The Band - The Weight

From their 1968 studio album, “Music from Big Pink”. I claim no rights to any of the images or music in this video. All rights remain with their respective owners.
Lyrics:

[Acoustic guitar intro]

I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' 'bout half past dead
I just need some place where I can lay my head
"Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"
He just grinned and shook my hand, "no" was all he said

Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)

I picked up my bag, I went lookin' for a place to hide
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walkin' side by side
I said, "Hey, Carmen, come on let's go downtown."
She said, "I gotta go but my friend can stick around."

Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)

Go down, Miss Moses, there's nothin' you can say
It's just old Luke and Luke's waitin' on the Judgment Day
"Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee?"
He said, "Do me a favor son, won't you stay and keep Anna Lee company?"

Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)

Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fog
He said, I'll fix your rack if you take Jack, my dog.
I said, Wait a minute Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man
He said, that's okay, boy, won't you feed him when you can

Yeah, take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)

Catch a cannonball now to take me down the line
My bag is sinkin' low and I do believe it's time
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone

Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and, and) you put the load right on me
(You put the load right on me)

Songwriter: Robbie Robertson
Music Producer: John Simon
Video Producer: Eleanor Plant

But what exactly is “the weight”?
Robertson has agreed with the conclusion that mostly, it’s about the responsibility that comes with trying to do the right thing.

But how does that play out with the many religious references? In the end, I think it’s about the heaviness that presses down on us when we wrestle with temptation and fall into sin.