[Pete_G]

In keeping with where this thread kind of went, a bit of history on "Box of Rain":



Hunter notes in his anthology of lyrics, named for this song,

"Phil Lesh wanted a song to sing to his dying father and had composed a piece complete with every vocal nuance but the words. If ever a lyric 'wrote itself,' this did--as fast as the pen would pull."

From Classic Albums: American Beauty, a film by Jeremy Marre:

Lesh (On "Box of Rain"): "The lyrics came about in an unusual way. This was the first time I had written a song in a long time, and I had worked out the melody and the chords, and in fact the whole song, from beginning to end—introduction, coda, and everything—and I put it on a tape and gave it to Hunter."

Hunter: "He'd just written these lovely changes and put 'em on a tape on a tape for me, and he sang along (scat singing of melody)—so the phrasing was all there, I think I went through it two or three times, writing as fast as I could, and that song was written. I guess it was written for a young man whose father was dying."

Lesh: "And at that time, my dad was dying of cancer, and I would drive out to visit with him, in the hospital, and also at the nursing home he spent his final days in, and after Bob gave me the lyrics, on the way out there I would practice singing the song. I sort of identified that song with my dad and his approaching death. The lyrics that he produced were so apt, so perfect. It was very moving, very moving for me to experience that during the period of my dad's passing. I felt like singing it in other situations similar to that since then."



Box of Rain has always rung true, but especially so knowing it's origins. My Dad has 3 sisters, and all 3 have been hit by cancer so unfortunately it's something I'm all too familiar with.