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).

Here Comes Sunshine - Grateful Dead Song Review

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 on The 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!

High Time - Grateful Dead Song Review

Is this song is a love song? Kind of?

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!

He's Gone - Grateful Dead Song Review

Like I told you, what I said
Steal your face right off your head

Many of us probably heard this one on Europe '72 first.  It's such a slow but very catchy song.   He's Gone just dishes up one legendary line after another (...nothing left to do but smile smile smile!).  This song was ever-present in Grateful Dead shows from it's inception in April 1972 right up until their final month in 1995.

I associate He's Gone with Truckin' and Estimated Prophet, it was a common choice to wind down after those 2 songs in the second set.  What is a little surprising is how often they segued into Drumz after He's Gone.  It seemed the Grateful Dead would typically rather use a higher tempo song to launch the Drums/Space portion of the show.

Hunter/Garcia Do it Again

Who else but Robert Hunter could be behind such literary (and weird) references as

Cat on a tin roof 
Dogs in a Pile... 

Hunter and Garcia made every syllable count in He's Gone.  It's actually a very short song with few words when you compare it to others.

I've read that He's Gone is about Mickey Hart's father who had mismanaged the band and absconded with a lot of embezzled money.  The lyrics could probably apply to that (as well as many other situations).

Personally, I've always somewhat imagined He's Gone as a song about a person leaving "the straight world" to lead the Grateful Dead life. I'm sure it's a reflection of the time of my life that I became acquainted with the song.

The Album that Never Was

Was He's Gone part of the canon of music from the early 1970's that comprise the "missing album" that I've heard Robert Hunter lament about from time to time?  It must, along with tracks like Jack Straw, Brown Eyed Women, and Tennessee Jed.

What I'm referring to is a soundbite that I've heard at least a couple times where Robert Hunter points out that there was such a prolific output during the early 1970s, he feels that there could've easily been another classic Grateful Dead studio album that never happened because the band was too busy with touring and other projects.  He's Gone and the other songs I mention all are classics that came out in this period and never made it onto a studio album.

Versions I Love

It's hard to top Europe '72's version of He's Gone. This is the quintessential version to me.

A later version that I recently heard and loved is from Boston Garden 1993 (from a great run of nights that I recently wrote about).

One thing I enjoy about hearing later versions of He's Gone is the extended vocal improvisation the band would perform at the end while repeating Oooooh, nothing's gonna bring him back.  There were always some Bobby falsetto histrionics and the occasional Phil "vocal bass lead" during this part which I always enjoy (but probably would appeal only to Deadheads to whom the band could do no wrong).

He's Gone 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.

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!

Help On the Way - Grateful Dead Song Review

During my short time of seeing Grateful Dead concerts, I let anyone and everyone know that this was the song I wanted to see most.... it was not meant to be.

Help on the Way is a true "one of a kind" song that no other rock song sounds like.  That's a pretty impressive feat.

I can't even put my finger on why it is so original - it's not like it relies on any middle eastern scales but it does sounds really good in the context of the Blues for Allah album (on which it is the opening track).

Help on the Way is a modal minor song (as is the following Slipknot!) that uses lengthy complicated patterns that are probably partially inspired by modern (at the time) jazz songs like Freedom Jazz Dance written by Eddie Harris (and played by Jerry in Legion of Mary).

Another Hunter/Garcia Masterpiece

While the song does have some great and original music what makes it amazing are the simple and catchy verses and chorus.  And as great as the chords and vocal melody are, Hunter's lyrics are even better:

Paradise waits

on the crest of a wave, her angels in flame

She has no pain

Like a child, she is pure, she is not to blame

Great imagery. It's difficult to put my finger on a specific theme or story in these lyrics but the words are beautifully mysterious and left up to interpretation.

Great Versions of Help on the Way

I originally became familiar with Help on the Way from Without a Net, and that Help>Slip>Frank medley is great, but the versions that I hear from the mid 70s are the finest in my opinion.

The 8-13-75 version on One From The Vault (with legendary intro by Bill Graham) really stands out as  a great version.  I posted a video of this performance at the bottom of this blog (thanks MyInnerEyeMike for posting that).

