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The Band – The Weight – 11/25/1976 – Winterland (Official)

The Band – The Weight Recorded Live: 11/25/1976 – Winterland – San Francisco, CA

Personnel: The Band: Rick Danko – bass, fiddle, vocals / Levon Helm – drums, mandolin, vocals / Garth Hudson – organ, piano, accordion, synthesizers, soprano saxophone, violin / Richard Manuel – piano, organ, drums, clavinet, dobro, vocals / Robbie Robertson – guitar, piano, vocals

Horn Section: Richard Cooper – trumpet, flugelhorn / James Gordon – flute, tenor saxophone, clarinet / Jerry Hay – trumpet, flugelhorn / Howard Johnson – tuba, baritone saxophone, flugelhorn, bass clarinet / Charlie Keagle – clarinet, flute, saxophone / Tom Malone – trombone, euphonium, alto flute

TEXTO POR JAVI C. CAMPELLO.

https://www.facebook.com/javicampello?lst=1253241583%3A100001582385714%3A1511351687

En los últimos años, cada vez que escucho The Weight de The Band, se me viene a la cabeza la novela Pedro Páramo de Juan Rulfo. En concreto la letra de la canción de Robbie Robertson, que cuenta en primera persona la llegada de alguien a un lugar llamado Nazareth y las extrañas situaciones y personajes que se encuentra, la relaciono automáticamente a la parte de la novela que habla del supuesto presente de Juan Preciado y su llegada al extraño pueblo de Comala.
Recuerdo haber leído que Robertson hablaba de Buñuel como una influencia en esa canción y eso de alguna manera reafirma esa conexión de The Weight y Pedro Páramo a través del mismo realismo mágico del que se valía muchas veces el director español para narrar sus películas, especialmente las de la etapa mexicana.
Quién sabe incluso si los personajes de la canción sean en realidad almas atrapadas como en la novela y Nazareth un pueblo fantasma perdido en el tiempo y el espacio como Comala.

I pulled into Nazareth, was feeling ’bout 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, “No” was all he said.
Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny, and you put the load right on me
I picked up my bags, I went looking for a place to hide
When I saw old Carmen and the Devil, walking side by side
I said, “Hey, Carmen, c’mon, let’s go downtown”
She said, “I gotta go, but my friend can stick around”
Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny, and you put the load right on me
Go down, Miss Moses, ain’t nothin’ you can say
It’s just old Luke, and Luke’s waiting on the judgment day
Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Annalee
He said, “Do me a favor, son, won’t you stay and keep Annalee company”
Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny, and you put the load right on me
Crazy Chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog
Said, “I will fix your rag, 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”
Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny, and you put the load right on me
Catch the cannonball, now to take me down the line
My bag is sinking 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
Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny, and you put the load right on me