Day 7: I Will Take You Home, 3/25/90

I Will Take You Home, 3/25/90, Dozin' At The Knick

This song is a bit obvious for today. My second son was born on 2/6/14 at 6:16am, and we brought him home this afternoon. This song really speaks to the occasion in both a lyrical and metaphorical way. Swap out the words "little girl" for "little boy," as I'm sure plenty of Dead Head parents have done over the years, and this song becomes immediately applicable to your life. I know that Brent had his demons and that in the end the promises he makes in this song ultimately became hollow when he passed, but I've always chosen to focus on the sweet, sentimental, and parental aspects of this song. I've always liked the tune, but it's taken on increased significance for me since my first son was born and it's just as poignant today with my second.

I only have three versions of this song on official releases: the album version on Built To Last (which I actually heard in the car this morning and helped prompt this selection), the Dozin' version, and the one on Nightfall of Diamonds.

I opted for the Dozin' version because it's the one I'm most familiar with, and I love the Spring of 1990. This particular version comes out of space and Jerry is working with various members of the brass section throughout. I know that a lot of people don't like Brent, especially when he sang, and find this song a buzzkill, but not me. I find the MIDI work on this very really interesting and I like Jerry's experimentation with different brass instruments. I think they add a lot of dynamic and texture to the song. Near the end, around 4:40, Brent really holds onto the final "will" of the eponymous line in the song and I just find it moving. (Kind of like the poignancy of his "rap" during Blow Away on 7/7/89.) So give this version a chance!

Day 6: Eyes Of The World, 9/7/73

Eyes Of The World, Wake Of The Flood (Expanded), 9/7/73

Today is a day 40 weeks in the making and one that I've put some thought into for the blog. I'm currently in the hospital with my wife awaiting the arrival of our second son. There are several choices in the Dead canon that relate to the idea of new beginnings and renewal. I thought long and hard about finding a Let It Grow for this occasion, but settled on Eyes Of The World. Eyes seems to have more of an innocence vibe and I find the lyrics more appropriate for such a natal event. (I'm a big fan of Let It Grow so don't be surprised if one shows up really soon. My copy of DaP9 just arrived and I'm yet to get to the third disc, but I hear great things about that WRS.)

I've always been a big fan of the Dead's studio work. I know that the band were generally not a fan of their studio efforts, but I tend to find them very underrated, especially the run from about 1970-1975. Pretty much all of the studio records in that period are solid gold in my opinion. When I got the expanded WOTF this version of Eyes really stood out to me and I've enjoyed it often in recent years. I believe this was the tour right after the album came out so this was new to the repertoire. The band attacks the jam with the passion and ferocity one would expect of 1973. The fact that it clocks in at over 17 minutes doesn't hurt either. I always dig the Stronger Than Dirt jam in these early Eyes, and Jerry just lays it all out during the jam. Keith has a nice Fender Rhodes going at the same time which has a real soft, warm sound that complements the trebly, ice picking tone of Garcia's guitar in this version. 

So sit back, relax, and give this one a spin. I think you'll find something you like in there somewhere. 

Day 5: Bird Song, 9/21/72

Bird Song, Dick's Picks, Vol. 36, 9/21/72

As I mentioned previously, I have a number of MP3 CDs in my car. Unfortunately, the device does not always recognize/play every MP3 on a given disc, even though I use the same process for converting all my MP3s. Makes no sense. On my way home from class last night the CD player in my car decided it didn't like my Dead 1990 MP3 CD so at the next stop light I quickly swapped out 1990 for 1972. Of course, the first folder wouldn't play - ARGH! - but the next folder was DP36. I quickly skipped the Promised Land opener because, honestly, I can't stand the Chuck Berry covers. They are way too common and it's the same 3 songs. When they segued one right into the next it like a kick in the setlist nuts. At least with the Dylan covers (which I tend to skip as well) there are about 10-12 songs between Jerry, Bobby, and Phil that there's a bit more variety. Actually, there are some Dylan songs I don't mind, but a lot of them I skip past...

The more I listen to Weir's playing the more I appreciate his unique approach to the instrument and especially his understanding of the rhythm guitar in a band like the Dead. As I rushed home in order to help with my son's bedtime this just kind of fit. It loped along in places, but didn't drag and has some really interesting jamming as well. Right around the 4 minute mark there's a nice melange of Keith's block chords and Jerry's lead that gives way to a Keith piano solo. I'm not enough of a gear head to know Keith's setup at this time, and I can't tell if what follows is a keyboard with some sort of effect/filter on it, but it sounds really neat. Kind of like a Fender Rhodes hooked up to a wah wah (might have been Jerry for all I know), but it folds effortlessly back into the grand piano that it makes me think Keith was spinning from one set of keys to the other. Regardless of who was doing what, it's an awesome passage and really jumped out to me as something unique.

I've read elsewhere that these late September 1972 shows were high on Dick Latvala's list and it's easy to see why!

Day 4: China Cat Sunflower, 3/17/68

China Cat Sunflower, Download Series, Vol. 6, 3/17/68

In thinking about this project for the next year I was looking through my collection of Dead releases last night and it got me thinking about how much stuff I have and how well I really know each recording. We're expecting our second kid any moment now and that sense of known unknown had me reaching for something to really focus on. I opted for something along the more primal lines and jumped in the wayback machine to 1968.

It was either between DL6, DP22, or RT2.2 today and I guess the orange cover just drew me in. Plus it was a shorter show so in the event that I had to leave work early for an arriving baby (which is still a possibility as I write this) I may still be able to get through the whole thing.

There were some nifty passages in the Lovelight that opens the set, and I really like the version of That's It For The Other One. I always liked the Cryptical Envelopment section of that piece and there's some good playing throughout that tune. But the one that really caught my attention was the China Cat Sunflower.

Phil's got some fuzzy bass as the song starts off and the vocals kick in fast. Garcia's first solo starts of very quick and nimble and Pigpen's organ adds just the right amount of sustain. Jerry's second solo is a bit more laid back and he takes his time getting to where he's going (kind of like this kid that we've been expected "any minute now" for the past couple of weeks). While Jerry certainly garners the spotlight, as is expected in a guitar-centric rock band, what really impressed me on this track is Weir's playing. His chords are chunky and his fills are unique and spot on.

Right before the 3:30 mark things get really interesting as the band switches to a minor key or some middle eastern sounding mode. The shift in mood is quite apparent and stands as an interesting juxtaposition to the rest of the song in its cheery major key. This continues for a minute at which point they slide almost effortlessly into a great version of The Eleven.

I'm sure the fans at this show were feeling as lucky as the Irish on this St. Patrick's Day show!

The whole show is solid and I'm pretty sure these may be available on iTunes or Spotify nowadays. Do yourself a favor and check it out!

Day 3: Cold Rain & Snow, 5/11/78

Cold Rain & Snow, Dick's Picks, Vol. 25, 5/11/78

This isn't a comment on the weather. Seriously!

Cold Rain & Snow is a tune that can drag if the band isn't careful. This is not one of those versions. Being that today is a Monday it helps to have something a bit more upbeat to make the day go by quicker. I spend the morning working on a PR piece for a local youth lacrosse club (LXTC) and opted for Dick's Pick, Vol. 25 this morning. Having slaked my Dead thirst the past few days with some late 80s/Spring 90s I wanted something a bit more raw. What better way to get there than by putting on something with early Weir slide. I'm not afraid to admit that I generally abhor Bobby's slide playing. He's even said himself that he basically learned how to play slide on stage. I guess that's one of the benefits of having a forgiving audience.  But this version of CR&S, which does not typically get the slide treatment, gets some from Bobby and it's not terrible. So this one stuck out to me. Donna sounds good here, too, which is always a treat. By the end of the song things are moving at a really brisk clip and you can tell the band is feeling it. As far as set one openers go, this is a solid one, and so it appropriate to open up the week with too!

It's funny that this project has me listening a bit closer when I put on an album, and in listening to the first couple discs of DP 25 the songs that I anticipated as being possible standouts didn't strike me, at least not today. '78 tends to be a bit more hit-or-miss, a little more raw than 1977 so it's always an interesting year to me. On an unassuming day sometimes it's nice to put on something with no real expectations and just see what happens, even if it's something you've listened to multiple times previously.