Also, the version from October 9th, 1976 really stands out in my memory.  I would link to this show but as the archive.org entry for this night tells us, it's been released as Dick's Picks 33 (Oakland Coliseum Stadium - 10/9/76).  I don't want to add any song spoilers but the Help>Slip>Frank progression has some extra songs mixed in to it.  This show is ridiculous - seek it out.

Lackluster Performances in the 1990s

If you read this blog much, you know how much I enjoy the late 1990's era of the Grateful Dead.

Unfortunately, almost every version of Help on the Way that I've heard from 1993 through 1995  are all  disappointingly sloppy .  The band can never seem to get on the same page for the complex passages that lead into and out of Slipknot!.  Vince Welnick definitely knew the part but just had a really tough time getting in step with Jerry.

Help on the Way Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 9.7

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.

Note: comments are encouraged and appreciated but appear slowly due to a disqus plugin issue.  It takes a while for them to show up in the blog entry but they will, so please contribute by commenting below!

Greatest Story Ever Told - Grateful Dead Song Review

Moses came ridin'  up on a quasar

How I Learned About Greatest Story

Greatest Story Ever Told is a "first set" rocker that smokes.  This Bobby song was introduced way back in 1971 and played all the way through 1995. But for some reason I associate this song with hot 1980s shows (with Brent) that I would listen to on low quality cassette tapes that I would get from friends, so I always hear this song as low quality and "treble-y" when I hear it in my mind's eye (ear).

This song would always appear in the 1st set (sometimes the opener) and be  smokin'. It has a revved up beginning that is a "Chuck Berry" style riff (chords that are played by Phil!) and then just tears into its faced paced verses. The band punches through accents while Bobby spits the lyrics out and Jerry wails with his dynamic filter sound.

Greatest Story Ever Told appeared on Bobby's first solo album Ace, which was really a Grateful Dead record because the entire band was involved in providing the music that backed up Bobby's vocals.  That album by the way is a "must have" with 7 of the 8 songs becoming Grateful Dead concert favorites (including Cassidy and One More Saturday Night).

Some Crazy Lyrics in Greatest Story

There's not too many Bob Weir songs that feature lyrics written by Robert Hunter.  I must say, this song highlights the difference between the way that Bobby would use lyrics versus the way Jerry would.

For instance, some lines in Greatest Story really ring out and remind me of the cleverness of Robert Hunter lyrics that are in Jerry tunes:

I asked him for mercy, he gave me a gun

or

I asked him for water, he poured me some wine

But other lines sound like nothing of Hunter that Jerry ever sang:


Moses come riding up on a quasar 
His spurs was a-jingling, the door was ajar

or

Abraham and Isaac digging on a well
Mama come quick with the water witch spell



Lines like these  remind me of Bobby's habit of employing "nonsensical" lyrics that make the meanings to his songs hard to discern (for example, Estimated Prophet).  Also, as with the line "water witch spell," Bobby often uses consonance in his lyrics that make them very difficult to sing (like "quick beats in an icy heart, catch colt draws a coffin cart" from Cassidy).

So, although I can't figure out heads or tails of what the song Greatest Story Ever Told is about, I still think it's a good rock song that would get the crowd going.  I enjoyed it the one time I got to see it (at Shoreline). This is a nice and short upbeat song that I always listen in its entirety when it comes up on show recordings I am listening to.

Greatest Story Ever Told Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.2

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.

Franklin's Tower - Grateful Dead Song Review

...if you get confused listen to the music play!

It's kind of weird to review this song prior to reviewing Help on the Way and Slipknot. Franklin's Tower was the final piece of the "Help/Slip/Frank" medley that kicked off many great shows. The proper context for this super upbeat jam is after a dizzying solo by Garcia during Slipknot. After a good 10+ minutes of minor key tension (starting off with the edgy Help on the Way), nothing sounds quite as nice as the beginning of Franklin's Tower.

Franklin's Tower is a great tune that features Jerry singing and soloing a ton.  I think its simplicity made it a really consistently delivered song (especially after warming up through the complex gauntlet of Help/Slip).  I never got to see this song (although I really wanted to hear it at every show I went to and told everyone so). I can only imagine what a party it must have felt like dancing to Franklin's Tower. I am sure that this song really got the crowd going whenever it was played.

Robert Hunter Gets Historical?

The lyrics seem lighthearted but have some of those deep lessons that you got occasionally from Robert via Jerry.

