. "Baby Lou" – 3:38
  18. "Long Distance Operator" – 4:32
  19. "Key to the Highway" – 2:22
  20. "Bessie Smith" – 4:17
  1. "Across the Great Divide" – 2:53
  2. "Rag Mama Rag" – 3:05
  3. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" – 3:33
  4. "When You Awake" – 3:15
  5. "Up on Cripple Creek" – 4:34
  6. "Whispering Pines" – 3:57
  7. "King Harvest " – 3:37
  8. "Get Up Jake" – 2:16
  9. "Jemima Surrender" – 3:47
  10. "Daniel and the Sacred Harp" – 4:21
  11. "Time to Kill" – 3:26
  12. "All La Glory" – 3:24
  13. "The Shape I'm In" – 4:02
  14. "Stage Fright" – 3:43
  15. "The Rumor" – 4:14
  16. "Slippin' and Slidin'" – 3:21
  17. "Don't Do It" – 3:46
  18. "Strawberry Wine" – 3:46
  19. "Rockin' Chair" – 4:12
  20. "Look Out Cleveland" – 3:33
  21. "4% Pantomime" – 6:01 – The Band with Van Morrison
  1. "Life Is a Carnival" – 3:55
  2. "When I Paint My Masterpiece" – 4:21
  3. "The Moon Struck One" – 4:09
  4. "The River Hymn" – 4:39
  5. "Don't Do It" – 4:36
  6. "Caledonia Mission" – 3:22
  7. "Smoke Signal" – 5:09
  8. "The Unfaithful Servant" – 4:41
  9. "The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show" – 4:05
  10. "The Genetic Method" – 7:31
  11. "Chest Fever" – 5:04
  12. " Rock 'n' Roll Shoes" – 4:30
  13. "Loving You " – 3:35
  14. "Endless Highway" – 5:07
  15. "Move Me" – 2:57
  16. "Two Piano Song" – 4:12
  17. "Mystery Train" – 5:33
  1. "Ain't Got No Home" – 3:24
  2. "Share Your Love" – 2:54
  3. "Didn't It Rain" – 3:18
  4. "Forever Young" – 4:56 – Bob Dylan & The Band
  5. "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" – 3:37 – Bob Dylan & The Band
  6. "Highway 61 Revisited" – 3:55 – Bob Dylan
  7. "Ophelia" – 3:31
  8. "Acadian Driftwood" – 6:41
  9. "It Makes No Difference" – 6:32
  10. "Twilight" – 3:25
  11. "Christmas Must Be Tonight" – 3:36
  12. "The Saga of Pepote Rouge" – 4:13
  13. "Livin' in a Dream" – 2:51
  14. "Forbidden Fruit" – 5:39
  15. "Home Cookin'" – 3:44
  16. "Out of the Blue" – 3:20
  17. "Evangeline" – 3:10 – The Band with Emmylou Harris
  18. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" – 4:32
  19. "The Weight" – 4:36 – The Band with The Staples
  1. "Jam/King Harvest" – 4:22
  2. "Long Black Veil" – 2:46
  3. "Rockin' Chair" – 3:52
  4. "Don't Do It" – 4:33
  5. "Hard Times /Just Another Whistle Stop"
  6. "Genetic Method/Chest Fever" – 7:49
  7. "Life Is a Carnival" – 3:14
  8. "Stage Fright" – 3:32
  9. "Georgia on My Mind" – 3:10
  1. "Working in the Canastas" – Plays as audio in the main menu
  2. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" – Plays as audio in the track selection menu
  3. "Katie's Been Gone" – Plays as audio during the credits menu

    Download Album only

  4. "The Weight " – 4:37
  5. "I Shall Be Released " – 4:03

    Best Of CD

n.b. a separate release featuring material from the set was issued as a 'Best of...'
  1. "Who Do You Love?" – 2:40 – Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks
  2. "He Don't Love You " – 2:37 – Levon & The Hawks
  3. "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?" – 3:32 – Bob Dylan with Levon & The Hawks
  4. "Ain't No More Cane on the Brazos" – 3:58
  5. "The Weight" – 4:36
  6. "Orange Juice Blues" – 3:18
  7. "King Harvest " – 3:37
  8. "All La Glory" – 3:24
  9. "Stage Fright" – 3:43
  10. "I Shall Be Released" – 3:12
  11. "4% Pantomime" – 6:01 – The Band with Van Morrison
  12. "Don't Do It" – 4:36
  13. "Life Is a Carnival" – 3:55
  14. "Slippin' and Slidin'" – 3:21
  15. "Endless Highway" – 5:07
  16. "Share Your Love" – 2:54
  17. "Forever Young" – 4:56 – Bob Dylan & The Band
  18. "Twilight" – 3:25
  19. "Home Cookin'" – 3:44

    Personnel

;Other participants