As the anniversary of Jerry Garcia’s death approaches it’s time to do the annual ritual of immersing myself in the music of the Grateful Dead. These guys were together for a long time [1965-95] and produced a lot of music. They weren’t overly fond of recording studios, so they produced only 13 studio albums in that thirty-year span. Their place was the live stage, and the recordings of those performances take up miles of storage shelf space. They played over 2,000 shows and have recordings of almost every one of them. Included below are my favorites from my collection of Grateful Dead and Dead-related albums. Still on my “to get” list are Wake of the Flood, Europe ’72, and Aoxomoxoa. Maybe the next time I go TDY I’ll fix that. There are a few glaring omissions from my list – no Casey Jones [too repetitive for me], Alabama Getaway [never really like it], and no Touch of Grey [it’s an average song at best].
Disclaimer #1: In my own mind I don’t see myself as a Deadhead. I feel that distinction goes to those who have seen the Grateful Dead in the flesh. A friend told me that Deadheads define whether or not they are in fact Deaheads and that status is not conferred by people outside the world of the Grateful Dead. For me to claim “Deadhead” status would be dishonest since I never saw them live. Carol saw them once – she’s a Deadhead. I approach my picks as a fan of the music, not as a hardcore Deadhead. Some would argue just being a fan of the music qualifies you as a Deadhead. I’m not so sure…
Disclaimer #2: The Grateful Dead have released many live albums. There is the four-part View From the Vault series, the 36-volume Dick’s Picks series, the 16-part Road Trips series, and over 30 other live recordings. True hardcore Deadheads will have all of them – I own but a few. For any live versions of Dead songs that I like, I’m sure there are many other better versions that exist on archive recordings that I do not own. So at the risk of insulting the intelligence and tastes of Deadheads everywhere, I apologize ahead of time if your favorite version of a particular song isn’t on my list. I can only rate what I’ve heard.
Disclaimer #3: Although Jerry Garcia is no longer with us, surviving members of the Grateful Dead keep his music alive in different groups – The Other Ones, Phil Lesh & Friends, Bob Weir & Ratdog, and Further. I will include some of that music on my list – I think it’s appropriate since those groups are keeping the spirit of the Dead alive and well.
Box of Rain [Grateful Dead, American Beauty - 1970] – Phil Lesh sings to his dying father. He wasn’t the only member of the Dead to have a dying parent during the recording of American Beauty. Jerry Garcia’s mom was hit by a car [or was it a bus? I’m not sure…] and lingered for awhile before she too passed on.
Uncle John’s Band [Grateful Dead, Workingman’s Dead – 1970] – Goddamn well I declare, have you seen the light? This one is fun to play, maybe because it’s so easy to play.
New Speedway Boogie [Grateful Dead, Workingman’s Dead – 1970] – the story of Altamont from the Dead’s point of view. The phrase “please don’t dominate the rap Jack if you’ve got nothing new to say” could be applied to any politician anywhere.
Friend of the Devil [Grateful Dead, American Beauty - 1970]
Ripple [Grateful Dead, American Beauty - 1970] – David Grisman on mandolin.
Black Peter [Grateful Dead, Workingman’s Dead – 1970]
Sugar Magnolia [Grateful Dead, American Beauty - 1970]
Truckin’ [Grateful Dead, American Beauty - 1970]– there’s some classic lines I never forget in this – “livin’ on reds, Vitamin C and cocaine/all a friend can say is ‘ain’t it a shame…’” “what a long strange trip it’s been…” and many more.
Bertha [Grateful Dead, Skulls & Roses – 1971] – Los Lobos does a fabulous version of this song. But this one is pretty good. Hundred Year Hall also has a pretty good version even though the recording is average.
Playing in the Band [Bob Weir, Ace – 1972] – This is from a Bob Weir solo album in name only. Ace featured all the Grateful Dead minus Pigpen. This version far surpasses what appeared on the Dead’s Skull & Roses album a few months earlier.
Loser [Jerry Garcia, Garcia – 1972] – this, along with others from Garcia, became semi-permanent fixtures in Dead setlists. Jerry played all the instruments on Garcia except Bill Kreutzmann, who played drums.
Deal [Jerry Garcia, Garcia – 1972]
To Lay Me Down [Jerry Garcia, Garcia – 1972]
The Wheel [Jerry Garcia, Garcia – 1972] – Interesting story – I was just in Fort Collins last month. While I was at IHOP I heard this song over the sound system. Only in Colorado… If you ever want to hear spaced-out steel guitar from Jerry, this is your song.
