It's kind of uncomfortable for me to review Brent Mydland because I love him as keyboardist for The Grateful Dead but never actually saw him live with GD. As a result I don't have any powerful memories associated with dancing to his originals at shows and maybe that's why I am not huge into his original songs.
But Just a Little Light is a pretty cool tune, one of my favorite of Brent's originals. It has a tense brooding feel and is built upon a minor key. Jerry plays his dynamic filter sound which really makes this Mydland tune "seem like a Grateful Dead song" (some of his other songs just don't fit in with The Dead's music and it seems like they are playing backing band for a guest singer).
Just a Little Light is the 2nd track on Built to Last - the Grateful Dead's final studio album. The song was played 20 odd times only in 1989 and 1990. It was primarily in the middle to late 1st set. Below is a version which I think is a fine rendition of the song. This is their 5th time playing it from July of 1989. Just about 24 years ago this month. Wow.
Just a Little Light Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 6.8
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 myblog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).
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 myblog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).
What an amazing catalog of music Jerry and the Dead have. This song is basically "lost in the shuffle" of a hundred other great tunes but something tells me if most country artist's had written it, it would be one of their signature 'greatest hits.'
The studio version of the song is from Jerry Garcia's amazing Reflections album. This is a 'must have' for any Deadhead - not a single disappointing track in the bunch. It sure does sound like The Grateful Dead backing him up on that version.
This song is credited to Robert Hunter on Dead.net (both words and music - possibly the only GD song with this distinction?). This song simply has to whet your appetite for more Robert Hunter, whose catalog I've always meant to explore more fully. It is such a simple and beautiful country ballad. It's just so authentic and laid back.
I remember hearing from some friends who had traveled back to see the Dead that they had gotten a hold of some blotter with roses printed on it. When the band played this song, it provided a very special moment for them.
Favorite Version:
The version off of Dick's Picks 17 from Boston Garden September 25th, 1991 stands out to me. This is not available streaming online (due to being on Dick's Picks) but there's a version from September 16th, 1991 from Youtube below that is also very good (albeit a few mistakes).
Incidentally, Dick's Picks 17 is probably tied with Dick's Picks 27 (December 16th, 1992) as my favorite Dick's Picks. Both are late era shows (with Vince no less), and might not appeal to many Deadheads as much, but I sure do wish we had more releases from this time period(which is why I wrote an open letter for the release of all 1990's era Dead recordings).
It Must've Been the Roses Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 9.1
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 myblog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).
Is this my favorite Morning Dew? Why not ? I think it's the best I've ever seen on Youtube at least.
I am still partial to the one I saw on 6-26-1994 in Las Vegas and I know I heard an even more epic one from MSG I've heard in late 1993 I think. It feels weird to pick a favorite, I enjoy them all.
Some would say blasphemy to pick a favorite Morning Dew from this late period. I have listened to every year, even the coveted 1970s, and the band simply didn't use to play with such collective dynamics as they do in the second half of this video.
During the beginning of Jerry's 5 minute epic guitar solo to end this show, you can hear a pin drop in between notes - everyone in the band is so tastefully laid back, whereas in the 1970s the drummers would be hammering a steady beat during this part. Little things like that are what make me appreciate this era.
Also, gotta hand it to Vince Welnick on the keys here, really beautiful playing, it reminds me of Keith in 1972.
I got the issue and it's a collection of old interviews. Most are with Jerry which is nice. There's a new article about the 20 "must see" shows and there's only one in the 1990s (and a ton in the 1960's) so I didn't even read that. There's also a new article from Bob Weir which I'll get to soon.
I've got to say that I'm thus far a little underwhelmed by this "ultimate guide."
My bias for 1990's Dead and also my favoritism toward Jerry is probably going to really come out on this post because I actually like I Fought the Law.
IFTL (tape abbreviation) was universally derided as a disappointing encore. I remember people immediately streaming to the exit in disgust when it began. Many songs that came about in the 1990s that are in retrospect pretty terrible (Wave to the Wind, Childhood's End), were at least unique enough at the time for Deadheads to reserve judgement, but not I Fought the Law.
