When asked about the inspiration for album’s single “Somewhere Down the Crazy River”, Daniel Lanois commented, “Robbie Robertson was describing what it was like to hang out in Arkansas with Levon Helm in his old neighbourhood. He was telling me about the hot nights and fishing with dynamite, and was asking someone for directions for someplace somewhere down the crazy river. … I had presented him with this instrument that [Brian] Eno introduced me to called the Suzuki Omnichord, like an electric autoharp. He found a little chord sequence with it that was sweet and wonderful. As he was developing his chord sequence I recorded him and superimposed his storytelling, which I was secretly recording, on top. That was the birth of ‘Somewhere Down The Crazy River.’ It’s kind of like a guy with a deep voice telling you about steaming nights in Arkansas.” This song is notable as Robertson’s only solo hit in the UK, reaching number 15 on the UK singles chart. His follow-up single there, “Fallen Angel” (also from the album), reached number 95.
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