Some come to laugh their past away
Some come to make it just one more day
Whichever way your pleasure tends
if you plant ice you're gonna harvest wind

I actually thought this song's lyrics had something to do with colonial America and maybe even that Franklin referred to Ben Franklin, but upon closer review of the Annotated Grateful Dead lyrics site, it appears I was way off.

One poignant memory I have is the issue of Rolling Stone that came out after Jerry died, Levi's took out a full page ad that simply read: May the four winds blow you safely home.  This one meant a lot to me (pictured, right).

Cool Franklin's Tower Trivia

In Blair Jackson's book Garcia: An American Life, he shares with us a cool revelation that one source for inspiration for the chords in Franklin's Tower was the  Lou Reed song Take a Walk on the Wild Side.  Specifically, the part where the female background singers sing: "Doo doo doo doo doo... " If you sing this part over Franklin's Tower it fits perfectly.

Franklin's With no Help/Slip?

Just like Fire on the Mountain without Scarlet, I have heard versions of Franklin's Tower without Help/Slip and I must say I am not a fan of hearing it by itself.  It's like skipping dinner to eat dessert.

Franklin's Tower 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.

Friend of the Devil - Grateful Dead Song Review

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.

Foolish Heart - Grateful Dead Song Review

Foolish Heart is in my top 5 Grateful Dead songs and I think it's the possibly the most underrated song in The Grateful Dead catalog.

Before Reading Further, You Must Listen to this Version:

This song was definitely hit and miss, and most versions are not great.  There's one version in particular from 9-18-1990 that you can hear here that is possibly my favorite live Grateful Dead recording ever.  The jam section in the middle of the song features such tight collective improvisation and the band is so "on" that it is truly a magical moment where "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts."

More about this version: Both Bruce Hornsby and Vince Welnick are playing together with the Dead at this point, and the Grateful Dead is less than a month into their new lineup (after the death of Brent Mydland in March July of 1990 - thanks Ouish).  There is a sense of hope and rebirth in this version of Foolish Heart. But more than anything, Jerry is flawless on this version of the song and the entire band is firing on all cylinders.

Strangely, the "Jam" out of this version of the song is included on the So Many Roads Box Set.  And while the Jam is great... I can't imagine why the song itself is not included as well. 

My original exposure to this version was taping it off of the radio from David Gans's Grateful Dead Hour broadcast. What's amazing is how many years and hundreds of times I played the cassette and then still managed to convert it to CD in the digital age and it sounds louder and more crisp than all of my other .mp3s. This is pretty amazing considering I originally taped it off of the radio (not a recipe for high fidelity). I attribute this to a little GD magic but I'm sure that I converted it to digital with some weird settings that cranked up the audio (I converted it via a stereo system hooked up to a CD burner).

The Last Great Jam Masterpiece

I already called Days Between the "final masterpiece" and it came along several years after Foolish Heart, but I can definitely give Foolish Heart the title of the the final jam masterpiece - because of the built in jam section after Jerry sings "a selfish heart is trouble, but a foolish heart is worse!" The Dead would stretch out on songs all the time but only certain songs had a special section for a jamming build up (The Music Never Stopped, Cassidy, and Playing in the Band to name a few).  I can't think of a song that came along after Foolish Heart with this kind of built in improvisational section.  

As I alluded above, the jam in Foolish Heart was definitely hit and miss.  Most times the band was not really in sync and the very tight punches that end the jam ("duh duh, duh DUH!") required supreme coordination and was frequently butchered.  Still, this is the chance you take when you "step out" on a song and have your lead guitarist staring down at his instrument trying to explore new territory while everyone else has to guess when the climax is coming and react accordingly.  As you can hear in the version I posted at the beginning of this article, the rewards are worth the risk.

Words by Robert Hunter

I can see why this song was pegged for a radio single.  The lyrics are really succinct and "traditional." It is a very tidy little ditty that follows the same kind of ironic theme throughout and there's not a single syllable wasted.  The song functions as a warning that we all probably wish we could've heeded at one time in our life.  I think I've read Jerry quoted as saying something to the effect that he didn't really feel this was advice he truly would give from the heart because he'd rather someone recklessly pursue whims of romance and take chances.

Foolish Heart Video: Foolish Heart was released on the final studio album Built To Last which came out in 1989.  There was an "official" Grateful Dead video for Foolish Heart. I've posted it at the bottom of this article.  The Foolish Heart video is pretty cool for a novelty but you'll probably enjoy watching one of the many live versions more (many are available on youtube).