What can I say, I found it enjoyable and still do. There is a youtube of it at the bottom of this post (no video but an audio version). I think it's sounds like a pretty fair representation of I Fought the Law. I like the way Jerry sings this part in a high register:
I left my baby and it feels so bad
Guess my race is run
She's the best girl that I ever had
I fought the law and the law won
This song was very short at least. Also, it was exclusively played as an encore, so at least it didn't mar the momentum of a great set with its inclusion. The song came about in March 1993, just a couple of months before my first show and was played somewhat frequently (35+ times until August 1995)... so this is definitely "my era" of seeing the Dead, and I saw it several times (maybe my fond concert memories are making me remember this song too kindly).
A Warning to Deadheads?
A theory that I heard bandied about the parking lot scene was that the song was intended to be a warning to Deadheads about police crackdown and undercover police. That seems to be a stretch but heaven knows there were some legal atrocities occurring during this period at the hands of "mandatory minimum" laws.
I Fought The Law Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 6.5
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 myblog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).
Note: comments are encouraged and appreciated (enter them below) but it takes several days for them to show up in the blog entry (due to a Disqus plugin issue).
The first few minutes only are stills. This is Jerry playing a really great show at this late date.
Many people don't know that The Grateful Dead had shows booked the following year (late 1995) at this location which was sometimes referred to as the Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion in Devore CA. Tickets to this concert were sold, but the shows were not meant to be.
I wish I was a headlight, on a northbound train I wish I was a headlight, on a northbound train I'd shine my light through the cool Colorado rain
This song is obviously best remembered coming out of China Cat Sunflower hence the "China Rider" abbreviation for the medley that was adopted on cassette sleeves.
The song is listed as composed by "traditional" and early recordings are credited to the great field work of ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax (so you know this song goes way back). I've heard a dozen or more different versions from various bluegrass and Americana themed groups. Most of these alternative takes on the song are much slower. Nothing compares to the Grateful Dead's interpretation, they really "souped it up."
2nd Set Opener (Most Commonly)
Getting China Rider is about as good as it gets to open the 2nd set in my experience (note that it also appeared other locations in the set earlier on in the band's tenure, including occasionally opening the show). I will never get tired of the jam from China Cat into I Know You Rider. It's just a collective swell behind Jerry's "pedal to the medal" soloing. This combination is one I can guarantee I've never fast forwarded through in 20 years of listening to The Grateful Dead.
Jerry's Verse
If I had to pick a favorite part, well of course it would be "Jerry's verse" where he sings the lines at the top of this blog... this is a part of the recording where you would actually prefer to be listening to an "audience recording" so you can hear the swell of cheers when he belts it out.
I Know You Rider Without China Cat Sunflower As I said in my review of Franklin's Tower and Fire on the Mountain, hearing the songs that are part of a famed medley (ie Help>Slip>Frank and Scarlet>Fire) without their proper predecessor just doesn't feel right. It's like having dessert without enjoying dinner first...
Favorite Versions
I think that the versions of this with Brent are the ones are the most excellent. The version on Without a Net is definitely one of my favorites. I think that the song was really consistent even until the last days of Jerry playing it, but it probably lost a little fire at the tail end of the Grateful Dead (during Vince Welnick's tenure).
Of course, there's also a fantastic version on Europe '72. I seem to be bringing up that double disc in all the recent song reviews, it's really amazing how packed that live recording is with great Dead songs. It's also interesting to contemplate the vocal overdubs that are on those recordings. Some day I'm going to do a close listen to the versions on Europe '72 and compare them to the soundboards from box set release of the entire tour that was The Dead finally did a couple years ago. 73 CD box set (!) Is that the biggest box set of all time? How do we get a similar release from the 1990s??
I Know You Rider Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 9.2
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 myblog manifesto to understand my Grateful Dead background a little more).
Note: comments are encouraged and appreciated (enter them below) but it takes several days for them to show up in the blog entry (due to a Disqus plugin issue).
It is really a blast to write this blog because I get to focus on songs like Hey Pocky Way.
