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The Band — This Wheel's On Fire (live)
Album: Rock Of Ages
Avg rating:
6.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 623









Released: 1972
Length: 3:42
Plays (last 30 days): 0
If your memory serves you well
We're going to meet again and wait
So I'm going to unpack all my things
And sit before it gets too late
No man alive will come to you
With another tale to tell
And you know that we shall meet again
If your memory serves you well

This wheel's on fire, rolling down the road
Best notify my next of kin
This wheel shall explode!

If your memory serves you well, I was going to confiscate your lace
And wrap it up in a sailor's knot and hide it in your case
If I knew for sure that it was yours, and it was oh so hard to tell
And you know that we shall meet again if your memory serves you well

If your memory serves you well, you'll remember that you're the one
Who called on them to call on me to get you your favours done
And after every plan had failed and there was nothing more to tell
And you know that we shall meet again if your memory serves you well
Comments (66)add comment
I prefer the Julie Driscoll/Brian Auger version from 1968.
Rock of Ages is the gold standard of live albums.
The Band are the greatest.  Simply the best act to watch perform in a small venue.  Such musicians!  Levon helm drumming and singing, Rick Danko sweating, bouncing around, singing, playing bass,  Garth Hudson playing every instrument he can get his hands on- sometimes two at once..     Pretty sure I've seen him do keyboards and sax at the same time.  Love them.
I thought "The Band" was supposed to be good.
At playing music.
Dude Mr. Bill, of all the great covers of this you pull this one? Seems thin. 
I rate this a "1" only because of The Band performing it.
 TJS wrote:
I'll take the Siouxsie and the Banshees version any day.

 
Agreed.
The voice of Rick Danko, like Adam Duritz of Counting Crows, is definitely distinctive. I can dig its plaintive, earnest, heartfelt quality...
I wish these guys couild sound more like Arcade Fire.

And Arcade Fire dance and prance on stage. Ooooh.   
More Band music, please!
I'll take the Siouxsie and the Banshees version any day.
 Tim_in_N_FL wrote:
Sounds like a Grateful Dead tune to me...{#Curtain}
 
ooh, that's cold.

Because it's true.
 fredriley wrote:

It's not quite that bad, else I'd have muted it from the start, but whilst the studio version of this song is passable, the live version leaves something to be desired. A singer in tune, for a start. Ok, I know it's not easy performing live, and I'm sure it was great for those who were there, but this live song doesn't transfer well to disc, IMO.

 
HMMM. I always thought that the difference between a professional musician and me was that they could sing/play on tune even when in front of an audience. This version does nothing for me. Ick.


yes, nice transition, after I Shall Be Released



3 in a row written by Bobby D. on this date.  Toot suite!
Ouch! This is not good.
It  has to be Julie Driscoll and The Brian Auger Trinity or nothing.
'nuff said.
It's gotta have Julie Driscoll dancing to this.She was so... FREAKY.

 Tim_in_N_FL wrote:
Sounds like a Grateful Dead tune to me...{#Curtain}
 
It's not quite that bad, else I'd have muted it from the start, but whilst the studio version of this song is passable, the live version leaves something to be desired. A singer in tune, for a start. Ok, I know it's not easy performing live, and I'm sure it was great for those who were there, but this live song doesn't transfer well to disc, IMO.

 ronniegirl wrote:


Wish they were in reruns again.  Although my champagne and cig consumption goes way up then.
 

They ARE in reruns, on the LOGO channel.  Thursday nights, and various times repeated through the week.  Sweetie Darling, you must watch!
 Tim_in_N_FL wrote:
Sounds like a Grateful Dead tune to me...{#Curtain}
 
That's the cruelest thing you could say. But, sadly, it's the truth.
Nice!

KT Tunstall & Billy Bragg - This Wheel's On Fire, Live

Bob Dylan Tribute.

"This is a great song. Strangely, very few covers seem to do it justice. I thought this version was one of the best. "      lalaland0417

"They are terrific together. I hope they record together too."

