Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Grateful Dead Songs that are Not Bobby or Jerry Songs

I was thinking about how Jack Straw is not really a Bobby or Jerry tune but rather a Grateful Dead tune, and I thought I'd try to put together a list of songs that are not associated with any particular member (from Pigpen all the way through Vince). I left out instrumentsals of course.

What am I missing?

Grateful Dead "Not Bobby Not Jerry (Not Anyone)" Songlist

And We Bid you Goodnight (okay, a little more Jerry than everyone else)
Attics of My Life 
Blues for Allah
Brokedown Palace (the most controversial choice - but I stand by it not being a "Jerry" tune - many would disagree)
Dancing in the Street
Gimme Some Lovin  (really feels like a Brent song)
I know you Rider
Jack Straw
Let the Good Times Roll
Maggies Farm
Not Fade Away
Passenger
Rainy Day Women (included because they played it after Dylan/Dead tour)
Saint Stephen (a slight lean to being a "Jerry tune")
The Eleven 
The Last Time
The Weight 
The Wheel  (another slight lean to a "Jerry tune")
Till the Morning Comes
Uncle John's Band
Viola Lee Blues
Why Don't We Do it in the Road

Diclaimer: This blog is just the opinion of one solitary guy and intended to encourage discourse.

3 comments:

maulreius said...

A buddy of mine who is not really a 'Head but appreciates the band (due to his friendship with myself) notes he can't stand Bobby Songs, he like all of the Jerry songs but is less than enthused when a Bobby song comes on.

GDmike said...

can't say I disagree completeley

Nick Landess said...

I completely don't understand your criteria one way or the other. How is Brokedown *not* a Jerry tune? Because there are harmony vocals?

I completely agree with "Let the Good Times Roll" - which I always thought was a drummer's call as a show opener - but there isn't reall a band member who "owned" the song.

But many tunes on this list I completely disagree with - including the one that apparently inspired the list. Jack Straw is completely Bobby tune. Jerry sings harmonies, and solos, but that is most definitely a Bobby song.

How is "Last Time" *not* a bobby tune? How is Attics *not* a jerry tune?