The event was filmed by director Martin Scorsese and made into a documentary of the same name, released in 1978. Jonathan Taplin, who was the Band's tour manager from 1969 to 1972 and later produced Scorsese's film Mean Streets, suggested that Scorsese would be the ideal director for the project and introduced Robbie Robertson and Scorsese. Taplin was the Executive Producer of The Last Waltz. The film features concert performances, intermittent song renditions shot on a studio soundstage, and interviews by Scorsese with members of the Band.
The original soundtrack album was a three-LP album released on April 16, 1978 (later as a two-disc CD). It has many songs not in the film, including "Down South in New Orleans" with Bobby Charles and Dr. John on guitar, "Tura Lura Lural (That's an Irish Lullaby)" by Van Morrison, "Life is a Carnival" by the Band, and "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)" by Bob Dylan. John Casado designed the packaging and logotype trademark.
In 2002, a four-CD box set was released, as was a DVD-Audio edition. Robbie Robertson produced the album, remastering all the songs. The set includes 16 previously unreleased songs from the concert, as well as takes from rehearsals. Among the additions are Louis Jordan's "Caldonia" by Muddy Waters, the concert version of "The Weight", "Jam #1" and "Jam #2" in their entirety, and extended sets with Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.
The Band
- Rick Danko – bass, fiddle, vocals
- Levon Helm – drums, mandolin, vocals
- Garth Hudson – organ, accordion, synthesizers, horns, clavinet
- Richard Manuel – piano, drums, organ, clavinet, keyboards, dobro, vocals
- Robbie Robertson – guitars, piano, vocals
The horn section
- Rich Cooper – trumpet, flugelhorn
- James Gordon – flute, tenor saxophone, clarinet
- Jerry Hey – trumpet, flugelhorn
- Howard Johnson – tuba, baritone saxophone, flugelhorn, bass clarinet
- Charlie Keagle – clarinet, flute, alto, tenor and soprano saxophones
- Tom Malone – trombone, euphonium, alto flute, bass trombone
- Larry Packer – electric violin
- Horns arranged by Henry Glover, Garth Hudson, Howard Johnson, Tom Malone, John Simon and Allen Toussaint
The guests
- Paul Butterfield – harmonica, vocals
- Bobby Charles – vocals
- Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals
- Neil Diamond – guitar, vocals
- Dr. John – piano, guitar, congas, vocals
- Bob Dylan – guitar, vocals
- Bill Graham – thanks
- Emmylou Harris – guitar, vocals
- Ronnie Hawkins – vocals
- Alison Hormel – harmony vocal
- Bob Margolin – guitar
- Joni Mitchell – guitar, vocals
- Van Morrison – vocals
- Pinetop Perkins – piano, vocals
- Carl Radle – bass
- Dennis St. John – drums
- John Simon – piano
- Cleotha Staples – harmony vocal
- Mavis Staples – vocals
- Roebuck "Pops" Staples – guitar, vocals
- Yvonne Staples – harmony vocal
- Ringo Starr – drums
- Stephen Stills – guitar
- Muddy Waters – vocals
- Ronnie Wood – guitar
- Neil Young – guitar, harmonica, vocals
Disc one
1. "Theme from the Last Waltz**" The Orchestra 3:52
2. "Up on Cripple Creek**" 5:31
3. "The Shape I'm In" 4:10
4. "It Makes No Difference" 6:51
5. "Who Do You Love?**" Ellas McDaniel Ronnie Hawkins 4:51
6. "Life Is a Carnival" Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson 4:25
7. "Such a Night**" Mac Rebennack Dr. John 4:41
8. "The Weight*" 4:50
9. "Down South in New Orleans" Jack Anglin, Jim Anglin, Johnnie Wright Bobby Charles, Dr. John 3:11