Foolish Heart Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 9.8

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.

Eyes of the World - Grateful Dead Song Review

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 Answers - Grateful Dead Song Review

Boy I've been dreading writing this one.... 

This song's popular "lot" nickname "Cheesy Answers" really says it all.  

How did this song go so wrong? It has Robert Hunter helping on lyrics (not common for a Bobby tune), it has a bouncy upbeat rhythm and nice keyboards.  It sounds a bit like an 80's tune  - like something one of the solo Eagles would've made (but probably never released). And when I say '80's tune' I don't necessarily mean that in a derogatory way as some of the Dead's '80's sounding' tunes were great - like Feel Like a Stranger.

But the song just sucks. Also, it was usually played in the 2nd set, robbing the audience of a much better tune that could've been slotted there. It reminds me of Corrina (which I hate much less), Way to Go Home, Wave to the Wind and a the rest of the other 1990s "new" Dead tunes that fell really short. One thing I'd like to point out is that Jerry was still spinning gold during this  period (Lazy River, Days Between, etc).

I remember reading a review of the 1995 Grateful Dead experience that specifically pointed out the digust of the Deadheads when after 5 minutes of the Gyuto Monks onstage at Shoreline when Bobby pulled this tune out it was a real disappointment (because apparently there was magic in the air that was squandered on this song).  You can hear that entire show here (and a great setlist that show is, I will check it out in full later).

Rob Wasserman is also credited as a composer on this song and it was originally recorded with the help of Neil Young (who helped write it too), on this page I found Wasserman's recollection: 

"I remember thinking that the song must be pretty good when I saw Neil simultaneously washing dinner dishes at the studio sink and dancing non-stop while he listened to the playback."

I hate to rain on Wasserman's parade but I am not so sure I buy this. Why would old Neil be washing dishes if he loved the song so much... I would be curious to know if

a)Neil Young has ever performed  the song
or
b)if Neil ever worked with Rob (or Bobby) again after recording Easy Answers... if the answer to boh questions is "no" then perhaps Rob Wasserman misread Neil's feelings about Easy Answers.

In my research for this blog entry I did come across the website headyversion.com which I guess crowdsources the best versions of jamband songs and I love this idea.  you can see the entry for Easy Answers here and if you are feeling adventurous you could listen to the versions on archive.org to try and find a smokin' version of Easy Answers.  I think I'll pass on this.

Easy Answers Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 0.0

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 (and be sure to read my blog manifesto to understand a little more about where I'm coming from).

Cosmic Charlie - Grateful Dead Song Review

Cosmic Charlie from Aoxomoxoa is a song that has been granted legendary status by the Dead community.  It seems to almost have a St. Stephen level of mysticism attributed to it.  I remember seeing a picture of some Deadhead holding a sign that counted the number of shows since the last Cosmic Charlie (this was a well known tradition of some sign maker to count the shows until St. Stephen returned).

The song is beautiful and original. It is a slow shuffle, that is mellow and really captures a stoned vibe. When I picture Cosmic Charlie, I imagine an R Crumb character for some reason.   The song seems really built around the meandering vocal melody, which is very unique, and  the harmonies are none too ambitious, like they would be on American Beauty. There are unique long phrases throughout which make the song a departure from standard 4/4 type rock song.  This is pretty standard on Aoxomoxoa as is some of the really "psychedelic"imagery in Hunter's lyrics:

Calico Kahlia come tell me the news

Calamity's waiting for a way to get to her

Rosy red and electric blue

I bought you a paddle for your paper canoe

I feel that this song is a relic of that time and place (The Haight in 1967 - the Summer of Love). I think it probably really appeals to people (especially Deadheads) who remember this time period  (or if they don't remember, they at least lived through it...)


Cosmic Charlie was played about 30 times between 1968 and 1971
and then resurrected 6 times in 1976.  There was a  show I've heard in the 1990s where Jerry played the opening figure to it coming out of Space, but then changed his mind and played something much more predictable - maybe it was Wharf Rat.  That Cosmic Charlie employs some really "unique" phrasing and a "one of a kind" song structure probably made it not a candidate to be unleashed on the rest of the band as a surprise, and also probably contributed to the very few live plays this storied song ultimately got.


