4 of Levon Helm’s Grittiest and Greatest Vocals From His Time in The Band

Most rock groups consider themselves fortunate if they have one great lead singer. The Band boasted three of them. Rick Danko and Richard Manuel certainly stood out whenever they stepped up to the microphone. As for Levon Helm, he brought authenticity, grit, and heart to every song that he sang. Here are four of his finest moments on the mic for The Band.

“The Weight”

Robbie Robertson wasn’t sure that “The Weight” was anything too special when he wrote it. But he underestimated that the relative simplicity of the structure would help fans latch onto it. And he also overlooked how much Levon Helm could bring to the tale of a would-be do-gooder who keeps getting outflanked at every angle by the sneaky, selfish types around him. Helm sings the first three verses of this song, hands it off to Rick Danko for a verse, and then shares the honors in the final stanza. In the chorus, even as Danko and Manuel second his emotions, it’s Helm leading the charts. Perhaps The Band’s most well-known song, “The Weight”, wouldn’t be the same without Helm’s vocal.

“Up On Cripple Creek”

Part of Helm’s allure as a vocalist was that he could inhabit many different kinds of characters. That gave Robbie Robertson a great deal of leeway in terms of the songs that he could write for him. Helm could play the put-upon, woebegone guy, as “The Weight” certainly proved. But he could also play the rake, that guy with the gleam in his eye and a little bit of mischief in his behavior. People often listen to “Up On Cripple Creek” without even realizing that the narrator is essentially cheating on his main squeeze with Bessie. That’s because of the charm Helm displays. And when he launches into his yodeling in the final moments, good luck keeping a smile on your face.

“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”

“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” works best when you ignore the historical aspects of it and focus on it as a character sketch. It’s basically the story of a guy who lost his brother in a war. As such, it’s a lot like many other anti-war songs in the annals of rock, in that the inanity of warfare is the point, rather than who was fighting whom. The song works because Helm embodies that character so passionately. Obviously, the fact that he was the only actual American in The Band made him the shoo-in to sing this song. But that doesn’t account for the heartbreaking majesty that he brings to the performance, all wounded pride and raw grief.

“The River Hymn”

The album Cahoots probably wouldn’t be many folks’ choice for their favorite album by The Band. At the time they were making it, they were all a little bit worse for the wear and lacking in inspiration after the previous three albums in their catalog were all standouts. Still, they rose to the occasion on a few numbers. “The River Hymn” combines elements of gospel testifying with a focus on the wonders of nature. And, because they entrusted it to Levon Helm, The Band knew that all of those elements would come to the fore. As in many of his vocals, Helm seems less like he’s singing here than he’s having a conversation with the listeners. That effect makes the lyrics all the more moving.

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