20th Anniversary Rag, A Robert Hunter Tune You Never Heard

Here is the Grateful Dead 1985 Twenty Years Handbill Flyer Poster with art by Rick Griffin and words by Robert Hunter.

My copy below still looks good!

I got this walking into the Greek on Sunday June 16, 1985.  Jerry celebrated the occasion by playing the first Cryptical Envelopment since 1972.

My copy just scanned:

Jerry Garcia, Woodstock and the Invention of Jack Straw

Weird, huh. jack straw from woodstock
Garcia invents the title of the tune in 1969

28 CD Woodstock set

Happy 50th Birthday: Three Groovy Months with Dark Star>China Cat Sunflower>The Eleven, January 17 to March 30, 1968

January 17 is a big birthday in the history of the Dead. See David's tweet above.  And I want to wish Happy 50 to Dark Star>China Cat>The Eleven.  I listened to Valentine's Day Today (Roadtrip 2.2) and its sheer terror for under 20 minutes.  Happy 50 guys. here's 2-14-1968 and some other ones

By the Way Jesse warned me the dates and counts in 68 are sometimes iffy. So buyer beware

1-17-1968

2-14-1968

and 3-30-1968

Election Day 2016: The Woman Are Smarter

That's right the Woman are Smarter. Especially today

y.

The Music Never Stopped: Second Set Sightings And Other Rarities

In the history of the world, there were 234 times that The Music Never Stopped. And we all remember right that this happened right as the first set was ending and we needed a Bob Weir "Thank You" and a "short break"


In fact, after 1977, 159 times out of 173 versions of The Music Never Stopped closed the first set, including the 22 times Music linked into Don't Ease Me In, Might As Well and Deal.

But early on in 1975-1977 and every once in a while later, we would find that rare beast, the first set opener, the unique midset placement, the split version or the second set Music Never Stopped.

Don't worry, i am adding lots of music here

The Debut of Help On The Way>Slipknot>Franklin's Tower>Music Never Stopped all pretty maidens lined up in a row

The early version appeared often early in the first set like:

September 28, 1975 (2nd)   Help>Slip, Music
June 9, 1976  (4th, 1st east Coast, my first show)  Cold Rain, Cassidy, Scarlet, Music
June 12, 1976 (6th) Samson, Row Jimmy, Music

Here are my three favorite unusual version types

13 Second Set Versions

6/11/1976 Boston  opens with Saint Stephen> Dancing In The Street > The Music Never Stopped

6/14/1976 Beacon opens with The Wheel, Samson, High Time, The Music Never Stopped

7/13/1976 Orpheum opens with The Music Never Stops

7/14/1976 Orpheum ends set with Let It Grow > Eyes Of The World > Jam > Wharf Rat > The Other One > The Music Never Stopped

9/24/1976 William and Mary , amazing show ends with  Help On The Way> Slipknot! > Drums  > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower  > The Music Never Stopped > Stella Blue; Around And Around  

10/2/1976  Cincinnati opens with The Music Never Stops

10/15/1976 Shrine opens with Eyes of The World>The Music Never Stops, once only never repeated, playing in the background now

2/26/1977 Winterland  opens with Samson, Tennessee Jed and The Music Never Stopped

4/23/1977 (Only One I saw in Springfield) opens with Estimated Prophet, Bertha, and The Music Never Stopped

11/23/79 San Diego, opens with The Music Never Stops>Sugaree

7/5/1981 Oklahoma City opens with Samson, Don't Ease Me In, Music and Ship of Fools

3/13/1985 Berkeley High School entire second set The Music Never Stopped > Franklin's Tower > Estimated Prophet > Spoonful (1) > Drums (2) > Space (2) > Ollin Arrageed (2) > Man Smart (Woman Smarter) (2) > Black Peter (1) > Good Lovin'

6/28/1985 Hershey  The Music Never Stopped>Tom Thumb Blues

June 28, 1985

17 Open Show Versions
6/18/1976 Passaic, NJ
6/21/1976 Tower
6/23/1976 Tower
7/12/1976 Orpheum
9/30./1976 Columbus
4/30/1977 (Only One I Saw) Palladium
5/13/1977 Chicago
5/22/1977  Pembroke Pines (Dick's Picks 3)
5/26/1977  Baltimore
12/31/1977 Winterland
8/7/1982 Alpine  (Dick's Picks 32)  Music>Sugaree>Music
9/10/1983 Santa Fe, NM
10/21/1983 Worcester
3/31/1985 Portland, ME
7/16/1988 Greek, Berkeley
10/15/1988  St Petersburg, Fl  Music>Sugaree
7/2/1994 Shoreline  Music>Sugaree>Music

