"the stones i throw (will free all men)" was the a-side to the 1965 single by levon and the hawks, released on atco records. seemingly a comment by robbie robertson in favor of the civil rights movement, it is carried by garth hudson's organ, and is far less rooted in the heavy r&b stylings of the group's other three single sides. it is the link between their days with ronnie hawkins and the group's breakout 1968 lp, "music from big pink". in december, 1965 the song reached #22 on the chum chart.