I really was looking forward to this one because this funky high octane song just plain rocks. Originally recorded by The Meters, Hey Pocky Way really smokes when Brent sang it with The Grateful Dead.
The song is credited to the guys in The Meters on Dead.net, but also includes a nod to "traditional," so the origins of the song might be a bit murky. Perhaps it is an adaptation of a Mardi Gras type chant that was handed down through the ages.
This song is the perfect vehicle to showcase the talents of Brent Mydland. Between his singing/screaming and searing Hammond organ solos, Hey Pocky Way picks up the tempo and energy of any Grateful Dead set in which it appeared (and it frequently opened the set).
Two of Brent's best known tunes are not written by him (Hey Pocky Way and Dear Mr. Fantasy).
Hey Pockey Way was played a total of 25 times between 1987 and Brent's death in 1990. The version below was from the first month they brought the song out and it already sounds super tight (thanks Park Lots for posting this to youtube). I've yet to hear a version that isn't totally awesome.
Hey Pocky Way Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.9
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.
Note: comments are encouraged and appreciated but it takes a while for them to show up in the blog entry (due to a Disqus plugin issue). Enter them below.
Another truly original gem from Hunter/Garcia via the Wake of the Flood album is Here Comes Sunshine.
As it appears on the studio album it has a very mellow (almost sedated) gait and laid back vocal delivery. You can almost hear it as a continuation of the spirit of psychedelic epics like Cosmic Charlie and China Cat Sunflower. By the mid 1970s, The Grateful Dead were still very psychedelic but in such a tasteful, understated, and harmonious way (see Eyes of the World and Crazy Fingers).
The lyrics are a bit abstract and of course start of with the line that became the namesake for the album Wake of the Flood. According to the entry for this song onThe Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics site, the song was accompanied by this note from Robert Hunter in the lyric book:
"Remembering the great Vanport, Washington flood of 1949, living in other people's homes, a family abandoned by father; second grade"
As played live, the song definitely brought a lot more energy and when Jerry would sing "keep the mother rolling," truly the band would be thundering along.
Vince Welnick Revives Here Comes Sunshine
Here comes Sunshine was "retired" in 1973 or so it would seem. After a 19 year hiatus the Grateful Dead busted it out to open the show at Compton Terrace on December 6th, 1992. If you listen to the soundboard you can hear the crowds reaction. It sounded like they're about to start Help on the Way when Jerry warmed this one up to start off concerts in the 1990s.
Vince Welnick is credited for the return of Here Comes Sunshine including the (almost) a capella arrangement that started it. Vince's keyboard sound reminds me of The Disney Magic Lights parade and some would definitely characterize it as cheesy. Personally I love the sound he uses and I love 1990s versions the best (although 1970s versions are fantastic). I might be biased because I have a soft spot for Vince (and listen to 1990s shows mainly). Also, I heard this song at my first show on May 15th, 1993 at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. It still seems crazy to me that I can only hear an audience recording of this show (though I'm very grateful to have at least that). This is why I created an open letter for the release of all recordings of The Grateful Dead 1990s shows. Release all those soundboards and videos, Grateful Dead!!
It is a bit of a surprise to realize that Brent never played this one. His voice would've made it great. It's also a surprise that Wake of the Flood wasn't released on CD until 1995. Heck I remember my first CDs in 1985, so it comes as a surprise this wasn't available digitally until 1995 - perhaps a complication with the fact that it was originally released on Round/Grateful Dead Records?
Here Comes Sunshine Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 9.5
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.
Note: comments are encouraged and appreciated but it takes a while for them to show up in the blog entry (due to a Disqus plugin issue). Enter them below!
It is rather dark, but High Time is a classic. It is the 2nd song on Workingman's Dead - which is kind of a dark album (but a classic). High Time features beautiful harmonies and nice pedal steel playing by Jerry. It has a lonesome sound
High Time was played infrequently throughout most of the band's career (with a 6 year break from 1970 to 1976).
