Another day, another great artist to talk about. In 1995, I was working for Mill Creek Townhouses in Ann Arbor. Every Monday, the company they hired to mow the lawns would show up. There was one fella that worked for that company that looked just like Jerry Garcia. They showed up to mow the lawn the day Jerry Garcia died, I'm sure that fella got a lot of funny looks that day. It's hard to imagine that was 13 years ago. I didn't know much about Jerry Garcia back then, I knew he was the guy that sang for that group that sang that song that went "I will get by" that had skeleton versions of themselves in the video.
Now, I know what many of you are thinking, the Grateful Dead are those ugly dudes that did alot of drugs & played music all around the country for those dirty hippies that also did alot of drugs & you are probably right about all of it. But if that's all you see, you're missing out on a lot of great music. But I'm not talking about the Dead today, I happen to be one of those crazy people that prefers the Jerry Garcia Band to the Grateful Dead. The Grateful Dead made some good studio albums in my opinion, but they are most known for their concerts. Their concerts to me sound as though they are going nowhere, the shell of their songs are there but are lost in endless guitar noodling & pointless jams. The Jerry Garcia Band, however, contains everything I like about great music. It has wonderful harmonies from the background singers, wonderful organ from Melvin Seals & a focus that the Dead never had. Garcia is not tied to the Grateful Dead catalog so he can play whatever he wants to, his favorite traditional & contemporary covers. His vocals & more especially his guitar solos have an intense focus. The music is rooted in the past & has a focused spontaneity to it. Check out the version of Run for the Roses found below, it gives a Grateful Dead classic "It Must've Been the Roses" a run for it's money. This is Sunday afternoon music.
Five Favorite Songs of the Day
Run for the Roses-Jerry Garcia Band
Waiting for a Miracle-Jerry Garcia Band
How come the future has to take such long time when you're waiting for a miracle?
Hard Times-Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson Tribute Concert (song by Stephen Foster)
Stephen Foster
(Arr. Ralph McTell)
Let us pause in life's pleasures and count its many tears
While we all sup sorrow with the poor
There's a song that will linger forever in our ears
Oh Hard times come again no more.
Tis the song, the sigh of the weary,
Hard times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door
Oh hard times come again no more.
While we seek mirth and beauty and
There are frail forms fainting at the door Though their voices are silent, their pleading looks will say Oh hard times come again no more. Tis the song, the sigh of the weary, Hard times, hard times, come again no more Many days you have lingered around my cabin door Oh hard times come again no more. Tis a sigh that is wafted across the troubled wave, Tis a wail that is heard upon the shore Tis a dirge that is murmured around the lowly grave Oh hard times come again no more. Tis the song, the sigh of the weary, Hard times, hard times, come again no more Many days you have lingered around my cabin door Oh hard times come again no more. Oh hard times come again no more. |
Sing Me Back Home-Merle Haggard
Restless Farewell-Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra Tribute Concert
Happy Sunday, friends...
andrew
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