I really don't love this song like I love other Aoxomoxoa songs like St. Stephen, China Cat Sunflower, Mountains of the Moon, and even Rosemary.  I (sadly) didn't get to experience the Sumer of Love or I think I'd appreciate it more (and also R. Crumb's artwork).

Cosmic Charlie Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 7.8

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 (and be sure to read my blog manifesto to understand a little more about where I'm coming from).

Dupree's Diamond Blues - Grateful Dead Song Review

Dupree's Diamond Blues is a really original song that personifies the Aomoxoa album where it fits right in with songs like Doin' That Rag and Cosmic Charlie.

Dupree's has a bouncy ragtime feel and an almost carnival sound - I think to organ greatly contributes to that. The great Robert Hunter lyrics seemingly harken back to the turn of the century and tell the story of Dupree who kills a jeweler to get a diamond for the woman he is obsessed with.  Dupree is blinded by the love for the "sweet jelly" this woman gives him, which I think is an old fashioned sexual reference.  It's possible this is a retelling of a classic piece of American folklore (much like Stagger Lee).

Dupree's is a true "one of a kind" song that sounds like nothing else that I know of, so I really appreciate it for that matter.  It's a novelty to hear on tapes  - playe sparingly but throughout a lot of the Dead's career. The took a break from the song from 1970 through 77 and continued to play it through the 80's stopping with one performance of the song in 1990.  The final performance was at the legendary "Berkeley Benefit" (which is a must have for  any Grateful Dead tape collector).  You can hear that exact final rendition on the youtube link at the bottom of this entry.

Dupree's is also notable because it is the namesake for Duprees Diamond News which was a Grateful Dead themed fan publication that was published from 1987 through 1998.

Dupree's is a classic to most Deadheads, but it is not a personal favorite, it just doesn't grab me with any hook or catchy melody and the story is simple.

Dupree's Diamond Blues Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 7.5

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 (and be sure to read my blog manifesto to understand a little more about where I'm coming from).

Doin' That Rag - Grateful Dead Song Review

"Is it all fall down?

Is it all go under?"

Doin' That Rag gets bonus points for just being on Aoxomoxoa and is an interesting tune.  However, truth be told - this song really pales in comparison to some of the other tracks on that legendary album.

The song has an eerie slow "verse" and then a jaunty little rocking "chorus." The vibe of this song really fits in Aoxomoxoa - it seems cut from the same cloth as Dupree's Diamond Blues and Cosmic Charlie.  

Doin' That Rag has some of of those timeless Robert Hunter lyrics which I always assumed set the song in some bygone era:

one eyed jacks and the deuces are wild

however upon closer scrutiny ist seems that the song could almost be set in the "present day" (of 1969):
Hipsters, tripsters,

real cool chicks, sir,

everyone's doin' that rag 

This song was performed a bit early on in the Dead's career and then basically shelved in the early 70's for good.  I think there's been some revival of the song by Furher and/or Phil and Friends etc.

In summary, the song fits in great on Aoxomoxoa and rounds out the album, but not one that I seek out to listen to.

Doin' That Rag Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 6.7

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 (and be sure to read my blog manifesto to understand a little more about where I'm coming from).

Dire Wolf - Grateful Dead Song Review

Dire Wolf is a cool song from Workingman's Dead that I connected to immediately as a teenager (unlike so many of the great songs that it took me years to appreciate).  Of course, I heard it for the first time when discovering the Dead in the 1990's, but still it is a catchy and accessible tune - even to my 'unexperienced' ears.

The lyrics are the product of Robert Hunter's amazing imagination and take you to a (seemingly) long ago snowy night where the protagonist is visited by an eerie and imposing animal.

The song was played throughout the Dead's career and translated well to acoustic and Jerry would also include it on "acoustic type" shows with John Kahn.  Having the song available for the acoustic JGB means that Jerry was really comfortable with the song and performances of it seem consistently great.

It's definitely a 'classic' and the version on Workingman's Dead has some great pedal steel playing on it (by Jerry).

