Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

Dumb Historical Footnote: May 10 was the date that Jefferson Davis was

captured. Richmond had fallen in April.

THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN

Robbie Robertson

|C | |

Virgil Cain is my name and I served on the Danville train,

Till Stonewall's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again.

In the winter of sixty-five we were hungry, just barely alive.

By May the tenth Richmond had fell.

It was a time I remember all 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 singing. They went...

"La 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 I'm chopping wood,

And I don't care if the money's no good.

You take what you need and you leave the rest,

But they should never have taken the very best.

(refrain)

Like my father before me, I work the land.

And 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 my the mud below my feet,

You can't raise the cane back up when it's in the feed.

(refrain)

|C C/B |Bb Am |Ab G |

(refrain)

--

Roy M. Randall, FG | I have a clue.

Inconsequential Systems, Inc. | For $20, you may have one too.

zeroy@netcom.com |

From: skaeser@hr.house.gov (Steven Kaeser)

THE NIGHT THEY DROVE OLD DIXIE DOWN

(The Band)

Virgil Caine is the name, and I served on the Danville train,

'Til Stoneman's Calvery 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,

(Chorus)

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 never should have taken the very best. (Chorus)

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. (Chorus and fade)

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And if you're interested, here is another song from the "Band":

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THE WEIGHT

(The Band)

I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead;

I just need some place where I can lay my head.

"Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"

He just grinned and shook my hand, and "No!", was all he said.

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(Chorus)

Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free;

Take a load off Fanny, And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me.

G(F#bass) Em Em7 C

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I picked up my bag, I went lookin' for a place to hide;

When I saw Carmen and the Devil walkin' side by side.

I said, "Hey, Carmen, come on, let's go downtown."

She said, "I gotta go, but my friend can stick around."

(Chorus)

Go down, Miss Moses, there's nothin' you can say

It's just ol' Luke, and Luke's waitin' on Judgement Day.

"Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee?"

He said, "Do me a favor, son, woncha stay and keep Anna Lee company?"

(Chorus)

Crazy Chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog.

He said, "I will fix your rack, if you'll take Jack, my dog."

I said, "Wait a minute, Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man."

He said, "That's okay, boy, won't you feed him when you can."

(Chorus)

Catch a cannon ball now, to take me down the line

My bag is sinkin' low and I do believe it's time.

To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one.

Who sent me here with her regards for everyone.

(Chorus)

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Steven Kaeser skaeser@cais.com (hm)

"May the farce remain with us, always" skaeser@hr.house.gov (wk)

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