I associate this song with the 1st set because that's when it was played almost exclusively for the last several years. When this song starts, it's slow and kind of hard to recognize so it's always great to hear the crowd react to the first line You told me goodbye...
Hunter and Garcia brought words that seemed to be spoken from one wayward soul to another. High Time seems intent on communicating the sad state of affairs that the narrator is in. I do not know what a 'typical' song would be from Hunter and Garcia but High Time is not it.
I didn't ever connect as deeply with High Time as some Deadheads do, but I like it and when it comes up on a show I'm listening, I always listen to it the whole thing, possibly because of rareness factor.
At the bottom of this blog entry is a audio of Garcia playing High Time in the studio (the video that accompanies is a collage of other things).
High Time Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.9
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.
Note: comments are encouraged and appreciated but it takes a while for them to show up in the blog entry (due to a Disqus plugin issue). Enter them below!
This song was ever present in the 2nd set throughout the vast majority of the Grateful Dead's live tours.
I've always considered it a "feel good" Bobby 2nd set closer like Lovelight and Around and Around. I like it as an "uplifting closer" more than those 2 songs (but less than Sugar Magnolia or Not Fade Away which are also popular closers).
I did not know until I just visited Dead.net that it was originally performed in the 60's and sung by Pigpen (with a few versions sung by Jerry). Good Lovin' was also shelved from 1970-1976 (when they dusted it off and put Bobby on lead vocals).
The song was originally penned by Rudy Clark and Arthur Resnick and performed by The Young Rascals. This is the version that most people are familiar with (and also the one that is played in a hilarious fishing scene of the movie Joe Versus the Volcano). A Grateful Dead studio version was released on Shakedown Street in 1978.
Bobby Going Falsetto
Good Lovin' has an almost '50's rock vibe to it and so it was inevitable that Bobby would use it as an opportunity to go falsetto and do some of his "barbershop quartet" style high pitched singing. A lot of Deadheads refer to this as "Bobby cheesing out."
Bobby would also use the song as a platform to "hold court" and give an "inspirational rap" somewhat like a gospel preacher during the song, saying things like "you know that you need it and you know that I need it too, c'mon everybody and give each other some good lovin!" Pretty amusing stuff.
A few times in 1987, the band would interpolate La Bamba into Good Lovin' - with Jerry singing La Bamba. This is a formula for an especially great Good Lovin', and I've embedded a youtube into the blog post at the bottom where you can hear and see the band play it (thanks to LoloYodel for posting that footage).
Good Lovin' Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.7
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.
Ahh, the "Golden Road," the full title is: The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion).
Everytime I hear this jumbled ball of energy, I am transported to pushing "play" on my Skeletons in the Closet cassette the first time (my first Grateful Dead album). It's the first song on side A and it just sounds like the Summer of Love come to life. This song was also the first song off of the debut album for The Grateful Dead (called simply, The Grateful Dead) released in 1967.
This song is only 2:13 long and extremely catchy. There's a lot of overdubbed sounds on the track, many of which I can't identify. During the chorus you can really hear Phil singing backup clearly and there is a lot of the band "singing over each other" during the song which is why I describe it as "jumbled" (in the best possible way). This amount of vocal shouting kind of leads me to consider this song as a "chant" of sorts... and the title (the part in parentheses) also lends itself to this perception. The lyrics as quoted on Dead.net for the chorus seem lacking:
Hey hey, come right away
Come and join the party
Every day
I can't even hear these specific lines being sung in particular but I can hear a lot of other shouting and chanting going on.
The First Shot Fired in the Grateful Dead Revolution
I think of this song as "the first shot fired" in the Grateful Dead revolution. It's literally about the culture of San Francisco in the 60s that the band would embody and carry forth for decades. The music and lyrics are credited to The Grateful Dead (as a whole, instead of individuals) and that's perfect.
This line seems especially prophetic:
Nobodys finished we ain't even begun...
How true was that statement? Wow. Also, this one became kind of iconic for The Grateful Dead:
Everybody's dancing in a ring around the sun
I remember often seeing a very particular sticker with this quote, I will try to dig up a picture and post here.