One interesting memory I have is hearing the tale of Jerry playing this song at Deer Creek on July 2nd 1995 after receiving death threats. That concert was played with the house lights on (for the safety of the band).  The sense of humor involved in singing these lyrics:

Don't murder me
I beg of you dont murder me
Please don't murder me

after getting death threats is pretty legendary.  I believe that version is available on archive.org here (an audience recording with some nice crowd reaction):

http://archive.org/details/gd95-07-02.aud.ball.587.sbeok.shnf

There's an amazingly long comment thread on that page about the gate crashing incident.  Many commenters have gone out of their way to point out how bad Jerry played at this show.  This may be true, (I havent listened to the entire show) but that means that what I said about Dire Wolf being consistently great is true because it's a pretty flawless version on that recording.


Dire Wolf Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.8

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 (and be sure to read my blog manifesto to understand a little more about where I'm coming from).

Days Between - Grateful Dead Song Review

Polished like a golden bowl... the finest ever seen.

This song review is going to really reveal my bias about The Dead (re: Jerry favoritism and preferring late-era Dead).  To me Days Between is "the final masterpiece." 

This song was underwhelmingly received when I was seeing shows, and I've heard some pretty devoted Deadheads state they don't like it.  I find this hard to understand because to me this song is completely original and very moving.  I think when Days Between was originally introduced, the "newness" factor made some Deadheads not like this song - because they'd rather hear a tune that they were more "connected" to.  But to me, all Dead music was new at the time when I heard this song, and it really stands out.

An Original Structure and Spotty Performances

This song has a really original song structure that moves from an opening theme through a building chord progression that comes back to the opening theme after the climax. It's a kind of linear structure that escalates in intensity and there is no traditional verse, chorus or bridge.  Jerry would occasionally solo over the entire chord cycle, but more commonly solo over the opening coda (when it is played at the end).

Since I specialize in listening to '90s Dead,  I've heard most of the versions of Days Between, and it usually is played after Space (or after a more upbeat song that came out of Space). Performances of Days Between were rather varied in the way the band approached it, and some are much better than others.  My favorite versions are the ones that have a pulsing undercurrent from the rhythm section that really builds in intensity throughout the song.  Other times, it was a little listless.  Sometimes Jerry was definitely more "on" than others (like all songs).  When he would take one of the full chord cycles for a solo, it is usually pretty sloppy, but when he would solo at the end (over the opening theme), it usually came off better.  There's a great version of it on a youtube video at the bottom of this blog post - thatnks to roadrunnerismyname for the post.

I think the fact that the Dead were still pretty new to the song (it was in the repertoire for about 3 years  when Jerry died) explains why it was a little inconsistent.  They were still finding their way with this tune.   

The "studio demo" version that is on the  So Many Roads Box Set is decent, but nothing great.   

Hunter and Garcia's Final Masterpiece

In my opinion, as much (or more) credit goes to Hunter on this tune. The lyrics are really special.  There is a sense of nostalgia and wonder throughout the song.   And, as the best art always does reflect life, there is also kind of a dark brooding sense of fear and loss: Summer flies and August dies, and the world grows dark and mean...  

Hearing Jerry sing "When all we ever wanted, was to learn and love and grow" still gives me chills, but I really like lines like this too: "No one knows much more of this, than anyone can see..."  To me it is saying  to not seek answers from anyone else, but just try to make the most of this short window of time we have on this planet.

The Days Between August 1st and August 9th

There's kind of a legend that the "Days Between" August 1st and August 9th have a special significance because Jerry was born on August 1st and died on August 9th.  I always try to observe this time period as much as possible to reflect on the man and the music he created.  The gamut of emotions that this reflection brings are as varied as the range of  themes that are present in Days Between: from wonder to fear. From joy to loss.

Days Between Song 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 (and be sure to read my blog manifesto to understand a little more about where I'm coming from).

Day Job - Grateful Dead Song Review

Keep your day job ... until your night job pays!

Day Job

The legend goes that this song is the only that was every nixed due to the overwhelming request of Deadheads  at large.  I think I heard Robert Hunter quoted as saying that. Can that really be true? Then how do you explain songs like Corrina ("Velveeta") and Easy Answers ("Cheesy Answer") not getting dropped due to overwhelming demand? Well, maybe they would have in due time; "Day Job" did come along a decade before those gems - in the early 80's. That was a much different time in the arc of the Grateful Dead experience.

What is it that everyone hates about this song? It must be the message.  I don't think it's terrible at all.  It sounds like a cross between U.S. Blues and Might As Well, with a dash of Billy Joel's Only the Good Die Young.