3 Splits
8/7/1982 Alpine  (Dick's Picks 32)  Music>Sugaree>Music
6/5/93  Giant's Stadium  Music>Easy Answers>Music to end set one
7/2/1994 Shoreline  Music>Sugaree>Music

Sing Me Back Home

Then there was the other Merl.  Sing Me Back Home was played 40 times by the Grateful Dead between April 5, 1971 at the Manhattan Center and September 26, 1973 in Buffalo.  I am sad I never got to see it.   Update 4/6/2016 Rest In Peace Merl http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/07/arts/music/merle-haggard-country-musics-outlaw-hero-dies-at-79.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=image&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0




Lesser known are the 7 versions performance acoustic by Jerry Garcia, the one solo version from April 10, 1982 at the Capitol Theatre and the 6 others he performed with John Kahn from April 21 through July 2, 1982.  I regret I saw none of these either.

Jerry April 10, 1982 Solo Version of Sing Me Back Home

This song is just beautiful.  I know some of you on archive.org were disappointed with my Merl post this week, because it was the "other Merl", so here's your chance to hear numerous versions of Merl Haggard's classic Sing Me Back Home.

This was played at alot of well known shows since as April 25, 26 and 27, 1971 at the Fillmore East, in Europe in 1971, nine times during May of the Europe '72 Tour, Kesey's Farm Field Trip and before 500,000 at Watkins Glen.

I recommend listening to all the jams into Sing Me Back Home, there are 8 versions preceeded by The Other One.  Ironically, there are only one Dark Star>Sing Me Back Home from The Spectrum on March 24, 1973 (He's Gone>Jam>a 4 minute Dark Star>SMBH) , I would have thought there were more of those (oops, I must have forgot the El Paso from 8-27-72 Veneta). Links here

Enjoy.
http://singout.org/tag/sing-me-back-home/

Truckin>Stella Blue Among Best Covers of Grateful Dead Songs

We love Grateful Dead cover songs. We love covers of Grateful Dead Songs.  Link here to my dropbox for some great ones. You get to hear here a great Mash of Truckin>Stella Blue with the Pop O Pies and Willie Nelson doing the honors.  Of course the Pop-o-Pies are funny, but Willie nails Stella Blue. Just wait a minute and it will appear here. Stay to the end.  (try Stolen Roses too)

Of course, Blair did this on dead.net, and I love Blair. he used to trade in his New Wave releases for Japanese Vinyl of Beatles albums in 1981 at Rasputin's in Berkeley. :)

Never met Willie, but my wife's friend's wife's brother plays with Willie's son in Promise of the Real.
Do know the Pop o Pies as my friend Ben (who you can see playing with me in a bat mobile below at Sproul Plaza in Berkeley circa 1983 played in the Pop o Pies. Also Ben (with son glasses and Joe and Mark with Jerry at the Stone) but I never met Jerry.

You also have to love




Alabama Getaway by Bob Dylan

My Brother Esau by Bob Weir and The National

Loser Mashup by Keller Williams

Scarlet Begonias by Sublime

Friend of the Devil by Loggins and Messina

The Whole Deadicated Album

The Reggae Fire on the Mountain Album Coming xoxo

Stay Tuned to the Dropbox Link for More Updates, Just ordered three CDs not available on digital

I know there are a zillion more, especially by Dead-centric acts but I'm mainly posting here by bands not known for their Deadness but acoustic Warren rocks always

Various Links

Joan Baez sings I Know You Rider

http://www.deaddisc.com/GDFD_GDcovers_By_Song.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4_JIYNL7hc

http://www.musicme.com/Loggins-&-Messina/videos/Lyle-Lovett---Friend-Of-The-Devil-(Album-Version)-554467505A53636A35416B.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4D3f6Poj3o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxrzdhn9F1E

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-best-cover-of-a-Grateful-Dead-song

