Stage Fright Songs Ranked

Stage Fright is the third studio album by Canadian–American group the Band, released in 1970. It featured two of the group’s best-known songs, “The Shape I’m In” and “Stage Fright”, both of which showcased inspired lead vocal performances (by Richard Manuel and Rick Danko, respectively) and became staples in the group’s live shows. Much more of a rock album than the group’s previous efforts, Stage Fright had a more downcast, contemporary focus and less of the vocal harmony blend that had been a centerpiece of the first two albums. The tradition of switching instruments continued, however, with each musician contributing parts on at least two different instruments. The album included the last two songs composed by pianist Richard Manuel, both co-written with Robertson, who would continue to be the group’s dominant songwriter until the group ceased touring in 1976. Here are all of Stage Fright songs ranked.

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10. Strawberry Wine

“What was before an academic exercise is now an ironic scene with so much reality that it’s almost painful to listen to–on “Strawberry Wine” a heroin-addled Levon Helm sings about addiction to so-called “strawberry wine”

9. The Rumor

“In my opinion, the second, rarer mix is superior to the extent that it markedly improves the album (for instance, the balance between all three vocalists and the volume of Hudson’s organ on “The Rumor” is severely detrimental to one of the best songs on the album–not to mention that all of the reverb on the other tracks sounds pretty bad).”

8. Sleeping

“Sleeping” is one of two songs where Manuel has a co-write (the other being “Just Another Whistle Stop”) and ranks among the ballads of their previous album, with Manuel’s piano selling the image of ‘turning from the sun and seeing everyone searching,’ and in lieu of any actual chorus, the song picks up its feet for every other verse or so. I’d recommend using this new tracklist, but even then, it only gets you so far.”

See more: The Band Albums Ranked

7. Stage Fright

“By the time Stage Fright comes around, though, things get a whole lot more real–Robbie Robertson is still trying to convey through songs the feeling he gets from the American heartland, but by this time his rough, flawed characters are starting to become reality in the form of his bandmates: Levon Helm and Rick Danko are already involved in heroin, and Richard Manuel has all but lost the creative muse that made him one of the group’s more promising songwriters early on (not to mention his increasing alcoholism).”

6. Time to Kill

“Two cuts from the same cloth to my perhaps cloth-ears, both tracks exhibiting the Band in what you could almost call boogie-mode as they rock their way through these two solid Robbie Robertson numbers.”

5. Daniel and the Sacred Harp

“The allegorical “Daniel And The Sacred Harp” wafts in on Garth Hudson’s wheezy harmonium. Levon Helm and Rick Danko trade lead vocals on the Faustian tale, with a sting in the tale and an affecting backing of fiddles, harpsichord and steel guitar.”

See more: The Band Songs Ranked

4. The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show

“The W.S Walcott Medicine Show” finds Robertson dabbling in his favoured American lore with its amusing tale of a quack’s progress through the Old West set to a suitably boozy, lurching rhythm, boosted by a New Orleans-sounding brass band and some evangelical piano by Manuel.”

3. Just Another Whistle Stop

“Just Another Whistle Stop” which skips along in fine style while holding up a mirror to inner city strife, with another fine Danko vocal (and bass-playing), crisp drumming by Levon Helm and Garth Hudson’s organ fills adding local colour. Another highlight.”

2. All La Glory

“Side One closes quietly with the rather doleful lullaby “All La Glory” but Side Two sparks back to life with the energetic “The Shape I’m In” a drunkard’s rollicking lament and near twin to the earlier “Time To Kill”.”

1. The Shape I’m In

““The Shape I’m In” is a ramshackle rocker which threatens to come off the rails at different juncture, like a slightly out of control train as befits the desultory lyric but the real gem here is “The Rumor”, a well-worded and well played and sung denunciation of the grapevine.”