“By May 10th, Richmond had fell” in Robbie Robertson’s invented recollections that comprised “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” His songwriting excelled in specifics, and they were in great supply in this Civil War–set lament, a rare example of history being told from the side of the loser. Though the song was originally recorded by Robertson’s the Band, this clip is of Joan Baez’s version, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1971.
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