The Night They Drove Ol' Dixie Down

Written by: Robbie Robertson
Performed by: The Band
Debuted live: December 6th, 1996
Performances of this song: Check the Crowesbase
Released by TBC: Never Released In Any Form
Notes:

Lyrics:
Virgil Caine is my name, and I served on the Danville train
Til Stonewall's Calvery came and tore up the tracks again
In the winter of '65, we were hungry, just barely alive
By May the tenth, Richmond had fell,
it's a time I remember oh so well

CHORUS:
The night they drove old Dixie down, and the bells were ringin'
The night they drove old Dixie down, and the people were singin'
They went na na na na na na, na na na na na na na na

Back with my wife in Tennessee, when one day she said to me
"Virgil, quick come see, there goes Robert E. Lee"
Well I don't mind choppin' wood,
and I don't care if the money's no good
Ya take what ya need and ya leave the rest
They never should have taken the very best

CHORUS

Like my father before me, I will work the land
Like my brother above me, I took a rebel stand
He was just eighteen, proud and brave,
til a Yankee laid him in his grave
I swear by the mud beneath my feet
You can't raise a Caine when he's in defeat

CHORUS

CHORUS
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