Many of the Dick's Picks series had gone out of print, but recently Real Gone Music started to re-issue them, starting with vol. 36 and working backwards. They're a bit pricey, probably $20-30 more than they originally retailed for, but still a lot cheaper than they used to be had on ebay, where they were frequently $100 or more. Plus with more copies in circulation the chances of finding a used copy at a decent price only increases! DP25 is available here, but it's worth checking Amazon and the usual resale sites, too.

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Day 2: Scarlet Begonias, 3/16/90

Scarlet Begonias, 3/16/90 (Spring 1990 box set; Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It)

It's Super Bowl Sunday and although I live in Denver I'm pretty much indifferent to the Broncos. Don't get me wrong, I love watching Peyton Manning play. The guy is a wizard out there. But I'm not a Denver native so I don't live and die with the Broncos. In fact, I'm much more partial to college football, even though my team (Michigan) has been a disappointment of late.

Yesterday's cold grayness gave way to a bright sunny day today here on the Front Range, albeit still cold. The stereo in my car is capable of playing MP3 CDs, so instead of carrying audio CDs around what I've started to do is take a few shows from a given year, burn the MP3s on to a CD and keep that in my car. My Dead 1990 MP3 CD has several shows from the Spring 1990 box set. I own the complete 6 show set, but the this particular track was also included on the 2 disc compilation of that box set So Glad You Made It. Because this was in my CD player today's selection is somewhat by happenstance, although I suspect this will be a common theme throughout this process.

My wife is by no means a Deadhead, but I've noticed that when my son is in my car with the Dead playing he rarely, if ever, asks to turn on different music (i.e. kids songs), but he does it all the time in my wife's car. Is Mom more of a pushover when it comes to the radio? Or does he just not like her "country" music? 

The Spring 1990 tour was recorded in multi-track (although the Spring 1990 box set was not remastered from the multi-track sources) so all of the instruments are vivid and clear. On this particular track Phil shines once again, especially playing under Garcia's solo around the 4th-5th minutes. Jerry then cedes the floor and Brent takes some tasty B3 runs, and, if I'm correct in my listening I think Bobby takes a quick chord-based solo, which is really neat. Brent has some nice flourishes in the jam right around the 8 minute mark on this one, too, and then Jerry takes the MIDI for a whirl. I'm not always a fan of the MIDI stuff, but I don't find this one off-putting at all. What makes this version stand out to me is that it doesn't go into Fire On The Mountain, which is not one of my favorite Dead songs. (Blasphemy! I know!) It eventually segues into Estimated Prophet, but the jam between the two is simply sublime. The more I've listened to the Dead closely in the past couple of years the more I can actually hear them "searching for the sound." I've always loved the riff at the end of Scarlet; that's something that never gets old to me. This version the riff leads off the jam, which is not uncommon, but it does not resurface at the end like it does as the coda to Fire in so many Scar/Fires. Instead they almost shift seamlessly into a tasty Estimated. But we'll leave that one for a possible future post.

Other candidates for today from 3/16/90: Loser and Bird Song.

I'm a BIG fan of this tour and love this box set. I hope that the fabled Vol 2 comes out soon with the remaining unreleased shows from the tour.

But do check out this Scarlet Begonias. It's a great one from this era and should be easily available!

Day 1: Iko Iko - 7/7/89

Iko Iko - Crimson, White, and Indigo, 7/7/89

The first of February here in Denver brought with it snow and cold. Here on the Front Range winter is generally more mild than people realize, but this is not one of those milder times. The high today is projected to be 22 degrees and we've had a steady course of snow over the past 36 hours or so. Of course, I was hoping that today would be a reprieve from the brief cold spell we're in because the University of Denver men's lacrosse team had a scrimmage this afternoon that I wanted to go watch, but the snow, cold, and the need to entertain a 2.5 year old eliminated that option.

Speaking of my son, he came in with my wife this morning around 7:15am to get me up to make breakfast. It's still kind of weird to think that 7:15 constitutes sleeping in, but that's life with kids. I conceded to the request of pancakes. As I started to cook I scrolled through my library for something to listen to, as music and cooking cooking came up in the discussion over at dead.net in the Dave's Picks, Volume 9 thread. Given the weather I wanted something that made me think of warmer climes.

I always search by album because I prefer to listen to entire records at a time instead of singles. And since I am familiar with all the album artwork whenever I see a particular album I know just by looking at it what era it is from and what the band was doing at that time. The one that caught my eye this morning was Crimson, White, and Indigo. This is a 3 CD set that comes with at DVD of the performance. I remember reading reviews about the show and how hot it was so it seemed to nicely counter the current weather here. I pressed play and the first set started off with Hell in a Bucket, but what grabbed my attention was the Iko Iko that followed.
  
Phil is clear in the mix and bumping along quite nicely, playing a number of tasty fills throughout the song. I noticed some nice guitar work from Bobby around 3:45-4:00, and he play some interesting stuff under Garcia's solo around the 5 minute mar as well. Throughout the song Brent plays a tasty B3. I must admit that I am a sucker for a B3. I just love the sound and it adds a lot to this particular version because Brent plays it so very well.

Whenever I hear Iko Iko I think about a band I was playing with when I lived in Chicago and the different between Iko Iko and Man Smart, Woman Smarter came up. They're basically the same song, a I IV progression in A, but what sets them apart (aside from the terrible lyrics of the latter) is the beat. One of the guys in the band mentioned how he had heard others segue the two tunes into each other and how he did not like that because it obfuscated the nuances that made each song unique.

Project Introduction

I've always appreciated show recommendations from Dead Heads. The encyclopedic knowledge of show dates, setlists, and other information related to the that some people carry around inside their craniums just amazes me at times. While I may not be the world's most hard core Dead Head I do spend a lot of time listening to the band.

Primary Objective: Post about a particular version of a Grateful Dead song every day for the next year.

A few guidelines for the project:

1. Posts: The goal is to have 365 posts in a year's time. It may not be possible to post one per day for obvious reasons. Some catch-up may be inevitable. Regardless, the goal is for 365 over the next year. After that, we'll see what happens.
2. No repeats. As in the same version of the same song. I plan to keep a spreadsheet to track everything so this shouldn't be an issue. I'm interested to see how my listening habits evolve over the project. I will likely do something with this data, but that is TBD.
3. Try to stick to material that is commercially available. I know that stuff goes out of print all the time, but this should make it easier for anyone interested in a specific cut to track down the source. Yes, I know that pretty much everything is available for streaming on archive.org, but I like the idea of being able to procure a physical copy of a release. Plus, commercial releases have been remastered and polished and, therefore, generally sound better. That said, I will try to provide links to archive.org so interested parties have a point of reference if the album is out of print.
4. Primary consideration is for the Grateful Dead, but Dead related material is fair game too. This means solo projects, post-Jerry configurations, and covers, etc.

Of course, these guidelines are subject to revision, but I think it's good to have some type of framework at the outset.

My intention is to, when possible, address WHY a given song was chosen on a particular day. Whether it be weather, special occasion, my favorite sports team winning or losing, or whatever it may be. I'm interested in the way that Grateful Dead music affects and interacts with my life. My hope is that others may consider this question as well.

While I listen to a lot of Dead I do like a wide variety of other stuff. So I may include notes about what else I listened to on a given day. Again, nothing is set in stone and the primary goal is a Dead song per day. That should be sufficiently challenging. Everything else is (Wavy) gravy!

A bit about me:
I've been a fan of the Grateful Dead since 1995 when I was in middle school. I'm in my early 30s now, and I never saw the band with Jerry. I listened to the Dead a lot, but I didn't really get it for a number of years. (I remember buying Hundred Year Hall when it came out an skipping past the monster Other One on it. Now I would never think of doing such a thing.) It seems that a lot of heads have a preference for one era or another, and that oftentimes correlates to when they got on the bus. I certainly have my favorite years, but I like it all. I expect this little experiment will reveal more about my tastes in Dead music, however, so I'm interested to see how it goes.

I am a trained historian (PhD), a sports fanatic (primarily lacrosse and hockey), a husband, a father, and a published author. So some of these things, and perhaps other facets of my life may come through in these pages. I'm not in the business of baring my soul, but rather exploring the relationship between my life and Dead music. Thanks for reading and following along!

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