In retrospect, we probably should have expected it.
Bruce once described the Sessions Band as a band that rolls rather than rocks, and that’s also a perfect descriptor for The Band’s 1970 single, “Rag Mama Rag.”
If the original feels a bit loose, that’s largely because the musicians swapped places to make it feel that way, with Levon Helm moving from drums to mandolin, Richard Manuel moving from piano to drums, and Garth Hudson moving from organ to piano. Rick Danko contributed the fiddle, and producer John Simon the all-important tuba.
The result: a song that rolls, rollicks and always feels one step away from a train wreck.
Which, by the way, is exactly what happened one of the first times Bruce and the Sessions Band attempted it, in Concord, California:
The band went on to nail it, though, and over the course of the tour it became an encore staple. Bruce’s arrangement was the perfect balance of rock against roll, requiring a tight band that can still convey the loose spirit of the original–in other words, a perfect fit for the Sessions Band. (And besides, they already had the tuba!)
From its penultimate performance in Verona on October 5, 2006, here’s one of the best outings for “Rag Mama Rag” by Bruce Springsteen and the Sessions Band.
Rag Mama Rag
First performed: May 30, 2006 (Columbus, OH)
Last performed: October 8, 2006 (Caserta, Italy)
