The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - wikipedia The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down `` The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down '' Single by The Band from the album The Band A-side `` Up on Cripple Creek '' Released September 22, 1969 Recorded 1969 Genre Roots rock, Southern rock, Americana Length 3 : 33 Label Capitol Songwriter ( s ) Robbie Robertson Producer ( s ) John Simon The Band also released a live album named for and featuring the song. `` The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down '' is a song written by Robbie Robertson and originally recorded by the Canadian - American roots rock group the Band in 1969 and released on their eponymous second album. Levon Helm provided the lead vocals. The song is a first - person narrative relating the economic and social distress experienced by the protagonist, a poor white Southerner, during the last year of the American Civil War, when George Stoneman was raiding southwest Virginia. Frequently appearing on lists of the best rock songs of all time, it has been cited as an early example of the genre known as roots rock. Joan Baez recorded a version of the song that became a top - five chart hit in late 1971. Contents 1 Creation and recording 2 Reception 3 Joan Baez version 3.1 Chart performance 3.1. 1 Weekly singles charts 3.1. 2 Year - end charts 4 Other versions 5 Personnel on the Band version 6 See also 7 References 8 External links Creation and recording The song was written by Robbie Robertson. According to Rob Bowman 's liner notes to the 2000 reissue of the Band 's second album, The Band, it has been viewed as a concept album, with the songs focusing on peoples, places and traditions associated with an older version of Americana. The lyrics tell of the last days of the American Civil War, portraying the suffering of the protagonist, a poor white Southerner. Robertson stated that he had the music to the song in his head but at first had no idea what it was to be about. Then the concept came to him and he did research on the subject, relying heavily on the Dunning School theories of the period. Levon Helm, a native of Arkansas, stated that he assisted in the research for the lyrics. In his 1993 autobiography, This Wheel 's on Fire, Helm wrote, `` Robbie and I worked on ' The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down ' up in Woodstock. I remember taking him to the library so he could research the history and geography of the era and make General Robert E. Lee come out with all due respect. '' Dixie is the historical nickname for the states making up the Confederate States of America. The first lines of the lyrics refer to one of George Stoneman 's raids behind Confederate lines attacking the railroads of Danville, Virginia at the end of the Civil War in 1865 : Virgil Caine is the name, and I served on the Danville train, Till Stoneman 's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again... The Band frequently performed the song in concert, and it is included on the group 's live albums Rock of Ages ( 1972 ) and Before the Flood ( 1974 ). The song was included in the concert on Thanksgiving Day 1976 which was recorded in the documentary film about the concert, The Last Waltz, as well as the soundtrack album from the film. The last time the song was performed by Helm was in The Last Waltz ( 1976 ). Helm refused to play the song afterwards. Although it has long been believed that the reason for Helm 's refusal to play the song was a dispute with Robertson over songwriting credits, according to Garth Hudson it was due to Helm 's dislike for Joan Baez 's version. Reception It was # 245 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Pitchfork Media named it the forty - second best song of the Sixties. The song is included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 's `` 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll '' and Time magazine 's All - Time 100. Ralph J. Gleason ( in the review in Rolling Stone ( U.S. edition only ) of October 1969 ) explains why this song has such an impact on listeners : Nothing I have read... has brought home the overwhelming human sense of history that this song does. The only thing I can relate it to at all is The Red Badge of Courage. It 's a remarkable song, the rhythmic structure, the voice of Levon and the bass line with the drum accents and then the heavy close harmony of Levon, Richard and Rick in the theme, make it seem impossible that this is n't some traditional material handed down from father to son straight from that winter of 1865 to today. It has that ring of truth and the whole aura of authenticity. The lyrics of the song discuss the destruction of the Danville rail line that carried supplies for the Confederate army at Petersburg. The song has become a part of the ideology of Lost Cause of the Confederacy reflecting the perception of the South prostrate in defeat. Joan Baez version `` The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down '' Single by Joan Baez from the album Blessed Are... B - side `` When Time Is Stolen '' Released August 1971 Genre Folk Length 3 : 23 Label Vanguard Songwriter ( s ) Robbie Robertson Producer ( s ) Norbert Putnam Joan Baez singles chronology `` Sweet Sir Galahad '' ( 1969 ) `` The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down '' ( 1971 ) `` Love Song to a Stranger '' ( 1971 ) `` Sweet Sir Galahad '' ( 1969 ) `` The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down '' ( 1971 ) `` Love Song to a Stranger '' ( 1971 ) The most successful version of the song was released by Joan Baez in 1971. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US in October that year and spent five weeks atop the easy listening chart. Billboard ranked it as the No. 20 song for 1971. The version reached number six in the pop charts in the UK in October 1971. The song became a Gold record. The Baez recording had some changes in the lyrics. Baez later told Rolling Stone 's Kurt Loder that she initially learned the song by listening to the recording on the Band 's album, and had never seen the printed lyrics at the time she recorded it, and thus sang the lyrics as she had ( mis ) heard them. In more recent years in her concerts, Baez has performed the song as originally written by Robertson. Chart performance Weekly singles charts Chart ( 1971 ) Peak position Australia Go - Set 5 Canada RPM New Zealand ( Listener ) UK Singles Chart 6 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary U.S. Cashbox Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1971 ) Rank Canada 39 UK 83 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 20 U.S. Cash Box 21 Other versions Johnny Cash recorded the song on his 1975 album John R. Cash. Old - time musician Jimmy Arnold recorded the song on his album Southern Soul, which was composed of songs associated with the Southern side of the Civil War. A fairly large - scale orchestrated version of the song appears on the 1971 concept album California ' 99 by Jimmie Haskell, with lead vocal by Jimmy Witherspoon. Others to record versions include Don Rich, Steve Young, John Denver, the Allman Brothers Band, Derek Warfield. the Charlie Daniels Band, Big Country, the Dave Brockie Experience, Vikki Carr, Richie Havens, the Black Crowes, the Jerry Garcia Band, Sophie B. Hawkins, Legion of Mary, and the Zac Brown Band have included it on live albums. Glen Hansard ( of the Frames and the Swell Season ), accompanied by Lisa Hannigan and John Smith, performed the song in July 2012 for The A.V. Club 's A.V. Undercover : Summer Break series. The 1972 song `` Am Tag als Conny Kramer starb '' ( `` On the Day That Conny Kramer Died '' ), which uses the tune of the song, was a number - one hit in West Germany for singer Juliane Werding. The lyrics are about a young man dying because of his drug addiction. In 1986, the German band Die Goldenen Zitronen made a parody version of this song with the title `` Am Tag als Thomas Anders starb '' ( `` On the Day That Thomas Anders Died '' ). Personnel on the Band version Levon Helm -- lead vocals, drums Rick Danko -- bass guitar, backing vocals Garth Hudson -- melodica, slide trumpet Richard Manuel -- piano, backing vocals Robbie Robertson -- acoustic guitar See also List of anti-war songs List of number - one adult contemporary singles of 1971 ( U.S. ) References Jump up ^ Marcus, Greil ( 2010 - 10 - 19 ). Bob Dylan by Greil Marcus : Writings 1968 - 2010. PublicAffairs. pp. 73 --. ISBN 9781586489199. Retrieved July 4, 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down ''. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008 - 06 - 21. Retrieved 2010 - 11 - 09. Jump up ^ Margolis, Lynne ( 2012 - 08 - 30 ). `` No False Bones : The Legacy of Levon Helm ''. American Songwriter. Retrieved 2016 - 03 - 02. Jump up ^ `` The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s : Part Four : # 60 - 21 '', Pitchfork Media, August 17, 2006 Jump up ^ `` InfoPlease Almanac ''. Infoplease.com. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 06. Jump up ^ Cruz, Gilbert ( 2011 - 10 - 24 ). `` 100 Greatest Popular Songs : TIME List of Best Music ''. Time. Retrieved 2011 - 11 - 06. ^ Jump up to : Prince, K. Michael ( 2004 - 01 - 01 ). Rally ' round the Flag, Boys ! : South Carolina and the Confederate Flag. University of South Carolina Press. pp. 50 --. ISBN 9781570035272. Retrieved July 4, 2015. Jump up ^ Bailey, Frankie Y. ; Green, Alice P. ( 2011 ). Wicked Danville : Liquor and Lawlessness in a Southside Virginia City. The History Press. pp. 103 --. ISBN 9781609490379. Retrieved July 4, 2015. Jump up ^ Wetta, Frank J. ; Novelli, Martin A. ( 2013 - 09 - 11 ). The Long Reconstruction : The Post-Civil War South in History, Film, and Memory. Routledge. pp. 145 --. ISBN 9781136331862. Retrieved July 4, 2015. Jump up ^ The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996 Jump up ^ The Last Waltz of The Band Neil Minturn - 2005 - Page 85 `` be more familiar to some in Joan Baez 's version. Hoskyns remarks of Baez 's version : `` Two years later, Joan Baez recorded a terrible version of ' Dixie ' that seemed to turn Robert E. Lee into a steamboat, but it made '' Jump up ^ Kurt Loder ( April 14, 1983 ). `` Joan Baez : The Rolling Stone Interview ''. Rolling Stone. No. 393. Jump up ^ `` Go - Set National Top 40 ''. December 4, 1971. Retrieved 2016 - 02 - 11. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 03 - 02. Jump up ^ `` flavour of new zealand - search listener ''. Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 04. Jump up ^ http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/11750/joan%20baez/ Jump up ^ `` Cash Box Top 100 10 / 02 / 71 ''. 50.6. 195.142. 1971 - 10 - 02. Retrieved 2016 - 03 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 03 - 02. Jump up ^ http://www.uk-charts.top-source.info/top-100-1971.shtml Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits of 1971 / Top 100 Songs of 1971 ''. Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016 - 03 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1971 ''. 50.6. 195.142. December 25, 1971. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Glen Hansard, Lisa Hannigan & John Smith cover The Band ''. Retrieved April 6, 2013. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics The Band Rick Danko Levon Helm Garth Hudson Richard Manuel Robbie Robertson Richard Bell Randy Ciarlante Stan Szelest Jim Weider Studio albums Music from Big Pink The Band Stage Fright Cahoots Moondog Matinee Northern Lights -- Southern Cross Islands Jericho High On The Hog Jubilation with Bob Dylan Planet Waves The Basement Tapes Live albums Rock of Ages Before the Flood The Last Waltz ( 1978 album ) Live at Watkins Glen The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 : Bob Dylan Live 1966 The Last Waltz ( 2002 album ) Live at the Academy of Music 1971 Compilations The Best of The Band Anthology To Kingdom Come Across The Great Divide The Best of The Band, Vol. II Greatest Hits A Musical History The Bootleg Series Vol. 11 : The Basement Tapes Complete Films The Last Waltz Festival Express Singles `` Uh - Uh - Uh '' `` The Stones I Throw '' `` Go Go Liza Jane '' `` The Weight '' / `` I Shall Be Released '' `` Rag Mama Rag '' / `` The Unfaithful Servant '' `` Up on Cripple Creek '' / `` The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down '' `` Time to Kill '' / `` The Shape I 'm In '' `` Life Is a Carnival '' `` On a Night Like This '' ( with Bob Dylan ) `` Most Likely You Go Your Way ( And I 'll Go Mine ) '' ( with Bob Dylan ) `` Ophelia '' `` Atlantic City '' Other songs `` Tears of Rage '' `` We Can Talk '' `` Long Black Veil '' `` Chest Fever '' `` Lonesome Suzie `` This Wheel 's on Fire '' `` Across the Great Divide '' `` When You Awake '' `` Whispering Pines '' `` Jemima Surrender '' `` Look Out Cleveland '' `` King Harvest ( Has Surely Come ) '' `` Sleeping '' `` The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show '' `` Daniel and the Sacred Harp '' `` Stage Fright '' `` When I Paint My Masterpiece '' `` Do n't Do It '' `` Mystery Train '' `` Acadian Driftwood '' `` It Makes No Difference '' `` Georgia on My Mind '' `` Blind Willie McTell '' Related Discography Bob Dylan Bob Dylan World Tour 1966 Bob Dylan and The Band 1974 Tour Cate Brothers Ronnie Hawkins Big Pink List of Basement Tapes songs List of Basement Tapes songs ( 1975 ) No Reason to Cry John Simon This Wheel 's on Fire : Levon Helm and the Story of The Band Allen Toussaint Joan Baez Studio albums Joan Baez Joan Baez, Vol. 2 Joan Baez / 5 Farewell, Angelina Noël Joan Baptism : A Journey Through Our Time Any Day Now David 's Album I Live One Day at a Time Carry It On Blessed Are... Come from the Shadows Where Are You Now, My Son ? Gracias a la Vida : Joan Baez canta en español Diamonds & Rust Gulf Winds Blowin ' Away Honest Lullaby Recently Speaking of Dreams Play Me Backwards Gone From Danger Dark Chords on a Big Guitar Day after Tomorrow Live albums Joan Baez in Concert Joan Baez in Concert, Part 2 From Every Stage Live Europe 83 Diamonds & Rust in the Bullring Ring Them Bells Live at Newport Bowery Songs Compilations Folksingers ' Round Harvard Square Portrait of Joan Baez The First 10 Years The Joan Baez Ballad Book Hits : Greatest and Others The Contemporary Ballad Book The Joan Baez Lovesong Album Best of Joan C. Baez The Joan Baez Country Music Album Joan Baez : Classics Brothers in Arms Rare, Live & Classic Notable songs `` Babe, I 'm Gonna Leave You '' `` Diamonds & Rust '' `` Farewell, Angelina '' `` Forever Young '' `` Here 's to You '' `` Honest Lullaby '' `` House of the Rising Sun '' `` It 's All Over Now, Baby Blue '' `` Joe Hill '' `` Lily of the West '' `` Love Is Just a Four - Letter Word '' `` Love Song to a Stranger '' `` Mary Hamilton '' `` The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down '' `` Reunion Hill '' `` Scarlet Tide '' `` Silver Dagger '' `` Speaking of Dreams '' `` Sweet Sir Galahad '' `` There but for Fortune '' `` We Shall Overcome '' `` What Have They Done to the Rain '' Related Discography List of Joan Baez concerts Albert Baez ( father ) Mimi Fariña ( sister ) David Harris ( husband ) Richard Fariña ( brother - in - law ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Night_They_Drove_Old_Dixie_Down&oldid=814558260 '' Categories : The Band songs 1969 songs 1971 singles Joan Baez songs Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Songs about the United States Southern United States in fiction Songs written by Robbie Robertson Song recordings produced by John Simon ( record producer ) Capitol Records singles Songs about trains Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from March 2017 Articles with hAudio microformats All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from July 2015 Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from March 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Brezhoneg Deutsch Español Français Italiano עברית Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Português Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 9 December 2017, at 15 : 00. 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Question: the day they drove old dixie down meaning
Answer: the economic and social distress experienced by the protagonist, a poor white Southerner, during the last year of the American Civil War, when George Stoneman was raiding southwest Virginia