"It Must've Been The Lyrics"

It must've been the implied message of maintaining employment that rubbed everyone the wrong way.  I guess I can relate because when I was at Dead shows I was pretty much experiencing the opposite of my day job.  Imagine if you quit your Day Job to follow the Dead on a tour and during a psychedelic experience you hear Jerry sing those words.... this could cause a powerful internal conflict, short circuiting your enjoyment of the show.

But to give thissong "legendary" status of being rejected is a bit harsh. I mean... how much more of a bummer can hearing this song in the first set be than "Little Red Rooster," "The Same Thing," or even "When Push Comes to Shove?"


Day Job Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 5.0


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 (and be sure to read my blog manifesto to understand a little more about where I'm coming from).

Crazy Fingers - Grateful Dead Song Review

My favorite Grateful Dead song. I've contemplated making a list and it would definitely evolve over time but this one would always be number 1. It actually is so great I've been stalling on writing about it because, I just don't know if you can do the song justice. But I try....

First of all, Crazy Fingers wasn't my favorite song at first. It took years to really appreciate it. I did see it at my first show on May 15th, 1993 (Sam Boyd Silver Bowl, Las Vegas - Saturday night show) and the melody of the verse really was great and memorable, but the song requires a fine appreciation for the Dead to really absorb how unique and original it is.

Crazy Fingers is a slow, middling tune that was pretty inconsistent in it's delivery over the years. The studio version from Blues for Allah is extremely tight and well executed and just creates an aura of a really good mellow, mature, psychedelic reggae song (psychedelic reggae - not a genre you often hear about and maybe still not that accurate for this song but that shows how original this song really is).

The early live versions of this song held pretty true to the form on Blues for Allah (most notably from One for the Vault) including the guitar flanger effect. Naturally, I prefer the song the way it evolved into the nineties - but probably not the very last couple of years because I really like my Crazy Fingers to be crisply delivered and it did get really loose in the last couple of years. An absolutely phenomenal version of the song is on youtube from Dean Smith Center, North Carolina in 1993. That version has such a great solo on it with just the right amount of sparkling reverb and delay and Jerry taking the lyrical soaring leads seemingly in slow motion. The solo in Crazy Fingers is always a highlight for me, and is always delivered with just the right amount of effects. While it outlines the verse melody, it is still always thoughtfully and lyrically delivered in a unique and improvisational way - no two Crazy Fingers solos are the same (after the first few bars).

Before I even get into the words I must point out that Crazy Fingers is SO UNIQUE in its composition. From the slow haunting intro Jerry would play to the almost dissonant bridge section Life may be sweeter for this, I don't know.... to the bass heavy jam outro it is just like nothing else out there (and please do tell if there is other music you know of similar to this I would love to hear it).

The first hundred or so times I heard Crazy Fingers I think the melody on the bridge section (ie where they sing Gone are the days... we stopped to decide...) might have just rubbed my ears the wrong way, but now I can really appreciate the harmonic quality of the change and know that it is non traditional and therefore unfamiliar. It pushes the boundaries of the beautiful harmony that is established in the verses and is congruent with the dual nature of the lyrics that are joyous and beautiful but also about sadness and loss. The bridge really works with the song and breaks it up perfectly because while the verse melody is extremely pretty, it is a bit simple.

Now I have to talk about the words. I just can't do these lyrics justice. I've read them described as a haiku before (I think even by Robert Hunter's own description) but they are not the kind of (5-7-5) Haiku that I remember learning to create in elementary school.

The entire song is just perfect but a couple of favorite sections:

Cloud hands, reaching from a rainbow,
tapping at your window
touch your hair

So swift and bright,
strange figures of light
float in air

So this is just psychedelia at its finest. This sounds like the best LSD experience of all time. Those lines always make me picture the most beautiful imagery and fill me with a sense of wonder at what beauty exists in nature that we may not comprehend until a moment when we are "opened up" to the beauty surrounding us.

Hang your heart on a laughing willow
stray down to the water
deep sea of love...

Beneath the sweet calm face of the sea
swift undertow

Deep stuff. This reminds me of the uneasy feeling that comes along with tripping when you contemplate that loving others and having relationships with them carries with it a risk of being disappointed in a way that can wound you more than any physical injury. Also, how could this line not require a mention of the fact that Jerry Garcia's father drowned when Jerry was just a young boy.

