The Band ‘Last Waltz’ Gets 40th Anniversary Editions

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Many consider it the greatest rock concert of all time; it certainly made for one of the all-time classic rock concerts films. In November 1976 The Band decided to go out in style, throwing a Thanksgiving Day bash at San Francisco’s Winterland. They called it “The Last Waltz” and invited along some of their closest friends and associates: Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, Ronnie Hawkins and Dr. John, among others. Even a Beatle—Ringo Starr—sat in for a bit.

Now, Rhino is celebrating the fabled event with four new 40th anniversary editions, including the first-ever pairing of the audio from the concert with video from the Martin Scorsese-directed film (released in 1978). All formats will be available November 11 except the 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, which arrives December 9.

The four packages offer fans a range of choices, from the basic two-CD set retailing for $19.98 to the four-CD/two-Blu-ray package that will sell for $259.98. Available as a four-CD/Blu-Ray set and, for the first time, on vinyl as a six-LP set, the 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of the original soundtrack has 54 tracks, including the entire concert, as well as rehearsals and outtakes.

The configurations are as follows:

40th Anniversary Edition (2-CD, $19.98)—Original soundtrack with newly remastered audio from the original master tapes on two CDs. Preorder here.

40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (4-CD/Blu-Ray, $64.98)—Complete audio from the concert, including rehearsals and outtakes, plus The Last Waltz film on Blu-Ray. Preorder here.

40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition Vinyl (6-LP, $119.98)—Complete audio from the concert, including rehearsals and outtakes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl for the first time and presented in a lift-top box. Preorder here.

40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition (4-CD/2-Blu-Ray, $259.98)—Limited to 2,500 copies, this version includes:

—Complete audio from the concert;
—The Last Waltz film on Blu-ray;
—Second Blu-Ray disc including a rarely seen interview from the 1990s with Martin Scorsese and Robbie Robertson, photo gallery, and 5.1 audio mix of the original album;
—300-page book, bound in red faux-leather with a full replication of Scorsese’s shooting script, rare and previously unseen photos, set sketches, three foldout storyboards, and a foreword by Scorsese.

Among the rarities are performances not featured in the film, such as “Furry Sings the Blues” with Joni Mitchell and “All Our Past Times” with Eric Clapton, plus rehearsals for “Caravan” with Van Morrison, “Such a Night” with Dr. John, and “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)” a song that was not performed at the concert. The CD version also includes newly penned liner notes from music journalists David Fricke and Ben Fong-Torres along with am essay from 1977 written by author Emmett Grogan.

The 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, limited to 2,500 copies worldwide, includes a replication of Scorsese’s original shooting script. Once the film was complete, Scorsese had two copies of the script bound in a red leather book, one copy for himself and the other a gift to Robbie Robertson, which now resides at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Collector’s Edition also includes a foreword by Scorsese and an essay from screenwriter Mardik Martin.

Robertson will be busy during the Last Waltz’s 40th anniversary. On November 15, he will release Testimony, his memoir. Robertson will also release a new anthology of the same name on UMe on November 11. The 18-track collection, curated by Robertson to be a complement to the memoir, features a mix of live and studio tracks spanning his entire career.

The Last Waltz 40th Anniversary Collector’s Edition Track Listing

Disc One
“Theme From The Last Waltz” – with orchestra
“Up on Cripple Creek”
“The Shape I’m In”
“It Makes No Difference”
“Who Do You Love” – with Ronnie Hawkins
“Life Is a Carnival”
“Such a Night” – with Dr. John
“The Weight”
“Down South In New Orleans” – with Bobby Charles
“This Wheel’s on Fire”
“Mystery Train” – with Paul Butterfield
“Caldonia” – with Muddy Waters
“Mannish Boy” – with Muddy Waters
“Stagefright”

Disc Two
“Rag Mama Rag”
“All Our Past Times” – with Eric Clapton
“Further On Up the Road” – with Eric Clapton
“Ophelia”
“Helpless” – with Neil Young
“Four Strong Winds” – with Neil Young
“Coyote” – with Joni Mitchell
“Shadows and Light” – with Joni Mitchell
“Furry Sings the Blues” – with Joni Mitchell
“Acadian Driftwood”
“Dry Your Eyes” – with Neil Diamond
“The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show”
“Tura Lura Lura (That’s An Irish Lullaby)” – with Van Morrison
“Caravan” – with Van Morrison

Disc Three
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”
“The Genetic Method/Chest Fever”
“Baby Let Me Follow You Down” – with Bob Dylan
“Hazel” – with Bob Dylan
“I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)” – with Bob Dylan
“Forever Young” – with Bob Dylan
“Baby Let Me Follow You Down” (Reprise) – with Bob Dylan
“I Shall Be Released”
Jam #1
Jam #2
“Don’t Do It”
“Greensleeves” (From Movie Soundtrack)

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Disc Four

The Last Waltz Suite
“The Well”
“Evangeline” – with Emmylou Harris
“Out Of the Blue”
“The Weight” – with the Staples
“The Last Waltz Refrain”

Concert Rehearsal
“King Harvest (Has Surely Come)”
“Tura Lura Lura (That’s An Irish Lullaby)”
“Caravan”
“Such a Night”
“Rag Mama Rag”
“Mad Waltz” – Sketch track for “The Well”
“The Last Waltz” – Instrumental
“The Last Waltz – Sketch

Disc Five: Blu Ray
Track Listing (5.1 Surround Sound Mix)
“Theme From The Last Waltz” – with orchestra
“Up on Cripple Creek”
“The Shape I’m In”
“It Makes No Difference”
“Who Do You Love” – with Ronnie Hawkins
“Life Is a Carnival”
“Such a Night” – with Dr. John
“Down South In New Orleans” – with Bobby Charles
“Mystery Train” – with Paul Butterfield
“Mannish Boy” – with Muddy Waters
“Stagefright”
“Further On Up the Road” – with Eric Clapton
“Ophelia”
“Helpless” – with Neil Young
“Coyote” – with Joni Mitchell
“Dry Your Eyes” – with Neil Diamond
“Tura Lura Lura (That’s An Irish Lullaby)” – with Van Morrison
“Caravan” – with Van Morrison
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”
“Baby Let Me Follow You Down” – with Bob Dylan
“I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)” – with Bob Dylan
“Forever Young” – with Bob Dylan
“Baby Let Me Follow You Down” (Reprise)
“I Shall Be Released” – Finale
“The Well”
“Evangeline” – with Emmylou Harris
“Out of the Blue”
“The Weight” – with The Staples
“The Last Waltz Refrain”
“Theme From The Last Waltz”