Cassidy [Bob Weir, Ace – 1972] – Donna Jean sings great harmony with Bob here.
Sugaree [Jerry Garcia, Garcia – 1972] – How could one not like Sugaree?
Franklin’s Tower [Grateful Dead, One From the Vault – 1991] – Originally appears on Blues for Allah [1975] – The show this was taken from was supposed to be the last show the Dead would play before they retired from the road. We all know the retirement didn’t work out too well. An interesting note – Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts loved Jerry and after his death always played a little bit of Franklin’s Tower to introduce Blue Sky.
U.S. Blues [Grateful Dead, One From the Vault – 1991] – Originally appears on From the Mars Hotel [1974] – Wave that flag… I have to play it every 4th of July. It just wouldn’t be right if I didn’t.
Unbroken Chain [Phil Lesh & Friends, Instant Live: Darien Center, NY 7/8/06 – 2006] – Originally appears on From the Mars Hotel [1974], I don’t think the Dead ever did this song any justice. Phil Lesh & Friends didn’t have any problems.
Hell in a Bucket [Grateful Dead, In The Dark – 1987] – an unusually up-tempo song from the Dead, maybe because it came from Bob Weir and not jerry Garcia.
When Push Comes to Shove [Grateful Dead, In The Dark – 1987]
West LA Fadeaway [Grateful Dead, In The Dark – 1987] – I heard this one a lot while I was in San Antonio for Air Force Office Training School. Los Lobos covers this on their latest, Tin Can Trust.
Throwing Stones [Grateful Dead, In The Dark – 1987] – Ashes ashes, all fall down…
Foolish Heart [Grateful Dead, Built to Last – 1989]
Standing on the Moon [Grateful Dead, Built to Last – 1989] – By this late stage in the game, Jerry was getting very good at the very slow ballads. This has what I think is one of the best lines in a love song - A lovely view of heaven/But I'd rather be with you.
Eyes of the World [Grateful Dead, Without a Net – 1990] – originally appears on Wake of the Flood [1973] – This is over 16 minutes of improvisational bliss. Branford Marsalis sat in on this one. He’d never played with the Dead before, had never heard the song either, but being the outstanding jazz musician that he is, he followed along quite well.
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo [Grateful Dead, Without a Net – 1990] – Originally appears on Wake of the Flood [1973]. “Come on baby I’m gone goodbye/Have a bottle of rock ‘n rye…”
Dupree’s Diamond Blues [Grateful Dead, Dozin’ at the Knick – 1996] – Originally appears on Aoxomoxoa. Both this one and Mississippi Half-Step sound very similar.
Althea [Grateful Dead, Without a Net – 1990] – Originally appears on Go To Heaven [1980]
Stella Blue [Grateful Dead, Dozin’ at the Knick – 1996] – Originally appears on Wake of the Flood [1973]. Warren Haynes covered this song on his Live at Bonnaroo CD.
Row Jimmy [Grateful Dead, Dozin’ at the Knick – 1996] – Originally appears on Wake of the Flood [1973]
Patchwork Quilt [Phil Lesh & Friends, There and Back Again, 2002] – I include this because it is about Jerry Garcia. This is Warren Haynes’ elegy to Jerry. Warren was with the Allman Brothers at the time, and the line We were at Jones Beach when we got the word… is true. The blood of his music runs through the veins of our guitars/Bright lights, Dark Star…
Tennessee Jed [Phil Lesh & Friends w/ Bob Weir, Live from Bonnaroo Music Festival 2002 – 2002] – Originally appears on Europe ’72 [1972] – an outstanding version of Tennessee Jed by Phil Lesh & Friends with special guest Bob Weir.
St Stephen/The Eleven – I have three versions of this combo that deserve inclusion here. The Dead played this at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in 1968. That version appears on Two From the Vault. This version was Jerry at his mind-bending best. The next version is from The Other Ones’ The Strange Remain. Recorded three years after Jerry’s death, The Other Ones got two guitarists to “replace” Jerry. The interplay between the two is a wonder to behold. Then there is a version from Phil Lesh & Friends There and Back Again. Again there are two guitarists to “replace” Jerry – Warren Haynes and Jimmy Herring. Their interplay gives the song a different character with a little harder edge. Regardless of the version I’ve always loved how the music goes from 4/4 time to 11/2 time. This is always fun to listen to.
This list is more than a bit slanted to the songs Jerry Garcia wrote with Robert Hunter. I don’t intend to slam Bob Weir. I never tire of Playing in the Band and others. I just like Jerry’s songs a whole lot better.
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