And the annual Dead Covers Project always rules the planet

The National's Monster CD

http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/03/the-national-announce-details-of-star-studded-59-song-grateful-dead-tribute-album/

Day of the Dead Tracklist:

Thunder (Vol.1)

10. The War on Drugs – “Touch of Grey”
02. Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis & Friends – “Sugaree”
03. Jim James & Friends – “Candyman”
04. Moses Sumney, Jenny Lewis & Friends – “Cassidy”
05. Bruce Hornsby and DeYarmond Edison – “Black Muddy River”
06. Ed Droste, Binki Shapiro & Friends – “Loser”
07. The National – “Peggy-O”
08. Kurt Vile and the Violators (featuring J Mascis) – “Box of Rain”
09. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Friends – “Rubin and Cherise”
10. Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten & Friends – “To Lay Me Down”
11. Courtney Barnett – “New Speedway Boogie”
12. Mumford & Sons – “Friend of the Devil”
13. Lucius – “Uncle John’s Band”
14. The Lone Bellow & Friends – “Me and My Uncle”
15. Lee Ranaldo, Lisa Hannigan & Friends – “Mountains of the Moon”
16. Anohni and yMusic – “Black Peter”
17. Bryce Dessner – “Garcia Counterpoint”
18. Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear and The National (featuring Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, So Percussion and Brooklyn Youth Chorus) – “Terrapin Station (Suite)”
19. Angel Olsen – “Attics of My Life”
20. Wilco with Bob Weir – “St. Stephen (live)”

Lightning (Vol. 2)

01. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – “If I Had the World to Give”
02. Phosphorescent & Friends – “Standing on the Moon”
03. Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band – “Cumberland Blues”
04. The Tallest Man on Earth & Friends – “Ship of Fools”
05. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Friends – “Bird Song ”
06. The National – “Morning Dew”
07. Marijuana Deathsquads – “Truckin'”
08. Cass McCombs, Joe Russo & Friends – “Dark Star”
09. Nightfall of Diamonds – “Nightfall of Diamonds”
10. Tim Hecker – “Transitive Refraction Axis for John Oswald”
11. Lucinda Williams & Friends – “Going Down The Road Feelin’ Bad”
12. Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo & Friends – “Playing in the Band”
13. Local Natives – “Stella Blue”
14. Tal National – “Eyes of the World”
15. Bela Fleck ¬– “Help on the Way”
16. Orchestra Baobab – “Franklin’s Tower”
17. Luluc with Xylouris White – “Till the Morning Comes”
18. The Walkmen – “Ripple”
19. Richard Reed Parry with Caroline Shaw and Little Scream (featuring Garth Hudson) – “Brokedown Palace”

Sunshine (Vol. 3)

01. Real Estate – “Here Comes Sunshine”
02. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “Shakedown Street”
03. Hiss Golden Messenger – “Brown-Eyed Women”
04. This Is the Kit – “Jack-A-Roe”
05. Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear – “High Time”
06. The Lone Bellow & Friends – “Dire Wolf”
07. Winston Marshall, Kodiak Blue and Shura – “Althea”
08. Orchestra Baobab – “Clementine Jam”
09. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – “China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider”
10. Bill Callahan – “Easy Wind”
11. Ira Kaplan & Friends – “Wharf Rat”
12. The Rileys – “Estimated Prophet”
13. Man Forever, So Percussion and Oneida – “Drums -> Space”
14. Fucked Up – “Cream Puff War”
15. The Flaming Lips – “Dark Star”
16. s t a r g a z e – “What’s Become of the Baby”
17. Vijay Iyer – “King Solomon’s Marbles”
18. Mina Tindle & Friends – “Rosemary”
19. Sam Amidon – “And We Bid You Goodnight”
20. The National with Bob Weir – “I Know You Rider (live)”

Reggae Dead Day : From Stir It Up Jam to Struggling Man

I was playing random again this morning and came across the Jam after Fire On the Mountain on March 21, 1991 at the Capital Centre in Landover near DC which you are hearing now.  Wow, so great. Written by Bob Marley in 1967.

I didn't get to hear this once-in-30 years Grateful Dead jam, nor did I hear it any of the 34 times the Jerry Garcia Band played it in 1976 and 1977 (all except once between my first Jerry show in 1975 and my second on December 2, 1977 no less).