This song is mostly joyous but there is also a dark duality to it that reminds of the temporal fleeting nature of this life which is endlessly slipping by.

Finally, the best line of all:

Midnight on a carousel ride
reaching for the gold ring down inside

Never couldd reach it...
just slips away...
but I try...

So you take the man Jerry Garcia (and include his writing partner Robert Hunter) and you have artists who continually evolved and kept pushing the envelope for almost thirty years - never playing it safe or going for the easy home run but continually searching for another hidden musical gem, another magical combination of songs, another performance to bring audience and performer to a higher level of consciousness. In my opinion this is the highest calling someone can hope to fulfill in this life and Jerry and Robert were able to inspire people with their music and words for decades to the point that I am still chronicling it fourteen years after it came to an end in August 1995 (keep in mind I only really knew the Dead for two years at that point and consider what an impact it must have made on me).

So they never reached the gold ring? Maybe. But they helped inspired us to reach for ours within ourselves- it is the greatest gift you can give. I think that this is the effect that the wizards, shamans, and holy men who've been chronicled throughout the ages have had on people. This is the true magic, and this song is a spell.


Crazy Fingers Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 10.0

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).

Built to Last - Grateful Dead Song Review

This is a pretty underrated Dead song as far as I'm concerned. It is not one I can ever remember anyone telling me they really liked, but I think it is a good song.

Some good things about Built to Last:

• It has a catchy melody and is built upon a good strong guitar riff
  
• It is a Jerry song
  
• It has Robert Hunter Lyrics (with prerequisite trippy lyrics references like got a cloud held by the breeze)
• The chorus lyrics evolve throughout the song
  
• Jerry's solos from everything on In the Dark and Built to Last were very lyrical and great
  
• It's a short and sweet first set song (usually)
  

Built to Last does have a kind of weak bridge (very predictable) and I don't like the last chord of the chorus. The second verse has some lyrics I don't like that much.

I like to hear this song because it is such a rarity (only played about 20 times from 1988 to 1990). I would generally prefer to hear this song over a first set tune like Ramble on Rose or even Tennessee Jed because it is succinct and rarer. However back in the 90s when I was seeing the Dead and actually at a show I probably would've preferred the more popular and common tracks from Europe '72.

Built to Last Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 7.4

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).

Box of Rain - Grateful Dead Song Review

Box of Rain is an inimitable Grateful Dead song that has earned a pretty legendary place in Grateful Dead lore. For one thing - it is a "Phil song." There aren't that many Phil songs, and some shows would go by when Phil wouldn't sing a tune. Another reason it is noticeable is that it has really great lyrics. There is the very memorable refrain:

What do you want me to do,
To do for you,
To see you through?

also, less memorable but very powerful lines like:

..this is all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago

and

A box of rain will ease the pain and love will see you through

and how about

Such a long long time to be gone, and a short time to be there

These are deep, emotional lyrics and clearly Robert Hunter at his best. This song has grown on me through the years - the lyrics are more poignant as life goes on and people and love are lost forever. I think that I probably just used to fast forward through Box of Rain when I would listen to my cassette copy of American Beauty in high school (I said the same thing about uber-favorite Attics of My Life when I reviewed that song last month).

There was a special on MTV about one of the early Dick's Picks (hosted by Bill Walton) and it coincided with a documentary called "From Anthem to Beauty" which chronicled this period of the Dead's history. In one of those specials, Phil Lesh talked about Box of Rain and the passing of his father to cancer.

...so this is no run of the mill "generic" rock song... I think we've established that.

One thing that I like about Box of Rain is that it has a very "open" and unstructured intro - not a recognizable riff (like He's Gone or Loose Lucy). This makes me feel like I never really know for 100% what song it is until Phil steps up and sings that legendary line:
Look out of any window, any morning, any evening, any DAY. Jack Straw also has this kind of a "loose" intro.

I also really like the way the rest of the band joins in with Phil as the song progresses.

Box of Rain is a song that no one was ever disappointed to hear at a Dead show (to my knowledge). Indeed I remember it fondly from the one time I heard it (during my favorite Dead show I witnessed 6-26-1994 in Las Vegas).


Box of Rain Song Rating on a Scale of 1-10: 8.2

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).