This song was written by Robbie Robertson and originally recorded by The Band in 1969 and released on their eponymous second album. Levon Helm provided the lead vocals.

The original configuration of The Band ended its touring career in 1976 with an elaborate performance at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, California that featured numerous musical celebrities of the era. This performance was filmed for Martin Scorsese's 1978 documentary The Last Waltz.

The Last Waltz was a concert by the Canadian-American rock group The Band, held on American Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1976, at Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. The Last Waltz was advertised as The Band's "farewell concert appearance", and the concert saw The Band joined by more than a dozen special guests, including their previous employers Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan as well as Paul Butterfield, Bobby Charles, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Muddy Waters, Ronnie Wood, and Neil Young. The musical director for the concert was The Band's original record producer, John Simon.

Rick Danko died of heart failure in 1999, after which the group broke up for good. Levon Helm was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998 and was unable to sing for several years, but he eventually regained the use of his voice. He continued to perform and released several successful albums until he died in 2012.

The group was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2014, the Band was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame.

Lyrics

Virgil Caine is the name, and I served on the Danville train 'Til Stoneman's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again In the winter of '65, we were hungry, just barely alive By May the tenth, Richmond had fell, it's a time I remember, oh so well

The night they drove old Dixie down, and the bells were ringing The night they drove old Dixie down, and the people were singin' they went La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Back with my wife in Tennessee, when one day she called to me "Virgil, quick, come see, there goes Robert E Lee" Now I don't mind choppin' wood, and I don't care if the money's no good Ya take what ya need and ya leave the rest But they should never have taken the very best

The night they drove old Dixie down, and the bells were ringing The night they drove old Dixie down, and the people were singin' they went La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Like my father before me, I will work the land Like my brother above me, who took a rebel stand He was just eighteen, proud and brave, but a Yankee laid him in his grave I swear by the mud below my feet You can't raise a Caine back up when he's in defeat

The night they drove old Dixie down, and the bells were ringing The night they drove old Dixie down, and all the people were singin', they went Na, la, na, la, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na

The night they drove old Dixie down, and all the bells were ringing The night they drove old Dixie down, and the people were singin', they went Na, la, na, la, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na

Songwriters: Robbie Robertson

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc