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By Larry Mishkin, Rob Hunt, Dan Humiston, Jamie Humiston, PodConx
4.7
2424 ratings
The podcast currently has 298 episodes available.
Music News: Pink Floyd and Joni Mitchell
In this episode of the Deadhead Cannabis Show, Larry Mishkin reflects on the intersection of music and cannabis in the wake of the recent elections. He delves into the Grateful Dead's legacy, highlighting a notable performance from 1973, and explores the lyrical depth of 'To Lay Me Down.' The conversation also touches on music news, including Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' and Joni Mitchell's recent birthday. The episode concludes with a discussion on recent research indicating that cannabis may serve as a substitute for more dangerous substances. This conversation explores the complex relationship between cannabis use and substance consumption among young adults, the implications of Florida's failed marijuana legalization initiative, and the potential of cannabis as a harm reduction tool for opioid use. It also highlights popular cannabis strains and their effects, alongside a cultural reflection on the Grateful Dead's music.
Chapters
00:00 Post-Election Reflections: Music and Cannabis
08:29 The Grateful Dead's Musical Legacy
14:48 Exploring the Lyrics: To Lay Me Down
21:59 Music News: Pink Floyd and Joni Mitchell
37:06 Weather Report Suite: A Musical Journey
43:10 Second Set Highlights: Mississippi Half-Step and Beyond
49:36 Marijuana Research: Substitution Effects
51:24 Cannabis Use Among Young Adults
56:13 Florida's Marijuana Legalization Initiative
01:05:01 Cannabis as a Tool for Opioid Harm Reduction
01:11:10 Strains of the Week and Cannabis Culture
Larry's Notes:
Grateful Dead
November 11, 1973 (51 years ago)
Winterland Arena
San Francisco, CA
Grateful Dead Live at Winterland Arena on 1973-11-11 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive
Happy Veteran’s Day
A very famous show from a very famous year. Many feel 1973 was the peak of the band’s post psychedelic era. Certainly right up there with 1977 as top years for the band, even by November they were still in full stride during a three night run at Winterland, this being the third and final night of the run. In 2008 the Dead released the box set: “Winterland 1973: The complete recordings” featuring shows from Nov. 9, 10 and 11, 1973.
This was the Dead’s second “complete recordings” release featuring all of the nights of a single run. The first was “Fillmore West, 1969, the Complete Recordings” from Feb. 27, 28 and March 1 and 2 (IMHO the best collection of live music ever released by the band). The band later released a follow up, Winterland 1977: The Complete Recordings a three night run June 7, 8 and 9, 1977 that is also an outstanding box set.
Today’s show has a 16 song first set, a six song second set and a three song encore, a true rarity for a Dead show of any era (other than NYE shows). The second set consists of ½ Step, Big River, Dark Star with MLBJ, Eyes of the World, China Doll and Sugar Magnolia and is as well played as any set ever played by the band. They were on fire for these three days. A great collection of music and killer three night run for those lucky enough to have snagged a ticket for any or all of the nights.
Patrick Carr wrote in the NY Times that: “The Dead had learned how to conceive and perform a music which often induced something closely akin to the psychedelic experience; they were and are experts in the art and science of showing people another world, or a temporary altering (raising) of world consciousness. It sounds pseudomystical pretentious perhaps, but the fact is that it happens and it is intentional.”
INTRO: Promised Land (show opener into Bertha/Greatest Story/Sugaree/Black Throated Wind)
Track #1
0 – 2:10
"Promised Land" is a song lyric written by Chuck Berry to the melody of "Wabash Cannonball", an American folk song. The song was first recorded in this version by Berry in 1964 for his album St. Louis to Liverpool. Released in December 1964, it was Berry's fourth single issued following his prison term for a Mann Act conviction. The record peaked at #41 in the Billboard charts on January 16, 1965.
Berry wrote the song while in prison, and borrowed an atlas from the prison library to plot the itinerary. In the lyrics, the singer (who refers to himself as "the poor boy") tells of his journey from Norfolk, Virginia, to the "Promised Land", Los Angeles, California, mentioning various cities in Southern states that he passes through on his journey. Describing himself as a "poor boy," the protagonist boards a Greyhound bus in Norfolk, Virginia that passes Raleigh, N.C., stops in Charlotte, North Carolina, and bypasses Rock Hill, South Carolina. The bus rolls out of Atlanta but breaks down, leaving him stranded in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. He then takes a train "across Mississippi clean" to New Orleans. From there, he goes to Houston, where "the people there who care a bit about me" buy him a silk suit, luggage and a plane ticket to Los Angeles. Upon landing in Los Angeles, he calls Norfolk, Virginia ("Tidewater four, ten-oh-nine") to tell the folks back home he made it to the "promised land." The lyric: "Swing low, sweet chariot, come down easy/Taxi to the terminal zone" refers to the gospel lyric: "Swing low, sweet Chariot, coming for to carry me Home" since both refer to a common destination, "The Promised Land," which in this case is California, reportedly a heaven on earth.
Billboard called the song a "true blue Berry rocker with plenty of get up and go," adding that "rinky piano and wailing Berry electric guitar fills all in neatly."[2]Cash Box described it as "a 'pull-out-all-the-stops' rocker that Chuck pounds out solid sales authority" and "a real mover that should head out for hit territory in no time flat."[3] In 2021, it was listed at No. 342 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
Apparently played by the Warlocks and the Grateful Dead in their earliest days, Bob Weir started playing this with the Dead in 1971, and it remained a regular right through to the band’s last show ever in 1995.
Among those deeply touched by Chuck’s genius were Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. They often paid homage to Chuck by weaving his songs into their performances, breathing new life into his timeless melodies. "Promised Land," with its relentless drive, became an anthem of journey and aspiration. Their electrifying renditions of "Johnny B. Goode" were not mere covers but jubilant celebrations of a narrative that resonated with the dreamer in all of us.
The Grateful Dead's performances of "Around and Around" echoed Chuck's mastery of capturing life's cyclical rhythms—a dance of beginnings and endings, joy and sorrow. And when they took on "Run Rudolph Run," they infused the festive classic with their own psychedelic flair, bridging the gap between tradition and innovation.
A moment etched in musical history was when Chuck Berry shared the stage with the Grateful Dead during their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. The air was thick with reverence and electricity—a meeting of titans where the past, present, and future of rock converged in harmonious resonance. Again, in May 1995, Chuck opened for the Grateful Dead in Portland, Oregon. It was a night where legends collided, and the music swirled like a tempest, leaving a lasting impression on all who were fortunate enough to witness it.
This version really rocks out. I especially love Keith’s piano which is featured prominently in this clip.
Played: 430 times
First: May 28, 1971 at Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: July 9, 1995 at Soldier Field, Chicago, IL, USA
SHOW No. 1: To Lay Me Down (out of Black Throated Wind/into El Paso/Ramble On Rose/Me and Bobby McGee
Track #6
2:21 – 4:20
David Dodd: “To Lay Me Down” is one of the magical trio of lyrics composed in a single afternoon in 1970 in London, “over a half-bottle of retsina,” according to Robert Hunter. The other two were “Ripple” and “Brokedown Palace.”
Well, first—wouldn’t we all like to have a day like that!
And, second—what unites these three lyrics, aside from the fact that they were all written on the same day?
Hunter wrote, in his foreword to The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics:
”And I wrote reams of bad songs, bitching about everything under the sun, which I kept to myself: Cast not thy swines before pearls. And once in a while something would sort of pop out of nowhere. The sunny London afternoon I wrote ‘Brokedown Palace,’ ‘To Lay Me Down,’ and ‘Ripple,’ all keepers, was in no way typical, but it remains in my mind as the personal quintessence of the union between writer and Muse, a promising past and bright future prospects melding into one great glowing apocatastasis.”
“‘To Lay me Down’ was written a while before the others [on the Garcia album], on the same day as the lyrics to ‘Brokedown Palace’ and ‘Ripple’—the second day of my first visit to England. I found myself left alone in Alan Trists’s flat on Devonshire Terrace in West Kensington, with a supply of very nice thick linen paper, sun shining brightly through the window, a bottle of Greek Retsina wine at my elbow. The songs flowed like molten gold onto the page and stand as written. The images for ‘To Lay Me Down’ were inspired at Hampstead Heath (the original title to the song) the day before—lying on the grass and clover on a day of swallowtailed clouds, across from Jack Straw’s Castle [a pub, now closed and converted into flats--dd], reunited with the girlfriend of my youth, after a long separation.”
Garcia’s setting for the words is, like his music for those other two songs, perfect. The three-quarter time (notated as having a nine-eight feel), coupled with the gospel style of the melody and chords, makes for a dreamy, beauty-soaked song. I heard it on the radio today (yes, on the radio, yes, today—and no, not on a Grateful Dead Hour, but just in the course of regular programming), and it struck me that it was a gorgeous vehicle for Garcia’s voice. By which I mean: for that strongly emotive, sweet but not sappy, rough but not unschooled instrument that was Garcia’s alone.
I have started to think that my usual recitation of where a song was first played, where it was last played, and where it was recorded by the band borders on pointless. All that info is readily available. What’s interesting about the performance history of “To Lay Me Down” is that it was dropped from the rotation for more than 200 shows three times, and that its final performance, in 1992, came 125 shows after the penultimate one. The reappearance of the song, in the 1980 acoustic shows, came nearly six years after the previous performances in 1974. “Ripple” had a similar pattern, reappearing in those 1980 acoustic sets after 550 performances, or nearly ten years. Of the magical trio from that day of molten gold in West Kensington, “Brokedown Palace” had the most solid place in the Dead’s performance rotation, with only one huge gap in its appearances—165 shows between 1977 and 1979.
So, in terms of story, what can be discerned? The short version, for me: even if it’s just for a day, even if it’s just once more, even if it’s just one last time—it’s worth it. It’s golden. It’s home.
This version is really great to listen to. Jerry’s voice is still so young and strong. And the group singing works really well. Jerry’s also kills it with his lead guitar jamming.
Released on “Garcia” in 1972
Played: 64 times
First: July 30, 1970 at The Matrix, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: June 28, 1992 at Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN, USA
MUSIC NEWS:
Music Intro: Brain Damage
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd - Brain Damage (2023 Remaster)
0:00 – 1:47
"Brain Damage" is the ninth track[nb 1] from English rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon.[2][3] It was sung on record by Roger Waters (with harmonies by David Gilmour), who would continue to sing it on his solo tours. Gilmour sang the lead vocal when Pink Floyd performed it live on their 1994 tour (as can be heard on Pulse). The band originally called this track "Lunatic" during live performances and recording sessions. "Brain Damage" was released as a digital single on 19 January 2023 to promote The Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary box set.[4]
The uncredited manic laughter is that of Pink Floyd's then-road manager, Peter Watts.
The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 1 March 1973, by Harvest Records in the UK and Capitol Records in the US. Developed during live performances before recording began, it was conceived as a concept album that would focus on the pressures faced by the band during their arduous lifestyle, and also deal with the mental health problems of the former band member Syd Barrett, who had departed the group in 1968. New material was recorded in two sessions in 1972 and 1973 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London.
The Dark Side of the Moon is among the most critically acclaimed albums and often features in professional listings of the greatest of all time. It brought Pink Floyd international fame, wealth and plaudits to all four band members. A blockbuster release of the album era, it also propelled record sales throughout the music industry during the 1970s. The Dark Side of the Moon is certified 14x platinum in the United Kingdom, and topped the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, where it has charted for 990 weeks. By 2013, The Dark Side of the Moon had sold over 45 million copies worldwide, making it the band's best-selling release, the best-selling album of the 1970s, and the fourth-best-selling album in history.[3] In 2012, the album was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
On Thursday, November 7, 2024, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon amid his extensive run at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where he is supporting his latest solo release, Luck and Strange. During the music industry legend’s stop by the late-night talk show, he spoke with the program’s host, who questioned the theory of synchronicity between TheDark Side of the Moon and The Wizard of Oz, commonly referred to as the Dark Side of the Rainbow.
“You said that you think it’s your best work since Dark Side of the Moon,” Fallon questioned at the top of the segment, comparing Gilmour’s comments regarding his latest release, and the Pink Floyd classic. “When we finished Dark Side, there was a lot of crossfades and stuff between all the tracks. They had all to be done separately and then they all have to be edited in the old days before Pro Tools. When we finally finished, we sat down in the control room at Abbey Road and listened to it all the way through. And, wow. I–I guess all of us–have the feeling that it was something quite amazing–that we got it, and at the same point on this album, I had a very similar feeling, which is why I said that.”
Fallon stewed on Luck and Strange during a series of follow-up questions that assisted in painting a portrait of familial involvement during the making of Gilmour’s 2024 release–harnessing the conversation to the artist’s preferred homebred approach before they segued into the realm of the Emerald City. Fallon landed on the topic of Oz during a bit aimed at busting rumors that have populated throughout the musician’s 60-year tenure in the spotlight.
“The Pink Floyd album, Dark Side of the Moon, was written to synchronize with the movie Wizard of Oz,” Fallon suggested. Prompting Gilmour’s humor-tinged response, “Well, of course it was.” Fallon threw his hands up in response, acting on the comedic angle, before the musician clarified, “No, no. We listened to it, Polly and I, years ago–” Fallon stopped the artist to ask, “There’s no planning that out?” Gilmour continued, “No. No, I mean, I only heard about it years later. Somebody said you put the needle on–vinyl that is– and on the third–you know you got the film running somehow–and on the third roar of the MGM lion, you put the needle on for the beginning of Dark Side, and there’s these strange synchronicities that happen.”
Fallon asked if Gilmour had ever tested the theory, to which he exclaimed, “Yeah!” He went on to admit, “And there are these strange coincidences–I’ll call them coincidences.”
3. Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz to Celebrate 50th Birthday at Sweetwater Music Hall with Members of ALO, Tea Leaf Green and More
Sweetwater Music Hall (in Mill Valley, CA) has announced details pertaining to Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz’s 50th Birthday Bash. The event is slated to take place on Saturday, November 23, 2024, and functions as a celebratory occasion to honor the jam stalwart and beloved member of the Bay Area music scene’s five decade ride.
The six-string virtuoso, known for his work with Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO), Phil Lesh & Friends, and his own self-titled Friends project, has tapped an all-star group of regional talent to assist during the live show. Appearing on the birthday lineup, in addition to the bandleader are Vicki Randle (percussion, vocals; The Tonight Show Band), Steve Adams (bass; ALO), Trevor Garrod (keys; Tea Leaf Green) and Scott Rager (drums; Tea Leaf Green).
“Possessing a signature tone, the vehicle for his fluid, buttery sound is a flat top acoustic guitar that he has personally sliced and diced into an electric flat top, with a vintage style humbucker pickup. Inherently committed to an improvisational approach, Lebo embodies the realm of melodic and soulful sounds,” the press release includes, drawing on the unique factors which have made Lebo a standout amongst his musical contemporaries.
As an added distinction, and play into the birthday angle of event’s surprise and celebration, special guest appearances are slated to occur, as referenced via press release and the artist’s post on Instagram, where he noted additional inclusions as TBA.
SHOW No. 2: Weather Report Suite Prelude (out of China >Rider/Me & My Uncle/Loose Lucy
Track #14
3:10 – end
INTO
Weather Report Suite Part I (out of WRS Prelude/ into WRS Part II (Let It Grow)/Set break - 16 songs
Track #15
0:00 – 1:03
David Dodd: This week, by request, we’re looking at “Weather Report Suite,” (Prelude, Part 1, and Part 2). For a short time, the three pieces that comprise the Suite were played as such, but that was relatively short-lived by Grateful Dead standards.
The Prelude debuted in November 1972, originally as a separate piece from its eventual companions. The Dead played it, according to DeadBase, four more times in the spring of 1973 before it was first matched up with Weather Report Suite Parts 1 & 2, in September of that year. It was played regularly through October of 1974, and then dropped from the repertoire. The instrumental “Prelude,” composed by Weir, sets the stage for the two pieces to follow. I think it’s one of the most beautiful little pieces of music I know—I have never once skipped through it over years of listening. I just let it wash over me and know that its simplicity and beauty are preparing me for the melancholy of Part 1, and the sometimes epic grandeur of Part 2.
Part 1 is a song co-written with Eric Andersen, a well-known singer-songwriter who wrote the classic “Thirsty Boots.” He was on the Festival Express Tour (of “Might As Well” fame) across Canada along with the Dead, and I’m guessing that’s where Weir and he met and concocted this piece. Happy to be corrected on that by anyone who knows better. Andersen and Weir share the lyric credit, and the music is credited to Weir. Once it appeared in the rotation, in September 1973, it stayed in the repertoire only as long as the Prelude did, dropping entirely in October 1974.
The song addresses the seasons, and their changing mirrors the the singer’s state of mind as he reflects on the coming of love, and maybe its going, too: a circle of seasons, and the blooming and fading of roses. I particularly like the line “And seasons will end in tumbled rhyme and little change, the wind and rain.” There’s something very hopeful buried in the song’s melancholy. Is that melancholy just a projection of mine? I think there’s something about Weir’s singing that gets at that emotion. Loss, and the hope that there might be new love.
Weather Report Suite, Part 2 (“Let It Grow”) is a very different beast. It remained steadily in the rotation for the next 21 years after its debut, and the band played it 276 times. Its season of rarity was 1979, when it was played only three times, but otherwise, it was not far from the rotation. It could be stretched into a lengthy jamming tune (clocking at over 15 minutes several times), building to a thundering crescendo. And the “Weather Report” aspect of the song is what was really the most fun many times.
Released on Wake of The Flood in 1973.
WRS Prelude and Part I:
Played: 46 times
First: September 8, 1973 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY, USA
Last: October 18, 1974 at Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA, USA
SHOW No. 3: Mississippi Half Step Uptown Toodeloo (Second Set Opener/into Big River/Dark Star)
Track #17
3:17 – 4:55
Released on Wake of the Flood in 1973.
Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo was first performed live by the Grateful Dead on July 16, 1972. It was a frequent part of the repertoire through to 1974. From 1976 onward it was played less frequently with usually between 5 and 15 performances each year. It was not played at all in 1983 and 1984. The last performance was in July 1995. In total it was performed around 236 times. The majority of performances from 1978 onward were as the opening song of a show.
Huner/Garcia special. Great story. Great lyrics: “what’s the point of calling shots, this cue ain’t straight in line. Cue ball is made of Styrofoam and no one’s got the time”
Always one of my favorite songs to hear in concert. ½ Step>Franklin’s were especially fun as a one two show opener punch.
Played: 236 times
First: July 16, 1972 at Dillon Stadium, Hartford, CT, USA
Last: July 6, 1995 at the Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights (St. Louis), MO
MJ NEWS:
INTRO MUSIC: Willin’
Little Feat
Little Feat - Willin' sung by Lowell George Live 1977. HQ Video.
0:10 – 1:32
1977
"Willin'" is a song written by American musician Lowell George, and first recorded with his group Little Feat on their 1971 debut album. The song has since been performed by a variety of artists. George wrote the song while he was a member of the Mothers of Invention. When George sang an early version of the song for bandleader Frank Zappa, Zappa suggested that the guitarist form his own band rather than continue under Zappa's tutelage.[1] He did just that, and the song was subsequently recorded by Lowell's band Little Feat. The song was included on Little Feat's 1971 self-titled debut album. The band re-recorded the song at a slower tempo to much greater success on their 1972 Sailin' Shoes album. A live version recorded in 1977 appears on their 1978 album Waiting for Columbus.
The lyrics are from the point of view of a truck driver who has driven from Tucson to Tucumcari (NM), Tehachapi (CA) to Tonopah (AZ)" and "smuggled some smokes and folks from Mexico"; the song has become a trucker anthem. And of course, he asks for “weed, whites (speed) and wine” to get him through his drive.
1. Using Marijuana Is Tied To Lower Consumption Of Alcohol, Opioids And Other Drugs, New Study Reveals
2. Why Florida’s Marijuana Legalization Ballot Initiative Failed Despite Trump Endorsement, Historic Funding And Majority Voter Support 3. Marijuana Has ‘Great Deal Of Potential’ To Treat Opioid Use Disorder, Study Finds, Predicting It’ll Become More Common In Treatment
4. Colorado Springs Voters Approve Two Contradictory Marijuana Ballot Measures To Both Allow And Ban Recreational Sales
Strains of the week:
The aroma of Sub Zero is as intriguing as its flavor, characterized by a rich combination of woody, earthy, and citrus notes, thanks to a terpene profile rich in Humulene, Limonene, Linalool, and Carene. These terpenes not only enhance the flavor but also contribute to the strain’s therapeutic properties.
Extract:
Dulce Limon – hyrbrid sativa dominant
Pineapple Fizz – slightly indica dominant hybrid strain
SHOW No. 4: Dark Star (Mind Left Body Jam)
Track #18
34:45 – end
Played: 9 times
First: October 19, 1973 at Jim Norick Arena, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Last: March 24, 1990 at Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY, USA
INTO
Eyes of the World (into China Doll/Sugar Mag as second set closer)
Track #19
0:00 – 2:25
David Dodd: “Eyes of the World” is a Robert Hunter lyric set by Jerry Garcia. It appeared in concert for the first time in that same show on February 9, 1973, at the Maples Pavilion at Stanford University, along with “They Love Each Other,” “China Doll,” “Here Comes Sunshine,” “Loose Lucy,” “Row Jimmy,” and “Wave That Flag.” Its final performance by the Dead was on July 6, 1995, at Riverport Amphitheatre, in Maryland Heights, Missouri, when it opened the second set, and led into “Unbroken Chain.” It was performed 381 times, with 49 of those performances occurring in 1973. It was released on “Wake of the Flood” in November, 1973.
(I have begun to notice something I never saw before in the song statistics in Deadbase—the 49 performances in 1973 made me look twice at the song-by-song table of performances broken out by year in DeadBase X, which clearly shows the pattern of new songs being played in heavy rotation when they are first broken out, and then either falling away entirely, or settling into a more steady, less frequent pattern as the years go by. Makes absolute sense!)
Sometimes criticized, lyrically, as being a bit too hippy-dippy for its own good, “Eyes of the World” might be heard as conveying a message of hope, viewing human consciousness as having value for the planet as a whole. There are echoes in the song of a wide range of literary and musical influences, from Blaise Pascal to (perhaps) Ken Kesey; from talk of a redeemer to the title of the song itself.
In an interview, Hunter made an interesting statement about the “songs of our own,” which appear twice in “Eyes of the World.” He said that he thinks it’s possible each of us may have some tune, or song, that we hum or sing to ourselves, nothing particularly amazing or fine, necessarily, that is our own song. Our song.
The song leaves plenty of room for our own interpretation of certain lines and sections. The verse about the redeemer fading away, being followed by a clay-laden wagon. The myriad of images of birds, beeches, flowers, seeds, horses....
One of my all time favorite songs, Dead or otherwise. A perfect jam tune. Great lyrics, fun sing along chorus and some of the finest music you will ever hear between the verses. First really fell for it while at a small show one night my junior year at Michigan in the Michigan Union, a Cleveland based dead cover band call Oroboros. We were all dancing and this tune just seemed to go on forever, it might have been whatever we were on at the time, but regardless, this tune really caught my attention. I then did the standard Dead dive to find as many versions of the song as I could on the limited live Dead releases at that time and via show tapes.
Often followed Estimated Prophet in the first part of the second set, china/rider/estimated/eyes or scarlet/fire/estimated/eyes and sometimes even Help/Slip/Frank/Estimated/Eyes. Regardless of where it appeared, hearing the opening notes was magical because you knew that for the next 10 – 12 minutes Jerry had you in the palm of his hand.
This is just a great version, coming out of the Dark Star/Mind Left Body Jam and then continuing on into China Doll (two great Jerry tunes in a row!) and a standout Sugar Mag to close out the second set. Any ’73 Eyes will leave you in awe and this one is one of the best.
Played: 382 times
First: February 9, 1973 at Maples Pavilion, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
Last: July 6, 1995 at Riverport Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights (St. Louis), MO
OUTRO: And We Bid You Goodnight (encore out of Uncle John’s Band/Johnny B. Goode) 3 song encore!!
Track #25
:40 – 3:03
The Grateful Dead performed the song a number of times in the 1968-1970 and 1989-1990 periods but infrequently during the rest of their performing career. On Grateful Dead recordings the title used is either And We Bid You Goodnight or We Bid You Goodnight.
The Grateful Dead version of this traditional 'lowering down' funeral song originates from a recording by Joseph Spence and the Pindar Family which was released in 1965. The title used on that recording, as on many others, is I Bid You Good Night. This song appears to share a common ancestry with the song Sleep On Beloved from North East England.
I got to see it the first night at Alpine Valley in 1989 (the Dead’s last year at Alpine) and it really caught the crowd off guard. Great reaction from the Deadheads. Kind of a chills down your spine thing. I was with One armed Lary and Alex, both had been with us at Deer Creek right before. Lary stayed for all three nights but Alex had to take off after the first show. Great times.
Played: 69 times
First: January 26, 1968 at Eagles Auditorium, Seattle, WA, USA
Last: September 26, 1991 at Boston Garden, Boston, MA, USA
Thank you for listening. Join us again next week for more music news, marijuana news and another featured Grateful Dead show.
Have a great week, have fun, be safe and as always, enjoy your cannabis responsibly.
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
Phil Lesh: A Tribute to a Musical Icon
In this episode of the Deadhead Cannabis Show, Larry Mishkin discusses the significance of the Grateful Dead's concert on November 4, 1977, at Colgate University, along with various music news updates, tributes to Phil Lesh, and reflections on Quincy Jones's legacy. The conversation highlights the dynamics of the band during the concert, the impact of newer jam bands like Goose, and the importance of preserving musical legacies through releases like Dave's Picks. In this episode, Larry discusses the latest music news, particularly focusing on the Grateful Dead's legacy and their recent box set releases. He reflects on the band's unique performances and the significance of their music. The conversation then shifts to marijuana legalization efforts, particularly in Florida, where a recent ballot measure was rejected despite public support. Larry expresses disappointment in the political landscape surrounding marijuana and emphasizes the benefits of legalization. The episode concludes with a deep dive into a specific Grateful Dead performance, highlighting the band's improvisational style and the joy their music brings to fans.
Takeaways
Sound Bites
Chapters
00:00Introduction and Context of the Episode
03:45Exploring the Grateful Dead's November 4, 1977 Show
11:34The Jones Gang Incident and Band Dynamics
16:49Music News: Goose and Gen 3 Jam Bands
20:51Tributes to Phil Lesh and Reflections on Legacy
25:30Remembering Quincy Jones: A Musical Legend
30:06Dave's Picks Volume 52: A Review
36:30Celebrating Music and New Releases
38:53Exploring the Grateful Dead's Legacy
44:17Marijuana News and Legalization Efforts
01:01:01Deep Dive into Grateful Dead Performances
01:09:55Closing Thoughts and Reflections
LARRY'S NOTES:
Grateful Dead November 11, 1977 (47 years ago)
Cotterrell Gymnasium
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY
Grateful Dead Live at Cotterrell Gym, Colgate U on 1977-11-04 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Dave’s Picks #12
This show literally “popped up out of nowhere” during the very famous fall tour of the very famous 1977 year of touring. On November 1st they played in Detroit’s legendary Cobo Hall. The next night up in Toronto. They had Nov. 3 set for Utica, NY but the show fell through a few weeks before. They were still set for Rochester on Nov. 5th (which was released as Dick’s Picks #34) and Binghamton on Nov. 7th. So less than 4 weeks before this show, while already hitting the road, negotiations began for this show which were only finalized the night before.
Cotterrell gym on the Colgate campus is a small venue. Think large high school gym with pull out bleachers. There were only 3,000 folks at the show. But 2300 of them were held for Colgate students so only 700 were sold to the public or really the Deadheads. A tough ticket as the Heads used to say. But those who made it in had a ball and saw one of the best shows of the year.
One of those shows that lots of Deadheads wished they had seen.
This version of the show from Archive, is an audience tape and a great contrast to other episodes where we have featured Dead show clips from audience tapes. This one was taped by Jerry Moore who was set up directly behind the soundboard. Go to Archive and check out the entire show.
On a personal note, glad to see that Archive is back up and running after its hacking episode a few weeks ago.
INTRO: Dupree’s Diamond Blues
Track #8
2:50 – 4:52
This is a great version with Jerry’s lyrics and playing both very strong.
The 8th song of the first set following: GO TO ARCHIVE LINK
A beautiful Bertha opening but I have featured that song so much, and it is such a common opener, that I needed to go with something else today. I love it from the 1969 Fillmore West shows where two of the nights the second set would start with DuPree’s into Mountains of the Moon before jumping into the fabulous Dark Star/St. Stephen/11/Lovelight suite (in my humble opinion, the best suite of songs ever played by the Dead and certainly the one that best defines the band and the basic foundation that supports so much of their music.
Played: 82 times
First: January 24, 1969 at Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: October 13, 1994 at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA
SHOW No. 1: Tuning (start of second set, stage banter re Jones Gang)
Track #10
:15 – End
Why did Phil do this? To kill time, he was dosed, adding a bit of levity to the evening’s proceedings. Or there is this:
Two nights before the Dead played in Toronto at Seneca College’s Field House. The night before was at Cobo Hall in Detroit. So they took the 3d off while traveling from Toronto to Hamilton, NY to play this show. Apparently, the band could not or did not want to try to take their stash into Canada. Keith Richards of the Stones had just been busted in Canada for possession and no one wanted to take any chances. SO . . . . it seems they were “jonesing” from something, weed, acid, or whatever.
Many of the Deadhead reports of the show in Archive and at the Dead Setlist Program note that the guys seemed very stoned or, more likely, dosed. They were wearing sunglasses indoors in the evening.
Good friend Henry was a student at Colgate in 1977 and attended the show. In telling me about it, he basically began with the Jones Gang episode. So it was cool to finally hear the show and hear Phil do his thing. A great way to keep everybody entertained while waiting for some technical issues to be resolved. And something that was sadly missing in their later years when basically none of them said anything while on stage, Bobby sporadically with a comment and Jerry I saw speak from the stage maybe 5 times out of 110 shows. This is the kind of stuff that normalized them and separated them from the button down rock acts that showed up, played the same set list that they had played all tour and would keep playing When they spoke it was all pre planned, “Thank you (insert name of city where they are playing).
And then launched into a killer Samson (even though it was a Friday). Just part of another great Dead experience and the kind of thing that makes it easy to remember the show even years later. Everyone talks about the Jones Gang show, maybe more than they think of it as a Colgate show or Hamilton, NY show. Sure took Henry back.
MUSIC NEWS: Music Intro:
Cold Rain & Snow
Goose
10.25.2024
LJVM Coliseum
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Goose - “Cold Rain and Snow” (10/25/24 - LJVM Coliseum - Winston-Salem, NC) (youtube.com)
0:10 – 1:05
Another Phil tribute by one of the most promising Gen3 (Gen1 = Dead; Gen2=Phish) jam bands on the scene. Not the first time they have covered the Dead, but it’s a damn good cover of a tune that traces its Dead roots to their very first album and even before that. Jerry loved it. Phil made it happen and restarted his singing career on the closing chorus in 1982 at MSG. And Goose nails it here. They really bring it every time they play. The jam band that I figure will outlast me!
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (March 14, 1933 – November 3, 2024 at 91) was an American record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer.[1] Over his course of his career he received several accolades including 28 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Tony Award as well as nominations for seven Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards.[2]
Jones came to prominence in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor before producing pop hit records for Lesley Gore in the early 1960s (including "It's My Party") and serving as an arranger and conductor for several collaborations between the jazz artists Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. Jones produced three of the most successful albums by pop star Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), and Bad (1987). In 1985, Jones produced and conducted the charity song "We Are the World", which raised funds for victims of famine in Ethiopia.[3]
Jones composed numerous films scores including for The Pawnbroker (1965), In the Heat of the Night (1967), In Cold Blood (1967), The Italian Job (1969), The Wiz (1978), and The Color Purple (1985). He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for the miniseries Roots (1977). He received a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical as a producer for the revival of The Color Purple (2016).
Throughout career he was the recipient of numerous honorary awards including the Grammy Legend Award in 1992, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1995, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2001, the National Medal of the Arts in 2011, the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2014, and the Academy Honorary Award in 2024. He was named one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time.[1]
"I woke up today to the Terrible news that we lost Quincy Jones.. Genius is a description loosely used but Rarely deserved. Point blank, Quincy was the MAN. I won my 1st Grammy with Quincy and I live with his Wisdom daily," Ice-T on X.
Time to order Dave’s Picks 2025 subscription. I say it every year.
SHOW No. 2: Eyes of the World
Track #15
11:10 – END
INTO
Estimated Prophet
Track #16
Start - :20
The unique thing in this segment is that it is the first, and one of the only times, that the band played Eyes into Estimated as it was almost always played as Estimated>Eyes. This is the end of Eyes jam and segue into Estimated. Very cool to hear it played “backwards”. This entire Eyes (all 13 minutes of it), is magnificent and a must hear if you are looking for some great Dead jamming to rock to. On this night, the boys were apparently in a state of mind that let them do a bit of exploring away from the norm for them, if there even is a “Dead norm”. It sure worked out well for the rest of us.
SHOW No. 3: The Other One
Track #17
:52 – 3:00
We’ve featured this song so many times, discussed the whole That’s It For The Other One suite and all of its subparts. This one is the opposite, a 4 minutes 20 seconds version, with the first 3+ minutes just a hard jam. They only sing the first verse of the standard Other One and then head straight into Drums. This clip just features the jam with Jerry leading the way. So clean and powerful, if 1977 is the best year ever for the band, then this has to be one of its peaks. Maybe not the best of ’77 because Barton Hall, but still way up there for nights when the band was truly smoking hot and holding nothing back. Some of the best post-1970 psychedelic Dead that you will ever hear. Everyone in sync and making the magic that kept us all coming back for more until there was no more to come back to. Just buckle in and enjoy the ride.
Played: 550 times
First: October 31, 1967 at Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: July 9, 1995 at Soldier Field, Chicago
MJ NEWS:
SHOW No. 4: Playin Reprise
Track #21
3:00 – 6:34
"Playing in the Band" is a song by the Grateful Dead. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter and rhythm guitaristBob Weir composed the music, with some assistance from percussionist Mickey Hart.[1] The song first emerged in embryonic form on the self-titled 1971 live albumGrateful Dead. It then appeared in a more polished form on Ace, Bob Weir's first solo album (which included every Grateful Dead member except Ron "Pigpen" McKernan).
During a Bob Weir and Wolf Bros concert livestream on February 12, 2021, Weir credited David Crosby with the composition of the main riff. Weir stated, "David Crosby came up with the seminal lick... and then he left. We were out at Mickey's barn. So Mickey said, 'Make a song out of that'. Next day, I had it".[
It has since become one of the best-known Grateful Dead numbers and a standard part of their repertoire. According to Deadbase X, it ranks fourth on the list of songs played most often in concert by the band with 581 performances.
In the Grateful Dead's live repertoire, all songs featured musical improvisation and many featured extended instrumental solos; but certain key songs were used as starting points for serious collective musical improvisation—the entire band creating spontaneously all at once. In this regard "Playing in the Band" was of major importance, second only to "Dark Star". During "Playing in the Band" the Grateful Dead would play the planned verses and choruses of the song itself; then they would improvise and explore brand new musical territory, sometimes for twenty minutes or more; and then the chorus would usually be reprised, to bring the song to its end. Sometimes during these extended "jams", the band would even perform other entire songs, before at last coming back around to the final chorus aka the “Reprise”.
On some occasions, more early on than later, the band would play the main song, jam for some amount of time and slide back in for the reprise. Its performance in this style on 21 May 1974 at the Hec Edmundson Pavilion in Seattle has been cited as the longest uninterrupted performance of a single song in the Grateful Dead's history, clocking in at 46 minutes and 32 seconds.[3][4] It was released in 2018 on the boxset Pacific Northwest '73–'74: The Complete Recordings and as its own LP. Very cool – an entire album just for one song. Like Phish’ Ruby Waves at Alpine Valley in 2019 got its own album.
Then later they might add a song or two in between the main portion and the reprise.
Then later they might hold it for the encore the same night the main song had been performed.
Then later, they might hold it until the night after the main song had been performed and then two nights later and sometimes 3. Not uncommon for play the main song the first night of a multi-night run and then the reprise the last night. Usually during the show, but as stated, sometimes in the encore.
Then they might forget to ever get back to it, play the main song again and the whole process would repeat as everyone would wait to see if and when they would finally play the reprise.
David Dodd: To me, the unpredictability of a “Playin” jam was always a highlight of a show. It could get incredibly far out there—completely away from anything—and then, just like that, snap back in, quietly and cautiously or slam-bang, or later, after they’d played most of another song, or a whole set, into the “Playin Reprise.” Sometimes the reprise would never occur.
While it usually ran 3 or 4 minutes, this show’s reprise went almost 7 minutes with an extended jam before they every got to the reprise lyrics.
For Phish fans, think Twe-pri. For non Phish fans that’s the song Tweezer and its “reprise” and that band takes all sorts of liberties with it. Not so unlike the Dead’s style as previously discussed but most famously, at least as far as I know as a still neophyte Phish head, during their 13 show Baker’s Dozen run at MSG, Phish played Tweezer the very first night on July 21st to open the second set and then the Twi-Pri finally showed up on August 6th as the second song of the encore after On The Road Again to close out the entire 13 night run.
Reprises are great!
Played: 648 times (no separate breakdown for how may Reprises were played but I’m sure there were times they never got back to a reprise although one year April Fools 1985 at Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland MA – actually March 31st but called it their April Fools joke even though they did play again the next night, April 1, at the same venue - they played the reprise first and then the main song)
First: February 18, 1971 at Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, USA
Last: July 5, 1995 at the Riverport Amphitheater in Maryland Heights (St. Louis), MO
OUTRO Johnny B. Goode (Bob – “Happy Homecoming”)
Track #22
0:12 – 2:08
We’ve also featured this song quite a bit, a Chuck Berry classic covered by almost every rock n roll band that ever played a set of music and even some that never did. Its guitar intro is as famous a song opening as any in the genre. I love this version because of Bobby’s greetings to the students wishing them a happy homecoming! Imagine going to your high school or college homecoming dance and the band is the Grateful Dead. Now that’s a story to tell. Not sure and I don’t think it really matters whether that weekend was or was not Colgate’s homecoming. It just showed that stoned and all, Bobby knew he was on a college campus.
Almost always played as an encore or show closer if no encore. Unlike another Chuck Berry classic covered by the Dead, The Promised Land, which could be played as a show opener, set closer, second set opener, encore, it would pop up just about anywhere.
Great way to end a great show. The boys just blow the walls down on this one. Or, as commenter RFKROX posted back in 2008 about this version, “Oh, and the Johnny B. Goode is the most incredible rockin’ version I’ve ever heard this band play!! It’s the fucking SHIT!!” I couldn’t have said it any better myself!
Played: 283 times
First: September 7, 1969 at Family Dog on the Great Highway, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: April 5, 1995 at Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center Coliseum, Birmingham, AL, USA - very interesting, not played at all on the final summer tour.
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
Phil Lesh: A Legacy of Love and Music
In this episode of the Deadhead Cannabis Show, Larry Mishkin pays tribute to the late Phil Lesh, the iconic bassist of the Grateful Dead, who passed away at the age of 84. The conversation reflects on Phil's significant contributions to music, his unique style of playing the bass, and the profound impact he had on the Grateful Dead and the music community. Larry shares personal anecdotes, highlights Phil's musical journey, and discusses the recent tribute by Phish, who honored Phil by performing 'Box of Rain' shortly after his passing. The episode culminates in a heartfelt reflection on Phil's legacy and the love he brought to his music and fans. This conversation reflects on the life and legacy of Phil Lesh, a key figure in the Grateful Dead, discussing his musical contributions, memorable performances, and the impact of his passing. The dialogue also touches on the evolving landscape of marijuana legislation, youth usage trends, and the medical benefits of cannabis, alongside a critical look at political maneuvers in Florida regarding cannabis reform.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Tribute to Phil Lesh
10:05 Phil Lesh's Musical Journey and Contributions
17:07 Phish's Tribute to Phil Lesh
25:31 Phil Lesh's Legacy and Impact
36:16 Reflections on Phil Lesh's Life and Music
47:26 Musical Reflections and Setlists
48:51 Remembering Phil Lesh
49:39 The Beatles and Their Impact
52:32 Unbroken Chain: A Grateful Dead Classic
56:16 Marijuana News and Medical Benefits
01:01:30 Florida's Political Landscape on Cannabis
01:11:19 Youth Marijuana Use Trends
01:16:56 Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis
01:24:56 Phil Lesh's Return to Music
Takeaways:
Phil Lesh was a pivotal figure in the Grateful Dead.
His return to singing 'Box of Rain' was a significant moment.
Phil's bass playing redefined the role of the instrument in rock music.
Phish honored Phil Lesh with a performance of 'Box of Rain'.
Phil's contributions to music extend beyond the Grateful Dead.
He was known for his virtuosic bass playing and musical exploration.
Phil Lesh's legacy is celebrated by fans and musicians alike.
The Grateful Dead created a unique community among their fans.
Phil's influence can be seen in many modern jam bands.
His passing marks a significant loss for the music world. Phil Lesh's passing at 84 marks a significant loss for the music community.
The Beatles' influence on music is profound, with songs like 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road' showcasing their creativity.
'Unbroken Chain' is a complex piece that highlights Phil's musical genius.
Cannabinoids have been shown to provide significant relief for chronic pain with minimal side effects.
Bipartisan support for cannabis reform is growing, even in states like Florida.
Youth marijuana use has decreased significantly in states that have legalized cannabis.
Research indicates that THC levels in blood do not directly correlate with driving impairment.
Phil Lesh's love for marijuana and its benefits is well-documented in his music and life.
The final performance of 'Box of Rain' encapsulates the essence of the Grateful Dead's journey.
Enjoying cannabis responsibly is essential for both health and safety.
Sound Bites:
"Phil Lesh was the beating heart of the band."
"Box of Rain marked the return of Phil Lesh."
"Phil brought immense joy to everyone around him."
"Phil Lesh passed away at the age of 84."
"Why Don't We Do It In The Road?"
"Unbroken Chain is one of the big songs."
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
Pink Floyd's Catalog Sale: A New Era
In this episode of the Deadhead Cannabis Show, Larry Michigan explores the rich history of the Grateful Dead's music, focusing on a specific concert from 1980. He discusses the significance of various songs, including 'Iko Iko' and 'Me and Bobby McGee', while also reflecting on the impact of Chris Christopherson's songwriting. The conversation shifts to current events in the music and cannabis industries, including Pink Floyd's catalog sale and the ongoing challenges faced by the hemp industry. Larry emphasizes the importance of medical marijuana legalization and shares insights on how cannabis enhances the music experience. He concludes with personal strain recommendations and highlights record sales in legal marijuana states.
Takeaways
The Grateful Dead's acoustic sets were a significant part of their live performances.
Audience tapes capture the energy of live shows better than soundboard recordings.
Chris Christopherson's 'Me and Bobby McGee' remains a classic, showcasing the intersection of music and storytelling.
Pink Floyd's recent catalog sale reflects the changing dynamics in the music industry.
The Betty Boards represent a pivotal moment in Grateful Dead tape trading history.
The hemp industry faces legal challenges that could impact small businesses.
A majority of chronic pain patients support the legalization of medical marijuana.
Cannabis enhances the enjoyment of music, as confirmed by recent studies.
Record sales in legal marijuana states are reaching new heights, indicating a thriving market.
Personal strain recommendations can enhance the cannabis experience for users.
Chapters
00:00Introduction and Context of the Grateful Dead's Music
04:50Exploring 'Iko Iko' and Audience Tapes
10:42The Significance of 'Monkey and the Engineer'
15:24Remembering Chris Christopherson and 'Me and Bobby McGee'
22:31Pink Floyd's Catalog Sale to Sony Music
28:15The Mystery of the Betty Boards
54:16Current Issues in the Hemp Industry
01:08:10Support for Medical Marijuana Legalization
01:15:50The Impact of Marijuana on Music Enjoyment
01:21:09Record Sales in Legal Marijuana States
01:25:53Strain Recommendations and Personal Experiences
Grateful Dead
October 7, 1980 (44 years ago)
Warfield Theater
San Francisco, CA
Grateful Dead Live at Warfield Theater on 1980-10-07 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Part of 23 show run in late September to the end of October, 1980 split between the Warfield (September 27th – October 14th) and Radio City Music Hall in NYC (October 22 – 31st) Each show opened with an acoustic set followed by two full electric sets. These were the last shows where the Dead played acoustic sets. Songs from all of these concerts were pulled for the two related Dead double album releases, Reckoning (acoustic music, released April 1, 1981- the Band’s sixth live album and 17th overall) and Dead Set (electric music, released August 26, 1981, the Band’s seventh live album and 18th overall).
Today’s episode is broken up into three acoustic numbers from this show and then three electric numbers.
INTRO: Iko Iko
Track #1
0:00 – 1:37
"Iko Iko" (/ˈaɪkoʊˈaɪkoʊ/) is a much-coveredNew Orleans song that tells of a parade collision between two tribes of Mardi Gras Indians and the traditional confrontation. The song, under the original title "Jock-A-Mo", was written and released in 1953 as a single by James "Sugar Boy" Crawford and his Cane Cutters but it failed to make the charts.
The song first became popular in 1965 by the girl groupthe Dixie Cups, who scored an international hit with "Iko Iko" released in March, 1965. In 1967, as part of a lawsuit settlement between Crawford and the Dixie Cups, the trio were given part songwriting credit for the song.
A permanent part of the Dead’s repertoire since first played in May, 1977 in St. Louis, almost by accident out of and back into a Not Fade Away. The intro, one verse and back to NFA. Overtime, became a tune that was not frequently played, usually once, maybe twice, a tour, but whenever it was played it created a party atmosphere out of whatever the mood had been prior to its playing.
Perfect song for Jerry with the call and response chorus that everyone joined in on. The song that “fastened my seatbelt on the bus” when I saw it for the first time at my second show ever in Syracuse in 1982 with good buddy Mikey. Once you hear it live, you are always looking for it at future shows.
I love this song as do many Deadheads. But getting to hear it played acoustically is a real treat and a great way to open this “hometown” show. Jerry played it right up until the end.
Played: 185 times
First: May 15, 1977 at St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, MO, USA
Last: July 5, 1995 at Riverport Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, MO, USA
SHOW No. 1: Monkey And The Engineer
Track #4
0:48 – 2:25
Jesse Fuller tune
Jesse Fuller (March 12, 1896 – January 29, 1976) was an American one-man band musician, best known for his song "San Francisco Bay Blues". Starting in the 1950’s after a number of non-music related jobs, Fuller began to compose songs, many of them based on his experiences on the railroads, and also reworked older pieces, playing them in his syncopated style. His one-man band act began when he had difficulty finding reliable musicians to work with: hence, he became known as "The Lone Cat". Starting locally, in clubs and bars in San Francisco and across the bay in Oakland and Berkeley, Fuller became more widely known when he performed on television in both the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
In 1958, at the age of 62, he recorded an album, released by Good Time Jazz Records.[3] Fuller's instruments included 6-string guitar (an instrument which he had abandoned before the beginning of his one-man band career), 12-string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, cymbal (high-hat) and fotdella. He could play several instruments simultaneously, particularly with the use of a headpiece to hold a harmonica, kazoo, and microphone.
In the summer of 1959 he was playing in the Exodus Gallery Bar in Denver. Bob Dylan spent several weeks in Denver that summer, and picked up his technique of playing the harmonica by using a neck-brace from Fuller.[
Monkey And The Engineer was played by the pre-Dead group Mother McCree's Uptown Jug Champions in 1964. The song was performed by the Grateful Dead in acoustic sets in 1969, 1970, 1980 and 1981. Also performed by Bob Weir with Kingfish.
A fun tune that is perfect for kids as well. Good one to get them hooked into the Dead on!
Played: 38 times
First: December 19, 1969 at Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: February 12, 1989 at Great Western Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA
MUSIC NEWS:
Intro Music: Me and Bobby McGee
Kris Kristofferson - Me And Bobby McGee (1979) (youtube.com)
0:00 – 1:27
"Me and Bobby McGee" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson and originally performed by Roger Miller. Fred Foster shares the writing credit, as Kristofferson wrote the song based on a suggestion from Foster.[1] Foster had a bit of a crush on Barbara "Bobbie" McKee who was a secretary on Nashville's music row. When he pitched the title to Kristofferson, he misheard the name as "Me and Bobby McGee," and the name stuck. Kristofferson found inspiration for his lyrics from a film, 'La Strada,' by Fellini, and a scene where Anthony Quinn is going around on this motorcycle and Giulietta Masina is the feeble-minded girl with him, playing the trombone. He got to the point where he couldn't put up with her anymore and left her by the side of the road while she was sleeping," Kristofferson said.
A posthumously released version by Janis Joplin topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971, making the song the second posthumously released No. 1 single in U.S. chart history after "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding. Gordon Lightfoot released a version that reached number 1 on the Canadian country charts in 1970. Jerry Lee Lewis released a version that was number 1 on the country charts in December 1971/January 1972 as the "B" side of "Would You Take Another Chance on Me". Billboard ranked Joplin's version as the No. 11 song for 1971.
Janis Joplin recorded the song for inclusion on her Pearl album only a few days before her death in October 1970. Singer Bob Neuwirth taught it to her while Kristofferson was in Peru filming The Last Movie with Dennis Hopper.[5] Kristofferson did not know she had recorded the song until after her death. The first time he heard her recording of it was the day after she died.[6]Record World called it a "perfect matching of performer and material."[7] Joplin's version topped the charts to become her only number one single; her version was later ranked No. 148 on Rolling Stone's 2004 list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
In 2002, the 1971 version of the song by Janis Joplin on Columbia Records was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The song is the story of two drifters, the narrator and Bobby McGee. The pair hitch a ride from a truck driver and sing as they drive through the American South before making their way westward. They visit California and then part ways, with the song's narrator expressing sadness afterwards. Due to the singer's name never being mentioned and the name "Bobby" being gender-neutral (especially in America), the song has been recorded by both male and female singers with only minor differences in the lyrical content.
Me And Bobby McGee was first performed by the Grateful Dead in November 1970. It was then played well over 100 times through to October 1974. The song returned to the repertoire for three performances in 1981 after which it was dropped for good. Sung by Weir.
Kris Kristofferson, the iconic country music singer-songwriter and accomplished Hollywood actor, passed away peacefully at his home in Maui, Hawaii, at the age of 88. The family has not disclosed the cause of death. It was confirmed that Kristofferson was surrounded by loved ones during his final moments.
In a statement, the family shared: "It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 28 at home. We're all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he's smiling down at us all."
Tributes poured in from across the entertainment world and fans as the news of Kris Kristofferson’s death spread. Barbra Streisand, his co-star in A Star Is Born, praised him as a "special” and “charming" in a post on X. Dolly Parton, who collaborated with Kristofferson, shared on X, "What a great loss. I will always love you, Dolly."
Kristofferson's career was nothing short of extraordinary. He achieved stardom as both a country music artist and a successful actor. Throughout his prolific career, Kristofferson earned numerous accolades. These include three Grammy Awards and an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004. Additionally, he was nominated for an Academy Award in 1985 for Best Original Song for Songwriter.
In 1971, Janis Joplin, who had dated Kristofferson, had a number one hit with "Me and Bobby McGee" from her posthumous album Pearl. It stayed on the number-one spot on the charts for weeks.
In 2021, after releasing his final album, The Cedar Creek Sessions, in 2016, Kristofferson announced his retirement from music. His legacy as a musician, actor, and cultural icon leaves a profound impact on both industries. He is survived by his wife, Lisa, his children, and his grandchildren.
After years of in-fighting and near-agreements, Pink Floyd have finally reached a deal to sell the rights to their recorded music catalog to Sony Music, according to the Financial Times.
The deal is reported to be worth around $400 million and also includes the rights to the band’s name and likenesses. That means, along with gaining full control over Pink Floyd’s music, Sony will have the crucial rights for most things Pink Floyd-related, from merch to movies.
A rep for Sony Music declined to comment. A source confirmed the veracity of the details to Rolling Stone.
In an interview with Rolling Stone in August, Gilmour confirmed that the band was “in discussion” about a potential catalog sale, with the guitarist adding he was tired of the continued in-fighting and “veto system” that has resulted in animosity and delayed reissues over petty issues like liner notes.
“To be rid of the decision-making and the arguments that are involved with keeping it going is my dream,” Gilmour said of a catalog sale. “If things were different… and I am not interested in that from a financial standpoint. I’m only interested in it from getting out of the mud bath that it has been for quite a while.”
With the Sony deal in place, the label — and not the band — will now bear the responsibility for the next Pink Floyd release, a 50th-anniversary edition of Wish You Were Here that is expected to arrive in 2025.
The Sony deal comes 18 months after Pink Floyd made traction on a $500 million agreement to sell their music, only for more bickering between band mates to make the deal “basically dead,” as sources told Variety in March 2023.
The Sony deal only includes Pink Floyd’s recorded music catalog, which allows for the band to keep its largely Waters-penned publishing catalog and retain ownership of now-apropos lyrics like “Money/It’s a crime/Share it fairly, but don’t take a slice of my pie” and “We call it riding the gravy train.”
In May 1986, a storage auction took place in California’s Marin County that would altogether change the nature of Grateful Dead tape trading, the group’s distribution of its live recordings and, ultimately, the Dead’s place in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry. An advertisement in a local paper drew in a few dozen curious parties anticipating the range of memorabilia and household items that typically become available through the auction of lockers that had fallen into arrears due to lack of payments.
Among the items up for auction that day were hundreds of reel-to-reel soundboard tapes of the Grateful Dead originally recorded by Betty Cantor-Jackson during a golden age between 1971-80.
The Betty Boards, as copies of these recordings became known, eventually found their way into the collections of longstanding Deadheads and newbies alike, ending some aspects of a tape-trading hierarchy by which certain individuals lorded over their collections, denying access to those who were unfamiliar with the secret handshake.
The appearance and subsequent dissemination of these recordings became a source of fascination and speculation for Deadheads in 1986 and the questions have only compounded over the years: How did the tapes fall into the auction? Who won them? How and why were they initially distributed? Are there more recordings that have yet to make it into circulation? And jumping ahead to the present, where are those tapes today? Just what has become of the Bettys?
What can be said with certainty is that a new cache of tapes has been unearthed and a plan is underway by Dark Star Orchestra guitarist Rob Eaton, who has painstakingly restored many of the boards, to complete the job and then facilitate their return to the band. Eaton hopes that a series of official releases might follow that will also yield a small royalty to the woman who recorded the reels and then lost them due to her own financial hardship, even if Deadheads owe her a debt of gratitude.
Before the auction, before the boards, there was Betty.
Betty Cantor was still in her teens when she began setting up mics and helping to record sound at San Francisco venues— first at the Avalon Ballroom and then, the Carousel (the latter during the Grateful Dead’s brief stab at venue management in 1968). She worked alongside Bob Matthews, initially assisting with setups during the recording of the Dead’s Anthem of the Sun. A true pioneer, as a woman staking her claim in a patriarchal business, she partnered with Matthews into the early 1970s to produce and engineer live multi- track recordings (she had a hand or two in Live/Dead) as well as studio efforts (Aoxomoxoa and Workingman’s Dead).
While she worked for other artists during this period, she maintained a close relationship with the Grateful Dead, catalyzed by her marriage to crew member Rex Jackson, who would die a few years later in an auto accident. (The philanthropic Rex Foundation is named in his honor.)
“My late husband started recording on the road when he was on the equipment crew,” Cantor Jackson explains. “He and I purchased our own gear and tape. I recorded whenever I could get to the gigs. I recorded the Grateful Dead frequently when they were at home venues, I recorded any and all Jerry Garcia Band gigs I could get to for years, in all its configurations, as well as other bands I liked whenever I could. In those days, bands were cool and happy about me getting a feed. Rex was killed in a car accident in ‘76. In ‘77 and ‘78, I was put on Grateful Dead road crew salary, taping and handling Bobby’s stage setup.”
She later began a romantic relationship with Dead keyboardist Brent Mydland but, after that ended, she sensed that she had been frozen out. “Brent and I split up after a few years, with the last year spent in the studio working on his solo project. This put me in the category of the dreaded ‘ex.’ I didn’t think that could apply to me, but he was a band member. Everyone was paranoid of me being around, so I no longer had access to my studio or the vault.”
Trying times followed. In 1986, she found herself in a dire financial predicament and forced out of her home. “All my things were moved to storage facilities.
Unable to foot the bill at the storage center, Cantor-Jackson forfeited the rights to her worldly possessions. She remembers contacting the Grateful Dead office to inform them of the situation, but the group took no action, resulting in a public auction of Cantor-Jackson’s personal assets, which included more than 1,000 reel-to-reel tapes—mostly Grateful Dead recordings, along with performances by Legion of Mary, Kingfish, Jerry Garcia Band, Old and In The Way, the Keith and Donna Band, and New Riders of The Purple Sage.
The majority of the 1,000-plus reels that have come to be known as the Betty Boards were acquired by three principals, none of whom were fervid Deadheads at the time. The first of these individuals set his tapes aside in a storage locker where they remain to this day. A second, who was more interested in the road cases that held the tapes, left them to rot in his barn for a decade. The final party was a couple with a particular interest in progressive rock, who nonetheless held an appreciation for the performances captured on tape.
So while some tapes unquestionably were scattered to the wind, following the four- hour event and a second auction for a final lot of tapes held a few weeks later, the three prime bidders each held hundreds of reels. While two of the winning bidders had no plans for the tapes, within a few months the couple decided that they would place the music in circulation.
This was our way of getting new material into circulation and also breaking the hierarchy of those collectors who held on to prime shows for themselves. Initially, we started transferring the tapes to VHS Hi-Fi on our own, but soon realized what a daunting task this was going to be. So we reached out to one of our trading buddies who we knew had connections in the Dead trading community. From there, he gathered together what was later to become known as the ‘Unindicted Co-conspirators,’ who put in a massive archiving effort to back up the tapes and distribute them.”
The individual they selected as their point person was Ken Genetti, a friend and longtime Deadhead. “I went into their house, and I opened up this closet and they had all the stuff arranged on a shelf in order,” Genetti reflects. “For me, it was like King Tut’s tomb. I knew immediately what they had when I looked in there. The first thing I saw was Port Chester, N.Y., Feb. 18, 1971, an incredible show which was Mickey [Hart]’s last concert for many years and I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me!’ Then I saw Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, Calif., ‘73, my favorite concert I ever went to. I pulled it out and I went, ‘Holy shit!’”
They explain: “We had sought to keep the operation as low key as possible because of the potential for a backlash. It wasn’t until someone contacted the Grateful Dead office and offered them a copy of the tapes that we knew it was only a matter of time before we would be hearing from their lawyers. When we did hear from them, there was a bit of back and forth between their lawyers and our lawyer, but the bottom line was we had purchased the tapes legally and owned them but didn’t own the rights to the music contained on them. Therefore, we could not sell the music on them, which was never our intent anyway. That pretty much left us at a stalemate and, not wanting to stir up any more issues with the Grateful Dead office, is also why we avoided re-digitizing the tapes.”
In late 1995, Eaton received a call from a high-school teacher who had purchased one of the lots predominantly for the road cases that held the tapes. The teacher now hoped to sell the reels and wanted Eaton to assess them. In a cluttered barn, Eaton discovered a grimy, mold-infested collection.
This might have been the end of the story, but the Betty Boards have proven to be the gift that keeps on giving. The teacher never found a buyer for the tapes—his asking price was a million dollars—and two years ago, facing monetary struggles and fearing that that the bank might foreclose on his home, he contacted Eaton once again to see if he would be willing to take custody of the tapes. The teacher also explained that he had discovered another 50 reels while cleaning out the barn.
Emboldened by success with this latest batch, Eaton set a new goal for himself: “I had this dream to try to reclaim all of this music and archive it properly so that it’s there for generations to come in the best possible form.”
Emboldened by success with this latest batch, Eaton set a new goal for himself: “I had this dream to try to reclaim all of this music and archive it properly so that it’s there for generations to come in the best possible form.” So through a chain of contacts, he eventually located the couple.
While completing his work on the couple’s reels, Eaton began researching the original auction, hoping to identify the third individual who had purchased the Bettys. He eventually found him, and in January 2014, the pair entered into discussions about this final batch of tapes, which Eaton hopes to restore.
What then? Eaton has a plan that he already has set in motion. “What I’d love to see done—in a perfect world—is I think all the tapes need to go back to the vault,” he says. “I think the people that have purchased these tapes should be compensated. I don’t think we’re talking huge sums of money but enough to make them relinquish the tapes back to the Grateful Dead. They should be part of the collection. Another thing that’s important is if these tapes do get back to the vault, Betty should get her production royalty on anything that gets released, which is completely reasonable. Those were her tapes; those weren’t the Dead’s tapes. I’d love to see Betty get her due.”
SHOW No. 2: Heaven Help The Fool
Track #6
1:30 – 3:10
Heaven Help the Fool is the second solo album by Grateful Deadrhythm guitaristBob Weir, released in 1978. It was recorded during time off from touring, in the summer of 1977, while Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart recovered from injuries sustained in a vehicular accident. Weir returned to the studio with Keith Olsen, having recorded Terrapin Station with the producer earlier in the year. Several well-known studio musicians were hired for the project, including widely used session player Waddy Wachtel and Toto members David Paich and Mike Porcaro.
Only "Salt Lake City" and the title track were played live by the Grateful Dead, the former in its namesake location on February 21, 1995,[1] and the latter in an instrumental arrangement during their 1980 acoustic sets.[2] Despite this, Weir has continued to consistently play tracks from the album with other bands of his, including RatDog and Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros. "Bombs Away" was released as a single and peaked at number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his only solo song to make the chart.[3] The album itself stalled at number 69, one spot behind his previous album, Ace.
The title track was written by Bobby and John Barlow. While a staple at Bob shows with the Midnights, Rob Wasserman, Rat Dog, Wolf Bros., etc., the Dead only played it during these Warfield/Radio City and only as an instrumental arrangement.
Played: 17 times
First: September 29, 1980 at The Warfield, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: October 31, 1980 at Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY, USA
Now the electric tunes from today’s show:
SHOW No. 3: Cold, Rain & Snow
Track #10
0:00 – 1:30
"Rain and Snow", also known as "Cold Rain and Snow" (Roud 3634),[1] is an American folksong and in some variants a murder ballad.[2] The song first appeared in print in Olive Dame Campbell and Cecil Sharp's 1917 compilation English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, which relates that it was collected from Mrs. Tom Rice in Big Laurel, North Carolina in 1916. The melody is pentatonic.
Campbell and Sharp's version collected only a single verse:
Lord, I married me a wife,
She gave me trouble all my life,
Made me work in the cold rain and snow.
Rain and snow, rain and snow,
Made me work in the cold rain and snow.
In 1965, Dillard Chandler recorded a graphic murder ballad version of the song that ends with the wife being shot by the husband. According to the liner notes on Chandler's album, Chandler learned the song from Berzilla Wallin, who said that the song related to a murder that had occurred in Madison County, North Carolina:
Well, I learned it from an old lady which says she was at the hanging of – which was supposed to be the hanging, but they didn't hang him. They give him 99 long years for the killing of his wife... I heard the song from her in 1911. She was in her 50s at that time. It did happen in her girlhood... when she was a young girl... She lived right here around in Madison County. It happened here between Marshall and Burnsville; that's where they did their hanging at that time – at Burnsville, North Carolina. That's all I know, except they didn't hang the man.'[2]
Subsequent performances have elaborated a variety of additional verses and variants beyond the single verse presented by Campbell and Sharp. Several verses consistently appear. Some sources for lyrics that appear in some later versions may be from Dock Boggs's 1927 song "Sugar Baby" (Roud 5731),[1] another lament of a henpecked husband, which may have contributed a line about "red apple juice".[4] A British folksong, The Sporting Bachelors (Roud 5556),[1] contains similar themes, but was collected in the 1950s.[2][5] Earlier possible precursors include a series of broadside ballads on the general subject of "Woeful Marriage"; one frequently reprinted nineteenth-century example begins with the words "On Monday night I married a wife", (Roud 1692).[1][6]
These British antecedents mostly share common themes and inspirations; the song originated in the local tradition of Big Laurel, Madison County, and relate to a nameless murderer who committed the crime at some time between the end of the Civil War and the end of the nineteenth century. A recent origin is also suggested by the relatively limited number of variations on the tune; most performances use the Campbell-Sharp melody as written.[2]
Despite the apparent violence of the lyrics, women feature prominently in the oral tradition of the song. It was collected from "Mrs. Tom Rice", and sung by Berzilla Wallin, who learned it from "an old lady" who remembered the murder trial the song was about.
The song is closely associated with the Grateful Dead; a studio version appeared on their first album The Grateful Dead (1967), and the song was a standard part of the Dead's repertoire throughout their career. They would often open with the song, or perform it early in the first set.[2] Unlike Chandler's recording, in the Dead's version of the lyrics the husband generally laments his mistreatment at his greedy wife's hands, but does not kill her. The lyrics from the Grateful Dead's version were adapted from an earlier recording by Obray Ramsey.
Played: 249 times
First: May 5, 1965 at Magoo's Pizza Parlor, Menlo Park, CA, USA
Last: June 19, 1995 at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ, USA
MJ NEWS:
SHOW No. 4: Loser
Track #12
4:13 – 6:13
David Dodd: The song seems covered in the Americana dust of so many songs from this period of Hunter’s and Garcia’s songwriting partnership. Abilene, whether in Texas or Kansas, is a dusty cowtown—at the time in which the song seems to be set, the cattle outnumbered the human inhabitants by a factor of tens. It’s easy to see the scene Hunter so casually sets, of a broken-down gambler in a saloon, with a dirt street outside full of armed cowpokes.
Appearing, as it does, on Garcia, the song seems to pair naturally with the other gambling song on the album, “Deal.” It could be sung by the same character on a different day, in fact. And it fits in, as I mentioned, with a whole suite of songs that might be set in the same generic America of the late 19th or early 20th centuries: “Brown-Eyed Women,” “Jack Straw,” “Mister Charlie,” “Tennessee Jed,” “Cumberland Blues,” “Candyman,” and others, as well as certain selected covers, such as “Me and My Uncle,” and “El Paso.”
Those songs share certain motifs, and among them are the various accoutrements of a gambler’s trade, whether dice or cards. Money plays a role—and, in the case of “Loser,” the particular money mentioned helps place the song chronologically. Gold dollar coins were minted from 1849 (the Gold Rush!) to 1889. They were tiny little coins. I have one, and it is amazingly small—between 13 and 15 mm in diameter. “All that I am asking for is ten gold dollars…” C’mon! They’re tiny little things. In fact, originally, the line was “one gold dollar,” but that changed at some point to the “ten”
The crowning glory of the song, as in many other Garcia/Hunter compositions, is the bridge.
The song culminates in this cry of hopefulness: “Last fair deal in the country, Sweet Susie, last fair deal in the town. Put your gold money where your love is, baby, before you let my deal go down—go down.”
(It’s noted that “Sweet Susie” was dropped at some point, but then, occasionally, brought back. I think it was an optional decoration to the line. Alex Allan, in his Grateful Dead Lyric and Song Finder site, notes that “Sweet Susie” rarely appears after 1972, but that it’s sung in performances in 1974 and 1979.)
Almost always played as a first set Jerry ballad.
This version might have been the high point of this show. So nicely played and sung by Jerry.
Played: 353
First: February 18, 1971 at Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, USA
Last: June 28, 1995 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, MI
OUTRO: Good Lovin’
Track #27
3:25 – 5:04
"Good Lovin'" is a song written by Rudy Clark and Arthur Resnick that was a #1 hit single for the Young Rascals in 1966.
The song was first recorded by Lemme B. Good (stage name of singer Limmie Snell) in March 1965 and written by Rudy Clark. The following month it was recorded with different lyrics by R&B artists The Olympics, produced by Jerry Ragovoy; this version reached #81 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.
The tale has been told that Rascal Felix Cavaliere heard The Olympics' recording on a New York City radio station and the group added it to their concert repertoire, using the same lyrics and virtually the same arrangement as The Olympics' version. Co-producer Tom Dowd captured this live feel on their 1966 recording, even though the group did not think the performance held together well. "Good Lovin'" rose to the top of the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the spring of 1966 and represented the Young Rascals' first real hit.
"Good Lovin'" is one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, and was ranked #333 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.[4] Writer Dave Marsh placed it at #108 in his 1989 book The Heart of Rock and Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made, saying it is "the greatest example ever of a remake surpassing the quality of an original without changing a thing about the arrangement."
A popular version was by the Grateful Dead, who made it a workhorse of their concert rotation, appearing almost every year from 1969 on.[6] It was sung in their early years during the 1960s and early 1970s by Ron "Pigpen" McKernan and later by Bob Weir. The Weir rendition was recorded for the group's 1978 Shakedown Street album and came in for a good amount of criticism: Rolling Stone said it "feature[d] aimless ensemble work and vocals that Bob Weir should never have attempted."[7] On November 11, 1978, the Grateful Dead performed it on Saturday Night Live.
Typically, at least by the time I started seeing them, usually played as a second set closer or late in the second set.
As good buddy AWell always said, “if they play Good Lovin, everyone leaves with a smile on their face.” Can’t argue with that.
Played: 442
First: May 5, 1965 at Magoo's Pizza Parlor, Menlo Park, CA, USA
Last: June 28, 1995 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI, USA
Easy fast on Yom Kippur
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
Exploring the Grateful Dead's Legacy
In this episode of the Deadhead Cannabis Show, Larry Mishkin takes listeners on a nostalgic journey through the Grateful Dead's music, focusing on a concert from September 30, 1993, at the Boston Garden. He discusses various songs, including 'Here Comes Sunshine' and 'Spoonful,' while also touching on the band's history and the contributions of key figures like Vince Wellnick and Candace Brightman. The episode also delves into current music news, including a review of Lake Street Dive's performance and updates on marijuana legislation in Ukraine and the U.S.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to the Deadhead Cannabis Show
03:39 Here Comes Sunshine: A Grateful Dead Classic
09:47 Spoonful: The Blues Influence
14:00 Music News: Rich Girl and Lake Street Dive
24:09 Candace Brightman: The Unsung Hero of Lighting
38:01 Broken Arrow: Phil Lesh's Moment to Shine
42:19 Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds: A Beatles Classic
48:26 Marijuana News: Ukraine's Medical Cannabis Legislation
54:32 Bipartisan Support for Clean Slate Act
01:00:11 Pennsylvania's Push for Marijuana Legalization
01:04:25 CBD as a Natural Insecticide
01:10:26 Wave to the Wind: A Phil Lesh Tune
01:13:18 The Other One: A Grateful Dead Epic
Boston Garden
September 30, 1993 (31 years ago)
Grateful Dead Live at Boston Garden on 1993-09-30 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive
INTRO: Here Comes Sunshine
Track #1
0:08 – 1:48
Released on Wake of the Flood, October 15, 1973, the first album on the band’s own “Grateful Dead Records” label.
The song was first performed by the Grateful Dead in February 1973. It was played about 30 times through to February 1974 and then dropped from the repertoire. The song returned to the repertoire in December 1992, at the instigation of Vince Welnick, and was then played a few times each year until 1995.
Played: 66 times
First: February 9, 1973 at Maples Pavilion, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
Last: July 2, 1995 at Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN, USA
But here’s the thing:
Played 32 times in 1973
Played 1 time in 1974
Not played again until December 6, 1992 at Compton Terrace in Chandler, AZ - 18 years
Then played a “few” more times in 1993, 94 and 95, never more than 11 times in any one year.
I finally caught one in 1993 at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago with good buddies Marc and Alex.
My favorite version is Feb. 15, 1973 at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, WI
SHOW No. 1: Spoonful
Track #2
:50 – 2:35
"Spoonful" is a blues song written by Willie Dixon and first recorded in 1960 by Howlin' Wolf. Released in June, 1960 by Chess Records in Chicago.
Called "a stark and haunting work",[1] it is one of Dixon's best known and most interpreted songs.[2]Etta James and Harvey Fuqua had a pop and R&B record chart hit with their duet cover of "Spoonful" in 1961, and it was popularized in the late 1960s by the British rock group Cream.
Dixon's "Spoonful" is loosely based on "A Spoonful Blues", a song recorded in 1929 by Charley Patton.[3] Earlier related songs include "All I Want Is a Spoonful" by Papa Charlie Jackson (1925) and "Cocaine Blues" by Luke Jordan (1927).
The lyrics relate men's sometimes violent search to satisfy their cravings, with "a spoonful" used mostly as a metaphor for pleasures, which have been interpreted as sex, love, and drugs.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed Howlin' Wolf's "Spoonful" as one of the "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".[9] It is ranked number 154 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2021 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time",[10] up from number 221 on its 2004 list.
In 2010, the song was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame "Classics of Blues Recordings" category.[12] In a statement by the foundation, it was noted that "Otis Rush has stated that Dixon presented 'Spoonful' to him, but the song didn't suit Rush's tastes and so it ended up with Wolf, and soon thereafter with Etta James".[12] James' recording with Harvey Fuqua as "Etta & Harvey" reached number 12 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and number 78 on its Hot 100 singles chart.[13] However, Wolf’s original "was the one that inspired so many blues and rock bands in the years to come".
The British rock group Cream recorded "Spoonful" for their 1966 UK debut album, Fresh Cream. They were part of a trend in the mid-1960s by rock artists to record a Willie Dixon song for their debut albums.
Sung by Bob Weir, normally followed Truckin’ in the second set. This version is rare because it is the second song of the show and does not have a lead in. Ended Here Comes Sunshine, stopped, and then went into this. When it follows Truckin’, just flows right into Spoonful.
Played: 52 times
First: October 15, 1981 at Melkweg, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Last: December 8, 1994 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA, USA
MUSIC NEWS: Lead In Music
Rich Girl
Lake Street Dive
Lake Street Dive: Rich Girl [4K] 2018-05-09 - College Street Music Hall; New Haven, CT (youtube.com)
0:00 – 1:13
"Rich Girl" is a song by Daryl Hall & John Oates. It debuted on the Billboard Top 40 on February 5, 1977, at number 38 and on March 26, 1977, it became their first of six number-one singles on the BillboardHot 100. The single originally appeared on the 1976 album Bigger Than Both of Us. At the end of 1977, Billboard ranked it as the 23rd biggest hit of the year.
The song was rumored to be about the then-scandalous newspaper heiress Patty Hearst. In fact, the title character in the song is based on a spoiled heir to a fast-food chain who was an ex-boyfriend of Daryl Hall's girlfriend, Sara Allen. "But you can't write, 'You're a rich boy' in a song, so I changed it to a girl," Hall told Rolling Stone.
Hall elaborated on the song in an interview with American Songwriter:
"Rich Girl" was written about an old boyfriend of Sara [Allen]'s from college that she was still friends with at the time. His name is Victor Walker. He came to our apartment, and he was acting sort of strange. His father was quite rich. I think he was involved with some kind of a fast-food chain. I said, "This guy is out of his mind, but he doesn't have to worry about it because his father's gonna bail him out of any problems he gets in." So I sat down and wrote that chorus. [Sings] "He can rely on the old man's money/he can rely on the old man's money/he's a rich guy." I thought that didn't sound right, so I changed it to "Rich Girl". He knows the song was written about him.
Lake Street Dive is an American multi-genre band that was formed in 2004 at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.[1] The band's founding members are Rachael Price, Mike "McDuck" Olson, Bridget Kearney, and Mike Calabrese. Keyboardist Akie Bermiss joined the band on tour in 2017 and was first credited on their 2018 album Free Yourself Up; guitarist James Cornelison joined in 2021 after Olson left the band. The band is based in Brooklyn and frequently tours in North America, Australia, and Europe.
The group was formed in 2004 as a "free country band"; they intended to play country music in an improvised, avant-garde style.[3] This concept was abandoned in favor of something that "actually sounded good", according to Mike Olson.[4] The band's name was inspired by the Bryant Lake Bowl, a frequent hang out in the band's early years, located on Lake Street in Minneapolis.
Great show last Thursday night my wife and I went with good friends JT and Marni and Rick and Ben. Sitting in the back near the top of the bleachers with a killer view of the Chicago Sky line looking west to southeast and right along the north branch of the Chicago River. Beautiful weather and a great night overall. My first time seeing the band although good buddies Alex, Andy and Mike had seen the at Redrocks in July and all spoke very highly of the band which is a good enough endorsement for me.
I don’t know any of their songs, but they were very good and one of their encores was Rich Girl which made me smile because that too is a song from my high school and college days, that’s basically 40+ years ago. Combined with Goose’s cover of the 1970’s hit “Hollywood Nights” by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band it was a trip down memory lane.
I would recommend seeing this band to any fan of fun music. They were all clearly having a great time.
Katie Pruitt opened and came out to sing a song with LSD.
In 2017, Pruitt was awarded the Buddy Holly Prize from the Songwriters Hall of Fame[4] and signed with Round Hill Records.[5]
Her EP, OurVinyl Live Session EP was released in March 2018.[6] She was named by Rolling Stone as one of 10 new country artists you need to know[7] and by NPR as one of the 20 artists to watch, highlighting Pruitt as someone who "possesses a soaring, nuanced and expressive voice, and writes with devastating honesty".[8]
On September 13, 2019, Pruitt released "Expectations", the title track from her full-length debut. Additional singles from this project were subsequently released: "Loving Her" on October 21, 2019,[9] and "Out of the Blue" on November 15, 2019.[10]
On February 21, 2020, Pruitt's debut album, Expectations, was released by Rounder Records.[11][12] She earned a nomination for Emerging Act of the Year at the 2020 Americana Music Honors & Awards.[13] In the same year, she duetted with Canadian singer-songwriter Donovan Woods on "She Waits for Me to Come Back Down", a track from his album Without People.[14]
In 2021 the artist was inter alia part of the Newport Folk Festival in July.
Recommend her as well.
2. Move Me Brightly: Grateful Dead Lighting Director Candace Brightman
Candace Brightman (born 1944)[1] is an American lighting engineer, known for her longtime association with the Grateful Dead. She is the sister of author Carol Brightman.
Brightman grew up in Illinois and studied set design at St John's College, Annapolis, Maryland.[1] She began working as a lighting technician in the Anderson Theater, New York City, and was recruited by Bill Graham to operate lighting at the Fillmore East.[3] In 1970, she operated the house lights at the Chicago Coliseum with Norol Tretiv.[4] She has also worked for Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker and Van Morrison.
After serving as house lighting engineer for several Grateful Dead shows, including their 1971 residency at the Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, she was recruited by the band's Jerry Garcia to work for them full-time.[1] She started working regularly for the Dead on their 1972 tour of Europe (which was recorded and released as Europe 72), and remained their in-house lighting engineer for the remainder of their career.[1] One particular challenge that Brightman faced was having to alter lighting setups immediately in response to the Dead's improvisational style. By the band's final tours in the mid-1990s, she was operating a computer-controlled lighting system and managing a team of technicians.[5] Her work inspired Phish's resident lighting engineer Chris Kuroda, who regularly studied techniques in order to keep up with her standards.
Brightman continued working in related spin-off projects until 2005.[1][7] She returned to direct the lighting for the Fare Thee Well concerts in 2015, where she used over 500 fixtures.
Now facing significant financial and health related issues.
3. Neil Young and New Band, The Chrome Hearts, Deliver 13-Minute “Down By The River” on Night One at The Capitol Theatre
My buddies and I still can’t believe Neil with Crazy Horse did not play their Chicago show back in May this year. Thank god he’s ok and still playing but we are bummed out at missing the shared experience opportunity that only comes along when seeing a rock legend like Neil and there aren’t many.
SHOW No. 2: Broken Arrow
Track #5
1:10 – 3:00
Written by Robbie Robertson and released on his album Robbie Robertson released on October 27, 1987. It reached number 29 on the RPM CanCon charts in 1988.[23]Rod Stewart recorded a version of "Broken Arrow" in 1991 for his album Vagabond Heart.[24] Stewart's version of the song was released as a single on August 26, 1991,[25] with an accompanying music video, reaching number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two in Canada.
This ballad is not to be confused either with Chuck Berry's 1959 single or Buffalo Springfield's 1967 song of the same name, written by Neil Young.
"Broken Arrow" was also performed live by the Grateful Dead from 1993 to 1995 with Phil Lesh on vocals.[28] Grateful Dead spinoff groups The Dead, Phil Lesh and Friends, and The Other Ones have also performed the song, each time with Lesh on vocals.[29]
Played: 35 times
First: February 23, 1993 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA, USA
Last: July 2, 1995 at Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN, USA
SHOW No. 3: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Track #9
2:46 – 4:13
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their May, 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was written primarily by John Lennon with assistance from Paul McCartney, and credited to the Lennon–McCartneysongwriting partnership.[2] Lennon's son Julian inspired the song with a nursery school drawing that he called "Lucy – in the sky with diamonds".
Shortly before the album's release, speculation arose that the first letter of each of the nouns in the title intentionally spelled "LSD", the initialism commonly used for the hallucinogenic drug lysergic acid diethylamide.[3] Lennon repeatedly denied that he had intended it as a drug song,[3][4] and attributed the song's fantastical imagery to his reading of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland books.[3]
The Beatles recorded "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" in March 1967. Adding to the song's ethereal qualities, the musical arrangement includes a Lowrey organ part heavily treated with studio effects, and a drone provided by an Indian tambura. The song has been recognised as a key work in the psychedelic genre. Among its many cover versions, a 1974 recording by Elton John – with a guest appearance by Lennon – was a number 1 hit in the US and Canada.
John Lennon said that his inspiration for the song came when his three-year-old son Julian showed him a nursery school drawing that he called "Lucy – in the Sky with Diamonds",[4] depicting his classmate Lucy O'Donnell.[5] Julian later recalled: "I don't know why I called it that or why it stood out from all my other drawings, but I obviously had an affection for Lucy at that age. I used to show Dad everything I'd built or painted at school, and this one sparked off the idea."[5][6][7]Ringo Starr witnessed the moment and said that Julian first uttered the song's title on returning home from nursery school.[4][8][9] Lennon later said, "I thought that's beautiful. I immediately wrote a song about it."
According to Lennon, the lyrics were largely derived from the literary style of Lewis Carroll's novel Alice in Wonderland.[3][10] Lennon had read and admired Carroll's works, and the title of Julian's drawing reminded him of the "Which Dreamed It?" chapter of Through the Looking Glass, in which Alice floats in a "boat beneath a sunny sky".[11] Lennon recalled in a 1980 interview:
It was Alice in the boat. She is buying an egg and it turns into Humpty-Dumpty. The woman serving in the shop turns into a sheep and the next minute they are rowing in a rowing boat somewhere and I was visualizing that.[3]
Paul McCartney remembered of the song's composition, "We did the whole thing like an Alice in Wonderland idea, being in a boat on the river ... Every so often it broke off and you saw Lucy in the sky with diamonds all over the sky. This Lucy was God, the Big Figure, the White Rabbit."[10] He later recalled helping Lennon finish the song at Lennon's Kenwood home, specifically claiming he contributed the "newspaper taxis" and "cellophane flowers" lyrics.[8][12] Lennon's 1968 interview with Rolling Stone magazine confirmed McCartney's contribution.[13]
Lucy O'Donnell Vodden, who lived in Surbiton, Surrey, died 28 September 2009 of complications of lupus at the age of 46. Julian had been informed of her illness and renewed their friendship before her death.
Rumours of the connection between the title of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and the initialism "LSD" began circulating shortly after the release of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band LP in June 1967.[24][25] McCartney gave two interviews in June admitting to having taken the drug.[26][27] Lennon later said he was surprised at the idea the title was a hidden reference to LSD,[3] countering that the song "wasn't about that at all,"[4] and it "was purely unconscious that it came out to be LSD. Until someone pointed it out, I never even thought of it. I mean, who would ever bother to look at initials of a title? ... It's not an acid song."[3]
McCartney confirmed Lennon's claim on several occasions.[8][12] In 1968 he said:
When you write a song and you mean it one way, and someone comes up and says something about it that you didn't think of – you can't deny it. Like "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," people came up and said, cunningly, "Right, I get it. L-S-D," and it was when [news]papers were talking about LSD, but we never thought about it.[10]
In a 2004 interview with Uncut magazine, McCartney confirmed it was "pretty obvious" drugs did influence some of the group's compositions at that time, including "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds", though he tempered this statement by adding, "[I]t's easy to overestimate the influence of drugs on the Beatles' music."
In 2009 Julian with James Scott Cook and Todd Meagher released "Lucy", a song that is a quasi-follow-up to the Beatles song. The cover of the EP showed four-year-old Julian's original drawing, that now is owned by David Gilmour from Pink Floyd.[59]
Lennon's original handwritten lyrics sold at auction in 2011 for $230,000.
A lot of fun to see this tune live. Love that Jerry does the singing even though his voice is very rough and he stumble through some of the lyrics. It is a Beatles tune, a legendary rock tune, and Jerry sings it like he wrote it at his kitchen table.
Phil and Friends with the Quintent cover the tune as well and I believe Warren Haynes does the primary singing on that version. Warren, Jimmy Herring and Phil really rock that tune like the rock veterans they are.
The version is fun because it opens the second set, a place of real prominence even after having played it for six months by this point. Gotta keep the Deadheads guessing.
Played: 19 times
First: March 17, 1993 at Capital Centre, Landover, MD, USA
Last: June 28, 1995 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, MI, USA
MJ NEWS:
SHOW No. 4: Wave To The Wind
Track #10
5:00 – 6:40
Hunter/Lesh tune that was never released. In fact, the Dead archives say that there is no studio recording of the song.
Not a great song. I have no real memory of it other than it shows up in song lists for a couple of shows I attended. Even this version of the tune is really kind of flat and uninspiring but there are not a lot of Phil tunes to feature and you can only discuss Box of Rain so many times. Just something different to talk about.
Played: 21 times
First: February 22, 1992 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA, USA
Last: December 9, 1993 at Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA, USA
OUTRO: The Other One
Track #16
2:30 – 4:22
"That's It for the Other One" is a song by American band the Grateful Dead. Released on the band's second studio album Anthem of the Sun (released on July 18, 1968) it is made up of four sections—"Cryptical Envelopment", "Quadlibet for Tenderfeet", "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get", and "We Leave the Castle". Like other tracks on the album, is a combination of studio and live performances mixed together to create the final product.
While the "We Leave the Castle" portion of the song was never performed live by the band, the first three sections were all featured in concert to differing extents. "Cryptical Envelopment", written and sung by Jerry Garcia, was performed from 1967 to 1971, when it was then dropped aside from a select few performances in 1985. "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get", written by Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir and sung by Weir, became one of the band's most frequently performed songs in concert (usually denoted as simply "The Other One").
One of the few Grateful Dead songs to have lyrics written by Weir, "The Faster We Go, the Rounder We Get" became one of the Dead's most-played songs (being performed a known 586 times[2]) and most popular vehicles for improvisation, with some performances reaching 30+ minutes in length. The song's lyrics reference the influence of the Merry Pranksters and in particular Neal Cassady.[2] Additionally, the line "the heat came 'round and busted me for smilin' on a cloudy day" - one of my favorite Grateful Dead lyrics - refers to a time Weir was arrested for throwing a water balloon at a cop from the upstairs of 710 Ashbury, the Dead’s communal home during the ‘60’s and early ‘70’s before the band moved its headquarters, and the band members moved, to Marin County just past the Golden Gate Bridge when driving out of the City.
In my experience, almost always a second set tune. Back in the late ‘60’s and early ‘70’s either a full That’s It For The Other One suite or just The Other One, would be jammed out as long as Dark Star and sometimes longer. During the Europe ’72 tour, Dark Star and the full Other One Suite traded off every show as the second set psychedelic rock long jam piece. Often preceded by a Phil bass bomb to bring the independent noodling into a full and tight jam with an energy all of its own.
The Other One got its name because it was being written at the same time as Alligator, one of the Dead’s very first tunes. When discussing the tunes, there was Alligator and this other one.
I always loved the Other One and was lucky enough to see the full That’s It For The Other One suite twice in 1985 during its too brief comeback to celebrate the Dead’s 20th anniversary.
Played: 550 times
First: October 31, 1967 at Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: July 8, 1995 at Soldier Field in Chicago
Birthday shout out:
And a Happy and healthy New Year to those celebrating Rosh Hashanah which begins this week.
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
Candyman and Cultural Contradictions: Grateful Dead’s Egypt Adventure
In this episode of the Deadhead Cannabis Show, host Larry Mishkin highlights two key topics: a favorite Grateful Dead show and his recent experiences at Goose concerts. First, Larry talks about an iconic Grateful Dead concert that took place on September 16, 1978, at the Sun et Lumiere Theater in Giza, Egypt, near the pyramids and the Sphinx. This event is special not just for its unique location but also for featuring collaborations with Egyptian musician Hamza El Din, who joined the Dead for a jam session. The Egypt shows are remembered for their blend of American rock and ancient Egyptian culture, marking a historic moment in music history.
Larry also reflects on the song "Candyman" by the Grateful Dead, exploring its themes of melancholy and contradiction within the counterculture of the 1960s. He discusses how the song portrays a sympathetic yet flawed character, and how it resonates with the complex dynamics of that era, blending elements of peace, revolution, and criminality.
Switching gears, Larry shares his recent experiences attending two Goose concerts in Chicago. He highlights Goose's cover of Bob Seger's "Hollywood Nights" and talks about the band's growing popularity. Larry attended the concerts with family and friends and praises the outdoor venue in Chicago, noting its impressive atmosphere and the city's skyline as a backdrop. He fondly recalls his connections to Bob Seger's music from his youth and marvels at how younger bands like Goose continue to bring classic rock into their performances.
Grateful Dead
September 16, 1978 (46 years ago)
Son Et Lumiere Theater (aka Sphinx Theatre)
Giza, Egypt
Grateful Dead Live at Sphinx Theatre on 1978-09-16 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive
Giza (/ˈɡiːzə/; sometimes spelled Gizah, Gizeh, Geeza, Jiza; Arabic: الجيزة, romanized: al-Jīzah, pronounced [ald͡ʒiːzah], Egyptian Arabic: الجيزةel-Gīza[elˈgiːzæ])[3] is the third-largest city in Egypt by area after Cairo and Alexandria; and fourth-largest city in Africa by population after Kinshasa, Lagos, and Cairo. It is the capital of Giza Governorate with a total population of 4,872,448 in the 2017 census.[4] It is located on the west bank of the Nile opposite central Cairo, and is a part of the Greater Cairo metropolis. Giza lies less than 30 km (18.64 mi) north of Memphis (Men-nefer, today the village of Mit Rahina), which was the capital city of the unified Egyptian state during the reign of pharaoh Narmer, roughly 3100 BC.
Giza is most famous as the location of the Giza Plateau, the site of some of the most impressive ancient monuments in the world, including a complex of ancient Egyptian royal mortuary and sacred structures, among which are the Great Sphinx, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and a number of other large pyramids and temples. Giza has always been a focal point in Egypt's history due to its location close to Memphis, the ancient pharaonic capital of the Old Kingdom.
Son et lumière (French pronunciation: [sɔ̃n e lymjɛʁ] (French, lit. "sound and light")), or a sound and light show, is a form of nighttime entertainment that is usually presented in an outdoor venue of historic significance.[1]
Special lighting effects are projected onto the façade of a building or ruin and synchronized with recorded or live narration and music to dramatize the history of the place.[1] The invention of the concept is credited to Paul Robert-Houdin, who was the curator of the Château de Chambord in France, which hosted the world's first son et lumière in 1952.[1] Another was established in the early 1960s at the site of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and a star attraction in Egypt, the pyramids of Giza offer a completely different experience at night, when lasers, lights, and visual projections bring their history to life. Here’s how to visit the pyramids after dark. The sound and light show at Giza takes place every night for 55 minutes by the Great Sphinx of king Kephren, it is a laser show with history narration of your own language.
Kyle Fitzgerald
The National
Standing under a total lunar eclipse at the foot of ancient power by the Great Pyramid, the Grateful Dead were concluding the final show of their three-night run at the Sound and Light Theatre in Giza in 1978.
His hair in pigtails, guitarist Jerry Garcia wove the outro of the percussive Nubian composition Olin Arageed into an extended opening of Fire on the Mountain.
“There were Bedouins out on the desert dancing … It was amazing, it really was amazing,” Garcia said in a 1979 radio interview.
The September 14-16 shows in Giza were the ultimate experiment for the American band – the first to play at the pyramids – known for pushing music beyond the realms of imagination.
And just as the Grateful Dead were playing in the centre of ancient Egypt, a landmark peace treaty was being brokered in the US that would reshape geopolitics in the Middle East.
For as the Grateful Dead arrived in Egypt as cultural ambassadors, on the other side of the world US president Jimmy Carter had gathered his Egyptian counterpart Anwar Sadat and Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin to broker the Camp David Accords that led to an Egyptian-Israeli peace settlement.
“No show that they have ever done has the international significance of their three performances in Egypt,” said Richard Loren, the Grateful Dead's manager from 1974-1981.
“When we left the stage on the last show, everybody was high on acid, and the first news that came on: They signed the Camp David agreement. Sadat, Begin and Carter signed the agreement in Camp David. This happened during those three days.”
Loren, who produced the shows, credited his friendship with Jefferson Airplane vocalist Marty Balin, who had a keen interest in Egypt, for developing his own fascination with the country.
“The lead singer for Jefferson Airplane is the seed that resulted in the Grateful Dead playing in Egypt,” he said.
Loren recalled riding a camel around the pyramid site during a three-week visit in 1975. To his right were the pyramids. In front of him, the Sphinx.
“And I look down and I see a stage, and a light bulb went off in my head immediately. The Grateful Dead ought to play in Egypt,” he said.
Loren, associate Alan Trist and Grateful Dead bass player Phil Lesh formed a scouting committee that would be responsible for liaising with American and Egyptian officials, Secret Service members and Egyptian first lady Jehan Sadat to allow the Grateful Dead to play in front of the pyramids.
After the mission to the proposed site, meetings in Washington and Egypt, discussions with government officials and a party for the consulate, the band still needed to convince officials the purpose of the show was to make music – not money.
And so the Dead paid their own expenses and offered to donate all the proceeds.
Half would be donated to the Faith and Hope Society – the Sadats' favourite charity – and the other to Egypt's Department of Antiquities.
“It was a sales pitch by the three of us – Alan, Richard and Phil,” Loren said.
A telegram was sent on March 21, 1978, confirming the Grateful Dead would perform two open-air shows at the Sound and Light in front of the Great Pyramid and Sphinx.
They would go on to play three shows.
Describing the planning, bassist Phil Lesh said, "It sort of became my project because I was one of the first people in the band who was on the trip of playing at places of power. You know, power that's been preserved from the ancient world. The pyramids are like the obvious number one choice because no matter what anyone thinks they might be, there is definitely some kind of mojo about the pyramids."[11]
Rather than ship all of the required sound reinforcement equipment from the United States, the PA and a 24-track, mobile studio recording truck were borrowed from the Who, in the UK. The Dead crew set up their gear at the open-air theater on the east side of the Great Sphinx, for three nights of concerts. The final two, September 15 & 16, 1978, are excerpted for the album. The band referred to their stage set-up as "The Gizah Sound and Light Theater".
The final night's performance coincided with a total lunar eclipse. Drummer Bill Kreutzmann played with a cast, having broken his wrist while horseback riding. The King's Chamber of the nearby Great Pyramid of Giza was rigged with a speaker and microphone in a failed attempt to live-mix acoustical echo.[12]
Lesh recalled that through the shows he observed "an increasing number of shadowy figures gathering just at the edge of the illuminated area surrounding the stage and audience – not locals, as they all seem to be wearing the same garment, a dark, hooded robe. These, it turns out, are the Bedouin, the nomadic horsemen of the desert: drawn in by the music and lights... each night they have remained to dance and sway rhythmically for the duration of the show."[13] Kreutzmann recalls "Egypt instantly became the biggest, baddest, and most legendary field trip that we took during our entire thirty years as a band... It was priceless and perfect and, at half a million dollars, a bargain in the end. Albeit, a very expensive bargain."[14]
The concerts weren't expected to be profitable (proceeds were donated to the Department of Antiquities and a charity chosen by Jehan Sadat). Costs were to be offset by the production of a triple-live album; however, performances did not turn out as proficient as planned, musically, and technical problems plagued the recordings.[10] The results were shelved as the band focused instead on a new studio album, Shakedown Street.
INTRO: Candyman
Track #3
2:54 – 4:50
From Songfacts: the American Beauty album is infused with sadness. Jerry Garcia's mother was still seriously injured and her still fate uncertain following an automotive accident, while Phil Lesh was still grieving his father's passing. The melancholic aura comes through in "Candyman" as much as any other song on the album.
The effect of the melodic sadness on the song's context is interesting, to say the least. It makes everything about the candyman character in the song seem sympathetic, when the lyrics suggest that he is anything but. Dead lyricist Robert Hunter said he certainly didn't resonate with the character's penchant for violence (more on that below).
The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang defines the term "candyman" primarily as a drug dealer and secondarily as a man who is lucky in general and lucky with women in particular. The latter version seems to fit better with the song, as the character announces his arrival to all the women in town and tells them they ought to open their windows (presumably to let him in).
While there's no evidence to suggest that Hunter was getting at anything too deep with the song, "Candyman" does provide an interesting perspective on the contradictions of the 1960s counterculture. Mixed in with all the peaceniks and flowers were hard-drug pushers, violent revolutionaries, and common criminals. By 1970, this stew had long since become so mixed-up that its attendant parts could no longer be cleanly extracted from each other. The fact that American Beauty came out in the midst of the Manson Family "hippie cult killings" trial says just about all that needs to be said about the complicated reality that had arisen out of the 1960s counterculture.
Beyond all that, though, the outlaw song that romanticizes criminality is a long-held and cherished tradition in American music.
With American Beauty, Jerry Garcia wanted the Dead to do something like "California country western," where they focused more on the singing than on the instrumentation. So the sang Hunter’s lyrics:
Good mornin', Mr. Benson
I see you're doin' well
If I had me a shotgun
I'd blow you straight to Hell
This is an oddly violent line for a song by the Grateful Dead, who sought to embody the '60s peace-and-love ethos about as sincerely and stubbornly as any act to come out of the era. It always got a raucous applause from the audience, too, which seems equally incongruous with the Deadhead culture.
Hunter was bothered by the cheers. In an interview published in Goin' Down the Road by Blair Jackson (p. 119), he brings this phenomenon up when asked if any of his songs has been widely misinterpreted. He mentions that he had first witnessed an audience's enthusiastic response to violence while watching the 1975 dystopian film Rollerball and "couldn't believe" the cheers.
Hunter tells Jackson that he hopes fans know that the perspective in "Candyman" is from a character and not from himself. He stresses the same separation between himself and the womanizer in "Jack Straw."
As far as the Mr. Benson in "Candyman," David Dodd in the Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics makes a great case for that being Sheriff Benson from Leadbelly's "Midnight Special" (who may very well have been based on a real sheriff). If true, this might place "Candyman" in Houston, Texas (though Hunter might not have had anything so specific in mind).
Almost always a first set song. Often featured in acoustic sets, back in the day.
This version features this awesome Garcia solo that we were listing to. Maybe he was inspired by the pyramids or whatever magical spirits might have come out from within to see this American band the Grateful Dead. Hopefully, it made those spirits grateful themselves.
Played: 273
First: April 3, 1970 at Armory Fieldhouse, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Last: June 30, 1995 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
SHOW No. 1: Hamza El Din
Track #10
7:30 – 9:00
Hamza El Din (Arabicحمزة علاء الدين) (July 10, 1929 – May 22, 2006) was an Egyptian Nubian composer, oudplayer, tar player, and vocalist. He was born in southern Egypt and was an internationally known musician of his native region Nubia, situated on both sides of the Egypt–Sudan border. After musical studies in Cairo, he lived and studied in Italy, Japan and the United States. El Din collaborated with a wide variety of musical performers, including Sandy Bull, the Kronos Quartet and the Grateful Dead.
His performances attracted the attention of the Grateful Dead, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan in the 1960s, which led to a recording contract and to his eventual emigration to the United States. In 1963, El Din shared an apartment in the San Francisco Bay Area with folk musician Sandy Bull.
Following his appearance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964, he recorded two albums for Vanguard Records, released 1964–65. His 1971 recording Escalay: The Water Wheel, published by Nonesuch Records and produced by Mickey Hart, has been recognized as one of the first world music recordings to gain wide release in the West, and was claimed as an influence by some American minimalist composers, such as Steve Reich and Terry Riley, as well as by Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart.[1] He also performed with the Grateful Dead, most famously during their Egypt concerts of 1978.
During these three shows, Hamza El Din, performed as a guest and played his composition "Ollin Arageed" He was backed by the students of his Abu Simbel school and accompanied by the Grateful Dead.
After Egypt, hamza el din played with the dead in the U.S.
On October 21st, back in 1978, the Grateful Dead were in the midst of wrapping up a fiery five-night run at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom. This string of shows was particularly special for the band, as they marked the first shows played by the Dead following their now-legendary performances near the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt a month prior.
n an effort to bring their experiences in Northern Africa home with them to share with their fans, the Dead’s ’78 Winterland run saw sit-ins by Egyptian percussionist, singer, and oud player Hamza El Din. On October 21st, El Din opened the show solo, offering his divine percussion before the Grateful Dead slowly emerged to join him for an ecstatic rendition of “Ollin Arageed”, a number based off a Nubian wedding tune, before embarking on a soaring half-acoustic, half-electric jam, that we will get to on the other side of Music News:
MUSIC NEWS:
Lead in music: Goose — "Hollywood Nights" (Bob Seger) — Fiddler's Green — 6/8/24 (youtube.com) 0:00 – 1:10
Goose covering Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullet Band’s Hollywood Nights, this version from earlier this year but Goose did play it Friday night in Chicago at the Salt Shed’s Festival stage outside along the Chicago river with the Skyline in the background. Very impressive.
"Hollywood Nights" is a song written and recorded by American rock artist Bob Seger. It was released in 1978 as the second single from his album, Stranger in Town.
Seger said "The chorus just came into my head; I was driving around in the Hollywood Hills, and I started singing 'Hollywood nights/Hollywood hills/Above all the lights/Hollywood nights.' I went back to my rented house, and there was a Time with Cheryl Tiegs on the cover...I said 'Let's write a song about a guy from the Midwest who runs into someone like this and gets caught up in the whole bizarro thing.'" [1]
Seger also said that "Hollywood Nights" was the closest he has had to a song coming to him in a dream, similar to how Keith Richards described the riff to "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" coming to him in a dream.
Robert Clark Seger (/ˈsiːɡər/SEE-gər; born May 6, 1945) is a retired American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded with the groups Bob Seger and the Last Heard and the Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s,
In 1973, he put together the Silver Bullet Band, with a group of Detroit-area musicians, with whom he became most successful on the national level with the album Live Bullet (1976), recorded live with the Silver Bullet Band in 1975 at Cobo Hall in Detroit, Michigan. In 1976, he achieved a national breakout with the studio album Night Moves. On his studio albums, he also worked extensively with the Alabama-based Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, which appeared on several of Seger's best-selling singles and albums.
A roots rock musician with a classic raspy, powerful voice, Seger is known for his songs concerning love, women, and blue-collar themes, and is one of the best-known artists of the heartland rock genre. He has recorded many hits, including "Night Moves", "Turn the Page", "Mainstreet", "Still the Same", "Hollywood Nights", "Against the Wind", "You'll Accomp'ny Me", "Shame on the Moon", "Roll Me Away", "Like a Rock", and "Shakedown", the last of which was written for the 1987 film Beverly Hills Cop II and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He also co-wrote the Eagles' number-one hit "Heartache Tonight", and his recording of "Old Time Rock and Roll" was named one of the Songs of the Century in 2001.
Which leads us to:
I have to say, I’ve now seen Goose five times and enjoy them more and more. Great musical jams, great light show, lots of good energy from the band and the fans. Rick Mitoratando is a first class guitartist and singer, Peter Anspach on keyboard and guitar and vocals, Jeff Arevalo, percussionist, Trevor Weekz on bass and newcomer, Cotter Ellis on drums, replacing original drummer, Ben Askind.
Began playing in 2014 in Wilton Connecticut so this is their 10 year and they are just getting stronger. They really love what they do and its shows in their live performances.
Great set lists in Chicago:
Thursday night they were joined on stage by Julian Lage, a jazz composer and guitarist for the last two songs of the first set, A Western Sun and Turned Clouds.
If you have not yet seen Goose you need to see Goose. Soon.
A residential program for people recovering from drug and alcohol abuse.
The Divided Sky Foundation, a 46-bed nonprofit recovery center spearheaded by Phish frontman Trey Anastasio, will be an abstinence-based, nonmedical residence, one of the first ofits kind in Vermont.
The Divided Sky Foundation is a charitable nonprofit founded by Anastasio; it purchased the Ludlow location to create a substance-use disorder treatment center back in 2021.
Anastasio, Phish’s lead guitarist and vocalist, has dealt publicly with his own drug and alcohol use and later sobriety, a journey that brought him under the supervision of drug court in Washington County, New York, in the mid-2000s.
There, he met Gulde, who worked in the court system at the time, and the two have stayed friends since.
Together, Gulde and Anastasio used their personal experiences with treatment facilities to implement a vision for the Ludlow space, she said.
Very cool organization, deserves everyone’s support. Trey turned it around which is why he is now 5 years older than Jerry was when he died in 1995 and Trey and Phish are just getting stronger and stronger.
SHOW No. 2: Ollin Arageed
Track #11
13:10 – 14:42
Musical composition written by Hamza El-Din. He and members of the Abu Simbel School of Luxor choir opened the shows with his composition Olin Arageed on nights one and two, and opened set two of night three with the song as well. Joined on stage by the band. Fun, different and a shout out to the locals.
The Dead played it a few more times with Hamza and then retired it for good.
SHOW No. 3: Fire On The Mountain
Track #12
13:00 – end
INTO
Iko Iko
Track #13
0:00 – 1:37
This transition is one of my all time Dead favorites. Out of a stand alone Fire (no Scarlet lead in) into a sublime and spacey Iko Iko. Another perfect combination for the pyramids, sphinx and full lunar eclipse.
A great reason to listen to this show and these two tunes.
MJ NEWS:
MJ Lead in Song
Still Blazin by Wiz Khalifa: Still Blazin (feat. Alborosie) (youtube.com)
0:00 – 0:45
We talked all about Wiz Khalifa on last week’s episode after I saw him headline the Miracle in Mundelein a week ago. But did not have a chance to feature any of his tunes last week. This one is a natural for our show.
This song is from Kush & Orange Juice (stylized as Kush and OJ) is the eighth mixtape by American rapper Wiz Khalifa. It was released on April 14, 2010, by Taylor Gang Records and Rostrum Records. Kush & Orange Juice gained notoriety after its official release by making it the number-one trending topic on both Google and Twitter.[1] On the same day, a link to the mixtape was posted for download on Wiz’s Twitter.[2] The hashtag#kushandorangejuice became the number-six trending topic on the microblogging service after its release and remained on the top trending items on Twitter for three days.[
1. Nixon Admitted Marijuana Is ‘Not Particularly Dangerous’ In Newly Discovered Recording2. Marijuana Use By Older Americans Has Nearly Doubled In The Last Three Years, AARP-Backed Study Shows3. Medical Marijuana Helps People With Arthritis And Other Rheumatic Conditions Reduce Use Of Opioids And Other Medications, Study Shows4. U.S. Marijuana Consumers Have Spent More Than $4.1 Billion On Pre-Rolled Joints In The Past Year And A Half, Industry Report Finds
SHOW No. 4: Sunrise
Track #16
2:08 – 3:37
Grateful dead song written, music and lyrics by Donna Jean Godchaux. Released on Terrapin Station album, July 27, 1977
There are two accounts of the origins of this song, both of which may be true. One is that it is about Rolling Thunder, the Indian Shaman, conducting a ceremony (which certainly fits with many of the lyrics). The other is that it was written by Donna in memory of Rex Jackson, one of the Grateful Dead's crew (after whom the Rex Foundation is named).
It was played regularly by the Grateful Dead in 1977 and 1978 (Donna left the band in early 1979).
This version is the last time the band ever played it.
Played: 30 times
First: May 1, 1977 at The Palladium, New York, NY, USA
Last: September 16, 1978 at the Pyramids, Giza Egypt
OUTRO: Shakedown Street
Track #17
3:07 – 4:35
Title track from Shakedown Street album November 8, 1978
One of Jerry’s best numbers. A great tune that can open a show, open the second set, occasionally played as an encore, but not here. It is dropped into the middle of the second set as the lead in to Drums. This is only the second time the song is played by the band.
Played: 164 times
First: August 31, 1978 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO, USA
Last: July 9, 1995 at Soldier Field, Chicago, IL – opened the second set, the final set of music ever performed by the band.
Shout outs:
Karen Shmerling’s birthday
This week my beautiful granddaughter, Ruby, is coming to town to visit. Can’t wait to see her and her parents.
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
"From Steel Pulse to Wu-Tang: A Festival of Musical Diversity"
Larry Mishkin discusses a review of various experiences and performances, starting with a cannabis event called "Miracle in Mundelein," which took place over the past weekend. The main focus of the review is a discussion of a Grateful Dead show from September 9, 1987, at the Providence Civic Center in Rhode Island. The show was notable for being the second night of a three-show run, marking the opening of the Grateful Dead's 1987 East Coast fall tour.
Key highlights include:
"Hey Pocky Way" Performance: This was the first time the Grateful Dead performed the song "Hey Pocky Way," which is originally by the Meters, a New Orleans funk band. The song became a fan favorite, primarily due to the influence of Brent Mydland, the band's keyboardist. However, the song fell out of rotation after Brent's death in 1990.
"Jack Straw" Performance: Another song featured was "Jack Straw," a Grateful Dead classic written by Bob Weir and Robert Hunter. It was originally performed in 1971 and became a staple in the band's setlists. The song was performed in the second spot of the setlist during the 1987 show, indicating the band's tendency to feature it early in their concerts.
Music News Segment: The transcript also includes a segment on music news, which starts with a brief history of the band Cheap Trick, particularly their song "I Want You to Want Me."
Review of the Miracle in Mundelein Festival: The review shifts to discussing the recent "Miracle in Mundelein" festival, where several acts performed:
Overall, the review captures the blend of nostalgia with the Grateful Dead's classic performances and the fresh, dynamic energy of the Miracle in Mundelein festival, highlighting both the music and the culture of cannabis.
https://www.cheaptrick.com/
Grateful Dead
September 9, 1987 (37 years ago)
Providence Civic Center
Providence, Rhode Island
Grateful Dead Live at Providence Civic Center on 1987-09-09 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive
Second night of a three show run, the opening shows of 1987 East Cost fall tour.
INTRO: Hey Pocky Way
Track #1
:35 – 2:03
First time ever played
Hey Pocky Way was written by George Porter Jr., Leo Nocentelli, Art Neville & Joseph Modeliste, founding members of The Meters, an American funk band formed in 1965 in New Orleans by Modeliste (drums), Porter Jr. (bass), Nocentelli (guitar) and Neville (keyboards). The band performed and recorded their own music from the late 1960s until 1977 and played an influential role as backing musicians for other artists, including Lee Dorsey, Robert Palmer, Dr. John, and Allen Toussaint.
Song was released on Rejuvenation the band’s fifth studio album in 1974. In 2003, the album was ranked number 138 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time,[6] and 139 in a 2012 revised list.
Beginning with this show, the Dead began to feature Hey Pocky Way, usually as a show opener. Sung by Brent who really got into it with both his keyboard playing and strong singing, it became a fan favorite. But as a Brent influenced tune, it died when he did.
Played: 25 times
First: September 9, 1987 at Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI, USA
Last: July 22, 1990 at World Music Theatre, Tinley Park, IL, USA (Brent’s second to last show)
SHOW No. 1: Jack Straw
Track #2
4:00 – 5:50
"Jack Straw" written by Bob Weir and Robert Hunter. The track first appeared on the album Europe '72.
The song was first performed in concert on October 19, 1971, in Minneapolis, Minnesota at new keyboardist Keith Godchaux's first appearance with the band. In the song's earliest performances (c. 1971–72), Weir sang all of the vocals. By the time the 'Europe 72' version was recorded, (at the Olympia Theater in Paris on 5-03-72), Weir and Jerry Garcia were switching up the vocals - as they had on April 26th when 'Hundred Year Hall' was recorded. The song appeared in both the first and second sets until the band's short hiatus in 1974-1975. After re-forming, the song almost exclusively appeared in the first set. After Brent Mydland joined the band in 1979, the song almost exclusively opened the band's first set. The band also often extended the jam after the second verse after Mydland's joining, often extending the song to over six minutes. Dead and Company have also further extended the song, often adding an abstract opening jam prior to the song's first verse.[1]
Bob Weir stated in a 2004 interview that the song's lyrics were partly based on John Steinbeck's novel Of Mice and Men.[2] The song's themes include riding the rails, the Great Depression, and hobo (homeless) camps of the era. Jack Straw is also—perhaps coincidentally—the name of the original plantation owner, who lived controversially with his gay lover, Peter Ochello, in Tennessee Williams's play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.[3]
Always a great song to hear in concert, the fans loved it and it was always an omen of good things to come in the show.
Played: 477 times
First: October 19, 1971 at Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Last: July 8, 1995 at Soldier Field in Chicago
MUSIC NEWS
Acts:
They were initially refused live dates in Caribbean venues in Birmingham due to their Rastafarian beliefs. During the popularization of punk rock in the mid-1970's, Steel Pulse began to play punk venues such as the Hope and Anchor in London and The Electric Circus in Manchester in 1976.[1]
Aligning themselves closely with the Rock Against Racism organization and featuring in its first music festival in early 1978, they chose to tour with sympathetic elements of the punk movement,[1] including the Stranglers and XTC. Eventually they found a more natural home in support slots for Burning Spear, which brought them to the attention of Island Records.
Fun set that was in progress when we arrived, great sound and lots of energy that kept the crowd moving.
And many more
The band has built its career around an eclectic live show that harnesses the power of horns and percussion in a funky party-like atmosphere. The band routinely plays over 250 shows a year. They have been described by the Village Voice as "the missing link between Public Enemy and Louis Armstrong.
The Soul Rebels consist of percussionists and founding members Lumar LeBlanc and Derrick Moss, trumpet players Julian Gosin and Marcus Hubbard, trombonists Corey Peyton and Paul Robertson, saxophonist Erion Williams, and sousaphonist Manuel Perkins Jr.
On Saturday, they featured Raekwon and GZA from Wu Tang Clan.
RAEKWON - Corey Woods[2] (born January 12, 1970),[3][4] better known by his stage name Raekwon (/reɪˈkwɒn/, ray-KWON), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success following the release of their debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in 1993. Raekwon would subsequently pursue a solo career, releasing his first solo album, entitled Only Built 4 Cuban Linx..., in 1995. The album received critical acclaim, and is regarded by many critics as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, as well as a staple of 1990s rap.
Raekwon attributes the name Raekwon to the Five-Percent Nation, an offshoot of the Nation of Islam, when he was a "young kid."[11] He converted to Islam in 2009.
Growing up, he witnessed his mother being hit and abused by different men, an experience which he said "affected [him] a lot."[10] As a young man, his mother kicked him out of their Park Hill home when Raekwon got into an argument with her boyfriend and his mother sided with the boyfriend. During this time, he spiraled into a pattern of hopelessness and violent behavior.[8] He became addicted to cocaine and crack cocaine until he became aware of how the crack epidemic was affecting those around him, at which point "it was an automatic stop."[10]
Raekwon and rap partner Ghostface Killah attended junior high school together on Staten Island.[14] Raekwon attended New Dorp High School, where he befriended rappers Remedy, Method Man and Inspectah Deck.[15]
Woods first rapped as Sha Raider. In 1992, he joined the Wu-Tang Clan, an originally nine-member rap group drawing mainly from the Staten Island but also from the Brooklyn boroughs of New York City. He rapped as Raekwon The Chef, and also used the aliases Lex Diamonds, Shallah Raekwon, and Louis Rich.
After being caught in a crossfire and accidentally shot four times, Raekwon began rapping in earnest. He later described being shot as an "important eye opener."
In September 2009, MTV ranked Raekwon tenth among "hottest" rappers. In December, HipHopDx's 2009 awards named Only Built For Cuban Linx... Pt. II album of the year, calling it "the Hip Hop equivalent to The Godfather 2, with Rae as revitalized as Marlon was". Raekwon won Emcee of the Year—the prior year, Nas won—while HipHopDX staff explained,
Raekwon brought it back to lyrical, dope rap. He released an album that spoke to teens, twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings, and beyond. Without compromising, the Chef made an edgy Hip Hop record that refused to bastardize the catalog he laid down 15 years ago. On top of that, Rae (along with Ghostface) was a go-to for numerous rappers making albums, ranging from the Playaz Circle to Jadakiss to BK One. That's beyond real, as was a year filled with performing in arenas, clubs and even churches. When it came to mastering the ceremony, Rae had 'em all following the leader.[28]
— HipHopDX
GZA - Gary Eldridge Grice[2] (born August 22, 1966), better known by his stage names GZA (/ˈdʒɪzə/JIZ-ə) and The Genius,[3] is an American rapper. A founding member of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, GZA is the group's "spiritual head", being both the first member in the group to receive a record deal and being the oldest member.[4] He has appeared on his fellow Wu-Tang members' solo projects, and has maintained a successful solo career starting with his second album Liquid Swords (1995).
His lyrical style often dismisses typical rap story lines in favor of science and wide-ranging philosophies and has been characterized as "armed with sharp metaphors and a smooth flow".[5][6][7][8] An analysis of GZA's lyrics found that he has the second largest vocabulary in popular hip hop music.[9][10] He teamed up with an education group to promote science education in New York City through hip hop.
In 1992, GZA joined the Wu-Tang Clan, a group of nine, formed by his cousin RZA. GZA had some high-profile appearances on the group's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (1993), including a solo track, "Clan in da Front".[22] This, combined with appearances on other Clan members' albums such as Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version (1995) and Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (1995) brought him much recognition. According to Method Man, "we form like Voltron and GZA happens to be the head".
The combination of the Soul Rebels beat and Raekwon’s and GZA’s rapping made for an exceptional set of music that caught me off guard but was worth the price of admission. With lots of cannabis references scattered throughout their lyrics and stage talk, they were a perfect match for this festival.
Outside of music, Thomaz has delved into acting with television roles in Dickinson and The Eric Andre Show, the lead role alongside Snoop Dogg in the 2012 stoner comedy film Mac & Devin Go to High School, and voice roles in the animated series American Dad!, Duncanville, and Big City Greens. Thomaz founded the record label Taylor Gang Entertainment in 2008, through which he has signed artists including Juicy J, Ty Dolla Sign, and Berner. Known for his abundant usage of cannabis, Thomaz launched his own cannabis brand, Khalifa Kush, in 2016, which expanded for release in nationwide dispensaries in 2022.
His stage name is derived from Khalifa, an Arabic word meaning "successor", and wisdom, which was shortened to Wiz when Khalifa was a young boy.[10] Khalifa stated to Spinner.com that the name also came from being called "young Wiz 'cause I was good at everything I did, and my granddad is Muslim, so he gave me that name; he felt like that's what I was doing with my music." He got a tattoo of his stage name on his 17th birthday.[11][12]
By the age of 15, he was regularly recording his music at a local studio called I.D. Labs.[13] Impressed by the young teen's talent, E. Dan, the owner of the studio offered Khalifa an intern job at the studio in exchange for free recording time. Dan, being a veteran of the Pittsburgh hip-hop scene, would help develop and mentor the young artist early on in his career.
He was the headliner and lived up to the billing. Great tunes, great stage presence, great spokesperson for cannabis. My first experience with his music and it was very positive.
A great musical education for me with my tutors, Daniel and AJ.
More in MJ News
SHOW No. 2: Greatest Story Ever Told
Track #9
3:25 – end
INTO
Devil With a Blue Dress
Track #10
0:00 – 1:33
Greatest Story – written by Hunter/Bobby/Mickey, originally called “The Pump Song” on Mickey Hart’s 1972 album Rolling Thunder. As the opening tune of Ace, it is called Greatest Story Ever Told. But this isn’t about that song. Here, it is the lead-in to a first set couple of “extras” thrown in for some fun.
"Devil with a Blue Dress On" (also known as "Devil with the Blue Dress") is a song written by Shorty Long and William "Mickey" Stevenson, first performed by Long and released as a single in 1964. A later version recorded by Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels in 1966 peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
"Devil with the Blue Dress" was originally released as Shorty Long's debut single on Motown in 1964, but the single failed to chart. The song describes a femme fatale in a blue dress and not an actual devil.[2]
Two years later, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels recorded the song at Bell Sound Studios in New York City[3] as a medley with an original arrangement of Little Richard's "Good Golly, Miss Molly". Their version, released on their album, “Breakout . . . . !”, was notably more up-tempo than Long's more blues-influenced rendition.[2] Reaching No. 4 on the Hot 100, their version of the track would end up becoming their most well-known and highest charting hit in the United States. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked it No. 428 on their list of Top 500 Songs of All Time.
Basically, another great cover to showcase Brent’s singing and keyboard skills. This was the first of 3 times the Dead covered the song. Another fun diversion by the band that kept the Deadheads guessing and not wanting to ever miss a show.
The transition out of Greatest Story is seamless and makes it so you can’t hear the end of Greatest Story without hearing the signature beat of Devil making it a “natural” fit.
Played – 3 times
First: September 9, 1987 at Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI, USA
Last: October 4, 1987 at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA, USA
SHOW No. 3: Good Golly Miss Molly
Track #11
0:00 – end
INTO
Devil With a Blue Dress
Track #12
0:00 – 0:51
"Good Golly, Miss Molly" is a rock 'n' roll song first recorded in 1956 by American musician Little Richard and released in January 1958 as single on the Specialty label, and later on the album, Little Richard in July 1958.[1] The song, a jump blues, was written by John Marascalco and producer Robert "Bumps" Blackwell. Although it was first recorded by Little Richard, Blackwell produced another version by the Valiants, who imitated the fast first version recorded by Little Richard, not released at that time. Although the Valiants' version was released first (in 1957), Little Richard had the hit, reaching No. 4.[2] Like all his early hits, it quickly became a rock 'n' roll standard and has subsequently been recorded by hundreds of artists. The song is ranked No. 92 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Little Richard first heard the phrase "Good golly, Miss Molly" from a Southern DJ named Jimmy Pennick.[4] He modified the lyrics into the more suggestive "Good golly, Miss Molly/You sure like to ball." Little Richard himself later claimed that he took Ike Turner's piano intro from his influential 1951 rock and roll song "Rocket 88", and used it for "Good Golly, Miss Molly".[5] "I always liked that record," Richard recalled, "and I used to use the riff in my act, so when we were looking for a lead-in to 'Good Golly, Miss Molly', I did that and it fit."
In 1966, Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels incorporated "Good Golly Miss Molly" into their version of "Devil with a Blue Dress On". Their version scored a major hit, not only in Ryder's native Detroit, but nationwide, placing at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 100.
As with Devil, a Brent thing. Unfortunately, it was only around for a month. Then vanished from the Dead’s playlist thereafter.
Played: 3 times, makes sense
First: September 9, 1987 at Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI, USA
Last: October 4, 1987 at Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA, USA
MJ NEWS:
Miracle in Mudelein – a great event sponsored by Rise Dispensaries and Rhythm cultivators. Second year, featuring great music, excellent food and drink and too many booths for dabbing from various types of rigs including a Studenglass Gravity Bong – my first time using one and it is not your father’s four foot Graffix bong! Daniel and AJ were all over it and as it turned out, the wait in line was well worth the experience. Rather than try to explain it to you, just Google Gravity Bong and see for yourself! Great high.
Miracle is that Lake County, a more conservative leaning county, and Mundelein permitted the event. Attendees can bring in their own flower or extracts (supposedly only if purchased at an Illinois dispensary), smoking accessories, etc. Rise also was selling products at the show.
A wonderful thing to attend an event and not have to hide and smuggle in your cannabis. People lighting up everywhere, offering to share, talking strains, etc. Police were there to keep order and otherwise let it all go on. Very professional.
Excellent mellow crowd (what else would you expect?). Well run. Shot joints out of a canon. A wonderful day and experience for those who enjoy cannabis, especially not having to hide it or pretend you don’t have any when everyone knows attendees are smuggling it in anyway.
A great way to promote cannabis and help normalize it within the community. And a fun event to be able to share with my boys, Bella and AJ. Fun had by all.
SHOW No. 4: Not Fade Away
Track #24 (NOTE – this song is listed as Track #23 AND #24, be sure to use #24)
0:00 – end
"Not Fade Away" is a song credited to Buddy Holly (originally under his first and middle names, Charles Hardin) and Norman Petty (although Petty's co-writing credit is likely to have been a formality[3]) and first recorded by Holly and his band, the Crickets.
Holly and the Crickets recorded the song in Clovis, New Mexico, on May 27, 1957, the same day the song "Everyday" was recorded.[1] The rhythmic pattern of "Not Fade Away" is a variant of the Bo Diddley beat,
"Not Fade Away" was originally released as the B-side of the hit single "Oh, Boy!" on 10.27.1957 and was included on the album The "Chirping" Crickets (1957). The Crickets' recording never charted as a single. In 2004, this song was ranked number 107 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
The song is closely associated with the Grateful Dead as one of their signature tunes—one which the band transformed from Holly's 1950s boy/girl romanticism to one reflecting the 1960s’ more spiritual universal love. Their 1971 recording of the song is included on their second live album, Skull and Roses, paired with Going Down The Road Feeling Bad, a regular happening in the early ‘70’s.
Primarily a second set tune that used to show up in the second half of the second set after Drums-Space. Beginning in 1983, the Dead began to play it as the second set closer, trailing off with “Love is real will not fade away” as they exited the stage. A few years later, the Deadheads starting chanting the line as the Dead left the stage and in some cases, kept it up until the band reappeared for their encore, when the band would pick back up on the beat and play it for another minute or so before their encore tune, such as with this show.
Great example of the Deadheads making their mark on the show and the band being tuned in enough to play along with it. Although sometimes if the Dead took too long to come out for the encore, the chanting would start to fade off. And sometimes even when the chant made it all the way to the band’s return on stage, the band would ignore it and just dive straight into their encore. Fun when it all came together like this show.
Played: 561 times
First: February 19, 1969 at Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: July 5, 1995 at Riverport Amphitheatre in Maryland Heights, MO (St. Louis)
OUTRO: The Mighty Quinn
Track #25
2:11 – 3:48
Bob Dylan wrote and first recorded the song in 1967 during the Basement Tapes sessions, but did not release a version for another three years. The song's first release was in January 1968 as "Mighty Quinn" in a version by the British band Manfred Mann, from their album Mighty Garvey, and became a great success.
A demo of 14 of the 1967 Basement Tapes recordings, including the first of two takes of "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)", was produced in 1968, but was not intended for release. Recordings taken from the demos began appearing on bootlegs, starting with Great White Wonder,[7] a double-album bootleg that came out in July 1969. The first official release of the song was in 1970 on Dylan's Self Portrait album,[14] a live recording from 1969's Isle of Wight Festival. The live version (titled "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)") was also selected in 1971 for the second compilation of Dylan's career, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II.
Covered by: the Hollies, Leon Russell and Phish, among others.
Although they never played the song with Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead started playing "The Mighty Quinn" in concert in 1985. It became a favorite encore among the Grateful Dead's fans, and remained so to the end of their career.
Last verses, end with, “when Quinn the Eskimo gets here, everybody’s gonna want to doze” but the Deadheads heard it as “dose” and always gave it a big cheer.
Played: 59 times
First: December 30, 1985 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA, USA
Last: July 2, 1995 at Deer Creek Music Center, Noblesville, IN, USA
Shoutouts:
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
Labor Day Vibes: Grateful Dead, George Thorogood, and More
A special Labor Day edition featuring a recap of significant events in the music world, particularly focusing on the Grateful Dead's September 2, 1988, concert at the Capitol Center in Landover, Maryland. Larry Mishkin reminisces about the band's history, including the song "Hell in a Bucket," its significance, and its evolution in the Grateful Dead's lineup. There's a detailed discussion about the song "Dire Wolf," including its origins, inspirations, and its role in the band's performances.
The episode also features a tribute to Steve Silverman, a renowned science writer and Grateful Dead enthusiast who recently passed away. Silverman was celebrated for his contributions to the understanding of autism and his deep connection to the Grateful Dead community. The tribute highlights his life, his work, and his impact on both the music and science communities.
Larry shares reviews of the recent George Thorogood and Journeyman Tribute the Eric Clapton
https://www.georgethorogood.com/
https://vilarpac.org/
https://journeymantribute.com/
Grateful Dead
September 2, 1988 (36 years ago)
Capital Center
Landover, MD
Grateful Dead Live at Capital Centre on 1988-09-02 : Free Borrow & Streaming : Internet Archive
I hope everyone is having a great Labor Day weekend.
Night one of a four night run at the Cap Center to kick off 1988 East Coast Fall Tour (played Friday and Saturday, 2 and 3 and Monday and Tuesday 5 and 6). Took a night off for my wedding on Sunday 4th. Saturday night show was my rehearsal dinner and they played second encore, final electric Ripple and final Grateful Dead Ripple. Memorable weekend for all (except for my east coast deadhead buddies at the wedding who were bummed to have missed the Ripple.
INTRO: Hell in a Bucket
Track #2
0:00 – 1:34
David Dodd: The Bob Weir / John Barlow / Brent Mydland song “Hell in a Bucket” directly references the biker scene, and I’m sure that somehow Barlow just wanted to put that element into the band’s repertoire somehow. After all, there are plenty of outlaw elements sprinkled through the band’s songs.
In the case of this song, though, the singer/narrator seems to be wishing a sorry fate on his erstwhile main squeeze, with the argument being that once she has a biker charging up and down her halls on his chopper, she’ll realize that the narrator was really pretty good, at least by contrast.
“Hell in a Bucket” appeared on In the Dark, released in July 1987. The song frequently featured as the show opener over the course of the next two-plus decades, although it wasn’t used in that role until about a year after its first performance.
Played: 217 times
First: May 13, 1983 at William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, USA
Last: June 30, 1995 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
SHOW No. 1: Dire Wolf
Track #5
2:00 – 3:24
"Dire Wolf" is a ballad by the Grateful Dead, released as the third track on their 1970 album Workingman's Dead. The lyrics were written by Robert Hunter after watching a film adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles. The music, containing elements of country and folk music, was composed by Jerry Garcia on the same day. The song tells the story of a man who plays cards with a "dire wolf" on a cold winter's night in "Fennario"; the lyrics have been variously interpreted. The piece became a staple of the Grateful Dead's performances, and was played more than two hundred times between 1969 and 1995.
A few months before the release of their album Aoxomoxoa in 1969, Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter and his then-partner Christie Bourne began sharing a house with the band's guitarist Jerry Garcia, his wife, and his step-daughter. Living in close proximity gave an impetus to their collaborative song-writing: Hunter and Garcia wrote every song on Aoxomoxoa.[2] Some time later, Hunter and Carolyn Garcia spent an evening watching a film adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles. According to Grateful Dead historian Dennis McNally, Carolyn later remarked that the hound was a "dire wolf".[3] However, according to Hunter himself, as quoted in the Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics, he and Garcia were speculating about the identity of the hound in the story, and came up with the idea that it may have been a dire wolf.[4] Hunter wrote the lyrics the next morning, based on images that the phrase conjured for him, and Garcia wrote the music to them later that day.[3][4]
The location named "Fennario" appears in the folk song "The Bonnie Lass o' Fyvie", including in the Grateful Dead's version of that song. It refers to a fictional location; a friend of the band members commented in an interview that it was the perfect name for a generic place, because it was evocative, and had four syllables.[4] In contrast, music writer Buzz Poole speculated that the name may be derived from Fenrir, a mythical Nordic wolf who was chained up by the gods.[6] The phrase "don't murder me", repeated in the chorus, was a reference by Garcia to his experiences driving around the San Francisco Bay Area at the time that the Zodiac Killer was active.[4]
The song became a staple of the Grateful Dead's live performances; the electric version of the song was typically featured on the band's first set.[4][7] According to The Grateful Dead's 100 Essential Songs, "Dire Wolf" was played 226 times between 1969 and 1995, and was played every year, except for 1975. Sixty-three of these performances were in the first two years after the song was written. In later years, the acoustic version of the piece became more common.[7] The structure and pace of the song did not change much over the years. It was sung most often by Garcia, although an early version featured Bob Weir on vocals, with Garcia playing the pedal steel guitar instead.[7] An AllMusic review of this version praised Garcia's "sweet" guitar playing as a "great feature" of the song.[5] Its lyrics have led to it being described as an essential Grateful Dead song by commentators.[7]
Played: 229 times
First: June 7, 1969 at Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, USA
Last: June 7, 1969 at Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA, USA
MUSIC NEWS:
Miracle in Mundelein 2024 is an unprecedented cannabis and outdoor concert experience taking place at RISE Recreational Dispensary in Mundelein, IL on September 7-8, 202412. Presented by RYTHM Premium Cannabis, RISE Dispensaries, Dayglo, and Deep Cut, this second annual outdoor festival allows legal on-site cannabis consumption2.
