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.
There's a great new feature on Dead.net: Greatest Stories Ever Told, in which David Dodd will take readers through a review of one of the Grateful Dead's songs each week.
David Dodd is a great GD scholar who is behind the Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics site - a site that is often linked to from this site.
Greatest Stories Ever Told is a similar format to what I've been doing here, but certainly with a much more experienced and embedded Deadhead, so I recommend following it as I've liked what I read so far.
Don't worry, I'll keep doing what I do here as well as time permits. I enjoy the interaction this site brings, thanks for reading.
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!
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.
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!
My favorite part is the 'little notes' at the end (around 11:10 it starts in this video). Jerry's just puts an already stellar performance to bed with some little final masterful strokes. The finest ever seen.
...All I know the sun don't shine
And the rain refused to fall
And you don't seem to hear me when I call
Wind inside and the wind outside
Tangled in the window blind
Tell me why you treat me so unkind
Down where the sun don't shine
Lonely and I call your name
No place left to go, ain't that a shame?
Little known fact: this version (on the box set So Many Roads) has a different into spliced into the beginning and has one guitar edited out.
thanks taste4phree for putting this footage on youtube.
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!
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