The Band is the eponymous second album by folk-rock band The Band, released on September 22, 1969 (see 1969 in music). The Band, along with their debut, Music from Big Pink, are widely esteemed as among the best folk-rock fusions, with The Band specializing in a more country-influenced directions than their peers.

The Band peaked at #9 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart. In 2000, it recharted on Billboard's Internet Albums chart, peaking at #10. The singles "Rag Mama Rag" and "Up on Cripple Creek" peaked on the Pop Singles chart at #57 and #25 respectively.

In 1998 Q magazine readers voted The Band the 76th greatest album of all time.

According to the liner notes to the 2000 reissue of "The Band" by Rob Bowman, the album, "The Band", has been viewed as a concept album, with the songs focusing on peoples, places and traditions associated with an older version of Americana.

Track listing

1. "Across the Great Divide" (Robertson) - 2:53
2. "Rag Mama Rag" (Robertson) - 3:04
3. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Robertson) - 3:33
4. "When You Awake" (Manuel/Robertson) - 3:13
5. "Up on Cripple Creek" (Robertson) - 4:34
6. "Whispering Pines" (Manuel/Robertson) - 3:58
7. "Jemima Surrender" (Helm/Robertson) - 3:31
8. "Rockin' Chair" (Robertson) - 3:43
9. "Look Out Cleveland" (Robertson) - 3:09
10. "Jawbone" (Manuel/Robertson) - 4:20
11. "The Unfaithful Servant" (Robertson) - 4:17
12. "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" (Robertson) - 3:39
13. "Get Up Jake" (outtake - stereo mix) (Robertson)
14. "Rag Mama Rag" (alternate vocal take - rough mix) (Robertson)
15. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (alternate mix) (Robertson)
16. "Up On Cripple Creek" (alternate take) (Robertson)
17. "Whispering Pines" (alternate take) (Manuel/Robertson)
18. "Jemima Surrender" (alternate take) (Helm/Robertson)
19. "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" (alternate performance) (Robertson)

NB: Tracks 13-19 are on the 2000 reissue.

Personnel

• Rick Danko - bass, fiddle, trombone, vocals
• Levon Helm - drums, mandolin, rhythm guitar, vocals
• Garth Hudson - organ, clavinet, piano, accordion, soprano, tenor and baritone saxophones, slide trumpet, bass pedals
• Richard Manuel - piano, drums, baritone saxophone, harmonica, vocals
• Jaime Robbie Robertson - guitars, engineer
• John Simon - producer, tuba, electric piano, baritone horn, tenor saxophone, "high school and peck horns", engineer
• Tony May - engineer
• Joe Zagarino - engineer
• Elliott Landy - photography

Charts

Singles - Billboard (North America)

The Band albums | 1969 albums | Eponymous albums | Grammy Hall of Fame Awards

The Band (musikalbum)