The Artist 






HOWEVER, I did get to hear Struggling Man twice from Reconstruction in 1979, which Jerry resurrected from 1990 through 1995, playing its last version on April 23, 1995 as the fifth-to-last song the Jerry Garcia Band ever played.  That 1979 version follows the Stir It Jam if you hold on a few more minutes :)

So I proclaim that in the Davis house from now on, March 9 will be Reggae Dead Day.  Enjoy.

Alabama Week: Amazing Collection of Grateful Dead Debuts Arrives On Archive, I Saw Four

This rocks, a complete playlist of all debut versions of Grateful Dead originals from 1965 to 1995. Listen here:  https://archive.org/details/AllGratefulDeadOriginalSongDebuts66-95

I saw four, the primitive versions of Althea and Lost Sailor (no Saint), Hell In a Bucket and my favorite right out of the gate: Alabama Getaway.  Since Donna Jean was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame last Saturday, I say it's time to relisten to the first Alabama Getaway.

August 4, 1979   Althea and Lost Sailor at the Okaland Auditorium Arena (later Kaiser)

November 4, 1979  Alabama Getaway at the Providence Civic Center

May 13, 1983, Hell In A Bucket at the Berkeley Greek

The links to archive are above or if you prefer to add the 161 files to your Itunes, here they are

Here's a nice unusual cover debut from November 6, 1970

Five One-Tour Wonders

Werewolves of London was almost a one-tour wonder in 1978, but the boys decided to break it out a few more times in the 1980s and 1990s.  My latest blog post about Dartmouth made me think of such animals here and thus I present the Grateful Dead's One-Tour Wonders, the songs that were only performed five or more times in one calendar year with the band.  Obviously, the earlier the year, the more fuzzy the answer.

The real five (edit: me bad, oops it's six) true-to-life one-tour wonders that occured during one actual tour that meet this test are:

I Second That Emotion, April, 1971

Run Rudolph Run, December, 1971

Two Souls in Communion (The Stranger), Academy of Music NYC and Europe 1972

Let Me Sing Your Blues Away, September 1973. The Preovidence one with horns is playing now

Mission in the Rain, June 1976

Heaven Help the Fool, September/October 1980, acoustic instrumental

However
Here's the expanded list of 21 songs that were played 5+ times during one calendar year and never again:

1966: You Don't Have To Ask 1966, about 5 versions, cool little original ditty.

1968: Born Cross-Eyed, believe it or not only performed about 13 times between January 17 and April 3, 1968 (and then one million times by The Dead, Furthur, even Fare Thee Well. My virgin ears have yet to hear this played, even in the later-day post-Jerry bands

1969: Slewfoot, 9 performance in 1969, fun Bobby song

1970: You know Katie Mae is a good girl, Pigpen, 11 times

1970: You know It's A Man's World, Pigpen, 11 times

1970: Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, 8 times

1970: Wake Up, Little Susie, 14 acoustic versions

1970: Til The Morning Comes, 5 times

1971: I Second That Emotion 6 times in April only. true one-tour wonder (as above)

1971: Run Rudolph Run , 6 times in December only, another true one-tour wonder (as above)

1972: Two Souls in Communion. 12 times, only played at the Academy shows and Europe

1972: Rockin Pheumenia, Boogie Woogie Flu, 5 times

1973: Wave That Flag, 15 times

1973: You Ain't Woman Enough, 15 times

1973: Let Me Sing Your Blues Away, 6 times, in September, all with horns!, true one-tour wonder

1974:  Phil & Ned (Seastones), 23 times

1976: Mission In The Rain, 5 times, June, true one-tour wonder

1980:Heaven Help The Fool (instrumental) played 17 times in September/October 1980 in acoustic sets. I only saw it played and song with the Bob Weir Band in Providence on March 10, 1978 since it was not played on December 31, 1980, my only acoustic set.  I am partial to the 10-31-80 Radio City version here with the equipment failure temporarily sidelining Phil from playing.

1990: Valley Road, 6 times, between October and December

1995: Unbroken Chain, 10 times

1995:It's All Too Much, 6 times in 1995, George Harrison-authored Beatles cover from Yellow Submarine

There are a number of four-timer including Stealin (probably incorrect), I Hear A Voice Calling, Reuben & Cherise, Devil with the Blue Dress and La Bamba.

