The Band essays – Track 3 Side 2 – Look Out Cleveland

This idea sprang from here.

Track 1 Side 1 - Across the Great Divide is here.
Track 2 Side 1 - Rag Mama Rag is here.
Track 3 Side 1 - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is here.
Track 4 Side 1 - When You Awake is here.
Track 5 Side 1 - Up On Cripple Creek is here.
Track 6 Side 1 - Whispering Pines is here.
Track 1 Side 2 - Jemima Surrender is here. 
Track 2 Side 2 - Rockin’ Chair is here.

Was Wednesday evening when first we heard the word,
It did not come by train nor bird.
T'was when Ben Pike stepped down to say,
"This old town's gonna blow away…

--Look Out Cleveland

I'm 56 years old and that's how old I was when I learned that this is not a song about Ohio.

Apparently there's a city just outside of Houston, Texas called Cleveland and that's what the song is referencing. You're never too old to learn stuff boys and girls.

Anyway...this is the kind of barroom stomp that I love....the sort of song I'd sing in front of my mirror with a tennis racket back when I got home from school and had the house to myself. You can almost smell the sawdust on the floor when the piano and guitar come roaring in together. Surely this storm is gonna be a doozy.