Jack Straw - Grateful Dead Song Review

Man, "Jack Straw from Wichita."

What I would give to go back in a time machine to when I clawed the cellophane off of the Europe '72 "double CD" (yes I got into the Grateful Dead at age 17 in 1992) and heard Jack Straw for the first time.

Jack Straw was just instantly like-able, but certainly not because it was a "bubble gum" pop song that climbed into your subconscious with it's catchy melody.  Jack Staw is an epic tale with an extremely cool and original musical structure (music by Weir, lyrics by Hunter).

What imagery this song has!  What great lyrics!

Leaving Texas, fourth day of July
Sun so hot, the clouds so low, the eagles filled the sky...

I'm so partial to the Europe '72 version  I've included a youtube embed of it from youtube below.

A Song That is Eternally Fresh

In the twenty years since I started listening to the Grateful Dead, I've probably heard a hundred or more Jack Straws (mostly opening the 1st set). I can tell you that never once have I fast forwarded  through Jack Straw.  The song is just so pleasing and builds so nicely with such great lyrics and an evolving structure.  It's just perfect, and definitely none too simple.

I've also been known to crank up Jack Straw as loud as it will go when the 2nd jam starts.  This section can really reach great heights (especially for an opener) as Phil drops bombs while Jerry builds the intensity.  When you hear a great Jack Straw with Jerry playing great leads, you just know that the next song is going to be a Jerry song because he is  just 'feeling it' and is going to take over and deliver a stellar 1st set.

That's how powerful Jack Straw is.

The Creative Peak of the Early 1970's

For you Grateful Dead purists who favor the early to mid 1970's dead, I have to hand it to you, this is an extremely exciting period in the band's history.  So many of the songs that came about from 1970-1974 were incredible and became staples of the live show for the remainder of the Grateful Dead's existence . Many of these great songs are like Jack Straw in that they were never even recorded in the studio (Brown Eyed Women, Ramble on Rose, Tennessee Jed), the band was on such a creative tear.

Sentimental Jack Straw Memory

Jack Straw was the last show opener I ever saw (at the Las Vegas Sunday show in 1995). I remember getting pretty emotional for some reason when Jerry and the band walked onstage under the hot Las Vegas sun and started Jack Straw.  In the casinos during the Las Vegas shows,  you could occasionally  hear unsuspecting casino employees paging Grateful Dead characters at some prankster's request: "Jack Straw, please pick up a courtesy phone." It sure was great when the Deadheads took over the Las Vegas Strip, I will never forget those shows.


Jack Straw Rating on a Scale of 1-10:  9.9

Disclaimer: This is part of my blog that reviews all things Grateful Dead for fun. Music is a beautiful thing because it is so personal and subjective, so keep in mind that this is one man's opinion(read my blog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).

Reuben and Cherise Breakout - Unbelievable Audience Recording

This gives me such chills hearing it.  I think I might have even posted about this before, but it bears repeating.

If you're at work or something, do yourself a favor and wait to watch this until you can get to a quiet and private place (and turn it up loud).

This recording is just...  I can't find words to describe it. But I believe there was a kind of magic present in the collective consciousness at Grateful Dead shows. This is the closest I've ever come to connecting with that magic since August 9th, 1995.

THANK YOU to thejjak4 for posting this.   A note in the comments on the video says this is actually from a show on 3/17/91 (not 3/18/91 as listed in the video title).

Jack a Roe - Grateful Dead Song Review

This is a hot little ditty that was prevalent in the early part of the 1st set from the late 70s pretty regularly through the band's final tour. Jack a Roe never officially was released on a studio album but there is a studio "outtake" from the Go To Heaven sessions. That version is nice, but the live versions are where it's at.

Jerry must've really liked this one.  He played it a lot and also played it in the JGB acoustic band.  He pretty much consistently delivered great solos over this chord progression.

I would say that Jack a Roe is definitely "underrated." I don't think it will make anyone's top 10 list, but it was pretty a pretty smoking first set tune.

The song is credited to "traditional" so it probably goes way back and is an English war time tale of a girl who dresses up as a man to be with her lover who is enlisted in the Navy.  It's a stirring tale of love and risk with a happy ending.


Favorite Versions of Jack a Roe

Jack a Roe popped up on Reckoning as it's first "official" release, and that's a memorable version.  But truthfully, you can hear great versions quite often if you listen to bootlegs from almost any era starting in the late 1970s. In fact, it's so consistent that I have a hard time even thinking of a "standout" Jack a Roe but I'm sure most true old school head could rattle off a specific show with a killer version.  I can't say I've ever heard a version where the band really "stepped out" on the song, it was always played pretty straight.

The youtube I posted below was one of the first that I found and a pretty great version.  Jerry is playing The Wolf which is always nice to see. Thanks to splaif for posting this on youtube.


Jack a Roe Rating on a Scale of 1-10:  7.9

Disclaimer: This is part of my blog that reviews all things Grateful Dead for fun. Music is a beautiful thing because it is so personal and subjective, so keep in mind that this is one man's opinion(read my blog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).

I Will Take You Home - Grateful Dead Song Review

This song makes me think of cassette tapes that looked about like this:

I Will Take You Home is a beautiful "music box" type melody accompanied by Brent Mydland's impassioned lyrics to his daughter. This is very moving to think about, and makes what happened to him in 1990 all the more painful.

This is the final studio song on the final studio album Built to Last.  This song really strikes a chord.  Jerry would often accompany the song with a French Horn sound.  I would have loved to have been at one of the shows where they played this.

If there is possibly one gripe about I Will Take You Home is that it's usual position in the set (coming out of Space) is also the spot where some pretty incredible other Grateful Dead tunes would make their way into the show (China Doll, The Wheel, and Goin' Down the Road Feeling Bad come to mind).


I Will Take You Home Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.4

Disclaimer: This is part of my blog that reviews all things Grateful Dead for fun. Music is a beautiful thing because it is so personal and subjective, so keep in mind that this is one man's opinion(read my blog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).

Thanks Taste4Phree for posting this on youtube.

Hey Mona - Grateful Dead Song Review

I forgot Hey Mona previously when I was working my way through the alphabet, and who can blame me? It's super rare.  It was played twice (once in 1972 and once in 1991).

It's rare but it's good. The song is often referred to as simply Mona and the youtube below captures the audio from the 1991 version.  It's a catchy song played over the famous "Bo Diddley Beat." Jerry sings "Hey Bo Diddley" when they first start singing.

Also, Santana and Gary Duncan (from Quicksilver Messenger Service) other guest is on this song.  Some pretty serious shredding ensues, but as always, I'd prefer just to hear Jerry and the boys playing.


Hey Mona Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.6

Disclaimer: This is part of my blog that reviews all things Grateful Dead for fun. Music is a beautiful thing because it is so personal and subjective, so keep in mind that this is one man's opinion(read my blog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).

Thanks to CraxyFingers76 for posting this on youtube.