The Weight to me was The Band. Then saw this. The group has amazing musicality that matches Garth Hudson and they sing so well and harmonize in such a great way.
As a child growing up in my house The Band was a staple in a daily diet of wonderful music. Whenever I hear this song it always reminds me of good times, great friends and contentment. I had heard other versions before but they never evoked the same emotions The Band did. I have to say this version does. Truthfully, with all respect to the legends, I think I like this version better. Please come to Canada Gillian and bring all of your wonderful friends with you.
Love the way she looks at Dave at around 1:34. Seriously, I love to sing but I will never have what this woman has, do what this woman does. She's got the mountains in her voice. White mountain woman blues with soul to spare. Truly my soul's sister.
This song is one of the best ever written. I don't believe I've ever heard a bad version of it. the Weight brings out the best in whoever's playing/singing it. I'm loving the new release featuring Robbie Ringo and musicians from all over the world 🎶✌❤😷🎶🍏
Hell of a lot of talent on that stage. But there was something else there too that night. There was an energy and spirit produced by artists completely immersed in the moment, touched briefly by a magic that happens only rarely on a stage and in our lives. Thank you, OCMS, Rawling and Welch for giving us this.
Saw these guys (Gillian, David & OCMS) at a gig over here in Ireland a few yrs back, got to chat to a lot of them afterwards. Hands down the best gig I've ever been to!! It's a shame that so many people my own age won't listen to a good music just because it's not "cool" or mainstream.
What a tribute to "the Band", and Gillian, has she ever sounded or looked more precious...Southern Gothic country slash rock slash whatever perfected...goosebumps and tears, this is the way the south sounds and feels in it's soul...
It does not get any better than a great cover of the best song around. This song is a perfect mix of blues, country, folk, bluegrass, and pop. It is the perfect example of a mixing pot of the American experience.
During one of the interviews in The Last Waltz, I assumed it was Martin Scorsese, asked them all about how they came up with their style of music. Levon answers, it's a mixture of all of it. Southern Blues, Jazz, country, bluegrass, and you can put all those Styles together and it comes out as rock and roll. But they certainly played every other style of music out there, and they did it all Justice! It's too bad the band didn't stay together for another 40 years.
I saw Old Crow, Gillian and David perform this at Hardly, Strictly Bluegrass Festival in 2009 and it did indeed give me chills...(it's as good as any of the dozen or so times I saw the Band perform it over the years). It's so great to have this video to relive their performance.
I got to see these guys together in Chico a few years ago and I still think it might be the best concert ever. Loved the whole thing...this song was soooo great that night.
if you think that there is no soul in this music.....then you probably havent been in any neck of woods. I myself am from the foothills of california. "GOLD COUNTRY!" And we love your music.. If you dont like this sound i dont know why you are here?!?
what a wonderful interpretation of a classic song. the pairing of OCMS and Gillian Welch/David Rawlings is just about perfection. saw OCMS in houston a couple of weeks ago - they are a MUST SEE LIVE ACT. if you get the chance GO. find a sitter, call in sick, drive 4 hours if you must. just get there - you won't be disappointed.
Many folk speak of this being not as good as the original, but thats not the point, the point is that someone covered it at all and the reason they did is because they felt the emotion in the original, and responded by offering this damn good cover...music isnt a competition, its an evolution
I really felt the same about the invention of the wheel! You know what was great? When Ugh and Agh decided to make it square! This is almost as good as time Tom and Jane made Fire God so we eat square bread! @brian brown: brian brown makes a very good point, here.
Playing music has been the guiding force of my life, and a long time ago I came to the conclusion that I would sing songs written by other people if I felt I had something to add to it. I didn't want to stand on stage feeling like a hack b/c I was doing a second rate job singing someone else's version of a great song. If you don't have something to add to the conversation just let it go. I know the impulse to sing and play songs you Love. I can't and wouldn't want to sing Visions of Johanna or Tangled Up in Blue like Bob Dylan. Jerry Garcia does my favorite versions of both those songs and his versions, for me, define those songs. I will Never play either as well as Jerry, and out of respect for Jerry, myself, and those listening to me will save them the trouble of wanting to tell me how the whole time they were listening to me butcher a version they love of a song they love they were wishing they weren't.
brian brown music as evolution is a perfect way to encapsulate this type of cover. "The Weight" is a song written with intrinsic traditional style. It deserves to be carried on into perpetuity.
