This is one of the saddest songs about a part of US history that, although resolved by an atrocious war, it is not really resolved yet. I lived in the US many years and have been witness to the enormous differences between the South and the North. Although now with all the immigration back and forth things have changed considerably.
This song was written in 1969 by Robbie Robertson of the Canadian-American band The Band and released that same year. The band speaks of the sufferings of poor white southerners at the hands of the Northern armies which invaded.
The song made it to number 245 on the Rolling Stone magazine top 500 songs of all time. It is one of the saddest songs I have ever heard and I love it. It gives a true human touch to history and narrates, from the first person point of view, the tragedies suffered by combatants and non-combatants when war comes into their towns, their lives, their livelihoods.
Here is another version by one of Southern Rock’s greatest, The Allman Brothers Band:
Cheers…
JaZzArt en València 
2 of my favorite bands and tragic song
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Mine too and yes, quite tragic indeed. Thank you Beth!
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Un gran banda.
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Eso!
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Joan Baez also does a wonderful version of the song.
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Yes she does, as does Johnny Cash…
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Hadn’t heard the Cash version.
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Not the best but…
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One of my favorite songs!
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Mine too Dawn. Thank you!
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