I always thought this song deserved more reverence in the Grateful Dead echelon of music, but I suppose that it wasn't really a live concert standby through the 70s/80s/90s.
It's definitely 2:13 of pure bliss and a great way for me to have been introduced to The Grateful Dead - more than just a rock band.
The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion) Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 9.3
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.
I haven't been very regular in updating the blog but I assure you that I'm always listening to Grateful Dead, and almost exclusively Grateful Dead from the 1990s.
It's been 17 years since Jerry died and thanks to technology I've been able to download and hear soundboard recordings of tons of shows (although I wish the band would officially release all the recordings from the 1990s).
I've never been very good about memorizing which shows really stand out and I'm not one of those Deadheads that can tell you what show has "the best performance of Samson ever". One reason for this is because after I hear a great tape, I am immediately trying to forget it so that I can "rediscover" it again in another year or two.
Well in the last week or two, I worked my way through a run of shows from Boston in September 1993 that contain some unbelievable Grateful Dead moments and is probably the best GD run ever (to my unique tastes). Of course, if I could go back to any show in a time machine, it would be the Harmonic Convergence show in 1987, but a close second would be this run back east.
Grateful Dead Played Better on the East Coast?
I have to admit, although I've seen some great shows, I never saw the band firing on all cylinders like this run. It features huge stretches of flawless and inspired performances by Jerry. Of course, he is just newly playing the "Lightning Bolt" guitar which allowed him to play easily and fluidly compared to the previous Doug Irwin guitars. To those who disparage the "acoustic tone" of Lightning Bolt, I would urge them to listen to Jerry reinvent some old tunes during this run (I write a lot more about Lightning Bolt here).
Again, I have listened to show recordings for the 17 Grateful Dead shows I went to and they just don't compare to the band in Boston during this run (possible exception was the Sunday night Vegas show I saw in 1994). Shoreline (aka Snoreline) shows in particular pale in comparison.
I have come to the undeniable conclusion that the band played better on the East Coast (specifically New York, Philadelphia, and Boston).
Audio and Video Links and More Discussion about These Shows
I found one youtube video of a complete concert from these shows (the 3rd of 6 shows - Sunday, 9/26/93 thanks Voodoonola!). I'm going to post links to the archive.org recordings for all these shows.
Then down below the video, I am going to maybe weigh in on some specific thoughts and highlights from these shows (I do this way down the page so that the person who may be hearing these for the first time can listen without knowing the setlist and enjoy the surprise of the show).
This show is great, but I wasn't listening as closely because I didn't realize it was such a monumental run. Any show with Scarlet/Fire is great and the Days Between was good as well.
This first set is ridiculous. There is an absolutely incredible Loser and the Cassidy/Deal closer shows Jerry playing at a magical level. The Foolish Heart is always an ambitious choice and this is a "pretty good" version (very long). Crazy Fingers and The Wheel are 2 of my favorite songs and make the 2nd set a winner, but overall, the 1st set owns the night.
So it was during this tape that I really started realizing how great this run is. High Time (first set) and Ship of Fools (2nd set) are rare and awesome to hear especially in the same show. The Standing on the Moon closer and Rain encore left me speechless.
This is the only show that I didn't have the soundboard of so I listened to the audience recording from archive.org. More of the band and Jerry playing great. A great China/Rider and a personal favorite Attics of My Life highlight this show. The ending Throwing StonesthenGood Lovin' and thenUS. Blues encore just further highlight how much more special the Dead seemed to treat their East Coast runs.
Sugaree and Dire Wolf highlight the first set, and the surprising/disappointing (choice) Tennessee Jed set closer is redeemed when the band comes out and opens the 2nd set with Eyes of the World. Terrapin is great and the surprising Playin' Reprise is great coming out of Space.
This is my favorite show of this run... Here Comes Sunshine is incredible and the Candyman and Stagger Lee are played really well although you can hear Jerry's voice is really struggling...I think it was the last show of Fall Tour. If you really want to hear how clear and beautiful Lightning Bolt sounded, listen to the opening notes of Candyman from this show.... that guitar just cut through clear as a bell.
