robbie robertson
Famous track from famous 1969 album "The Band" - and B-side on single "Up on Cripple Creek" same year. Remarkable covers: Joan Baez (1971) and Johnny Cash (1975).
Songwriter Robbie Robertson (1943–2023) had a versatile career after "The Last Waltz" with The Band, as a solo artist, film music composer and advocating the indian's rights - due to his Mohawk heritage. The timeline is left with the icon at the bottom of this page.
Virgil Caine is my name and I served on the Danville train
till Stoneman'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 re-member all so well
the night they drove old Dixie down
and all the bells were ringing
the night they drove old Dixie down
and all the people were singing
they went «na na na na na na • na na na na na na na na na»
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
you take what you need and you leave the rest
but they should never have taken the very best
like my father before me I will work the land
and like my brother above me who took a rebel stand
he was just eighteen so proud and brave but a yankee laid him in his grave
I swear by the mud below my feet
you can't raise a Cain back up when he's in defeat
For the following CHORD section, fullscreen/horizontal mobile is recommended.
Chords in brackets may be omitted.
:/:D ... F#m ... Em ... A:/: Bm D G Bm Virgil Caine is my name and I served on the Danville train D F#m Bm G Bm till Stoneman's cavalry came and tore up the tracks again G D Bm Em7 in the winter of sixty-five we were hungry just barely alive Bm G D by may the tenth Richmond had fell Bm E7add9 Em7...A it was a time I remember all so well D G D the night they drove old Dixie down Bm Em7 and all the bells were ringing D G D the night they drove old Dixie down Bm Em7 and all the people were singing they went D Bm E Em7 na na na na na na na na na na na na na na na
