The Weight

This article is about the 1968 song. For the 2012 South Korean film, see The Weight (film). For the Sopranos episode, see The Weight (The Sopranos).
Not to be confused with The Wait (disambiguation).
"The Weight"
cover art
Original French single
Single by The Band
from the album Music from Big Pink
B-side"I Shall Be Released"
ReleasedAugust 8, 1968 (1968-08-08)
RecordedJanuary 1968
StudioA&R Recorders (studio A), New York City
GenreCountry rock,[1] roots rock,[2] folk rock[3]
Length4:34
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Robbie Robertson
Producer(s)John Simon
The Band singles chronology
"The Weight"
(1968) 		"Up on Cripple Creek"
(1969)
Audio
"The Weight" by the Band on YouTube

"The Weight" is a song by the Canadian-American group The Band that was released as a single in 1968 and on the group's debut album Music from Big Pink. It was their first release under this name, after their previous releases as Canadian Squires and Levon and the Hawks. Written by Band member Robbie Robertson, the song is about a visitor's experiences in a town mentioned in the lyric's first line as Nazareth. "The Weight" has significantly influenced American popular music, having been listed as No. 41 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time published in 2004.[4] Pitchfork Media named it the 13th best song of the 1960s,[5] and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named it one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.[6] PBS, which broadcast performances of the song on Ramble at the Ryman (2011), Austin City Limits (2012),[7] and Quick Hits (2012), describes it as "a masterpiece of Biblical allusions, enigmatic lines and iconic characters" and notes its enduring popularity as "an essential part of the American songbook."[8]

"The Weight" is one of The Band's best known songs, gaining considerable album-oriented rock airplay even though it was not a significant hit single for the group in the US, peaking at only No. 63.[9] After it was released, the record debuted just six days later on KHJ's "'Boss 30' records"[10] and peaked at No. 3 there three weeks later. The Band's recording also fared well in Canada and the UK, peaking at No. 35 in Canada and No. 21 in the UK in 1968. Cash Box called it a "powerhouse performance."[11] American Songwriter and Stereogum both ranked the song number three on their lists of The Band's greatest songs.[12][13] In 1968 and 1969, three cover versions were released; their arrangements appealed to a wide diversity of music audiences.

The 1969 movie Easy Rider used the song as recorded by The Band, but it was not licensed for the soundtrack album. To deal with this, ABC-Dunhill commissioned Smith, who recorded for the label at the time, to record a cover version of the song for the soundtrack album.[14][15]

  1. ^ Fontenot, Robert. "What is Country Rock?". ThoughtCo. About.com. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  2. ^ Bruce Pollock (August 26, 2005). Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock and Roll Era. Routledge. p. 398. ISBN 9780415970730.
  3. ^ Valdez, Steve (2014). "Folk rock". In Henderson, Lol; Stacey, Lee (eds.). Encyclopedia of Music in the 20th Century. London: Routledge. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-135-92946-6.
  4. ^ "The RS 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". RollingStone.com. Archived from the original on April 16, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  5. ^ "The 200 Greatest Songs of the Sixties". Pitchfork. August 18, 2006. Archived from the original on 17 March 2009. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
  6. ^ "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll: 'The Weight' – The Band". Rockhall.com. 1995. Archived from the original on July 4, 2007. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  7. ^ Leahey, Andrew (2012-11-08). "Watch 'The Weight' From Austin City Limits' Americana Awards Episode". American Songwriter. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
  8. ^ "PBS Arts : Levon Helm Performs the Weight". PBS. Archived from the original on 2012-04-13. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  9. ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 8th edition
  10. ^ "KHJ's 'Boss 30' Records In Southern California! Official Issue No. 163". KHJ. 1968-08-14. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  11. ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. August 17, 1968. p. 18. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  12. ^ Beviglia, Jim (14 July 2021). "The Top 20 Songs Of The Band". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  13. ^ Bracy, Timothy; Bracy, Elizabeth (May 3, 2013). "The 10 Best The Band Songs". Stereogum. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
  14. ^ Kubernik, Harvey (2006). Hollywood Shack Job: Rock Music in Films & on Your Screen. UNM Press. p. 105. ISBN 9780826335425.
  15. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Easy Rider (Music from the Soundtrack)". AllMusic. AllMusic, Netaktion LLC. Retrieved 18 October 2020.