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.
Two old maids lying in the sand each one's wishing that the other was a man- aint it crazy. Love the Dead.
First Dead show was Buffalo New York 1978 I think and During Tr#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&- "tr#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g off to Buffalo" the place went wild but no one flew away off their seats like legend has it during Wharf Rat at a concert. My girlfiend in high school embroidered the Europe 72 Album cover (rainbow side) on my jeans- I may still have them somewhere. Great shows at Radio City with accoustic sets in 1980 was it?
Also saw the New Riders about 16 times as those tickets where easier to get.
My 16 year old son is positive that being into the Dead means I must have been "doing weed" which apparently is the latest way to say smoking dope. I absolutley refuse to admit to my son any such activity.
He just got his first girlfriend and went over to her house to meet the parents. He was nervous as hell. The father and mother started asking him all sorts of questions like why his hair was long and then my son see some Dead CD's lying around and says oh my father is into the Dead and that broke the ice. Turns out that both are Dead fans and the father is some bass tournament guy. My sons says my father is Secretary of the CT Surcasters Assn and we fish together. Now the parents love him and told the daughter he is a great kid and so now of course since the parents like him, the girl is not sure.
The following is from a Hunter song "The End of the Road" with great surfcasting lyrics"
"My head was full of nothing but the pounding of the surf
And whirling kind of slowly like the spinning of the earth
Everything I lived for seemed played out like a joke
The all-night revelations and the poetry we spoke"
OK John, from your definition I guess we are both dead fans then.
see you in June
The United States Constitution does not exist to grant you rights; those rights are inherent within you. Rather it exists to frame a limited government so that those natural rights can be exercised freely.
1984 was a warning, not a guidebook!
It's time more people spoke up with the truth. Every time we let a leftist lie go uncorrected, the commies get stronger.
High Tide, yes that's the one
I wore out a few others as well, got a killer JGB with a Dear prudence I must have played hundreds of times.
I saw the dead from maine to CA
I was at the Providence 79 show also Tautog, one of my firsts, got there at the break missed the whole first set and just walked right on in nobody asked for a ticket.
Saw JGB many times and Jerry and John Kahn acoustic at the Opera House, saw Hunter in Cambridge and others
Great music and great times.
Clammer, you wreck me, hope you had a good day fishing
John in VT, yep, you're a deadhead how you doing? see ya soon I bet.
The United States Constitution does not exist to grant you rights; those rights are inherent within you. Rather it exists to frame a limited government so that those natural rights can be exercised freely.
1984 was a warning, not a guidebook!
It's time more people spoke up with the truth. Every time we let a leftist lie go uncorrected, the commies get stronger.
I guess im kinda a head. Been listening since 90, and caught a show in 95 at auburn hills michian, wasnt long after that it was all over. The music, the scene, the vibe and the way of thinkin when your listening. There is nothing like cruisin down the road on a summer day crankin some dead/JGB. Got into phish quite a bit for a while but it never did the same for me. Never did replace the dead sticker on my truck when i got a new one. Funny how customs in canada has been a bit more laid back, the sticker and a foot and a half of hair shorter and the attitudes change.
37 now and I saw them alot in the mid/late 80's. Fun while it lasted during my school days, but it got old towards the end of it as the band deteriorated. I Still have a couple hundred live recorded tapes and CD's I listen to on occasion.
I like Pig Pen stuff. "Cream Puff War" and "Aligator" are a few of my favz! Dark Star Orchestra plays around here every once and again. Close as you can get these days I think.
Pigpen covering the Otis Redding song "Hard to Handle" live in Canada in 1970. One of my all time favorites,unfortunately they didn't play it after Pigpens death.
The old Merryprankster himself shows a little more life than normal on guitar.
Pigpen covering the Otis Redding song "Hard to Handle" live in Canada in 1970. One of my all time favorites,unfortunately they didn't play it after Pigpens death.
The old Merryprankster himself shows a little more life than normal on guitar.
YouTube - The Grateful Dead - Hard to Handle
That was weird. Not 2 minutes after that exact version played on Sirius, I find this thread here...
37 now and I saw them alot in the mid/late 80's. Fun while it lasted during my school days, but it got old towards the end of it as the band deteriorated. I Still have a couple hundred live recorded tapes and CD's I listen to on occasion.
Teddy Stefen told me you were a big dead head but i didn't believe him. hippy
Once I get off the Vineyard I'll dig up my ticket stubs. I'm sure a lot of us were at the same shows. Man I've been listening to the Dead recently. Old Filmore stuff and shows in the eighties. Feels good to feel good.
I went to the Pvd shows in 73 and I don't think they had any horns with them. Thus was the time they were experimenting with the famoues "Wall of Sound". It was very a impressive and had great sound but they stopped after a couple of years due to cost, moving it ,trucks, help etc.
One of the only horn players I remember doing much with them was Branford Marsalis playing sax on "Eyes of the World" on the "Without a Net" CD.
I'm sure other horn players have jammed with them but I don't remember too many in the early 70's.
and just walked right on in nobody asked for a ticket.
Hybrid Mode