Music is here

My Top-5 Beatles Moments

Those of you would boarded the bus in the 1980s amd 1990s may not know this, but Beatles sightings were more rare in the earlier days of the Dead.

Here are my top five Beatles memories with the band

#5 Blackbird Tease (after It's All Over Now♥️  April 23, 1977

Yes Bobby eventually would play this in encores on 6-23 and 7-17 1988, but there is a close tease in the magical first set of the April 23, 1977 show after It's All Over, Now about 7:15 into the linked track and immediately before my first Scarlet/Fire

#4  Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, December 16, 1994 Encore

This was the last song I ever heard Jerry sing and also the last song I ever heard with the Grateful Dead.  I'm sorry, 1994 was not a great time for Jerry's voice, but still a nice memory

#3 Revolution  October 31, 1983 Marin Encore

Th band played this 11 times total in 1983, 1984, 1985, and 1990. I saw the 4th version on Halloween 1983 as the encore at the show where the band played the final St Stephen.  Jerry is a little vocal weary and even "out-of-tune", but this was the first time I actually saw the Grateful Dead perform a Beatles song and this was my 65th show!  There is some funny audience interaction about half-way through the song.  It's Gonna Be Shobie-Do Alright, Bobby

#2  Why Don't We Do It In The Road?, Open Set Two, Greek July 15, 1984
Brent fans unite.  Very fun set opening. Out of the blue, Phil and Brent start this. After Revolution at New Year's, this was not an obvious choice. The recording does not do the show justice. This was pure Berkeley mayhem.  Listen here

#1  Sama Layuca>Space>Dear Prudence  (August 10, 1979, last San Francisco Reconstruction Show Temple Beautiful)

Hard not to place this first. Jerry could really sing Dear Prudence, but nothing compares to the first versions he did with Merl and Reconstruction in 1979. I saw at least two, but the last one I saw with Harriet at the big SF show on August 10 as a 27 minute medley with Sama Layuca into a weird space jam into Prudence. Look around, round, round, Jerry. This was one of all-time favorite grateful seconds with Jerry. For the full 27 minutes, use the listen here link above. For Prudence, just listen.to these 600 or so Grateful Seconds from the top-shelf Reconstruction.

Here are many I did not witness, and probably even more awesome and historic

Rain
After Midnight>Eleanor Rigby<After Midnight.   I wish so much I saw JGB do this
Day Tripper
I've just seen a face (69 setlist) http://www.setlists.net/?show_id=0453  not known if occured
Imagine   Instrumental with Merl
Let Me Roll You  Donna is great on these
Mother Nature's Son   Nicky vamp between songs in 1975
Paperback Writer http://www.deaddisc.com/songs/Paperback3Writer.htm  3-26 soundcheck
That Would be Something Boston 1991 is short but nice
watching the wheels 1995 soundcheck http://www.deaddisc.com/songs/Watching_The_Wheels.htm

There were a million Beatles covers post-1995 as well, especially with Warren and then Furthur of course. Also see: http://www.deaddisc.com/GDFD_Play_The_Beatles.htm  Thanks to c-freedom on archive forum here is a two hour youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6SaCZs0oxs

The East-Coast Only I Need A Miracle Sing-A-Long

So there's the great Relisten app for your iphone that makes it very easy to hit any track in any dead tape in the archive. You can even play a random show.  Which I did. And I discovered the great late East-Coast Only I Need A Miracle Sing-A-Long.

Now after I stopped seeing the Grateful Dead on the East Coast after the Lewiston show in 1980, I the only saw the mellow California Dead for the rest of my show-going career.

Take for example, the Oade brothers tape in Berkeley on June 16, 1985.  The Boys surprising hot Miracle after Goin Down The Road Feeling Bad on a nice Sunday afternoon at the Greek (after bringing back Crytical a few minutes earlier for the first time in almost 100 years) and even then the audience is just dancing and doing that California thing.

But only a few months earlier on  March 25, 1985 at the historic Springfield Civic Center, heard the audience scream out.  Then try Philly on April 20, 1984 and countless others. You will see the East Coast loved to sing I Need A Miracle LOUD.  Here's March 31, 1987 that you hear on soundcloud and show some Philly love.