The Band’s “Stage Fright” Reworked for 50th Anniversary

The Band’s third album, Stage Fright, has been revisited, remastered, and revamped for its 50th anniversary. Released in 1970, the record contained several songs that would become staples of the group’s live show including “The Shape I’m In,” “Time to Kill,” and the title track. The new deluxe edition includes a new stereo mix, a never-released hotel jam session, and an entire live set recorded at Royal Albert Hall in 1971.

Aside from the new content, fans will also get a fresh perspective on Stage Fright due to its reworked track order. Camaraderie in the band had hit a low point during the writing and recording of the music, Guitarist Robbie Robertson had pushed his bandmates to collaborate on songwriting with him. After they did, he put together a sequence for the album, but Levon Helm and Richard Manuel felt their songs were buried in the album.

“The guys were like, ‘Man, you know, some of the songs you were really pushing us for our part, they’re buried in the sequence,’” Robertson told Rolling Stone. “So I thought, ‘F*** it, I’m going to push all of that way up front.’ And it was a mistake. We weren’t falling apart, but we were wrangling and we never had to wrangle before.”

Bassist/vocalist Rick Danko is mixed very well on the new live tracks. His enigmatic playing carries even more energy in the setting, which showcases a typical concert by The Band without guests or extra fanfare. Hear him sing and jam on the “Stage Fright”:

The 50th Anniversary Edition of Stage Fright is available now in a Deluxe Box Set as well as CD, vinyl, and digital editions.

Stage Fright 50th Anniversary Box Set Track List:

CD1 Stage Fright:

1. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
2. The Shape I’m In
3. Daniel And The Sacred Harp
4. Stage Fright
5. The Rumor
6. Time To Kill
7. Just Another Whistle Stop
8. All La Glory
9. Strawberry Wine
10. Sleeping • Bonus Tracks
11. Strawberry Wine (Alternate Mix)
12. Sleeping (Alternate Mix) Calgary Hotel Room Recordings, 1970
13. Get Up Jake (#1)
14. Get Up Jake (#2)
15. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
16. Rockin’ Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu
17. Calgary Blues
18. Before You Accuse Me
19. Mojo Hannah

CD2 Live at the Royal Albert Hall, June 1971:

1. The Shape I’m In
2. Time To Kill
3. The Weight
4. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
5. Strawberry Wine
6. Rockin’ Chair
7. Look Out Cleveland
8. I Shall Be Released
9. Stage Fright
10. Up On Cripple Creek
11. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
12. We Can Talk
13. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
14. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
15. Across The Great Divide
16. The Unfaithful Servant
17. Don’t Do It
18. The Genetic Method
19. Chest Fever
20. Rag Mama Rag

Blu-ray (Stereo and 5.1 Surround – High Resolution Audio: 96 kHz/24 bit) Stage Fright:

1. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
2. The Shape I’m In
3. Daniel And The Sacred Harp
4. Stage Fright
5. The Rumor
6. Time To Kill
7. Just Another Whistle Stop
8. All La Glory
9. Strawberry Wine
10. Sleeping • Bonus Tracks
11. Strawberry Wine (Alternate Mix)
12. Sleeping (Alternate Mix)

Live at the Royal Albert Hall, June 1971:

1. The Shape I’m In
2. Time To Kill
3. The Weight
4. King Harvest (Has Surely Come)
5. Strawberry Wine
6. Rockin’ Chair
7. Look Out Cleveland
8. I Shall Be Released
9. Stage Fright
10. Up On Cripple Creek
11. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
12. We Can Talk
13. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
14. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
15. Across The Great Divide
16. The Unfaithful Servant
17. Don’t Do It
18. The Genetic Method
19. Chest Fever
20. Rag Mama Rag

Stage Fright LP:

1. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show
2. The Shape I’m In
3. Daniel And The Sacred Harp
4. Stage Fright
5. The Rumor
6. Time To Kill
7. Just Another Whistle Stop
8. All La Glory
9. Strawberry Wine
10. Sleeping

7” “Time To Kill” B/W “The Shape I’m In” (Original 1970 7” Capitol Single, Spanish Pressing):

1. Time To Kill
2. The Shape I’m In