SHOW No. 2: Althea
Track #7
3:10 – 4:53
When the Grateful Dead released “Althea” on their 1980 album Go to Heaven, it quickly became a favorite among fans. Robert Hunter, the Dead’s legendary lyricist, was known for embedding multiple layers of meaning in his lyrics. “Althea” is no exception. Jerry Garcia’s soulful voice brings Hunter’s words to life, but it’s the lyrics that leave listeners pondering.
The name “Althea” itself is rooted in Greek mythology. Althea was the Queen of Calydon, whose actions led to her son’s death, reflecting themes of fate and consequence. While the song doesn’t explicitly connect to this myth, the allusion to “your fire” might be a subtle nod to Althea’s tragic tale.
“Althea” was performed live by the Grateful Dead 273 times, making it a staple in their repertoire. Despite McNally’s belief that the band overplayed it in the early ’80s, fans cherished its live renditions. The song’s adaptability and depth allowed it to grow with the listeners, much like a trusted pair of pants with a sturdy elastic waistband.
Played: 273 times
First: August 4, 1979 at Oakland Civic Auditorium, Oakland, CA, USA
Last: July 8, 1995 at Soldier Field, Chicago
SHOW No. 3: Scarlet Begonias
Track #10
0:00 – 2:02
Garcia/Hunter
From The Mars Hotel (July 24, 1974)
The group first performed the song live on March 23, 1974, at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California.[1] When "Fire on the Mountain" was incorporated into the band's repertoire in 1977, "Scarlet Begonias" would often be paired with it when played live, resulting in what would be nicknamed "Scarlet > Fire" with the first iteration of this iconic pairing on Friday, March 18th, 1977 at Winterland in S.F. Interestingly, they played the combo to close the first set. Almost always a second set opener, once saw them open a show with it.
Had to play this because the opening is so special – sends a message to the Deadheads that good things lay ahead, best second set opener in their arsenal. Nothing like the reaction when you hear the first few notes. “Scarlet, into Fire, a great 25 minutes of grooving music and wonderful for “mind exercises” you may be experiencing at that time.
Played: 317 (Fire played 254 times)
First: March 23, 1974 at Cow Palace, Daly City, CA, USA
Last: June 2, 1995 at Deer Creek, Noblesville, IN
MJ NEWS:
SHOW No. 4: All Along The Watchtower
Track #17
1:50 – 3:53
Bob Dylan
John Wesley Harding
"All Along the Watchtower" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his eighth studio album, John Wesley Harding (1967). The song was written by Dylan and produced by Bob Johnston. The song's lyrics, which in its original version contain twelve lines, feature a conversation between a joker and a thief. The song has been subject to various interpretations; some reviewers have noted that it echoes lines in the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 21, verses 5–9. Dylan has released several different live performances, and versions of the song are included on some of his subsequent greatest hits compilations.
Covered by numerous artists, "All Along the Watchtower" is strongly identified with the interpretation Jimi Hendrix recorded with the Jimi Hendrix Experience for their third studio album, Electric Ladyland (1968). The Hendrix version, released six months after Dylan's original recording, became a Top 20 single in 1968, received a Grammy Hall of Fame award in 2001, and was ranked 48th in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004 (40th in the 2021 version). Dylan first played the song live in concert on the Bob Dylan and the Band 1974 Tour, his first tour since 1966. His live performances have been influenced by Hendrix's cover, to the extent that they have been called covers of a cover. Dylan has performed the song live more than any of his other ones, with over 2,250 recitals.
Hendrix was a known Dylan fan. He even once cleared a dance floor by demanding that "Blowin in the Wind" be played in a New York club. In a 1967 interview, Hendrix described Dylan's influence on his own songwriting. "I could never write the kind of words he does," Hendrix said. "But he's helped me out in trying to write two or three words 'cause I've got a thousand songs that will never be finished. I just lie around and write about two or three words, but now I have a little more confidence in trying to finish one."
Hendrix acquired a copy of John Wesley Harding before the album's official release and instantly knew he had to cover one of the tracks. Initially, he was planning to record "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine," but after further consideration he chose "All Along the Watchtower." Hendrix claimed he had a natural gravitation toward the track. "The songs Dylan usually gave me are so close to me that I feel like I wrote them myself," he added. "With 'Along the Watchtower' I had that feeling." Less than two months after Dylan recorded the original, Hendrix was in the studio laying down his version.
John Wesley Harding was Dylan's return to his acoustic roots after his motorcycle accident. But rather than bring back the topical lyrics about civil rights and the Vietnam War, he continued the evocative, surreal images that made his previous three records -- Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde -- so groundbreaking, adding biblical imagery that foreshadowed his born-again phase more than a decade later.
Dead started playing it while touring with Dylan in the summer of 1987. Not necessarily their greatest tour, and Dylan was not sharp on a night by night basis, but when they got to this tune, the crowd really responded. So after the tour ended, the Dead just kept it in their repertoire and played it until their end.
Played: 118
First: June 20, 1987 at William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA, USA
Last: June 22, 1995 at Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY, USA
OUTRO: Black Muddy River
Track #20
4:15 – 6:34
Garcia/Hunter
From: In The Dark (1987)
Black Muddy River was a song that was a pretty decent “new” song for a while. Almost always played as an encore, it was a fan favorite in the Twin Cities, St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans, all situated on or near the Mississippi River. Sometimes they would play it in those cities and sometimes they would wait to play it until they were in the middle of nowhere with no river around for miles and miles. Towards the end, Jerry seemed to lose his enthusiasm for it so, for example, when he rose to the occasion at the last show on July 9, 1995 and belted out a So Many Roads for the ages, his Black Muddy River encore left a lot to be desired. So much so that, as the story goes, Phil decided they could not end the summer tour on such a low note so he pushed in a Box of Rain making that song the last one ever played in concert by the band and a much nicer farewell than that not very good Black Muddy River would have been.
This one is “young” and strong, Jerry’s voice rings true and you can hear the energy build up inside him as he belts out the final lines of the song. A song that sent all those at the Cap Center out into the night longing for more without even knowing what awaited them the very next night. Some were there, some weren’t. That’s the story of the Dead and touring (like Phish waiting to Dick’s to play Fee!).
Played: 66 times
First: December 15, 1986 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA, USA
Last: July 9, 1995 at Soldier Field, Chicago, IL, USA
Shout outs:
Wed – my anniversary, and H and Robbin
Thurs. – JW’s anniversary with the lovely Allie
Bella – birthday on Monday
Jackie G. in St. Louis on Sunday
.Produced by PodConx
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Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
A Festival Odyssey: Phish, Mondegreens, and Moments with My Son
Larry Mishkin reflects on his recent experience attending the Mondegreen Festival, a Phish festival in Dover, Delaware, with his son and friends. He shares his enthusiasm for the event, highlighting the performances and the significance of certain songs, including "The MoMA Dance" and "NICU," which have deep ties to Phish's history and fan culture. Larry provides a detailed history of Phish festivals, from the Clifford Ball in 1996 to the most recent Mondegreen Festival, noting memorable moments, attendance figures, and unique aspects of each event. The episode also includes a brief discussion on the 60th anniversary of The Beatles' performance at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado. Larry expresses his excitement about attending the festival with his son and reminisces about the special bond they shared during the event.
MONDEGREEN
Phish
August 15 – 18, 2024
The Woodlands
Dover Delaware
Band’s 11th festival, NOT counting Curveball set for 2018 that was canceled at the last minute due to contaminated water supply due to heavy rains and flooding.
Nine year gap between MagnaBall in March, 2015 and Mondegreen, biggest gap between festivals in band’s history.
INTRO: Moma Dance
Night One, August 15, 2024
First Night, First Set, First Song (into Back On The Train)
Phish @ The Woodlands, Mondegreen Festival, Dover DE 2024-08-15 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Track #2
2:31 – 4:05
By: Anastasio/Fishman/Gordon/McConnell/Marshall
Played:
First Played: 6/30/98 in Copenhagen, Denmark
Most recent: August 15, 2024 (Mondegreen)
Current Gap: 3 shows
The title of “Moma” is another example of Phish Phonetics, cleverly transforming the moment ends lyric into a reference to a display of “The Rhombus” at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
Mondegreen: are they saying, “The Moma Dance” OR “the Moment Ends”??
SHOW No 1: NICU
Night One, August 15, 2024
First Set, 6th song (out of Roggae and into A Wave of Hope)
Phish @ The Woodlands, Mondegreen Festival, Dover DE 2024-08-15 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Track #7
3:00 – 4:56
By: Anastasio/Marshall
Played 156 times
First Played: 3.6.92 at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH
Most Recent: August 15, 2024 (Mondegreen)
Gap: 3 shows
Has any Phish song had as many names with as many explanations as “NICU”? At its debut in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Trey introduced the song as “In an Intensive Care Unit.” Shortly thereafter, the name was changed to “NICU,” which some considered a play on a line from the backing vocals in the chorus (“and I see you”) and others noted was the abbreviation for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Shortly thereafter, the “controversy” began, as controversy can only begin among rabid Phish fans. Some called the song “And I See You.” Some stuck with the original “In an Intensive Care Unit.” Other interesting theories developed, including one from the Internet where a fan noted that the elements Nickel (NI) and Copper (Cu) are side-by-side on the Periodic Table and that the title “NICU” may thus be a reference to nickels and pennies or, more likely, small change.
Title is a Mondegreen for “And I See You”
Music News (from Mondegreen)
Matthew’s crew: Matthew, me, Donny, Jake, Dave and Seth
Michigan Crew: ???
NYC Crew: Max & Jess, Joey and Darby, Darby’s brother, Brad and Sam, Dan the drummer (and?), Dude from Florida and girlfriend (??), Tesh,
WHO ELSE SHOULD I MENTION?
CLEVELAND CREW: Kevin, two buddies? Aaron Anyone else?
Hot and humid/ AC units
Tents v. RV’s/bathrooms/food/water and ice/maintenance
Storm – cut Sunday short
Modern weather technology – good and bad
Just like 2022 Sacred Rose Festival
Secret Set on Aug. 16th second night
Driving 12 hours each way
SHOW No. 2: I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove
Night 3, August 17, 2024 – Second set opener traditional Mike’s Groove>Theme From The Bottom
November 11, 2012, MSG, NYNY
Mike’s>Chalk Dust Torture>I Am Hydrogen>Weekapaug
Phish | 12.29.11 | Mike's Song → Chalk Dust Torture → I Am Hydrogen → Weekapaug Groove - YouTube
15:44 – 17.43
I Am Hydrogen
By: Daubert/Marshall/Anastasio
Played: 350 times
First: April 6, 1985 at Finbar’s in Burlington, VT
Most Recent: August 17, 2024 (Mondegreen Night 3)
Gap: 1 show
The story of “I Am Hydrogen” is a love story. Conceived by Tom Marshall and Marc Daubert around 1984-85 on piano and acoustic guitar, they brought their creation over to Trey’s house, where it was recorded. Trey added a harmony to it on his electric guitar, and the “Hydrogen” we have come to know was born. Initially intended for Tom, Marc, and Trey’s band Bivouac, “Hydrogen” ended up in the Phish lineup and made its debut, all alone, on 4/6/85. After a few years, it became the connector between Mike’s Song and Weekapaug Groove.
Into
Weekapaug Groove
By: Anastasio/Fishman/McConnell/Gordon
Played: 523 times
First: 7.23.1988 at Pete's Phabulous Phish Phest in Underhill, VT
Most Recent: August 17, 2024 (Mondegreen Night 3)
Gap: 1 show
“Weekapaug Groove” takes its name from the town of Weekapaug, located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in southwestern Rhode Island. According to Mike, the song’s lyrics (“Trying to make a woman that you move, sharing in a Weekapaug Groove”) are meaningless. As Mike said in a 9/9/97 interview with Parke Puterbaugh:
“So we came back to Boston [from Weekapaug, after playing a gig there at a yacht club], and I guess we were in the van or the Voyager we used to drive in, and that song “Oh What a Night” came on the radio. You know that one? That awful Four Seasons song? We just constantly listened to songs and changed around the words as to what they might sound like. I always had a particularly hard time hearing lyrics anyway, so I always would sing a song on the radio, sing along with the wrong words. So the bridge of that song goes ‘Oh I-I-I trying to something,’ but I was singing it, ‘Oh I-I-I trying to make a woman that you move,’ which means nothing, 'sharing in a Weekapaug groove.’ So we all just started singing that, as complete nonsense: ‘trying to make a woman that you move.’ It never occurred to any of us that it had any meaning, ever. There was a period of time that we were singing it, and I used to just yell out the lyrics, between singing them I would just yell them out as if I was preaching them, just to sort of make it more ironic that they have no meaning.”
SHOW No. 3: Yamar
Night 4, August 18, 2024 – First set 10th song out of Stash and into Timber
August 17, 1996, Clifford Ball, Plattsburgh AFB, Plattsburgh, NY (1st Phish Festival) into It’s Ice
Phish-Ya Mar-Clifford Ball (youtube.com)
0:13 – 1:45
By: Cyril Ferguson
27th November 1951 - Cyril 'Dry Bread' Ferguson was born in Nassau, New Providence, Bahama Islands.
Ferguson was a Bahamian musician and entertainer. He composed songs in the genres of goombay, calypso and Bahamian pop music.
Some of his more popular songs include: Ya Mar, Sunshine On My Body, Bahamian Music and Don't Squeeze The Mango.
Ferguson died of complications related to diabetes on 9th April 2009.
“Ya Mar” resides as a favorite in the hearts of many fans. It represents one of Phish’s few forays into calypso and is among the most playful and danceable songs in the band’s repertoire. And anytime Trey screams for Page to take the reins – “Play it, Leoooooo!” – the crowd is apt to go wild. Page’s nickname actually comes from this line in the original, where The Mustangs urged their own piano man to step into the spotlight. The title seems to reference the slurred interpretation of “your ma,” as the singer recounts the disdain his lover’s family has for him. Phish put their own unique stamp on it by often changing the “no good pa” lyric in the chorus to mimic their own “oh kee pa” phrase.
Played: 232 times
First: 2.21.1987 at Slade Hall, UV, Burlington, VT
Most Recent: 8.18.2024
Gap: 0 shows
Marijuana News
SHOW No. 4: Simple
Night 4, August 18, 2024 – First set second to last song of Izabella and into Golden Age
July 27, 2024, Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI second set out of Sigma Oasis and into The Howling
Phish - 7/27/2024 - Simple (4K HDR) (youtube.com)
0:18 – 1:28
By: Gordon
Played: 209 times
First: 5.27.1994 at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco
Most Recent: August 18, 2024 (Mondegreen Night 4)
Gap: 0 shows
"Simple" was first written and recorded by Mike Gordon in a four-track medium in the Doo-wop style and introduced to the band during the studio sessions forHoist. This version reflected the country and bluegrass writing style of many previous Gordon compositions. The song was left off of the albumand the band showed hesitation in performing it live.
Then, on 5/27/94, “Simple” debuted in a very strange and raw fashion during the “Mike’s Song” at the Warfield in San Francisco. In contrast to the song we know today, the debut version of “Simple” was Mike’s original lyrics sung by the band members over a jam that had emerged from “Mike’s.” Three weeks later, “Simple” was played for a second time at the historic 6/17/94 gig, the same night that much of the country was watching the low-speed police chase of O.J. Simpson’s white Ford Bronco through L.A. This version was significantly reworked and sounded much like the “Simple” we are accustomed to hearing today, with the exception of a minor humoristic augmentation providing the line “We’ve got O.J., cause we’ve got a band.”
Mondegreen: We’ve got a cymbal (simple) cause we’ve got a band
OUTRO: Twee Pri
Night 3, August 17, 2024 – Encore out of YEM into end of show
April 20, 2024, The Sphere, Las Vegas, NV Encore out of A Life Beyond the Dream into end of show
Tvidler 202202 11 by Ryan Maguire (youtube.com)
0:00 – end
By: Anastasio/Fishman/Gordon/McConnell
Played: 321 ties
First: 2.1.1991 at Alumnae Hall, Brown University — Providence, RI
Most Recent: 8.17.2024 Mondegreen Night 3
Gap: 1 show
A "reprise" is a sort of musical afterthought – basically a reintroduction of and variation on the main theme of a piece of music. Thus, “Tweezer Reprise” is a slight variation – a condensation of sorts – of “Tweezer.” As it does on the album A Picture of Nectar, the “Reprise” often follows “Tweezer” in concert, most frequently as an encore song. It is also common as a second set closer following an earlier “Tweezer.” A few times, the “Reprise” has even been spewed out of some long, monster “Tweezer,” serving as the thrilling exclamation point at the end of a raging, set-long sentence (e.g. 5/7/94, 6/22/95).
On occasion, “Tweezer Reprise” has shown up as a surprise in a show where there has been no performance of “Tweezer” proper. Although usually this occurs because the “Reprise” will be referring back to a non-reprised “Tweezer” at the previous night’s show (e.g. 12/30/96’s “Tweezer” was reprised on 12/31/96), the song has been known to appear, albeit rarely, completely free from its Granddaddy counterpart, like on 9/29/99. The most interesting example of this, and perhaps the most unusual “Tweezer Reprise” ever performed, was on 12/8/99, which featured an a cappella version that came out of a “YEM” vocal jam to close the second set. The band later finished off the show with a traditional “Tweezer Reprise” to end the encore. Other interesting versions include 10/27/94 and 10/21/95.
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
"Phish's Record-Breaking Jams: A New Era in Live Performance"
Larry Mishkin discusses a 1990 performance by the Jerry Garcia Band, highlighting the importance of his album recorded during this period and recommending it for fans of Garcia. He then shift to discussing Phish, describing a lengthy and memorable jam session of the song "Simple" during a recent concert. He shares his personal experience and admiration for Phish's ability to maintain engaging improvisations in their performances.
The conversation then transitions to Aerosmith, detailing the band's history, influence, and their recent announcement to retire from touring due to Steven Tyler's vocal issues. Larry reflects on Aerosmith's legacy, comparing them to other iconic rock bands like The Rolling Stones, and notes the personal connection some of their friends have with the band.
Along with new positive cannabis studies, Larry briefly touches on the recent end of Dead & Company’s tour and the cancellation of Widespread Panic's remaining 2024 tour dates, expressing disappointment but understanding the circumstances.
.Produced by PodConx
Deadhead Cannabis Show - https://podconx.com/podcasts/deadhead-cannabis-show
Larry Mishkin - https://podconx.com/guests/larry-mishkin
Rob Hunt - https://podconx.com/guests/rob-hunt
Jay Blakesberg - https://podconx.com/guests/jay-blakesberg
Sound Designed by Jamie Humiston - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-humiston-91718b1b3/
Recorded on Squadcast
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