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is a personal favorite so as 2nd set opener I think that's great. Crazy Fingers played for the 2nd time this run and is good (Stagger Lee is also played twice on this run and it's one of my all time favorites with Crazy Fingers so you can imagine how much extra that makes me like this run and this show in particular). Jerry plays some great guitar at the end of He's Gone (during the "ooooh nothing's gonna bring him back..."), I've never heard him play like that during this part of the song.
Other One>Wharf Rat is not a sequence I like that much but instead of the usual Lovelight after they switch it up and go to Not Fade Away where Jerry plays and sings just incredibly (what happened to the 1st set hoarseness I have no idea). The show ends on such a high note and then of course what else could end a 6 night run (and tour) better than Brokedown.... perfection.
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.
Got a wife in Chino and one in Cherokee First one says she got my child, but it don't look like me
This song is extremely well known by Deadheads and even familiar to many non-Deadheads. It was on Skeletons from the Closet and American Beauty (the first two Dead tapes I procured) so I loved this song from day 1 of my Grateful Dead fandom.
The song is really simple and catchy. It has that kind of reckless spirit to it that glorifies the dark side of humanity (like so many Grateful Dead songs - Touch of Grey, Casey Jones, etc.). Deadheads seem to love songs about criminals on the run, because frankly many of them are serial breakers of the law.
Robert Hunter delivers another beautiful slice of Americana in this first person tale about a man who is on the run from the law. We never learn his crime though, but the use of familiar locations (Reno, Chino) are what really make the song great. I think the genius is that those cities are just so unremarkable - it really helps the song appeal to all of us Deadheads spread around California (and the world).
I did not know until I looked up the credits just now that John Dawson (aka Marmaduke) of the New Riders of the Purple Sage was also credited on the music for Friend of the Devil.
The Slow Live Version of Friend of the Devil
The song was played upbeat for the first few years and then somewhere along the way got slowed WAY down. I remember reading that Jerry was inspired to do this by some cover version he heard of the song (was it Loggins and Messina? Not sure, I've never heard theirs).
One thing I must admit is that when the slow version comes on tapes, I can't fast forward it quickly enough. It was great when I saw this song live and was part of the crowd cheering for all the memorable lines, but not so much when I'm listening to show recordings all these years later. The song is really simple and doesn't leave you much to look forward to. I think the slow live version must be close to 10 minutes (the original studio version was 3:25).
Friend of the Devil Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 9.2
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.
The recording is from June 1st 1987 and was recorded at Grateful Dead's rehearsal spot - Club Front in San Rafael.
I've never been too hot on the Dylan and The Dead album and live recordings I've heard, but this is really great listening. It's a very relaxed rehearsal session with the band calling out songs, discussing the instrumentation, and finding their way haphazardly through a slice of the Dylan catalog.
The OpenCulture article has some interesting quotes from Dylan's autobiography about his surprise at these sessions because (in his words),
"the band wanted to rehearse more and different songs than I had been
used to doing with Petty [on his recent tour with Tom Petty]. They wanted to run over all the songs, the
ones they liked, the seldom seen ones."
Jerry is playing spritely and seems to be very confident on the Dylan repertoire. There's even some beautiful pedal steel in these recordings. Occasionally, the band starts really gelling, but this seems to be more of a discovery expedition to see which songs might feel good on the upcoming tour.
I've got to say, there's a lot of Dylan songs in this collection that I have not heard yet (and I'm a pretty big Dylan fan too).
I am Grateful to the twittersphere for tipping me off to this recording.
Well, I just heard about a new box set from Spring of 1990... NICE! It's expensive ($200) but I will purchase it on principal - to show strong support for the release of this era of Dead music.
I should have all of these shows on file and before I accept delivery of this new release (ships in late August) I will listen to them on my iPod so I can hear them without any "spoilers" from reading the CD liner notes. In fact, I don't even like to spend much time on the Dead.net page about these shows because I don't want to know what epic songs are included.
Yes, I know I'm kind of weirdo, but I like to listen to the Dead like I am at the concerts -without any idea of what's coming next. Actually, I don't think I'm alone at all in this preference.