Gillian and the Boys did this song proud....this is the best cover of this song, that I have ever heard.... I am sure Robbie and the rest of the Band are smiling
Credit to RR for authoring this remarkable tune and Levon and Rick for its delivery. Still after 50 years of this tune filling our ears, the only vocalists who can bring it to us like they did.
I really, really like this. Her smile makes it all the more precious. The joy of performance is amazing and I have felt it. Spiritual joy and much more.
Beautiful music, lovely happy people, doing what they love, the warmth and honesty of this music just oozes like sweet sweet honey off of warm toast between the fingers of a laughing child...
I'm just discovering Old Crow Medicine Show. They're like all my fav musicians wrapped up in one band...and young and energetic. Bless their hearts. It's a real sacrifice to do what they've done with such dedication and talent.
Finally, a comment that I can't resist adding to. Ever since I was a kid around 1970, I turned onto the band, and over the years have gotten a deeper sense of what classic legends they were, when they were at their height. And they all had the sense to get out at the top of their game, before the road killed them. Robbie Robertson talked about that in the Last Waltz. So it's nice to see another group of musicians do one of their most well known songs, and do it justice. Gillian and David have become legends in their own time, for very justifiable reasons. I believe they are at the very top of this game, and do not receive the attention they deserve!
This is the BEST cover I have ever heard of this song. Don't know if I prefer this or the original by The Band.... so much the same and so different. Class! Thanks for posting!
The best video on RU-vid. It has the most heart and the most soul and you really see how much OCMS and Welch Rawlings enjoy playing the music together. There wouldn't even have to be an audience and it would be the same. Awesome.
Moments like this just have to happen. You cannot plan it. I would love to have been there and heard this live. I thank these musicians for keeping true country music alive. The pop country acts aren't worthy of shining their shoes.
JJK Believe it or not, this is what country music used to sound like, before the folks in Nashville and Memphis decided what was and wasn't marketable. While of course The Band wasn't a country group, the traditional country sound was quite prevalent in their songwriting, and this performance is very much reminiscent of the early days of "mountain" music. Aside from the instruments being used, the traditional and modern country music styles bear very little resemblance to each other.
Thank you so much Gillian Welch and OCMS for this beautiful performance. Battling through Traumatic Brain Injury for the past 6 months, and this song (one of my all time favorites)--what a sweet and heartfelt version!
It is always a testament to the talent of a band to be able to improve on an already great song. And, they have obviously done that here - well done by all.
This was amazing.. In my idealist 20's I hated covers, then I realized it was the highest form of flattery-- Now I appreciate covers when they are done right-- this one is done even better than right-- Thanks for posting and sharing it. EXCELLENT version of a fine old song by a stage full of outstanding talent- I too, am a Band Fan, as well as OCMS and now Gillian Welch
It is so cool to see different generations of folk musicians coming together to make a STELLAR cover of this already cool song. Gillian Welch can wrap herself around a note like no one's business.
Just the real deal talent I've seen him solo multiple times just raw talent, you can even see it on Gillian's face after..David Rawlings actually produced his last album it's called folk singer vol 1
I sincerely love the version by The Band, but now I can't hear this song any other way than this. It simply beautiful, and the stories bear much more truth in a setting like this with acoustic instruments and a more earnest tone.
Brilliant video, watching it makes me feel really good, because I know that the future of popular music is safe in these guy's hands.. such great, raw talent.
Love it all, but how could this part not be anyone's fav. . . it's Ketch rippin' that fiddle and such a great voice to add harmonies in. . .absolutely incredible. Love it . . . can't say anymore that words can describe . . .