10. "This Wheel's on Fire*" Danko, Bob Dylan 3:54
11. "Mystery Train" Junior Parker, Sam Phillips Paul Butterfield 5:03
12. "Caldonia*" Louis Jordan Muddy Waters 6:08
13. "Mannish Boy" Mel London, McDaniel, McKinley Morganfield Muddy Waters 6:40
14. "Stage Fright" 4:31
Disc two
1. "Rag Mama Rag*" 4:34
2. "All Our Past Times*" Eric Clapton, Danko Eric Clapton 5:01
3. "Further on Up the Road**" Don Robey, Joe Medwick Eric Clapton 5:30
4. "Ophelia" 3:45
5. "Helpless" Neil Young Neil Young, Joni Mitchell (though uncredited on the track listing) 5:53
6. "Four Strong Winds*" Ian Tyson Neil Young 4:37
7. "Coyote" Joni Mitchell Joni Mitchell 5:28
8. "Shadows and Light*" Mitchell Joni Mitchell 5:45
9. "Furry Sings the Blues*" Mitchell Joni Mitchell 5:09
10. "Acadian Driftwood*" Joni Mitchell, Neil Young (both uncredited on the track listing) 7:07
11. "Dry Your Eyes**" Neil Diamond, Robertson Neil Diamond 4:16
12. "The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show*" 3:39
13. "Tura Lura Lural (That's an Irish Lullaby)" James Royce Shannon Van Morrison 4:10
14. "Caravan**" Van Morrison Van Morrison 6:12
Disc three
1. "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down**" 4:35
2. "The Genetic Method/Chest Fever*" (Incomplete) Garth Hudson/Robbie Robertson 2:41
3. "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" Reverend Gary Davis Bob Dylan 2:55
4. "Hazel*" Dylan Bob Dylan 3:41
5. "I Don't Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met)" Dylan Bob Dylan 3:29
6. "Forever Young**" Dylan Bob Dylan 5:51
7. "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (Reprise)**" Davis Bob Dylan 2:58
8. "I Shall Be Released**" (Finale) Dylan Bob Dylan, Paul Butterfield, Eric Clapton; Neil Diamond, Dr. John, Ronnie Hawkins, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood, Pinetop Perkins 4:49
9. "Jam #1*" (The Band minus Richard Manuel plays on this track; Helm, Hudson, Robertson, Danko, Young, Ronnie Wood, Clapton, Rebennack, Paul Butterfield, Ringo Starr) Neil Young, Ronnie Wood, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, Ringo Starr 5:32
10. "Jam #2*" (The Band minus Richard Manuel as well as Robbie Robertson and Rick Danko plays on this track; Helm, Hudson, Young, Wood, Clapton, Rebennack, Butterfield, Starr, Stephen Stills, Carl Radle) Neil Young, Ronnie Wood, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, Ringo Starr, Stephen Stills, Carl Radle 9:10
11. "Don't Do It*" L. Dozier-B. Holland-E. Holland 6:19
12. "Greensleeves*" Traditional 1:37
Disc four
"The Last Waltz Suite"
1. "The Well" 3:32
2. "Evangeline" Emmylou Harris 3:10
3. "Out of the Blue**" 3:20
4. "The Weight" The Staple Singers (credited as "The Staples"; Mavis Staples and Pops Staples take lead vocals on the second and third verses, respectively) 4:35
5. "The Last Waltz Refrain" 1:32
6. "Theme from the Last Waltz" 3:26
Concert rehearsal
7. "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)*" 3:52
8. "Tura Lura Lural (That's an Irish Lullaby)*" Shannon Van Morrison 3:52
9. "Caravan*" Morrison Van Morrison 6:30
10. "Such a Night*" Rebennack Dr. John 5:24
11. "Rag Mama Rag*" 3:52
Studio Ideas
12. "Mad Waltz*" (Early version of "The Well") 5:30
13. "The Last Waltz Refrain*" (Early instrumental version) 0:50
14. "The Last Waltz Theme*" (Sketch track) 3:34
All of the tracks marked with * were previously unreleased.
All of the tracks marked with ** feature additional material.