 




 sub-arctic wrote: 

Wish they were in reruns again.  Although my champagne and cig consumption goes way up then.
 Tim_in_N_FL wrote:
Sounds like a Grateful Dead tune to me...{#Curtain}
 
i just love these thought out, insightful comments...
p.s. and NEVER NEVER say a female folksinger sounds like Joni Mitchell or a band sounds Beatlesesque or some rock singer sounds like Robert Plant. i've had enough!!

 mandolin wrote:

  just what i was thinking...


Rick Danko, I miss you {#Cry}
Julie Driscoll & Brian Auger's Trinity version comes to my mind !
Think that I spunn that one a few times.
I was listening to a Danko club show last night.  I miss him something fierce.  He used to play a lot of club shows around here when I first moved to Albany and I got to meet him a few times.  Very nice, sunny guy, you know.  Just loved to play live...and I loved hearing him play live.  I just miss him...a lot.
 rocco1207 wrote:
sounds old dated, faded and tired to me.
 
I think it's just the recording itself, which doesn't sound like it was taken from the board. If you listen to the remastered DVD, The Last Waltz, the sound is awesome!
 Tim_in_N_FL wrote:
Sounds like a Grateful Dead tune to me...{#Curtain}
(they took the same acid at Woodstock...) 
uh huh..if only it were followed by The Wheel...


"This Wheel's on Fire" is red hot!


Sounds like a Grateful Dead tune to me...{#Curtain}
Love those harmonies!! {#Crashcomp}
 Govi wrote:
Is this another of Bill's favorites: weird covers of well known songs?  Though I think—if my memory serves me well (sic)—that this is a Band cover of a Band hit, is it not?
 
For a cover of this, check out Leslie West's "Mountain" CD.

Patsy defeats the Prime Minister!

https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8023882.stm



One of my favorite concert albums.
Is this another of Bill's favorites: weird covers of well known songs?  Though I think—if my memory serves me well (sic)—that this is a Band cover of a Band hit, is it not?
 jeffskop wrote:


yes...it's a bit of an antiquated sound....better heard with weed.
 
                         {#Music}     {#Cheesygrin}

I love the original raw version on the Basement Tapes with Bob Dylan and the Band. Serena Rider also does a pretty good version.
 daveesh wrote:

 
One of the most clever comments I've come across on this site!

R.I.P Richard Manuel. Your fire is extinguished.
 vandal wrote:

. . . bloody boring. . .

 

yes...it's a bit of an antiquated sound....better heard with weed.
. . . bloody boring. . .
Wow, those harmonies are just ... horrible.
Cake - Wheels The Band - This Wheel's On Fire John Mellencamp - Human Wheels ...nice playlist this morning - i popped in to comment on the musical flow before i even noticed the thematic continuity... ^_^
Gin and tonics, darling...!
How funny! I was just looking on Amazon for something, and came across Levon Helm's book titled the same!
absolutely fabulous
sounds old dated, faded and tired to me.
nu-GFX wrote:
Quite good! But I like the cover by Phil Lesh a whole lot more though.
Agree, but I prefer Jules Driscolls' version.
Quite good! But I like the cover by Phil Lesh a whole lot more though.
Miss these guys.
If you enjoy this version, check out Music From Big Pink-their basement studio version is much cleaner...
The missus still says I must have been Saffron in another life. I never know whether to hug her or glare over my spectacles when she says that.
hobbitt wrote:
Gin and tonics, Eddie, gin and tonics!
Stoli & Bolly, darling!
What tom_tom said . . . Siouxsie\'s the greatest, but I love covers by Any Who . . . .
Gin and tonics, Eddie, gin and tonics!
For a truly odd cover of this song, check out Siouxsie & The Banshees version!
Originally Posted by lisa_bisa: So Dylan wrote this? Boy whoever did the cover for AB FAB is just about the worst band ever...I don't know if I'll ever be able to appreciate it because it's SO annoying on AB FAB :)
Like Absolutely Fabulous, that rendition of "Wheels" is, most likely, satirical as well.
I can understand the lyrics finally! I've only ever heard this song as the theme to Absolutely Fabulous, and the lyrics are unintelligible in that version.
At a Bob Dylan concert I attended last night, this was the only selection I hoped might get played (that didn\'t). These searing words work in just about anybody\'s rendition, but, this is one of the better ones, eclipsed only by Julie Driscoll with Brian Augur & The Trinity.