Beat it on Down the Line - Grateful Dead Song Review

Beat it On Down the Line

Sing it with me:

“Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom…. Well this JOB I GOT…”

BIODTL. Okay this song falls into the category of “first set rockers that Mike doesn’t particularly like.” I actually never saw this song, it was pretty rare in the final few years of the Dead during which I was able to see shows. I know this song (like Bertha and Promised Land) would be great to rock out to at the show and therefore it serves its purpose well.

However, most songs that are this kind of “traditional” rock cover songs are songs I usually skip right by when I listen to tapes and podcasts. The exceptions to this are the cover songs that the Dead really put their musical stamp on (like Iko Iko), or a song like El Paso where Jerry is soloing throughout the entire song (even right over Bobby’s verses). I don’t know, maybe if Jerry sang this one I would like it a little more.

Beat it On Down the Line Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 5.1

Disclaimer: This is part of my review of every Grateful Dead song from A-Z. Music is a beautiful thing because it is so personal and subjective, so keep in mind that this is one man's opinion (and be sure to read my blog manifesto to understand a little more about where I'm coming from).