In a similar vein, "I Shall Be Released" is a Bob Dylan composition, written from the perspective of someone who is in prison, reflecting upon his incarceration and waiting for his release.
At least, on the surface "I Shall Be Released" is a song about a prisoner counting the days until he regains his freedom. Another read of the lyrics reveals a deeper examination of the human condition and mortality, where the "prison" is our earthly body and the ultimate release is death.
In addition to Dylan's masterful lyrics, The Band's masterful interpretation of the song is the reason it appears on this list. Ultimately, the song is more than the sum of its parts--just like The Band itself. There's Richard Manuel's falsetto lead vocal and heavily reverbed piano that both float, weightlessly, above the song.
Then, there's Levon Helm's percussion. I'd always assumed that he had somehow created that slow march rhythm by using brushes against his snare drum. Years later, I discovered he got that sound by strumming the wires on the back of his snare, almost like a banjo!
Next, Rick Danko's bassline has a melodicism and sense of movement that is one part Beethoven and one part James Jamerson of Motown's Funk Brothers.
But my absolute favorite part of the song is Garth Hudson's wah effect on his Lowrey organ. It is so subtle that it's almost easy to miss or mistake for some kind of envelope filter on a guitar. (The only guitar on the track is Robbie Robertson's straight-ahead strumming in the right channel.) Hudson creates this ethereal backdrop that expands and contracts--it literally breathes as the song goes along. It's a genius touch that only a genius could execute.
Although Music from Big Pink is a hard album to cherry pick for favorites, this one is a standout.
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