I will follow up and write more about this run of shows after I listen.
But this is a GREAT NEW RELEASE and I'm VERY EXCITED!!
This not only might be a signature Garcia/Hunter song, it might be the signature Grateful Dead song.
When you hear Eyes start, it's unmistakeable. That jazzy EMaj7 chord cruises along so nicely and the crowd will respond with wild cheers. The little rhythmic punches throughout are just perfectly placed to make Deadheads dance.
Eyes usually tops out at longer than 10:00, and features non stop soloing by Jerry when he is not singing the verse or the chorus. My last time seeing the Grateful Dead in Las Vegas 1995, it occurred to me that after all those years Jerry was still pushing and exploring during this song. No two Eyes are exactly alike, and he didn't seem to have any "go to" soloing phrases that he would end up on, like he did in many other songs. It was pure exploration and improvisation.
Lyrics by (Who Else?) Robert Hunter
The lyrics by Robert Hunter are very deep while also being vague. I've never sat down and thought too much about the meaning behind them but they still mean a lot to me. I will also say that as I get older, the words mean different things. Being the "eyes of the world" means to me that I am not a discrete individual but rather part of this entire greater organism that is all connected together with unseen bonds of energy.
A couple of my favorite lines are:
"the seeds that were silent all burst into bloom, and decay"
this quick encapsulation of the cycle of life reminds me of psychedelic experiences which add perspective to our place in the grand scheme of things. Also, in later years I love the way Jerry would sing "decay-ay-ay-ay."
sometimes the songs that we hear are just songs of our own
this line just reminds me of the sense of originality and spirit that Deadheads have. If you've ever felt like you don't fit in anywhere in "normal society," but you've been welcomed into the Grateful Dead culture, then you'll probably like this line too.
As always, some great information can be found at the Annotated Grateful Dead lyrics site for this song, and a lot of connections are made between Eyes of the World and Buddhist philosophy.
Without a Net - The Peak of Eyes of the World?
Eyes of the World peaked (in my opinion) around the time Without a Net was recorded. In fact, that's the quintessential version in my opinion. Branford Marsalis brings just the perfect amount of color to that version. I am sure there are better versions out there, but for me they would probably be from around this time. Earlier versions (especially in the 1970's) rocked too hard and were played too fast. In the last few years (Vince era), the song was just a little too weak and meandered listlessly. Around 1989 and 1990 they really had the best of the energy and tightness combined with Jerry delivering great solos with the jazzy flavor he developed later in his life.
This song is probably very special and significant to every Deadhead. After Jerry died in 1995, I didn't listen to the Grateful Dead at all for about 10 years. In 2005, Eyes of the World came on my iPod when I was on a 40 hour train ride from Mumbai to Trivandrum in India. Staring out the window at the Indian countryside, I could finally appreciate the music and listen to it without the sense of loss that made the music too painful for so many years. I was reborn a Deadhead that day and have been listening pretty constantly ever since.
No matter what show you were at (or are listening too), the second you hear the beginning strains of Eyes, the show becomes a much more memorable one. I've never met a Deadhead who didn't like Eyes of the World.
Eyes of the World Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 10.0
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.
Easy Wind is a hard rocking song that showcased the tough rock and roll side of the Grateful Dead - namely Pigpen.
This is a great track from Workingman's Dead and really epitomizes the album's title. This bluesy rocker has great singing by Pigpen who creates the imposing impression of an out of control day laborer who's living life on the edge. This actually reminds me of a lot of Deadheads I can think of - although not all are still around today.
According to Dead.net this song has credited words and lyrics to Rober Hunter. I had no idea bout that and I'm surprised to hear it, although the character definitely fits in with Robert Hunter's other interesting slices of Americana. Easy Wind was played frequently in 1969 and 1970. There are some videos that show the band playing the song live on youtube like this one.
Every Deadhead knows Easy Wind but it's not a tune I hear people bring up that much or try to play on guitar.
A great song on an even greater album.
EasyWInd Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.9
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.
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